BOARD OF EDUCATION
MIDDLETOWN, NEW YORK
DECEMBER 2, 2004
A regular meeting of the Board of Education of the Enlarged City School District of Middletown, New York was held Thursday, December 2, 2004, at the Board of Education Office, 223 Wisner Avenue, Board Vice President Susan Botti, presiding.
Present: Dr. Best, Mr. Estrada, Mr. Geiger, Mrs. Knapp, Mr. Perrino, Ms. Tobiassen, Mrs. Botti – 7.
Absent: Mr. Crescenzo - 1.
Others Present: Kenneth Eastwood, Superintendent
Elizabeth McKean, School Business Administrator
Richard DelMoro, Director for Secondary Education
Ellen Kaplan, Director for Personnel Services
Thomas Scott, Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds
Selena Fischer, Director of Pupil Personnel & Special Services
Peter Ancona, Director of Technology
Mrs. Botti called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. Mr. Perrino made a motion, seconded by Mr. Estrada, to have an executive session to discuss matters regarding the employment histories of particular persons. Motion was unanimously approved.
Public session resumed at 7:35. Mrs. Botti led the pledge to the flag and asked for a moment of silence in remembrance of the mothers of Mr. Crescenzo and Technology Department employee Dorothy Polenski.
Ms. Tobiassen made a motion, seconded by Mr. Estrada, to approve the minutes of November 18, 2004.
Ayes: Best, Estrada, Geiger, Knapp, Perrino, Tobiassen, Botti – 7. Noes: None. Motion was unanimously approved.
Mr. Perrino acknowledged the hard work of the Mechanicstown PTO. He also commended Dr. Eastwood for the manner in which he has been working for the students in the District.
Alan Lewis, Vice Principal at Maple Hill, introduced Jane Sciucco, a 4th grade teacher at Maple Hill and a coach for the school’s PBIS (Positive Behavioral Intervention Strategy) program. Mr. Lewis said that the nationally recognized PBIS program is a data driven program which helps to change school climate by using team-based problem solving. He said that Ms. Sciucco is a second year coach for this very successful program at Maple Hill.
No written communications were read and no previous questions remained to be addressed.
John Patterson of Clark Patterson Associates updated the Board on the status of the High School renovation project which was recently approved by the voters. He said that the project is on schedule and has been granted preliminary approval by the State Education Department. It is anticipated that the bidding process will begin in mid-February, with bids opened in mid-March and awarded in early April.
Mr. Patterson continued by identifying three areas of costs associated with the project: 1) costs of construction, 2) contingency costs for unanticipated expenses, and 3) incidentals for such items as overhead costs, architect and legal fees, site survey, etc. Mr. Patterson said that monitoring of the project budget indicates that the High School project may be over budget by an amount approximately equal to the contingency cost, which is 10% of the construction value. He noted, however, that the cost of the project may be impacted favorably as a result of the performance contract recently awarded to Siemens, and will also be impacted by the revisions to the bid documents that resulted from the recent athletic facilities audit. Saying that it is critical to maintain the contingency allocation, Mr. Patterson recommended that the District either address some alternatives to the bid or not proceed with the work at the administration building. Following discussion, the Board supported placing the renovation at the administration building on hold to first accommodate the maximum amount of renovation at the High School.
Mr. Estrada made a motion, seconded by Dr. Best, to amend the agenda to have a presentation regarding Planning for Restructuring.
Ayes: Best, Estrada, Geiger, Knapp, Perrino, Tobiassen, Botti – 7. Noes: None. Motion was unanimously approved.
Mr. DelMoro said that the District’s two middle schools and the High School have been identified as schools in need of improvement, with Monhagen at Corrective Action 1 level. When a school reaches Corrective Action 2 level, the school district must put into place a plan for restructuring. Mr. DelMoro said that Middletown is developing a restructuring plan prior to this possibility. He said that the purpose of restructuring is for identified schools to substantially improve their ability to teach all children and to achieve annual academic performance targets and participation rates. Mr. DelMoro said that the restructuring plan is not a school-directed plan, but rather a District plan which involves a thorough analysis and review of school data and a very specific set of requirements for the District. He noted that the restructuring plan will take precedence over all other school improvement plans. Mr. DelMoro continued by reviewing the steps necessary in formulating the plan which must be submitted to the New York State Education Department Office of Regional School Services.
Board Member Reports:
Mr. Perrino noted that our facilities are in good shape and are well maintained by the staff of our Buildings and Grounds Department.
Mrs. Botti encouraged everyone to attend some of the many holiday concerts to be presented by our schools.
Mr. Geiger thanked the Mechanicstown PTO, under the direction of President Bill Galvin, for conducting a gift drive for soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Mrs. Botti noted that the High School National Honor Society just completed a drive to collect hats, coats, mittens for the needy.
Visitors:
Robert Greene said that the District should concentrate on putting systems in place to safeguard our students.
Irene Shaham said that significant research should be conducted before any reconfiguration is done. Dr. Eastwood responded that the District will do what is developmentally and educationally best for our students. Research indicates that students benefit most from the continuum of early reading and literacy development offered in a K-1-2 setting. A presentation on the recommend reconfiguration and the utilization of our facilities will be done at the December 16 Board meeting.
