North Canaan Elementary School
Board of Education
March 2008 Minutes
 
The North Canaan Board of Education meeting was held on Thursday, March 13, 2008.

The meeting was called to order at 7:04 P.M.

Those Board members present: Martha Scott, Chairperson, Dorothy Cecchinato,
Richard Greco, Dolores Perotti, Laurie Perotti
and Susan Warner

Patricia Chamberlain, Superintendent; Rosemary Keilty, Principal

Shelley Veronesi and Karen Bartomioli (Lakeville Journal)

Mrs. Dolores Perotti made a motion to adopt the agenda as written. Mrs. Warner seconded. Vote: Unanimous

Mrs. Dolores Perotti moved to amend the motion above by adding (Request for Students of Faculty to attend North Canaan Elementary) under New Business on the agenda. Mrs. Warner seconded. Vote: Unanimous

Mrs. Warner made a motion to approve the minutes dated, January 10, 2008. Mrs. Laurie Perotti seconded. Vote: Unanimous

Mrs. Warner moved to approve the minutes dated, February 14, 2008 with one change (Aquarium to Aquarion). Mrs. Dolores Perotti seconded. Vote: Unanimous

Communications
Board Comment
Mrs. Scott introduced Shelley Veronesi to the Board. She stated that Mrs. Veronesi was recommended by the Democratic Town Committee to fill the vacant position on the North Canaan Board of Education. Mr. Greco made a motion to appoint Shelley Veronesi to fill the vacant seat on the North Canaan Board of Education. Mrs. Cecchinato seconded. Vote: Unanimous

Mrs. Veronesi introduced herself explaining that she has lived in Canaan for the past 30 years and has two sons who graduated from North Canaan Elementary School. She is looking forward to serving the town as a Board member.

Region I Report
Ms. Chamberlain reported on the last Region I meeting. Some of the highlights of the meeting included the following:

  • The high school budget continues to be revised, and it has an increase of 5.37% over last year
  • Mr. Gaisford reported on the February 15, 2008 professional development day as a huge success.
  • Mrs. Terry reported on improvements to the Special Education program and services provided to Region One students.
  • Dr. Foster reported on the National Honor Society.
  • The Board reviewed the new Physical Restraint Policy.
  • The high school's Faculty Association Early Retirement Incentive proposal was denied.

Education Connection
Mrs. Scott reported on the last Education Connection meeting she attended. She stated that the budget was the hot item that night and everyone was interested in it. She reported that one interesting thing she learned was that in some schools the superintendent creates the budget and then gives it to the Board of Education.

Mrs. Scott reported that on March 25, 2008 Education Connection will conduct a workshop concerning After School Programs for PreKindergarten through Grade 8 from 1:00 to 4:00 P.M.

Mrs. Scott reported that the Education Connection Board voted to apply for copyright and a patent for books they are creating. A kindergarten publication was offered as an example.

Principal's Report
Miss Keilty made the following additions to her written report:

  • Middle school students wrote prompts for the discipline committee concerning school attire and will present a draft to the Board at their next meeting.
  • The student council will have recommendations of school attire also.
  • Substantial food cost increases and waiting for a state check of $18,000 have put the lunch program behind financially. A deficit, which could approach $8,000, is a forecast for June.
  • Breakfast has been positive, student attendance is better for some because it is fun delivering breakfast bags to classrooms before school and Mastery tests have been more of a special event because of breakfast. Teachers enthusiastically supported the breakfast.
  • Teachers in each grade level submitted a written report on topics they covered on the extra Professional Development Day in February such as Blue Ribbon testing scores, meeting with the math consultant, Smart Board training, DRA improvements, reading curriculum work, creating custom tests, literacy achievement assessments, creating fourth grade fractions lessons, and previewing reading software. Miss Keilty reported that the day was beneficial and well utilized by faculty.

