Draft:  April 2, 2008

                                                            Approved:     April 16,2008                                  

                                                            School Committee meeting April 2, 2008

                                                            Under Report of the Secretary

 

Business Meeting

Mr. Coyne called the meeting to order at 7:08pm

 

Members present:  Robert O’Brien, John Coyne, Jaimey Caron, Susan Hopkins, Sarah Thompson, Lori Gramlich, Jules Szanton, Joshua Tingley, Rebecca Minnick, Joel Daley, Peter Eglinton , Kate Snyder

 

Report of the Chair

Mr. Coyne:

·        Mentioned that some members of the sc and administration will be attending a meeting on Friday in Cape Elizabeth regarding building educational foundations. 

·        Attended MS track meet over the weekend at the Exposition Building.

 

Report of the Superintendent

Interim Superintendent Whynot-Vickers:

·        Announced resignations effective 9/1/08 - Deborah Jones, Grade 5/Reiche, 12 years and Michelle Lear, Special Ed/Lyseth, 5 years

·        Mentioned middle school music teachers’ plan to hold a middle school music festival.

·        Shared information on a lawsuit that has been filed pertaining to the Maine Migrant Program.

·        Recognized students from Portland High School who won two awards at the New England Regional Science Bowl held in March at the University of Southern Maine. Third place in the academic competition -Luke Parker, Nathaniel Walden, Kayla Artinyan and Sean Dowling.  First place for creative design in the Mouse Trap Car Competition – Mario Martinez, Eric Medina, Eoin McCarron and Sam DiPeitrio.

 

Report of the Secretary

  1. Consideration and action to approve the meeting minutes of March 19, 2008 and March 26, 2008 meetings.

 

Ms. Hopkins moved, seconded Ms. Thompson and voted unanimously to approve the minutes of March 19, 2008 and March 26, 2008 meetings. (Students voted with majority)

 

Report of Committees

1.      Policy Committee/Legislative Affairs – Ms.Snyder – continuing to review policies.  Looking at weighted grades policy and plan to bring forward to the school committee in May or June.  There will be a Comprehensive Plan presentation at April 30th workshop.

  1. Personnel Committee – Ms. Gramlich – looking at superintendent’s search with forums at the end of April and first of May.    Met with PEA regarding salary adjustments
  2. Portland Education Partnership – Ms. Thompson – sponsoring an event with PATHS – Eco-Friendly Fashion Show, Friday April 4th at Maine Audubon Society.
  3. Building Committee – Mr. Caron – committee held a public meeting on March 27th.  Next meeting will be April 10th.   Ms. Thompson – asked for clarification at state level with Portland first on the list, but due to financial problems at the state level would Portland not receive funding.   Ms. Whynot-Vickers – funds have already been approved and set aside so Portland will receive this money.
  4. Finance Committee – Mr. Eglinton –reviewed budget process to date.  Reviewed areas of reductions being considered by the finance committee.
  5. Other Committees and/or member concerns- Ms. Thompson – mentioned the NEASC accreditation taking place at Deering High School and recognized faculty who participated in the Sunday session.

 

Consent Items

Interim Superintendent Whynot-Vickers announced the donation and thanked the contributor.

 

Old Business

  1. Consideration and action to approve policy JIH – Questioning and Searches of Students

 

Ms. Hopkins moved, seconded Ms. Snyder to approve policy JIH – Questioning and Searches of Students

 

Ms. Snyder spoke to motion.

 

Public Comment:  Steven Scharf  

 

Debate:

Ms. Thompson – presumes SRO’s in two high schools would accompany administration in situations. 

 

Ms. Minnick – asked how student representatives viewed the policy.  Mr. Daley and Mr. Szanton responded.

 

Ms. Hopkins – has legal concerns.

 

Ms. Minnick moved, seconded Ms. Gramlich to refer policy back to the Policy
Committee.  Vote: It was voted 6-3 to refer policy back to the Policy Committee. (Students voted with majority)

 

New Business

  1. First reading of policy JHB – Truancy.

Ms. Snyder briefly summarized the policy.

 

  1. First reading of MOU between Portland Public Schools and Long Island Schools for a five year period beginning July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2013.

 

Interim Superintendent Whynot-Vickers reviewed the renewal of the MOU with Long Island.

 

 

 

 

  1. Consideration and action to approve the FY09 School Committee budget.

 

Mr. Eglinton moved, seconded  Mr. Caron to approve the FY09 School Committee budget in the amount of 90,261,920

 

Mr. Eglinton spoke to the motion.

 

Ms. Thompson – asked about duties of Director of Educational Planning.  Ms. Whynot-Vickers addressed question.

 

Mr. Eglinton –spoke about how salaries have been handled in the budget during the summer months.

 

Public comment:  20 individuals spoke to the Committee regarding the FY09 budget.

 

Debate:

Mr. Eglinton moved, seconded Ms. Gramlich to change local school expenditures to $89,663,123

 

Mr. Eglinton spoke to amendment.  Reductions include - 8.2 high school teachers- $347,100, 8 middle school teachers - $315,000, 3 elementary teachers - $150,000, 1 PATHS Ed Tech $30,000,  .5 Elementary librarian $40,000, 1 Assistant Superintendent $100,000,  $40,000 for school committee contracted services work, $20,000 school committee contingency, $50,000 in transportation overtime, $109,000 reduction in ADE leaving $16,000 for elementary schools.   This is now a 4.67% increase with $600,000 included to begin paying back the city and projected  funds to be raised from taxes at 2.34% .

