CITIZENS ARE INVITED TO MAKE COMMENTS ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA USING THE CARDS LOCATED NEXT TO THE AGENDAS. A BOARD MEMBER WILL RESPOND TO ALL WRITTEN COMMENTS WITHIN A WEEK.

Present: Mrs. Helene Cass, Mrs. Ellen Breed, Mr. Ralph Stevens, Dr. William Gilbert, Mrs. Martha Leathe, Dr. Jeffrey Bearden and Ms. Gail Sullivan

Also Present: Mr. Jerry Burnell, Ms. Valerie McKenney, Ms. Margaret Shepherd, Mr. Randy Stewart, Ms. Vicki Stewart, Mr. Paul Mehlhorn, and interested members of the public and press.

7:00 Call to Order

Pledge of Allegiance

Mrs. Cass announced that there would be two additional addendum items to be voted on. They didn't appear on the agenda due to time constraints.

Scheduled Audience to the Public: None

Report of the Secretary:

1. Consideration and action to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of March 21, 2007 meeting.

Motion: Mrs. Breed Second: Dr. Gilbert Vote: 5-0

Report of the Chairperson:

Mrs. Cass said that MSMA was having a School Law Workshop and that it was an excellent opportunity for school board members. Mrs. Cass said that she met with the two town chairs for lunch and they discussed the budget.

(Due to inclement weather Mrs. Pullar arrived at 7:04)

Report of the Superintendent:

1. Ms. Val McKenney and Mr. Jerry Burnell explained that they didn't think that the names of the two schools reflected the philosophy and work done within each. The Marshwood Junior High School is actually a middle school and has a middle school philosophy. Marshwood Middle School, on the other hand, is an elementary school where students learn in self contained classrooms.

2. Dr. Bearden explained that at this point there seem to be two competing bills on regionalization. One requires collaboration and then consolidation, and a minimum of 1200 students. The other requires consolidation, then collaboration, and has a benchmark of 2500 students.

3. Ms. Gail Sullivan said that March 23rd workshop day was an excellent day. The staff volunteered to do the workshops. There were 46 workshops on literacy, technology, and anti-bullying. Staff members were asked to fill out an evaluation form at the end of the day and submit these to the Design Team. The evaluation forms indicated that 75% of the staff thought that the workshops were very good or excellent.

4. Dr. Bearden accepted a letter of retirement from Hilda Howell, Marshwood High School Nurse, with regret.

 

5. Dr. Bearden asked the Board if they wanted Ms. Sullivan to pursue the writing of the grant to establish the position of health coordinator. After some discussion about the merits of adding a position that's funded through a grant, the Board encouraged Ms. Sullivan to go forward with the grant application.

Correspondence:

Dr. Bearden shared a letter from Walter Beesley indicating approval of an increase in lunch rates from $1.75 to $2.00.

Report of Committees:

1. Report of the Finance and Facilities Committee - None

2. Report of the Educational Policy Committee - they will meet April 12th

3. Report of the Community Relations Committee - the committee met right before the Board meeting. They have developed a work list of articles to be written.

New Business:

1. Consideration and action to approve a leave of absence for the 2007-2008 school year.

Motion: Mrs. Pullar Second: Mrs. Leathe Vote: 6-0

2. Consideration and action to approve an overnight trip for the Marshwood High School Select Choir to Washington, DC May 25-28, 2007.

Motion: Dr. Gilbert Second: Mrs. Pullar Vote: 6-0

3. Consideration and action to approve an overnight trip for Marshwood High School students to New York City, June 20-24, 2007.

Motion: _________ Second: ___________ Vote: _________

Because this trip is not a school sponsored trip, it was decided that there was no Board vote required.

4. Consideration and action to approve an increase in the school lunch rates K-8 for the 2007-2008 school year.

Motion: Mrs. Breed Second: Mr. Stevens Vote: 6-0

5. Consideration and action to approve a fundraising request from the Field Hockey Boosters.

Motion: Mrs. Pullar Second: Mrs. Breed Vote: 6-0

Mrs. Cass said that she is thrilled that MHS won the We the People competition. Mr. Sanzone explained that preparation for the competition is an extension of his AP class. The Marshwood winning team is one of 51 winning teams representing all states and the District of Columbia. Mr. Sanzone asked that the Board approve the trip to Washington to compete on the national level. He explained what the students would be doing during their stay in Washington, DC. Mr. Sanzone explained that they need to fundraise in a very short amount of time. They need $698 per student to make the trip. The Board decided that at their next meeting they would see how the fundraising efforts went and that they would make up the difference for any remaining money that the team needed.

6. Consideration and action to approve an overnight trip for Marshwood High School students to Washington, DC, April 27 to May 1, 2007.

Motion: Mrs. Pullar Second: Mrs. Leathe Vote: 6-0

7. Consideration and action to enter into an Executive Session for discussion of Administrators’ salaries pursuant to Title 1A MRSA §405 (6)(D).

Motion: Mrs. Breed Second: Mrs. Pullar Vote: 6-0

The Board reconvened in public session at 8:43 pm.

5. Consideration and action to approve administrative salaries and benefits package for a period of two years, the second year to be negotiated.

Motion to table this action.

Motion: Mrs. Breed Second: Mrs. Pullar Vote: 6-0

6. Consideration and action to approve administrative salaries and benefits package for the period July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008, as follows:

Randy Stewart, Business Manager, $85,698.00

Joseph Stone, Facilities Director, $61,500.00

Beverly Hooper, Transportation Coordinator, $43,920.23

Dennis Chagnon, School Nutrition Director, $40,268.75

Connie Patton, Adult Education Director, $63,175.37

Margaret Skafidas, Asst. Adult Education Director, $14,354.42

Motion: Mrs. Pullar Second: Mrs. Breed Vote: 6-0

Adjournment

Motion: Mrs. Breed Second: Mrs. Pullar Vote: 6-0

The Board adjourned at 8:44 pm.

Attest: True Record

Dr. Jeffrey B. Bearden

Secretary to the Board of Directors

Laura Millett, Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent

MSAD #35

180 Depot Road

Eliot ME 03903

TEL 207-439-2438

FAX 207-439-2531

lsm@msad35.net

www.msad35.net