Draft: February 7, 2007

Approved:March 7, 2007

School Committee meeting Feb. 7, 2007

Under Report of the Secretary

6:00 p.m. Legislative Delegation members Joe Brannigan, John Brautigam, Jon Hinck, and Boyd Marley met with the Committee to discuss school consolidation.

Business Meeting

Mr. Coyne called the meeting to order at 7:02 pm.

Members present: John Coyne-Chairperson, Rebecca Minnick, Robert O’Brien, Anthony Toppi, Maureen Quinn, Benjamin Meiklejohn, Ellen Alcorn, Susan Hopkins, Sarah Thompson, Lori Gramlich

Report of the Chair

Mr. Coyne:

· Indicated that MSMA is looking for school board members to participate in school consolidation hearings, etc.

· Announced that Feb. 9th, 6:30-8:30 pm Nathan Clifford will be celebrating the 100th birthday of the school.

· Announced that the City Council voted at their Feb. 5th to hold a special election on June 12,2007 to fill the District 3 seat.

· Indicated that at the Feb. 14th school committee workshop the first hour will be used to discuss report cards and the second hour will be used to discuss the calendar development process.

Report of the Superintendent

Superintendent O'Connor:

• Recognized Matt Fogg, Music teacher at Moore Middle School, who has had two CD's produced and is featured in Keyboard Magazine.
• Announced winners in the Southern Maine Math League meet that was held on February 1^st in Gorham. Seventh Grade - First place Brad Pineau and Ellen Jewtt-Moore Middle School; Eighth Grade – First place Scott Shambaugh-Lincoln Middle School; Ninth Grade – Second place Max Moris and Third place Simon Thompson- Portland High.
• Introduced Lauren Grousd, Planned Parenthood, who spoke briefly about Real Life, Real Talk a program to help parents and teens communicate.
• Introduced Jill Blackwood, Riverton principal, who addressed the Committee on the great work taking place at Riverton.
• Introduced Dana Allen who briefly updated the Committee on the work of the Drop Out Task Force. The Task Force is recommending an Early High School experience for students transitioning to 9th grade to be held during the summer 2007. This program would be called Fresh Start.

Mr. Meiklejohn – asked if Deering High students identified? Mr. Allen - Yes.

Ms. Thompson - what would the cost be? Mr. Allen - planning is still in the very early

stages so a cost has not been established at this time. Also thinking about some type of gift certificate at the end of the class to assist students in purchasing school supplies.

Ms. Gramlich - how will students be selected? What type of follow up will be used? Mr. Allen - will go to middle schools with a profile of students who would be good candidates for Fresh Start and students would be nominated. Hopeful to establish cohort groups and also have mentors with students.

Ms. Quinn- how long would program be? Would grade be attached to credits earned? Mr. Allen- 4 to 6 weeks, Monday - Thursday. It would probably be a Pass/Fail grade.

Mr. Toppi - who would nominate students? Will students who have gone through program work and/or mentor younger students? Mr. Allen - administrators, teachers, guidance counselors, parents. Former students of this program would work/mentor younger students that is what we would hope happens.

Ms. Thompson - how will parents and community learn about this program? Mr. Allen - looking to possibly have an informational brochure as well as parent meetings.

Ms. Alcorn - has task force thought about partnering with outside organization? Some data might be starting points for conversations in schools about what happens to students who transition on to high school.

Mr. Coyne - Fresh Start is designed to help at risk students transition to high school.

Ms. O'Connor - this is one way to begin to address the drop out rate of 9th grade students.

Ms. Whynot-Vickers spoke briefly about interventions to help students transitioning between grades 5 and 6.

Report of the Secretary

1. Consideration and action to approve the meeting minutes of the January 17, 2007 meeting.

Ms. Thompson moved, seconded Mr. Meiklejohn to approve the meeting minutes of the January 17,2007 meeting.

Vote: It was voted unanimously to approve the meeting minutes for January 17,2007 (Students voted with majority)

Report of Committees

1. Policy Committee - Mr. O'Brien – At the last meeting Amanda Rowe met with the committee regarding AEDs. Committee has just reviewed three documents to be used for the weighted grades issues.
2. Finance Committee - Mr. Meiklejohn - Committee met on Jan. 24, 2007 and reviewed status of budget process and time line for budget process. Also on Jan.

24th the Committee met with the city council's finance committee and discussed consolidation of possible services; METRO extending student passes to the end of the 2007 school year. Superintendent's budget will be received on February 28. Finance Comm. will meet on March 7th to begin the review of the FY08 budget. Superintendent O'Connor indicated that the Budget Advisory Task Force met on Feb. 9th. Next meeting of the BATF will be Friday, Feb. 16th.

