Draft: May 27, 2004

Approved: June 2, 2004 School Committee meeting May 26, 2004

Under Report of the Secretary

Executive Session

Members present: Jonathan Radtke-Chairperson, Walter Rumery, Stephen Spring, Teri McRae, Kim Matthews, Ben Meiklejohn, Tae Chong, James DiMillo

Members not present: Otis Thompson

At 6 p.m. Mr. Meiklejohn moved, seconded Mr. Chong and voted unanimously to move into Executive Session to discuss negotiations.

At 6:52 p.m. Mr. Chong moved, seconded Mr. Meiklejohn and voted unanimously to come out of Executive Session.

Business Meeting

Mr. Radtke called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m.

Members present: Jonathan Radtke-Chairperson, Walter Rumery, Stephen Spring, Teri McRae, Kim Matthews, Ben Meiklejohn, Tae Chong, James DiMillo

Members not present: Otis Thompson

Report of the Chair

Mr. Radtke:

Recognized 17 teachers who were awarded $5,100 to implement service-learning projects in their classrooms:

• Paul Vachon, Katie Ryer, and Maggie Grondin from West School will work with 5th grade students to design and build an outdoor learning space. They will plant, build tables, and paint a mural.

• Kippy Smith from Portland High School will work with 10th grade students to design a leadership skill-building program for Portland middle schools. They will teach the course and design the curriculum that can be use in the future.

• Steve Connolly and Beth Arsenault from Portland High School will work with 9th and 10th grade students in conjunction with the Compass Project. The students will build a boat, which they will be donating, to Camp Sunshine.

• Renee Dubois, Tonya Bufano, Wendy Litchfield, and Roberta Deane from Peaks Island will work with K-5 students and the community to enhance their school grounds and playground.

• Helen Hurd, Nancy Tryzelaar, and Jackie Harkins from Nathan Clifford will work with kindergarten students and the community, as part of an ongoing effort to improve the Clifford schoolyard. They will be growing, planting and propagating.

• Denise Sucher from Lyman Moore will work with students and area agencies to investigate ways that they can help agencies teach peace in the community.

• Regina Morton, Brenda Downs and Mahin Mirmoezzi from Lincoln will work with 6th grade students to improve the Lincoln playground and schoolyard. They will be planting, building benches and updating the basketball court.

Report of the Superintendent

Superintendent O’Connor:

• Announced resignations and retirements:

Resignations: Eff. 8-31-04

Angelo Gennari Moore/Special Education 2 years

James T. Williams, II Hall/Foreign Language 5 years

Retirements Eff. 8-31-04

Louise Caruso Clifford/Grade 3 21 years

Gerald (Jerry) Caruso Lincoln/Literacy Specialist 30 years

• Congratulated students from Lyman Moore Middle School who have artwork on display at the Blaine House in Augusta as part of Maine Youth Excellence in Art Project: Chelsea Dauphin, Jimmy Dealaman, Alex Dunne, Jessie Falcone,Erica Gilbert, Ashley Holston, Cole Hutchison, Erin Kilbride, Alicia Kraus,Alec McLaughlin, Elizabeth Mitchell, Sarah Nielson, Chelsea Schoen,Loren Schrieffer.

Alex Witherall

• Indicated that MEA scores will be available on July 15^th and school districts will have 10 days to review and respond to the data. Currently there are 4 schools on the list for not meeting average yearly performance (AYP). Handed out a letter to School Committee that will go home to parents the first week of June outlining AYP. She will also be doing a workshop with the City Council regarding AYP.
• Indicated Moore Middle School is having problems with one of the boilers that is affecting heat to approximately 7 classrooms. She thanks Tom Hamilton and Al Higgins who were able to locate space haters to accommodate students and teachers in those classrooms. The boiler will be fixed after June 30^th.

Mr. Allen reported:

• 18 8^th grade students participated in another successful session at PATHS, which will be ending on May 27^th . He is hopeful that this program can be expanded next year.
• Beginning in 2004-05 PATHS will be offering 13 mini courses for Portland and Deering High School students. Students who have study halls will be able to opt out of study hall and sign up for a course that will use one block of time to attend PATHS. The courses will be for one semester and will be pass/fail. Students can earn one credit for courses they take at PATHS. Approximately 70 students per semester will be able to attend mini-courses.

