Approved:Nov.15, 2006
School Committee meeting Nov. 1, 2006
Consideration and action to move into Executive Session to discuss negotiations with the Portland Education Association pursuant to 1 MRSA § 405(6)(D)
Members present: Otis Thompson, John Coyne, Susan Hopkins, Ellen Alcorn, Lori Gramlich, Benjamin Meiklejohn, Jonathan Radtke
Members not present: Jason Toothaker, Stephen Spring
At 6:33 p.m. Mr. Coyne moved, seconded and voted unanimously to move into Executive Session to discuss negotiations with the Portland Education Association pursuant to 1 MRSA § 405(6)(D)
At 6:45 p.m. Mr. Meiklejohn moved, seconded Mr. Thompson and voted unanimously to come out of Executive Session.
Ms. Alcorn called the meeting to order at 7: 02 p.m.
Members Present: Ellen Alcorn, John Coyne, Benjamin Meiklejohn, Susan Hopkins, Otis Thompson, Sarah Muzzy, Lori Gramlich, Jonathan Radtke, Jason Toothaker, Joshua Waxman
Members not present: Stephen Spring,
Report of the Chair
Ms. Alcorn:
· Announced that the workshop on November 8, 2006 will be held in room 321.
· Workshop on November 29, 2006 will be to hear an update on work going on in the high schools
· There may be a need to have an executive session on November 15 depending on executive session with the superintendent tonight
Superintendent O'Connor:
1 Announced resignations: effective end of the 2006-07 school year:
Brian Gordon Social Studies/DHS .50 Personal
2 Indicated that the annual report on activities associated with TV 3 and district communications will be on the November 15, 2006 agenda
Report of Committees
1.
Consideration and action to approve the meeting minutes of
the October 18, 2006 and October 25,
2006 meetings.
Mr. Radtke moved, seconded Mr. Coyne and voted 7-1to approve the meeting minutes of the October 18, 2006 and October 25, 2006 meetings (Students with majority)
Old Business
1. Consideration and action to approve the following policies
a. JICA –
Student Dress Code
Mr. Radkte moved, seconded Ms. Gramlich and voted unanimously to approve policy JICA – Student Dress Code (Students voted with majority)
b. KLMA – Recruitment and other
Post-Secondary Opportunity Information Access
Mr. Radtke moved, seconded Ms. Gramlich and voted unanimously to approve policy KLMA –
Recruitment and other Post-Secondary Opportunity Information Access (Students
voted with majority)
c. KJA – Title IX- Booster Clubs
Mr. Radtke moved, seconded Ms. Hopkins and voted unanimously to
approve policy KJA – Title IX-Booster Clubs (Students voted with majority)
New Business
1.
Consideration and action to approve an out-of-country trip
for the Deering High School French Club to Quebec City, Canada April 27 – 29, 2007.
Mr. Radtke moved, seconded Mr. Toothaker to approve an out-of-country trip for the Deering High School French Club to Quebec City, Canada April 27 – 29, 2007.
Superintendent O'Connor and Kenneth Kunin, DHS principal, spoke to motion.
Vote: It was voted unanimously to approve an out-of-country trip for the Deering High School French Club to Quebec City, Canada April 27 – 29, 2007.(Students voted with majority)
2. Consideration and action to approve an out-of-country trip for the Lincoln Middle School French Club to Quebec City, Canada February 10 - 12, 2007
Mr. Radtke moved, seconded Mr.Coyne to approve an out-of-country trip for the Lincoln Middle School French Club to Quebec City, Canada February 10-12, 2007.
Superintendent O'Connor indicated that the Lincoln Middle School Principal has withdrawn the request the due to a lack of funds.
Vote to withdraw motion: Mr. Radtke moved, seconded Mr. Coyne and voted unanimously to withdraw the motion.(Students voted with the majority)
3.
Consideration and action to approve out-of-country trips
for Casco Bay High School’s Junior Journey to Costa Rica February 13 – 27, 2008
and April 9-23, 2008.
Mr. Radtke moved, seconded Mr. Coyne to approve out-of-country trips for Casco Bay High School’s Junior Journey to Costa Rica February 13-27, 2008 and April 9-23, 2008.
Derek Pierce spoke to the motion. Students will hopefully raise 50% of funds and other 50% through combination of grants, parent donations, etc.
Ms. Gramlich - what is anticipated cost?
Mr. Pierce- $1,200 per student of which the student will need to raise $600.
Public Comment: Steven Scharf spoke to the motion.
Vote: It was voted unanimously to approve out-of-country trips for Casco Bay High School’s Junior Journey to Costa Rica February 13-27, 2008 and April 9-23, 2008.(Students voted with majority)
4.
Consideration and action to approve an out-of-country trip
for Casco Bay High School’s Junior Journey to Guadeloupe February 13 – 27,
2008.
Mr. Radtke moved, seconded Mr. Toothaker to approve an out-of-country trip for Casco Bay High School’s Junior Journey to Guadeloupe February 13 – 27, 2008
Vote: It was voted unanimously to approve an out-of-country trip for Casco Bay High School’s Junior Journey to Guadeloupe February 13-27, 2008 (Students voted with majority).
5.
Consideration and action to approve the addition of two
full-time Special Education teachers at the cost of $39,200 per teacher for a
total of $78,400.
Mr. Radtke moved, seconded Ms.Hopkins to approve the addition of two full-time Special Education teachers at the cost $39,200 per teacher for a total of $78,400.