3. Legislative Affairs Committee - Ms. Gramlich - Committee met and reviewed bills going before the Education Committee and also discussed consolidation plan. Mr. Meiklejohn asked the legislative committee to consider possibly meeting with the congressional delegation regarding No Child Left Behind in the next few months. Ms. Hopkins passed along some information from the NSBA.
4. Riverton Building Committee - Mr. Coyne - toured construction project last week.
5. Elementary Facilities Committee - Ms. Alcorn - Thursday, Feb. 1st the 3x3 committee met with the architects to view what a renovation project would look like. Next meeting will be Feb. 15^th, 6:30 p.m. at Clifford School. Three public forums will be held in March. All meetings will begin at 6:30 p.m. – March 1 at King Middle School, March 6 at Lincoln Middle School and March 8 at Moore Middle School.
6. Other Committees and/or member concerns - Ms. Thompson - mentioned that King MS would host a cyberspace discussion.

Ms. Gramlich:

- mentioned the policy section of the web site.

- provided a brief update on the Wellness Policy Committee, which has met a couple of times and developed a survey to go to principals. Next meeting March 14th, 4 p.m. at Lincoln Middle School. Other Committees include Healthy School Food Team, Site based Wellness Team, and Physical Activity Team. She indicated that there is a need for a school committee rep on the Physical Activity Team

- requested a workshop or agenda item on making the public process more transparent.

Mr. Toppi -asked if there would be a deadline for responses from stakeholders regarding weighted grades. Mr. O'Brien - indicated that the Committee is looking to have stakeholder letters out by February break.

Consent Items

Superintendent O'Connor reviewed donations and thanked the contributors.

Old Business

1. Consideration and action to approve the following policies:

a. JICK - Bullying

Mr. O’Brien moved, seconded Ms. Gramlich to approve policy JICK - Bullying

Ms. Alcorn - policy indicates superintendent will establish procedures. Superintendent O'Connor indicated that Mike Clifford provides this information on incidents. A report goes to state each June on discrimination, etc.

Vote: It was voted unanimously to approve policy JICK - Bullying(Students voted with majority)

New Business

1. Consideration and action to approve an out-of-country trip to Costa Rica February 16-22, 2008 for 20-30 Lincoln Middle School Students.

Mr. Coyne requested unanimous consent to table this agenda item since no one was present to speak to it.

Moved_____ Seconded_____ Voted_____ to approve an out-of-country trip to Costa Rica February 16-22, 2008 for 20-30 Lincoln Middle School Students.

2. Consideration and action to approve Portland Public Schools’ portion, $48,051.41, of the part II New Program and Equipment total budget of $144,020, for PATHS for FY08

Mr. Meiklejohn moved, seconded Ms. Alcorn to approve Portland Public Schools’ portion, $48,051.41, of the part II New Program and Equipment total budget of $144,020, for PATHS for FY08

Vote: It was voted unanimously to approve Portland Public Schools’ portion, $48,051.41, of the part II New Program and Equipment total budget of $144,020, for PATHS for FY08(Students voted with majority)

Personnel

1. Consideration and action to approve the Personnel items as listed:

a. Leave of Absence: Effective 1/23/07

Colleen Hallee Reading/Lyseth Childrearing

b. Change in Degree: Effective 1/1/07

Emily Zack-Farrell French & Spanish/King $3,113

Masters in Creative Writing – Lancaster University, UK

c. PAA Appointment: Effective 1/15/07

Lori Andreades Acting Assistant Principal/Reiche Elementary .5

Mr. Meiklejohn moved, seconded Ms. Alcorn and voted unanimously to approve the Personnel items as listed (Students voted with majority)

Committee Focus on Educational Issues - None

Public Comment Prior to 11:00 PM

Bill Wilson addressed the Committee regarding the recommendation of the Casco Bay High School Relocation Task Force.

Executive session:

Consideration and action to move into Executive Session to discuss a student disciplinary matter pursuant to 1 MRSA § 405(6)(B).

At 8:39 p.m. Ms. Gramlich moved, seconded Ms. Minnick and voted unanimously to move into Executive Session to discuss a student disciplinary matter pursuant to 1 MRSA § 405(6)(B).

At 8:55 p.m. Ms. Alcorn moved, seconded Ms. Thompson and voted unanimously to come out of Executive Session

Mr. O’Brien moved, seconded Ms. Thompson to extend the student suspension(s) for 15

additional days to March 9, 2007

Mr. Meiklejohn moved, seconded Ms. Hopkins to extend suspension(s) for 20 additional days to March 16, 2007.

Vote on amendment: It was voted unanimously to extend suspension(s) for 20 additional days to March 16, 2007.

Vote on main motion: It was voted unanimously to extend the student suspension(s) for 20 additional days to March 16, 2007.

Adjournment

Ms. Gramlich moved, seconded Ms. Minnick and voted unanimously to adjourn the meeting at 9 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Mary Jo O’Connor

Superintendent of Schools