 

Debate:  Mr. Tingly spoke to amendment.  Ms. Hopkins – asked about bond rating and impact it might have on the new elementary school. 

 

Vote on amendment:  It was voted  8-1 to change local school expenditures to $89,663,123 (Students 1 yea,2 nay)

 

Main motion as amended: Consideration and action to approve the FY09 budget as amended in the amount of  $89,663,123.

 

Ms. Snyder moved, seconded  Ms. Gramlich to look at decreasing the Portland Education Partnership by $100,000 and $50,000 in maintenance line to bring the FY09 budget to $89,513,123.

 

Ms. Thompson – spoke about the work of the Portland Education Partnership

 

Ms. Hopkins -asked about dividing the motion.

 

Ms. Hopkins moved, seconded  Ms. Minnick to split the motion. 

 

Vote: It was voted 7-2 to split the motion (Students voted with majority)

 

Motion #1 -  To decrease Portland Education Partnership by $100,000

 

Ms. Gramlich – supports motion

Vote on Motion #1: It was voted 8-1 to decrease the Portland Education Partnership by $100,000.

 

Motion #2 – To reduce maintenance by $50,000.

 

Debate: Mr. Szanton and Ms. Hopkins - do not support.  Mr. Eglinton and Mr. Tingly – supports.

 

Vote on Motion #2:  It was voted  7-2 to reduce maintenance by $50,000.  (Students - 2yea, 1 nay)

 

Main motion: Consideration and action to approve the FY09 budget in the amount $89,513, 123.

 

Mr. Caron– spoke about budget and process.

 

Ms. Minnick– is not confident that public will accept budget.  Suggested looking at facilities being unnecessarily used and going to another building, i.e. West School, Multilingual.

 

Ms. Gramlich– supports budget as amended.

 

Ms. Hopkins and Mr. Tingly – do not support.

 

Mr. O’Brien - spoke to process.

 

Mr. Szanton and Mr. Coyne – acknowledged the work of the interim superintendent, the staff, and finance committee.

 

Roll Call Vote: Ms. Gramlich-yes, Ms. Minnick-no, Ms. Hopkins-no, Ms. Snyder-yes,

Ms. Thompson-yes, Mr. O’Brien-yes, Mr. Eglinton-yes, Mr. Caron-yes, Mr. Coyne-yes,   Students - Mr. Tingley -no,  Mr. Szanton-yes, Mr. Daley-no

 

Vote: It was voted 7-2 to approve the FY09 budget in the amount $89,513, 123. (Students - 1yea, 2nay)

 

  1. Consideration and action to accept a Resolution Supporting a Plan for Reconciling the Portland School District’s FY07 Budget Overrun.

 

Mr. Caron spoke to the resolution and suggested referring the resolution back to the Finance Committee.

 

Vote: It was voted  8-0 (Ms. Thompson was out of the room) to refer the resolution back to the Finance Committee. (Students voted with majority)

 

Personnel

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

Leave of Absence:  Effective 9/1/08

Kathleen Archambault                        Special Ed/Moore                        full-time                        Childrearing

Caroline Davies                        Special Ed/CBHS                        full-time                         Childrearing

Heidi Donnelly                        Grade 1-2/Presumpscot                        full-time                         Childrearing

Colleen Hallee                        Reading/Lyseth                        full-time                         Childrearing

Sharon Hamann                        Grade 5/Hall                        part-time                        Childrearing

Clara Jean Howard                        ELL/Moore                        full-time                        Personal

Helen Hurd                        K/Clifford                        part-time                        Personal

Beverly Lawrence                        Grade 1-2/Longfellow                        part-time                        Personal

Ericka Lee-Winship                        Social Studies/PHS                        .4 FTE                        Childrearing

Erin McGuiggan-Behan                        Grade 1/EECS                        full-time                        Childrearing

Laura Pellerin                        Grade 3/Longfellow                        .2 FTE                        Personal

Sally Reagan                        Social Studies/PHS                        full-time                        Personal

Susan Ross                        Grade 1-2/Longfellow                        part-time                        Personal

Meryl Ruth                        Art/DHS                        part-time                        Personal

Susan Steinkeler                        Foreign Language/Lincoln                        part-time                        Personal          

Robin Stevens                        ESL/Reiche                        full-time                        Childrearing

Rebecca Stuart                        Grade 3/Reiche                        full-time                        Childrearing

Susan Thombs                        English/DHS                        full-time                        Childrearing

 

Ms. Gramlich moved, seconded  Ms. Hopkins and voted  unanimously to accept personnel items without reading. (Students abstained)

 

Vote:  It was voted 8-0 (Ms. Thompson was out of the room) to approve the Personnel items listed (Students abstained)  

           

Committee Focus on Educational Issues  

 

Public Comment Prior to 11:00 PM on any items not on the evening’s agenda

 

Adjournment

Ms. Gramlich moved, seconded  Ms. Thompson and voted  unanimously to adjourn the business meeting at 10:38 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

Jeanne Whynot-Vickers

Interim Superintendent of Schools