Kensington School Board Meeting Minutes

September 13, 2006

 

The Kensington School Board met on Wednesday, September 13, 2006. In attendance were: Alice Mower, School Board Chairperson; Cheryl Camacho, School Board Member; Paul Flynn, Associate Superintendent of Schools; Barbara Switzer, KES Principal.

 

Manifests were signed.

 

The minutes of the June 14, 2006 School Board minutes were unanimously approved by the board.

 

Ms. Culver, representing the Kensington Education Association, was present and presented the board with a proposal on how the staff should use for one of the beginning days of the 2007-2008 school year. The board approved the proposal.

 

Mrs. Switzer gave her report as follows:

·        Enrollment figures were given to the board

·        Mrs. Switzer noted that the beginning of the school year was most successful with the exception of a few glitches with one of the buses. The problem has now been resolved.

·        New personnel for Kensington this year are: Ketti Davis-Vanasse Grade 3;

Stephanie Klemarczyk, School Nurse; Susan Gilbert, Library Assistant; Ed. Ruggeri, Daytime Custodian.

·        Mrs. Switzer reported that The Back to School Picnic was a great success even with the relative low turnout. The PTO will meet on Thursday September 14th. Constitution Day will be celebrated on Monday, September 18th. Ms. Knightly will have two assemblies on that day, one for the Primary grades and one for the Intermediate grades. Curriculum Night is scheduled for Wednesday, September 20th from 6:30 – 8:00 PM.

·        Mrs. Switzer presented the board with the KES Goals as well as KES’s Mission Statement and Beliefs.  Action Teams will be set up to start addressing the beliefs. Mrs. Mower asked about the teachers websites. Mr. Flynn stated that all teachers should now be posting homework assignments to their websites.

·        Mrs. Switzer stated that the intermediate grade teachers are working on revising the report card. The fifth grade teachers are in favor of using letter grades for reporting. Mrs. Switzer stated that only 20% of parents responded to the report card survey from last spring. Of the 20% return 15% of parents are in favor of letter grades. The concensus of the bord is to use letter grades in grade five as CMS uses letter grades. It was determined that the revised primary report cards as well as the intermediate report cards will be sent to the board for their perusal before the next meeting and a final approval will be made at that time. Mrs. Switzer will finalize report cards with staff.

 

 

Mr. Richard Powers, Kensington Town Selectman, was in attendance and asked that the school children not visit the Vernal Pool until after the frost because of the threat of EEE. Mrs. Mower noted that initially the board favored parents making the decision relative to whether the children visited the Vernal Pool. After further discussion, and noting that the SAU wide position is student safety, the board unanimously approved the request that no KES students visit the Vernal Pool until after the frost. The town selectmen are in the process of putting together a Warrant Article to present to the Town in March asking for a financial expenditure to address the issue of the mosquitoes. Mr. Powers asked if the board would publicly acknowledge support of the Article. The board voted unanimously to support the Warrant Article.

 

Donna Carter was in attendance and presented the board with a request signed by six parents that the bus travel down French’s Lane in Kensington Place development. The bus not currently travel down French’s Lane. Mr. Flynn will speak with Natalie Perry, SAU Bus Liaison, to see if it can be arranged.

 

Mr. Flynn gave his report as follows:

·        Mr. Flynn gave an overview of the enrollment figures for all SAU 165 schools.

·        Mr. Flynn reported that due to the number of cars at the High School flag persons needed to be hired to direct traffic.

·        The new High School Stadium was dedicated on Friday evening, September 8 and was well attended.

·        Mr. Flynn stated that the new student information system is up and running.

 

The board unanimously approved, as a second reading, the following policies:

 

 

BDD                Board Superintendent Relationship

BDD-R            Board Superintendent Relationships

BEA-R SAU 16 Joint Board Quorum

BEDG              Minutes

BGF                 Suspension of Policies

BIA                  New Board Orientation

CM                  School District Annual Report

DH                   Bonded Employees

DM                  Cash in School Buildings

EBBC-R          Standing Nurses' Orders

EBCA              Emergency Plans

EBCA-R          Emergency Plans

EBCB-R          Fire Drills in Educational Occupancies

EBCC              Bomb Threats

EHB-R             Records Retention Schedule

GBCD             Background Investigation and Criminal Records Check

GBCD-R         School Employee Background Investigation

IC                    School Year

ICA                 School Calendar

IGA                 Curriculum Development

IGD                 Curriculum Adoption

IHBAB            Special Education Evaluations

IHBA-R           Procedural Safeguards for Students with Disabilities

IKA                 Grading Systems

IKE                  Promotion & Retention of Students

JFABB             Foreign Ex. Students

JFABB-R         Admission of Foreign Exchange Students

JFABD            Admission of Homeless Students

JFABD-R        Technical Assistance Advisory Residency: Homeless Children and Youth

JICD-R            Memo. Of Understanding

JICK                Pupil Safety and Violence Prevention

JICK-R            Pupil Safety and Violence Prevention

JIH                   Student Searches

JIH-R               Student Searches

JJF                   Student Activities Fund Management

JLC                  Student Health Services

JLCB               Immunizations Of Students

JLCB-R           Immunization Requirements

JLCD               Administering Medicine to Students

JLCF               Wellness, Nutrition and Physical Activity

JLF                  Reporting Student Abuse

JRA                 Student Records and Access

 

The board unanimously approved the following policy as a first reading:

 

JLCF-R           Wellness, Nutrition and Physical Activity Policy Appendices

 

                        The board received a letter from a family who have lived in town for a number of years and who are building a house in Kensington. The family has asked that the board approve a waiver exempting the family from paying tuition. Because the children have always attended KES the Board unanimously approved the request.

 

                        Mr. Switzer asked the board’s guidance on whether a bus was necessary to transport the Cross Country Team to East Kingston Elementary on September 19, October 3, and October 11 for Cross Country meets. After much discussion it was determined that all avenues should be exhausted in order to procure a bus and only as a last resort could parents drive their children to the meet. Mrs. Mower moved to absorb the cost of the buses for the 3 meets but noted all further requests would have to be addressed on their own merit.

 

                        The meeting adjourned at 7:27 PM

 

Respectfully submitted,

Margaret Ruggeri

School Board Secretary