BOARD OF EDUCATION

MIDDLETOWN, NEW YORK

DECEMBER 6, 2007

A regular meeting of the Board of Education of the Enlarged City School District of Middletown, New York was held Thursday, December 6, 2007, at the Board of Education Office, 223 Wisner Avenue, Board President Rose Tobiassen, presiding. 

Present:         Mr. Crescenzo, Mr.  Estrada, Mrs. Knapp, Dr. Mauro, Mr. Paul, Ms. Perkins, Mr. Perrino, Mr. Geiger, Ms. Tobiassen – 9.

Absent:          None.                 

Others            Richard DelMoro, Director of Secondary Education

Attending:    Darlene McDonough, Director of Elementary Education

                        Selena Fischer, Director for Pupil Personnel & Special Services

                        Thomas Scott, Superintendent of Buildings & Ground

                        Michael Tuttle, Chief Technology Officer         

Ms. Tobiassen called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m. to conduct a Retreat.

At 8:05 p.m. Mr. Crescenzo made a motion, seconded by Mr. Estrada, to have an executive session to discuss matters pertaining to collective negotiations pursuant to Article 14 of the Civil Service Law (the Taylor Law).

Public session resumed at 8:10 p.m.

Mr. Estrada led the pledge to the flag.

Ms. Tobiassen announced that the Superintendent would not be present this evening due to a meeting he was attending with Assemblywoman Gunther to discuss Contract for Excellence, and that Mr. DelMoro would be sitting in on the Superintendent’s behalf.

Dr. Mauro made a motion, seconded by Mr. Perrino, to approve the agenda with the following amendments: 

 

• Include under Item No. III, Approval of Minutes –

November 15, 2007.

Ayes:  Mr. Crescenzo, Mr. Estrada, Mr. Geiger, Mrs. Knapp, Dr. Mauro, Mr. Paul, Ms. Perkins, Mr. Perrino, Ms. Tobiassen – 9.  Noes:  None.  Motion was unanimously approved.

Mr. Estrada made a motion, seconded by Mr. Perrino, to approve the minutes of October 18, November 1, and November 15, 2007. 

Mrs. Knapp requested that the minutes be amended to reflect that she was absent from the November 1, 2007 meeting.

Ayes:  Mr. Crescenzo, Mr. Estrada, Mr. Geiger, Mrs. Knapp, Dr. Mauro, Mr. Paul, Ms. Perkins, Mr. Perrino, Ms. Tobiassen – 9.  Noes:  None.  Motion was unanimously approved.

Mr. Estrada made a motion, seconded by Ms. Perkins, to approve Personnel Memorandum #29.

Ayes:  Mr. Crescenzo, Mr. Estrada, Mr. Geiger, Mrs. Knapp, Dr. Mauro, Mr. Paul, Ms. Perkins, Mr. Perrino, Ms. Tobiassen – 9.  Noes:  None.  Motion was unanimously approved.

Mr. Perrino made a motion, seconded by Mr. Estrada, to approve Personnel Memorandum #30.

Mr. Geiger requested that the resolutions as shown on this memorandum be split into different personnel memorandums in the future.

Ayes:  Mr. Crescenzo, Mr. Estrada, Mr. Geiger, Mrs. Knapp, Dr. Mauro, Mr. Paul, Ms. Perkins, Mr. Perrino, Ms. Tobiassen – 9.  Noes:  None.  Motion was unanimously approved.

Ms. Perkins made a motion, seconded by Mrs. Knapp, to approve Personnel Memorandum #31.

Ayes:  Mr. Crescenzo, Mr. Estrada, Mr. Geiger, Mrs. Knapp, Dr. Mauro, Mr. Paul, Ms. Perkins, Mr. Perrino, Ms. Tobiassen – 9.  Noes:  None.  Motion was unanimously approved

 

OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE BOARD:

• David Craig - Teacher at Mechanicstown Elementary.  Requested information on how Individualized Reading Inventory (IRI) test is administered to students.

• Debbie Roberts - Teacher at Maple Hill Elementary.  Concerned about the amount of testing in the district and the state and federal guidelines.

• Sally Huffman – Teacher at Chorley Elementary.  Concerned about the amount of time spent testing the children, if test results are being used, how to develop better criteria, and how can PALS (Primary Assessment of Literary Skills) be changed to be more student friendly.

• Cathleen Byrne – Teacher at Truman Moon Elementary.  Spoke about PALS testing, lost ELA time and state time requirements for ELA instruction, and requirements set by NCLB for testing students.

• Jimmy Moffett – Teacher at Truman Moon Elementary.  Spoke about lost instructional time for students due to excessive testing.

