Draft:  May 18, 2006

                                                                       

Approved: June 14, 2006                                                                                                      

 

School Committee meeting May 17, 2006

                                                                       

Under Report of the Secretary

 

 

6:00 P.M. Workshop Session

School Committee met in a workshop session to discuss options regarding the future location and broadcasting of School Committee meetings.

 

7:00 P.M.  Business Meeting

Ms. Alcorn called the meeting to order at 7:00p.m.

 

Members present: Ellen Alcorn-Chair, John Coyne, Jon Radtke, Otis Thompson, Susan Hopkins, Lori Gramlich, Jason Toothaker, Joshua Waxman, Sarah Muzzy

 

Members not present:  Stephen Spring, Benjamin Meiklejohn

 

Report of the Chair

Ms. Alcorn announced that Edward Donnorama, Ed Tech at West School, will be leaving for Iraq and his last day at school will be May 26th.   She and the Committee send him best wishes for a safe return.

 

Report of the Superintendent

Superintendent O'Connor:

Level Two

Leyna Gomez first place bilingual; Chanel Lewis second place; Alyssa Lewis third place; Brian Watson fourth place

 

Level Three

Amy “Alex” Clark fourth place; Rosaly Cuesta     sixth place

 

Level Four

Crystal Cron first place bilingual; Stephen Gonnell first place; Esmirna Roman Vasquez   third place

 

Level Five

Claudia Perez first place bilingual; Bojan Mitrovic third place bilingual; Austin Anderson fifth place; Valentina Postolache eighth place

 

Austin and Val placed in the top one hundred nationally, and they have been in the top ten in Maine for the last four years. Steven Gonnell placed in the top 80 nationally.

 

 

 

Questions:

Mr. Radtke - Asked what schools might look like along Peter Senge's line.  Did students do any thinking on vision of where they would like schools to be and did they spend any time on thinking how to get there?  Asked if students had any recommendations for the Committee about any particular roadblocks to be addressed.

 

Students:  Many different mental models in school system.  Shared idea on what students need to accomplish.

 

Superintendent O’Connor - saw skit at PHS how teaching is and how it should be. How do we make learning active?

 

Campus Consortium- Fred Padula - would donate $25,000 to assist with 

some of the recommendations .   Fred Padula of Green Campus 

Consortium - briefly addressed the Committee and indicated that 

$25,000 donation would be contingent upon two things - people must be 

turning out lights, students/staff need an energy consciousness/

awareness and Director of Facilities management at PHS must have 

certification training. 

 

Mr. Toothaker - kudos.   Indicated that he did not want people dragging their feet on this issue.  Would like to see at all schools.

 

Superintendent O’Connor – indicated that areas of conservation  have been and are continually being reviewed. 

 

Retirements:  effective 6/30/06

William Gray                Math Teacher * Moore                        1.0       29 years

Roberta Dean               Grade 3-4 Teacher * Peaks                  1.0       15 years

James Tucker               Social Studies Teacher * Deering          1.0       36 years

Lega Medcalf               Science * Deering                                 1.0       25 years

John Robinson              Health * Lincoln                                   1.0       34 years

Andrea Bagley  Grade 3 * Hall                                      1.0       28 years

Donald Atkinson           Math * King                                        1.0       37 years

 

strategist at Moore Middle School presented an overview of the Northwest Evaluation Association  assessments.

 

Report of Committees

1.         Policy Committee -  Mr. Radtke – Committee will meet next Wed., May 24th, 4 p.m. in the superintendent’s office.

2.         Finance Committee -  Mr. Thompson - budget passed.  Indicated that at the last joint finance committee meeting Councilor Cloutier requested that work continue around 

consolidation of various work situations.  Mr. Thompson indicated that the Finance Committee needs to know if this is a direction that the School Committee wants to continue pursuing.

3.         Legislative Affairs Committee – No report. Mr. Thompson asked if on the November ballot there would be anything on how property taxes will be assessed.  Ms. Gramlich will look into this.

4.         Riverton Building Committee - Mr. Coyne - currently going through 

bid process.  Walk through for bids will be held on Thursday, May 18th.