Superintendent O’Connor indicated that the transportation department would be able to work with PATHS regarding transportation of students to participate in the mini courses.

Ms. Whynot-Vickers reported:

· on a K-2 Summer Institute on literacy and a three credit course being offered in the fall on Best Practices. A cohort of elementary math teachers will participate in a session with Bruce Wellman and will be analyzing math data.

Report of Committees

1. East End Area School Building Committee – Mr. Rumery indicated that the Planning Board met on May 25^th and the Building Committee received a unanimous vote on the project. RFPs will be going out in approximately one month.
2. Policy Committee – Mr. Meiklejohn indicated that the next meeting would be Tuesday, June 8^th, 4:30 p.m. at Central Office.
3. Finance Committee – Ms. Matthews indicated that the City Council had reduced the school budget by $500,000 and that a list of recommended cuts was on the evening’s agenda for consideration by the School Committee.
4. Legislative Affairs Committee – No report.
5. Other Committees/School Committee Issues –

Mr. DiMillo mentioned that May is National Military Appreciation Month and indicated that interested people could check a web site pertaining to this http://www.nmam.org/index.htm

Superintendent O’Connor spoke to the level of support in the schools by social workers and teachers for students whose relatives are in Iraq.

Mr. Meiklejohn – indicated that the Cable TV Committee had not met for almost a year and that there is angst on the status of negotiations with the cable company. Mr. Radtke indicated that he would try to contact the mayor on the status of this committee.

Mr. Spring – indicated that he had met with Ainsley Wallace of Youth Think Innovation Fund. He suggested a workshop on November 10^th to hear more about this initiative.

Report of the Secretary

Ms. Matthews moved, seconded Mr. Chong and voted unanimously to approve the meeting minutes of May 19, 2004.

Consent Items - None

Old Business

1. Consideration and action to approve policy ILAA – Local Assessment System.

Mr. Chong moved, seconded Mr. DiMillo to approve policy ILAA – Local Assessment System.

Mr. Rumery indicated that he is impressed with how the district is handling the local assessment system.

Voted on motion It was voted unanimously to approve policy ILAA – Local Assessment System.

New Business

1. Consideration and action to accept the superintendent’s recommended list of cuts to the FY05 budget in the amount of $500,000.

Ms. Matthews moved, seconded Mr. Chong to accept the superintendent’s recommended list of cuts to the FY05 budget in the amount of $500,000.

Superintendent O’Connor spoke to the list of recommended cuts that was reviewed at the May 19^th School Committee meeting and indicated that until a budget is completed the principals are unable to plan staffing for next year.

Public Comment:

Three members of the public addressed the Committee regarding the $500,000 in budget cuts.

Committee members discussed the recommended cuts:

Mr. Rumery – congratulated the city on the dog park and the City Council on a 2% increase. Cannot keep cutting and expect to survive.

Ms. McRae – will support superintendent’s recommendations. Asked to have a report regarding the Portland Partnership.

Ms. Matthews – supports motion.

Mr. Chong – supports motion, however, taking away tools from teachers.

Mr. Spring – recommends support of motion.

Mr. DiMillo – supports superintendent’s recommendations.

Mr. Meiklejohn – supports recommended cuts. Concerned what a vote of consensus would indicate. Will vote against reduction as a statement of resistance and rebellion.

Mr. Radtke – will support recommended cuts. Thanks Kathleen Casasa and the PEA for the work they do teaching the district’s students.

Vote on motion : It was voted 7-1 to accept the superintendent’s recommended list of cuts to the FY05 budget in the amount of $500,000.

2. Consideration and action to approve a revised 2004-05 school calendar

Mr. Meiklejohn moved, seconded Ms. Matthews to approve a revised 2004-05 school calendar.

Sally Loughlin reviewed the placement changes in early release days with the School Committee.