Superintendent's Report
Ms. Chamberlain reviewed her written report with Board members. Highlights of her report include the following:

  • No Non-Renewals for North Canaan.
  • Everyone is ready for spring after five snow days.
  • The state continues to recruit teachers to teach online courses
  • The next meeting for the Long Range Committee will be on March 24, 2008.
  • North Canaan's Educational Cost Share increased 8% which is good for the town.
  • Grade 4 Arts Day was successful.
  • The high school Musical Theatre Society will perform tonight, tomorrow and Saturday.
  • The Kent Scholarship Fund Raising Dinner will be held on March 26, 2008 at the Fife and Drum
  • Region One Track Meet has been rescheduled for May 16, 2008.

Old Business
Board members reviewed the new policy #5144.1 Use of Physical Force. Mrs. Warner said that she believes it is important to state in the policy that training will be given to staff, attempts to de-escalate a situation will be made, and that restraint will be the last resort. A second reading on this policy will take place next month.

Miss Keilty reported that as of the March 10, 2008 deadline, no teacher has taken advantage of the early retirement incentive.

New Business
Miss Keilty reported on the last Building Committee Meeting she attended. Results of that meeting included the following:

  • The architect was present to review the plans.
  • Mr. Perry resigned as the project's Chairman and member of the committee.
  • The committee appointed Miss Keilty as the new Chairperson.

Miss Keilty reviewed the program summary which includes an Early Learning Education/School Readiness Program, Gymnasium and four classrooms. She also reviewed the schedule for the Phase II Referendum Approval Process. She reported that Mr. Humes recommends the Board pay the architect's fee of $9,000 to get the drawings started. Mrs. Laurie Perotti made a motion to pay $9,000 to the architect to proceed with Phase II of the building construction. Mrs. Cecchinato seconded. Vote: Unanimous

Miss Keilty reported that two pages of the Auditor's Report Booklet have been changed. She stated that corrections have been made to the amount of expenditures for Property Tax Relief for Manufacturing Machinery and Equipment on page 76 and the amount of expenditures for Small Town Economic Assistance Program on page 77. She also reported that the status of compliance is still favorable and that there are no instances of non-compliance.

Miss Keilty reported that she has received the Healthy Certification Lunch Program application from the Connecticut State Department of Education for the school year 2008-2009. Mrs. Laurie Perotti made a motion to renew the Healthy Certification Lunch Program for the 2008-2009 school year. Mrs. Dolores Perotti seconded. Vote: Unanimous

Mrs. Scott inquired where the Board would like to hold this year's Board retreat. All members agreed that she could choose the place, and that it could be held in June. Mrs. Scott reported that she will bring back a date, menu, and place for the retreat at the next Board meeting.

Mrs. Scott read a letter to the Board that she received from Geoffrey and Leigh Ann Merrill. The letter stated that they would like their daughters Abigail and Victoria to continue their education at North Canaan Elementary School, and they would also like to enroll their son Patrick in the Kindergarten class for the school year 2008 - 2009. Mrs. Dolores Perotti made a motion to allow the Merrill children to continue attending North Canaan Elementary School next year. Mrs. Laurie Perotti seconded. Vote: Unanimous

Miss Keilty reviewed updates to the 2008-2009 school budget. The following is a list of updates:

  • There may be a savings in teacher salaries because of staff changes.
  • Adjustments were made to the Board Clerk and Secretary salaries as requested by the Board.
  • Insurance is down a little because of staff needs.
  • Fuel Oil will still be $2.76 a gallon.
  • Physician is still being budgeted.

All Board members agreed to the following changes to the budget:

  • Remove a line from page 3 concerning non-certified contract.
  • Change Lunch Program Line to Lunch/Breakfast and change the amount to $14,500.
  • List the kinds of computers under equipment.

Mrs. Dolores Perotti made a motion to go into executive session at 8:45 P.M. for the purpose of contract discussion. Mrs. Laurie Perotti seconded. Vote: Unanimous Miss Keilty and Ms. Chamberlain were invited.

Mrs. Warner made a motion to come out of executive session at 8:50 P.M. Mrs. Dolores Perotti seconded. Vote: Unanimous

The Board reconvened to its regular meeting at 8:51 P.M., and the meeting adjourned at 8:52 P.M.

Respectfully submitted,
Marjorie E. Gandolfo


Approved: April 17, 2008

Updated: April 21, 2008