5.         Other Committees and/or member concerns - Mr. Radtke indicated that  negotiations with PEA are ongoing.  Since last meeting there were session on 5/4, 5/8, 5/15  and another to be held on 5/18.

 

Consent Items 

Superintendent O’Connor reviewed donations and thanked contributors.

 

Report of the Secretary

Consideration and action to approve the meeting minutes of the May  3, 2006 meeting.

 

Mr. Radtke moved, seconded  Mr. Coyne and voted  unanimously to approve the 

meeting minutes of  the May 3, 2006 meeting. (Students voted with majority)

 

Ms. Alcorn requested unanimous consent to take an agenda item out of order

 

New Business

1.         Consideration and action to approve the installation and lease  of a cell tower on Deering High School by U.S. Cellular.

 

Mr. Radtke moved, seconded  Mr. Coyne to approve the installation and  lease of  a cell tower on Deering High School by U.S. Cellular.

 

Doug Sherwood provided a brief overview of this motion.   Mr. Gashlin,  KJK Wireless, also briefly addressed the Committee regarding the installation.

 

Questions:

Mr. Toothaker – asked if students would be displaced.

 

Mr. Gashlin- indicated that work would be done during the summer months.

 

Ms. Hopkins – referenced studies done on radiation.

 

Mr. Gashlin -   some communities request this type of study.  FCC issues health directives.  Towers emit very little energy.

 

Mr. Radtke - tower is a replacement.   Will energy output be greater than previous tower?

  

Mr. Thompson -any damage to the tower - who is liable? How was lease amount 

arrived at? If vote to enter into lease will need U.S. Cellular to remove antenna at end 

of lease and repair any damage to roof.

 

Mr. Paulson – school department insurance would cover damage. 

 

Mr. Gashlin – Lease amount is the same amount that Verizon is charged with another tower. As a result of  this installation public safety will be upgrading their services.  engineering process has been completed.  Maine Historical  Society has  accepted. Lease negotiated with city attorney and city manager has signed lease.  Stands behind FCC requirements.

 

Ms. Gramlich – since the city council has approved what happens if School Committee does not  approve?   Mr. Sherwood - could do more research, but would like to get project  done in the summer months.

 

Mr. Coyne  - this project would generate approximately $114,000 revenue for school system.

 

Discussion/Debate:

Ms. Hopkins - Not convinced that there are not long-term affects of radiation.

 

Mr. Toothaker - would like to look at more data, more definitive.

 

Mr. Radtke - supports main motion.  1)point taken that science is perhaps not convinced of the impact of low frequency radiation.  There is evidence that low frequency radiation is harmless. This is an added use along similar lines of how tower is being used now - value added  to an already existing asset; 2) it is a public service, i.e. 911 calls.

 

Mr. Waxman - good opportunity.   Generates $114,000 in revenue.

 

Ms. Hopkins moved, seconded  Mr. Toothaker to table to next business meeting. 

 

Vote: 2-5 to table to next business meeting. (Students voted with majority)  Motion fails

 

Back to main motion

 

Vote:  It was voted 5-2  to approve the installation and  lease of  a cell tower on Deering High School by U.S. Cellular. (Students with majority)

 

Ms. Alcorn requested unanimous consent to take an agenda item out of order

 

Personnel

1.  Consideration and action to approve the following Personnel items:

a.  Leave of Absence:

Catherine Palmlund           Title 1 Literacy         0.4       Childrearing

                                                Reiche              effective 2006-2007 School Year

 

Michelle Lear               Special Education         1.0       Childrearing

                                                Lyseth                          effective 2006-2007 School Year        

 

b.  Election:  effective 9/1/06

Darrell Shibles              Health/PE * Casco Bay HS      $54,847*

            M.Ed., Education/Exercise Science * UMO

 

Adam Perron                            Community Life Coordinator     $51,942

BA, University of New England            Adult Education

*pending negotiations

 

Mr. Radtke requested suspension of  rules to read names in items c,d, and e and that names will be included in minutes.

