APPROVED BY THE PITTSFIELD SCHOOL BOARD

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT #51
PITTSFIELD SCHOOL BOARD

MINUTES

Pittsfield School Board Meeting
5:00 p.m., Tuesday, November 16, 2011
Pittsfield Elementary School

I. CALL TO ORDER

Members Present: Clayton Wood, Chairperson
Elizabeth Adams
Kathy Corliss
Mary Paradise
Michael Wolfe

Others Present: John J. Freeman, Superintendent
Tobi Gray Chassie, Director of Student Services
Bob Bickford, Principal, PMHS

Chairperson Wood called the meeting to order at 5:12 p.m.

II. AGENDA REVIEW

The following items were added to the agenda:
• Communication from Select Board (Dr. Freeman)
• Gaming Club (Dr. Freeman)
• Leave Request (Dr. Freeman)

III. ACTION ON AMENDED AGENDA

On a motion made by Mr. Wolfe and seconded by Ms. Adams, the Board voted unanimously to approve the agenda, as amended.

IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

A motion was made by Mr. Wolfe and seconded by Ms. Adams to approve the minutes of November 10, 2011. The minutes were unanimously approved.

V. PUBLIC SESSION- None

VI. PES ADMINISTRATION

A. FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH
Mr. Kilmister reported 56.6% of PES students receive free or reduced lunch. Two years ago our percentage was in the mid forties.

B. PTO LUNCH PALS

Mr. Kilmister reported that the PTO has made arrangements with the Pittsfield Food Service to host parents eating lunch with their children in the cafeteria. Parents are interested in experiencing the new food services and seeing how recess and lunch works for their children. The first lunch visit, for sixth-grade parents, will take place November 29. PTO Vice President Lisa English has taken the lead in organizing this event.

C. PES CALENDAR

Mr. Kilmister provided a calendar of events for November and December.

VII. PMHS ADMINISTRATION

A. GAMING CLUB

Mr. Bickford presented the revision of the PMHS Gaming Club proposal. Approximately ten students are interested in joining. The proposal included information on game ratings. The Board recommended that information be provided to parents so they understand the rating system and have choices about what games their children are playing. Mr. Bickford will assist the supervising teacher, Mr. Brian Pinto, in developing a permission slip for parents to sign so they would be aware of the ratings.

On a motion made by Mr. Wolfe and seconded by Ms. Corliss, the Board voted unanimously to approve the Never Sleep Gaming Club

B. PMHS CALENDAR

Mr. Bickford provided a calendar of events for November.

VIII. STUDENT SERVICES – None

IX. SAU ADMINISTRATION

A. LEAVE REQUEST

On a motion made by Mr. Wolfe and seconded by Ms. Adams, the Board voted unanimously to approve a request for Kindergarten Teacher Faith Whittier’s leave with pay in order for her to fulfill her duties as Supervisor of the Checklist for the Town of Pittsfield.

B. GRANDSTAND ROOF

Dr. Freeman explained that when the roofers came to repair the roof, they found rotting wood. He authorized them to replace the wood before completing the roofing project.

C. FY 2012 BUDGET

Dr. Freeman distributed a copy of budget documents including Trustee of the Trust Fund Account Balances, a Five and Ten Year Estimated Debt Schedules, Tax Impact of Preliminary Budget and Alternatives, and 2012-2013 Budget Summary Revenues. Dr. Freeman complimented Business Manager Sally Blanchette for her diligence in preparing these documents and Administrative Assistant Sheila Burnette for her work in completing employee salary and benefit spreadsheets. The members of the Board agreed and thanked them for their work.

Discussion ensued regarding a proposal of an administrative restructuring in the event that the Nellie Mae Education Foundation Grant is awarded to the District. The decision was made to maintain the current administrative structure until more information is available from Nellie Mae Education Foundation.

Discussion ensued regarding class size and the incidence of special education throughout the district.