Roy Paul, a student at Middletown High School, addressed several issues pertaining to High School graduation.
John Gennarelli said that better planning is needed for the graduation ceremonies. He also said that literacy and early intervention will occur regardless of building configuration because of the implementation of the full-day kindergarten program. Mr. Gennarelli said that the District would benefit by having a community liaison with knowledge of the community.
Mr. Estrada made a motion, seconded by Dr. Best, to approve Personnel Memorandum #12, copy attached.
Ayes: Best, Estrada, Geiger, Knapp, Perrino, Tobiassen, Botti – 7. Noes: None. Motion was unanimously approved.
Mr. Estrada made a motion, seconded by Dr. Best, to approve Personnel Memorandum #13, copy attached.
Ayes: Best, Estrada, Geiger, Knapp, Tobiassen, Botti – 6. Noes: Perrino - 1. Motion was declared approved.
Mr. Geiger made a motion, seconded by Mr. Estrada, requesting personnel folders for the purpose of conducting personnel business in executive session.
Ayes: Best, Estrada, Geiger, Knapp, Perrino, Tobiassen, Botti – 7. Noes: None. Motion was unanimously approved.
Ms. Tobiassen made a motion, seconded by Mr. Geiger, to adopt the attached policy entitled Dangerous Weapons in Schools.
Mrs. McKean explained that a revision was made to the existing policy so that the policy will be more consistent with the actions of the District pertaining to the NJROTC and the air rifle team program.
Ayes: Best, Estrada, Geiger, Knapp, Perrino, Tobiassen, Botti – 7. Noes: None. Motion was unanimously approved.
Mr. Estrada made a motion, seconded by Mrs. Knapp, to approve Special Services Memorandum #10, copy attached.
Ayes: Best, Estrada, Geiger, Knapp, Perrino, Tobiassen, Botti – 7. Noes: None. Motion was unanimously approved.
Visitors:
Irene Shaham asked if the services of substitute clerical is available for all buildings. Mrs. Kaplan responded that substitute clerical can by utilized at any site with District approval.
Dr. Eastwood responded to an inquiry from Irene Shaham by explaining that questions from visitors have been addressed at the meeting whenever possible.
Responding to a question from John Gennarelli, Dr. Eastwood said that administrative staff in our buildings keep him apprised of operations in the schools, including the activities of the school improvement teams. Dr. Eastwood said he also meets on a frequent basis with leadership of the parent groups in the schools.
Robert Greene addressed inconsistencies in some personnel communications.
Roundtable:
Mr. Geiger made a motion, seconded by Mr. Perrino, to postpone review of policies until the December 16, 2004 meeting of the Board.
Ayes: Best, Estrada, Geiger, Knapp, Perrino, Tobiassen, Botti – 7. Noes: None. Motion was unanimously approved.
Mr. Estrada requested that the Board be provided with data concerning the number of anticipated students at Chorley and Mechanicstown for the next school year, as well as the number of classrooms that will be needed.
Ms. Tobiassen commended the professional appearance of the Academy of Finance students who were selling raffle tickets at the Galleria.
Mrs. Knapp clarified some of the procedures that have been followed concerning graduation honor students and speakers.
At 10:04 p.m., Mr. Estrada made a motion, seconded by Mr. Perrino, to have an executive session to discuss specific personnel issues relating to the discipline, suspension, dismissal or removal of a particular person. Motion was unanimously approved.
Public session resumed at 11:19 p.m. There being no further business, Mr. Estrada made a motion, seconded by Mrs. Knapp, to adjourn the meeting. Motion was unanimously approved.
Respectfully submitted,
Alicia E. Olsen
School District Clerk
ENLARGED CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
OF MIDDLETOWN, NEW YORK
PUPIL PERSONNEL/SPECIAL SERVICES
MEMORANDUM #10
TO: Board of Education
FROM: Selena Fischer, Director for Pupil Personnel & Special Services
DATE: December 2, 2004
RE: Committee on Special Education/Committee on Preschool Special Education
Resolved, that the special programs and services required by the recommendations in the Pupil Personnel/Special Services Memorandum No. 10 dated December 2, 2004, shall be implemented by the Board of Education within the time period provided by law, and
Be it further resolved, that the proposed appointments set forth below to the CSE and CPSE are hereby confirmed.
1. COMMITTEE ON SPECIAL EDUCATION RECOMMENDATIONS REACHED AT THE FOLLOWING MEETING(S):
November 1, 10, 2004
2. COMMITTEE ON PRESCHOOL RECOMMENDATIONS REACHED AT THE FOLLOWING MEETING(S):
December 2, 2004
3. APPOINTMENTS TO COMMITTEE ON SPECIAL EDUCATION:
MEMBER NAME POSITION EFFECTIVE
4. APPOINTMENTS TO COMMITTEE ON PRESCHOOL SPECIAL EDUCATION:
MEMBER NAME POSITION EFFECTIVE
5. APPOINTMENTS OF SURROGATE PARENTS:
MEMBER NAME POSITION EFFECTIVE