                       

  1. 2006-2007 1st Continuing Contract

School

Last Name

First Name

Assignment

 

 

 

 

Clifford

Colucci

Anne

Nurse

Clifford

Rawlings

Nancy

Grade 2

Longfellow

Connolly

Patrick

Grade 3

Longfellow

Lewis

Margaret

Literacy Title IIA Data Specialist

Lyseth

Lear

Michelle

SPED CNS

Islands

Frazier

Erin

SPED Resource

Reiche

Bobinsky

Lorraine

Grade 2

Reiche

Brewster

Kevin

Grade K

Reiche

Daniels

Laurie

Grade 5

Reiche

Provencher

Lynn

Grade 4

Reiche

Stuart

Rebecca

Grade 2

Riverton

Chipman

Andrew

Music

King

Colella

Elaine

Language Arts (8)

King

Macoy

Jennifer

Language Arts (7)

King

Orth

Annemaire

Foreign Language Spanish

Lincoln

Lane

Margaret

Language Arts (8)

Lincoln

Martin

Sarah

Literacy Lab ESL 6-8

Moore

Archambault

Kathleen

SPED-FA (7)

Moore

Gavitt

Sarah

Math (6)

Moore

Humphrey

Brad

Math (6,7,8)

Moore

King

Matthew

SPED-Resource (8)

Moore

Pepper

Paige

SPED-FLS

Moore

Piasio

Laurie

Language Arts (8)

Moore

Truesdale

Katharine

SPED-Behavior

Deering

Costello

Kathleen

English

Deering

Drew

Doug

Guidance

Deering

Miller

Markos

Foreign Language Spanish

Portland High

Ahmed

Abdullahi

Science Physical 

Portland High

Payson-Rand

Sophia

Social Worker Title IA

Portland High

Sherburne

Amy

Guidance

PATHS

Armstrong

Douglas

Culinary Concepts

PATHS

Wentworth

Matthew

Masonry

Adult Education

Dodson

Jonathan

Teacher-Barber Foods

Special Services

Boulos

Jayne

Psych Examiner

                       

  1. 2006-2007 Teachers Eligible for 1st Probationary Contract

School

Last Name

First Name

Assignment

Reiche

Andreasdes

Laurie

Learning Strategist

King

Alvarez

Stacy

Gear-Up (7)

PATHS

Robinson

Joseph

General Trades Woodworking

 

  1. 2006-2007 Teachers Eligible for 2nd Probationary Contract

School

Last Name

First Name

Assignment

Adams

Glaude

Eileen

Learning Strategist

Clifford

Bartlett

Janie

Speech

Hall

Blackstone

Peter

Many Rivers 3-4-5

Hall

Roland

Jullian

Many Rivers 3-4-5

Hall

Szanton

Sarah

Speech

Longfellow

Niles

Kelley

Grade 1-2

Islands

Hasson

Kelly Jean

Teaching Strategist

Presumpscot

Falla

Tracey

Occupational Therapist

Riverton

Jones

Nancy

Learning Strategist

Riverton

McCarthy

Tesia

SPED-Resource

Riverton

Reynolds

Kate

Grade 1-2

Riverton

Stamey

Andrea

Speech

King

Hatch

Lisa

Language Arts (6-7)

King

Hill

Peter

Science Physical (8) Title I

King

Moran

Elizabeth

ESL Title IA

King

Tuttle

Emily

ESL Reading (6-8) Title IA

King

Zack

Emily

Foreign Language French

Lincoln

Biron

Celeste

Special Education

Lincoln

Foley

Joseph

Special Education

Lincoln

Hey

Christine

Nurse

Lincoln

Libby

Christine

Special Education

Lincoln

Mullis

Deborah

Learning Strategist

Moore

Brinkman

Patricia

Guidance

Moore

Fogg

Matthew

Music Middle

Moore

Howard-Clark

Clara Jean

ESL

Moore

Myers

Julie

Math (8)

Casco Bay

Appelbaum

Leslie

Teaching Strategist

Casco Bay

Burke

David

Math

Casco Bay

Carter

Alexandra