• John Gennaralli – Asked what can the district do to encourage more PTO/PTA parent cooperation and participation.  Mr. DelMoro responded that it is being addressed by each of the school improvement teams. 

 Mr. Gennaralli questioned the policy/procedure for children to raise money to go on school trips.  Mr. DelMoro responded that there is no ban on school trips and that there is a Board of Education policy on “School Trips”. 

Dr. McDonough passed out student and teacher copies of PALS (available upon request).  Dr. McDonough emphasized the history of the PALS and that it was developed by a committee of teachers and administrators with the understanding that different students come to the table with different knowledge.  It is also information that is gathered through teacher observation.

Mr. Estrada made a motion, seconded by Mrs. Knapp, to approve Special Services Memorandum #7.

Ayes:  Mr. Crescenzo, Mr. Estrada, Mr. Geiger, Mrs. Knapp, Dr. Mauro, Mr. Paul, Ms. Perkins, Mr. Perrino, Ms. Tobiassen – 9.  Noes:  None.  Motion was unanimously approved.

Mrs. Knapp made a motion, seconded by Ms. Perkins, to approve Financial Memorandum #8.

Ayes:  Mr. Crescenzo, Mr. Estrada, Mr. Geiger, Mrs. Knapp, Dr. Mauro, Mr. Paul, Ms. Perkins, Mr. Perrino, Ms. Tobiassen – 9.  Noes:  None.  Motion was unanimously approved.

Mr. Paul made a motion, seconded by Mr. Estrada, to approve Safe Schools-Healthy Students Initiative contract.

Ayes:  Mr. Crescenzo, Mr. Estrada, Mr. Geiger, Mrs. Knapp, Dr. Mauro, Mr. Paul, Ms. Perkins, Mr. Perrino, Ms. Tobiassen – 9.  Noes:  None.  Motion was unanimously approved.

 

BOARD MEMBER REPORTS:

Mr. Perrino advised that on December 3, 2007, the Common Council met with Assemblywoman Gunther to review the topics of Foundation Aid, State Funding of SRO’s, Contract for Excellence.  Additionally, a discussion occurred at the Common Council meeting regarding properties for sale in Middletown which lead to the discussion of school taxes.

Mr. Estrada attended a parent-teacher meeting with ESL Bi-Lingual parents at St. Joseph’s.  A representative from Rural Opportunities did a program on how to apply for food stamps and income requirements.  Mr. Estrada asked if the Middletown School District could have someone come in and do a similar presentation for Channel 20.  Mr. DelMoro acknowledged that the district could do that.  Mr. Estrada suggested that the Middletown School District get together with other school districts to discuss making proposals for the upcoming budget.

Mr. Paul mentioned school book fairs that he attended and encouraged the community to get out and read.

Dr. Mauro stated that there will be two policy readings for next meeting and that for the policy  ‘Visitors to the School’, he would like to include information on school law and revise this policy.

Ms. Perkins attended the Orange County School Board’s Association meeting where they had an auditor present at the meeting and discussed the issue of financing.  A member of OCSBA is sending a letter addressed to State Legislators on the issue of revising the structure for funding public education.  Ms. Perkins asked the public contact Albany and State Legislators on this issue of funding.

Ms. Perkins announced that the next OCSBA meeting will be held on December 11, 2007 and the topic of paperless board meetings will be discussed.             

 

OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE BOARD:

 

• John Gennaralli – Asked for clarification if all school improvement teams are up and running, do they have full representation and do they meet on a monthly basis.

Dr. McDonough replied that parents are involved in volunteering on four committees.

Mr. DelMoro advised that school improvement teams do exist in the buildings.

At 9:25 p.m., Ms. Tobiassen requested to have a break.

At 9:30 p.m. the meeting resumed.

 

ROUNDTABLE:

Board members commented on their concerns regarding the teachers who addressed the board this evening on testing issues.  Ms. Tobiassen advised the board that conversation on this topic will be revisited.

Ms. Tobiassen requested that members of the Board be available to meet with Dr. Eastwood on December 27, 2007, at 9:00 a.m. to approve bids for the bond referendum.

At 10:30 p.m., Ms. Perkins made a motion, seconded by Mr. Geiger, to have an executive session for the discussion of the employment of a particular person.

Ayes:  Mr. Crescenzo, Mr. Estrada, Mr. Geiger, Mrs. Knapp, Dr. Mauro, Mr. Paul, Ms. Perkins, Mr. Perrino, Ms. Tobiassen – 9.  Noes:  None.  Motion was unanimously approved.

Public session resumed at 10:50 p.m.  There being no further business, Ms. Perkins made a motion, seconded by Mrs. Knapp, to adjourn the meeting.  Motion was unanimously approved.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Michelle K. Towle

District Clerk