Discussion ensued regarding the proposed debt schedules for a bond to complete the repair of the PES roof, siding, and windows. The decision was made to present both the five and ten-year bond option to the Budget Committee

Discussion ensued regarding the proposed support staff increase in salary of 1%. Although 1% is minimal, it was decided that after the current year of 0% increase, it was better than no raise at all. Also, it will help to avoid the need for a salary spike in the future.

Discussion ensued regarding increasing the vocational education student allocation from 14 to 20 students, based on current and anticipated enrollment. The decision was made to increase the number of slots to 20 students.

On a motion made by Ms. Paradise and seconded by Mr. Wolfe, the Board voted unanimously to approve the budget proposal with the amendments made relative to vocational education, tech education teacher, support staff increase, and professional staff increase.

D. AUDITOR’S COMMUNICATION

Dr. Freeman provided the Board with a statement from the district’s auditor – The Mercier Group – to Board members affirming that “no material weaknesses were identified” in this past summer’s annual audit.

X. SCHOOL BOARD

A. ELECTRONIC MAIL – Reported as received.

From: Corliss [mailto:ckpcm@metrocast.net]
Sent: Sunday, November 13, 2011 1:00 PM
To: Clayton Wood; John J. Freeman; Lea Adams; ‘Mary Paradise H’; ‘Mary Paradise W’; ‘Mike Wolfe’
Subject: Common Core website
I ran across this site re: Common Core Standards and did not know if you might find it helpful.

Home

There is a download section for English Language Arts and Mathematics Standards.
Thanks,
Kathy

B. ELECTRONIC MAIL – Reported as received.

From: Stephen Adams [mailto:lurch12_2000@yahoo.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 15, 2011 9:48 PM
To: John Freeman; C & K Corliss; mary paradise; John Freeman SAU; mike w; Clayton Wood
Subject: Re: Common Core
I am aware that the Common Core is a very mild improvement to our current NH standards. Is the NHDOE not capable of creating a similar (or better!) version and call it our own without submitting to the noose of the Federal Government, and thereby risking our state sovereignty? 7 states have not adopted them. Mass. and Calif. significantly “dumbed down” their stellar standards to adopt CCSSI.
No Child Left Behind is a prime example of how “great” Washington is with handling what they are implementing. I have yet to meet an educator of quality that didn’t hate federal mandates and feel that their instruction toward real education was hampered by such. Although the Common Core website says that this is not federal, federal dollars awarded to the states are dependent on the “voluntary” adoption of the standards. It is “do what we ‘suggest,’ or we will not feed you.” In families, the State would call that behavior neglect/abuse and take children out of homes…….I believe there is no such recourse with Washington for using the same tactics. Common Core will also infringe on the liberties of homeschool families and private schools according to the Homeschool Legal Defense and other watchdog organizations. The majority of private schools and homeschools produce better prepared students than the “competition” and should not be subjected to this. Most don’t take federal dollars, so what do they “get” from having to conform? Grants? Aid?…..Intrusion and more work. This is just plain wrong.
Thanks for sending me this information.
Lea

C. LETTER FROM SELECT BOARD

Dr. Freeman distributed a letter received from Edward Vien, Chairman of the Pittsfield Board of Selectmen. The letter requested “that the members of the School Board commit to not reallocate, or reprogram, any funds which may become available within the 2011-12 school budget to projects, programs, supplies, equipment, etc., in an effort to achieve savings that will inure to the town at the end of the school’s fiscal year.” Discussion ensued regarding the commitment of the School Board to be prudent, but cognizant of the fact that there may be a situation, such as an unexpected special education cost or major facility repair, that will require a redistribution of funds. Dr. Freeman agreed to draft a letter of response for the members of the School Board to consider at the December 8, 2011, meeting.

XI. COMMITTEES

XII. NEXT MEETING

The next School Board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, December 8, 2011, at 5:30 p.m. in the Pittsfield Middle High School Media Center.

XIII. PUBLIC INPUT (Second Session) – None

XIV. ADJOURNMENT

On a motion made by Mr. Wolfe and seconded by Ms. Adams, the Board voted unanimously to adjourn the meeting at 6:23 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Tobi Gray Chassie
Recording Secretary