The Kensington School Board met on Thursday, January 10, 2002.
In attendance were: Mrs. Cheryl McDonough, Chairperson; Mrs. Susan Belanger, School Board member; Mrs. Dana Donovan, School Board member; Mr. Paul Flynn, Associate Superintendent of Schools; Barbara Guth Switzer, Principal.
Mrs. McDonough called the meeting to order at 7:20 PM.
The monthly manifests were signed and the financial report was reviewed.
The board unanimously approved the minutes of the December 13, 2001 School Board meeting.
Alice Mower, Chairperson of the School Needs Committee, addressed the board and presented them with a draft of a fact sheet which is intended to be a guide for committee members. The fact sheet will be reviewed, finalized and sent out to the community. Mrs. Mower stated the committee has pared the building project down to bare essentials and is looking at the most cost-effective way of building the addition. Mrs. Mower also stated the committee would be aggressively working on getting the community out to vote.
Mrs. McDonough asked what the board could do to help. Mrs. Mower stated that the board members should encourage everyone to vote. Mrs. McDonough again thanked Mrs. Mower for all of her efforts as chairperson of the School Needs Committee.
Mr. Paul Kimball provided the board with a packet containing much information on alternate ways of addressing the building needs. Mr. Kimball also stated he would have liked to have seen a Warrant Article asking for monies for a feasibility study regarding additional teaching areas.
Mrs. Switzer gave her report as follows:
Mrs. Switzer noted that the Holiday Program which was held at the East Kingston Elementary School was very successful and enjoyed by students, staff and parents. Mrs. Switzer will write a letter to the Principal of the East Kingston School as well as the East Kingston School Board members thanking them for the use of the school.
Mrs. Switzer reported that the children and teachers are working very hard on the Celebrating Tolerance and Diversity Project, held in conjunction with Martin Luther King Jr. Day, scheduled for the week of January 21st. Rev. Thompson from Philips Church in Exeter will be visiting the school on January 21st and Michael Winfield will be visiting on Friday January 25th. Also, step-dancers from PEA will be at KES during the weeklong celebration.
Mrs. Switzer reported that Britta Memmesheimer is the Kensington Elementary School’s Geography Bee champion for the school year. Jeff Solomon received 2nd place recognition.
Mrs. Switzer gave the board an update on the activities of the Literacy Committee and the Social Curriculum Committees which deal with the two KES Goals for the school year. Mrs. Switzer reported that a University of New Hampshire math specialist attended the last UNH Math Group meeting at KES and was very informative and helpful to the committee.
Mrs. Switzer stated that Peter Fennell would begin his one-day a week position at KES beginning January 15th. Mr. Fennell will facilitate staff training, individual classroom support and software investigation.
Mr. Flynn gave his report as follows:
Mr. Flynn reported that Brentwood, Stratham and East Kingston currently hold the traditional form of School District Meetings while the other elementary school within SAU#16 are SB2 towns. Mr. Flynn stated that Exeter is currently contemplating placing a warrant article on their ballot asking that the district revert back to the traditional School District Meetings.
Mr. Flynn stated that the high school may have a Bond Warrant Article in the amount of $3,000,000.00 to address the issue of playing fields at Exeter High School.
Mr. Flynn noted that the US Circuit Court of Appeals would be ruling on the Exeter High School renovation bond issue in March or April.
Mr. Flynn advised the board that contrary to what they may hear Exeter High School has not lost its accreditation.
Mr. Flynn provided the board with the current enrollment figures at KES.
Mr. Flynn stated that he hopes the community attends the February 9th Deliberative Session as it is at this meeting that the warrant articles can be amended and the amount of the money articles could be increased or decreased.
Mr. Flynn voiced his concern that should the district have to go to the default budget the board would need to take a very hard look at the operating budget for the 2002-2003 school year.
Sue Belanger moved to accept the amount of $1,607,689.00 (one million, six hundred seven thousand, six hundred eight-nine dollars as the operating budget for the 2002-2003 school years. Mrs. Donovan seconded the motion. The vote was taken and was in the affirmative.
Sue Belanger moved to accept the School Needs Committee recommendation to have one Warrant Article for the proposed addition. The Warrant Article will include the four classrooms, library media center and the multi-purpose room.
Under General Correspondence Mr. Flynn provided the board with a letter relative to the proposed changes in the bus route for bus # 1. Mr. Flynn stated that the SAU#16 liaison employee for First Student had recommended a change in the route in order to make it more equitable for all students. Mr. Flynn noted that the bus personnel, Mrs. Switzer and Mrs. Donovan investigated the recommended change over the past few months. Mrs. McDonough stated that the change in the route which was proposed by the bus company last week rectifies a mistake which was made at the beginning of the year. The board determined that the best time to implement the change would be during the changeover for the kindergarten students which is the half mark of the school year. The bus company will notify parents of the change. Additionally, the bus company reviewed a bus turn around and determined it would be safer for two students to change the bus they ride to and from school than continue using the turn around.
Mrs. Belanger moved to adopt the proposed changes. Mrs. Donovan seconded the motion. A vote was taken and was in the affirmative.
Mr. Flynn noted that filing period for School District Officers begins January 23rd and will end at 5:00 PM on February 1, 2002. The positions to filled are: a 3-year term for School Board Member, a 3-year term for School District Clerk, a 3-year term for School District Moderator and a 1-year term for Auditor.
Under Building and Grounds, Mr. Flynn noted that Mr. Wiggin had refurbished the floors during the holiday break.
Mr. Flynn stated that although the board was not in receipt of an official selectmen decision regarding the maintenance of the school property during snowstorms it was his understanding that the town would continue to plow the school unless otherwise notified by the school board.
The meeting adjourned at 8:15 PM
Respectfully submitted,
Margaret Ruggeri
School Board Secretary