Superintendent O'Connor spoke to the motion. Barbara Dee indicated that there are an unprecedented number of children at the elementary level with behavioral issues as well as other extensive needs.
Mr. Toothaker - where will $78,000 coming from? What would cost be for out of district placement?
Superintendent O'Connor - funds would need to come from the existing budget.
Barbara Dee - an out of district placement would be between $50,000 to $180,000 per student.
Ms.Muzzy - where would teachers and ed techs be placed?
Barbara Dee - One teacher and ed tech would go into the Functional Life Skills program and one teacher and ed tech at the EECS.
Ms. Alcorn - how are students currently being handled? Where would FLS program be held?
Barbara Dee - trying to handle students in mainstream class, but needs are not being met. Reiche would house the FLS program for 06/07.
Mr. Coyne - what is classroom ratio of students in FLS program?
Barbara Dee - 8:1 in FLS, but need to add an ed tech after 5 students are in an FLS class. PPS is not out of compliance at this time, but it is not best practice. If students are continually added then will be out of compliance.
Ms. Gramlich - where will teachers be placed? How many social workers and where are they housed? Barbara Dee will provide this information to Ms. Gramlich.
Barbara Dee - one teacher will be a special ed teacher at EECS and the other will be a teacher in the FLS program at Reiche. Many children are coming into the district with autism.
Mr. Waxman - behavioral issues have come up since school started?
Barbara Dee - behaviors have escalated since school began as well as unexpected students moving into the district.
Mr. Paulson - 10% of all budgets is being set aside for the end of the year. Superintendent O'Connor - Some areas being monitored are use of substitutes and teachers only being able to attend one conference.
Mr. Meiklejohn - autism is happening nationally. Are there any programs/federal funds to bring resources into schools to assist with this trend?
Barbara Dee - federal government has money, but it is being used to support autism research.
Ms. Gramlich - is there an allocation from the state for special ed students?
Barbara Dee - EPS funding based on a state formula is assigned to PPS by the state to be used for programs to supplement special ed services.
Public Comment: Steven Scharf spoke to the Committee regarding this motion.
Discussion/Debate:
Mr. Meiklejohn - supports motion.
Ms. Gramlich - supports motion. Need to support students and teachers.
Mr. Thompson - need to fund. Federal government does not come close to supporting. State also does not provide adequate funding and districts must meet federal and state mandates.
Vote: It was voted unanimously to approve the addition of two full-time Special Education teachers at the cost $39,200 per teacher for a total of $78,400. (Students voted with majority)
6.
Consideration and action to approve the addition of two
full-time Special Education Educational Technicians at the cost of $26,300 per
Educational Technician for a total of
$52,600.
Mr. Radtke moved, seconded Mr. Coyne to approve the addition of two full-time Special Education Educational Technicians at the cost of $26,300 per Educational Technician for a total of $52,600.
Mr. Thompson - called the question.
It was voted 7-1 to call the question (Students voted with majority)
Vote: It was voted 6-2 to approve the addition of two full-time Special Education Educational Technicians at the cost of $26,300 per Educational Technician for a total of $52,600. (Students voted with majority)
7. First reading of policies:
Mr. Radtke moved, seconded Ms. Hopkins and voted 7-1 to table first reading of policies until the Nov. 15, 2006 meeting
a. GBEC – Drug-free Workplace
b. GCFB – Hiring of Administrative Staff
c. GCOA – Evaluation of Instructional Staff
d. IHBAC – Child Find
e. IHBAI - Independent Educational Evaluations
f. IHBAK – Life-Sustaining Emergency Care
g. IHBAL – Grievance Procedure for
Persons with Disabilities
h. IHBG – Home Schooling
i. IMB – Teaching About
Controversial/Sensitive Issues
j. IMBB – Exemption from Required
Instruction
k. JEA - Compulsory Attendance Ages
l. JFAA - Admission of Resident Students
m. JFAB - Admission of Non-Resident Students
n. JFABD - Admission of Homeless Students
o. JHB – Truancy
p. JKG – Physical Restraint
q. JLCC - Communicable/Infectious Diseases
r. JLDBG - Reintegration of Students from Juvenile Correctional Facilities
Personnel
1. Consideration and action to approve the Personnel items
listed.
Leave of Absence: Effective 11/27/06 through the end of School Year
Hope Keleher Reading/Reiche 1.0 Childrearing
Karen James Acting Principal/Hall Elementary
Mr. Radtke moved, seconded Mr. Meiklejohn and voted unanimously to approve the Personnel items listed (Students voted
with majority)
Strategic Plan - Superintendent O'Connor talked briefly about Positive Learning Environment objective.
Steven Scharf spoke do the Committee regarding free and reduced lunch numbers and enrollment numbers for PPS.
Executive Session
Consideration and action to move into Executive Session to review the Superintendent’s goals and contract pursuant to 1 MRSA § 405(6)(A)
At 8:05 pm. Mr. Radtke moved, seconded Mr. Meiklejohn and voted unanimously to move into Executive Session to review the Superintendent’s goals and contract pursuant to 1 MRSA § 405(6)(A)
At 9:05 p.m. Mr. Meiklejohn moved, seconded Ms. Gramlich and voted unanimously to come out of Executive Session.
At 9:05 p.m. Mr. Coyne moved, seconded Ms. Gramlich and voted unanimously to adjourn the meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
Mary Jo O'Connor
Superintendent of Schools