Ms. McRae – asked if early release days had been coordinated with other districts and indicated that she appreciated the effort and adjustments to the calendar. Superintendent O’Connor indicated that the only release day coordinated with other districts is January 18^th .

Mr. Spring – asked if any consideration had been given to having Election Day off. Ms. Loughlin indicated that only three schools are impacted by Election Day and attempts are being made to shorten the school year so a decision was made not to have that time off.

Mr. Radtke – pleased that adjustments can be made to the calendar. Would like to see a late start day each week for teachers.

Vote on motion: It was voted 7-1 to approved a revised 2004-05 school calendar.

3. Consideration and action to approve an expenditure from School Committee contingency for Odyssey of the Mind teams to participate in World Competition May 29 to June 3, 2004 in the amount of $2,000.

Mr. Spring moved, seconded Ms. McRae to approve an expenditure from School Committee contingency for Odyssey of the Mind teams to participate in World Competition May 29 to June 3, 2004 in the amount of $2,000.

Superintendent O’Connor indicated that funding for OM has been an issue for approximately four years and the intention is that teams will begin fundraising in September. There is a limitation of contingency funds and she recommends School Committee approval but teams need to work smarter to fundraise. Indicated that there is approximately $2,500 in the superintendent’s contingency and approximately $29,000 in the school committee contingency. Superintendent O’Connor offered to meet with representatives of the OM teams to assist them in getting fundraising initiatives going.

Ms. McRae – asked what the cost of a replacement boiler might be. Mr. Stewart indicated approximate $80,000. He indicated that the boiler is 15-20 years old.

Mr. Radtke indicated that OM teams received some type of funding assistance from the School Committee in 2000 and 2001. The Student Travel and Excellence Fund was established in 2002 for the purpose of funding such requests and since then no groups have approached the Committee requesting funding assistance.

Public Comment:

Five community members addressed the Committee regarding the request to assist with funding for the OM teams to participate in the World Finals in Maryland.

Committee members discussed the motion:

Mr. Rumery – congratulated teams, however, he is unable to support. Not punishing students, but Contingency fund is an emergency fund that needs to be available until June for any emergencies that arise.

Mr. Chong – congratulated students for advancing to the World Finals, however, he will be voting against the motion. OM has been around for approximately 20 years, it has 501( c )3 status as a non-profit and should have established a scholarship fund or trust fund to help offset the costs of teams going to World Finals.

Ms. McRae – sad to see that an academic request might be turned down.

Mr. Spring – will not be supporting motion. Feels it would be opening up an opportunity for other groups to request funds.

Mr. Radtke – does not support motion. Spoke about history of OM requesting funds from the School Committee. OM teams were formed in November and he realizes that fundraising is difficult and is sensitive to the fact that students have done an incredible amount of work to go to World Finals.

Mr. DiMillo – indicated that School Committee should take some blame for not assisting OM in setting up some type of booster club, etc.

Voted on motion: It was voted 3-5 to approve an expenditure from School Committee contingency for Odyssey of the Mind teams to participate in World Competition May 29 to June 3, 2004 in the amount of $2,000. Motion fails.

Personnel – No items for consideration.

Committee Focus on Educational Issues

Mr. Radtke indicated that the issue of a dishwasher for King Middle School would be discussed in approximately 2 weeks.

Public Comment Prior to 11:00 PM

Steve Beirne addressed the Committee regarding the vote not to support the OM teams.

Also briefly discussed his belief that the concept of consumer/provider education should be revisited. Parents need to be brought into education. School is here to help parents to accomplish their tasks. Feels a subcommittee should be formed to bring more parents into educational process.

Bob Lavin addressed the Committee regarding 1) language used in education – “coded words”, metaphors; 2) feels schools have too much money; 3) study circles were a disappointment; 4) shocking that 4 schools not meeting AYP and reference to subgroups of students – asked if this was minorities, free/reduced lunch, etc. Thanked Committee members who voted against the superintendent’s recommendation.

Adjournment

Mr. Chong moved, seconded Mr. DiMillo and voted unanimously to adjourn the meeting at 8:48 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Mary Jo O’Connor

Superintendent of Schools