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CABOT SCHOOL BOARD, MEETING MINUTES, Monday, November 3, 2008
Present: Chris Tormey, Gemma Yamamoto, Roman Kokodyniak, Niall McCallum, Regina Quinn, George Burlison, Cecilia Gulka, Sue Polen, Jessica Johnson, Carolyn Deasy, Stacey Mudgett-Fox, and Peter Dannenburg – Cabot Chronicle
1. The meeting was called to order by Chris Tormey, Chair at 6:05 p.m.
2. Approval of Minutes
a. The minutes of October 20, 2008 were approved on a motion by Roman Kokodyniak, second by Chris Tormey. So voted.
3. Public Comment
Seat Belts for Buses - Cecilia discussed with the Board booster seats on the buses. She tried to do some research into other schools that have booster seats but wasn’t very successful. She couldn’t find much information at all. However, she did have an article from USA Today that she shared with the Board. It talked about the National highway Traffic Safety Administration would propose improvements to school bus safety later this year. She said the plan could include increasing the height of the seat or the thickness of the seat’s padding along with guidance for states on implementing safety belt laws. In 2002, NHTSA reported to Congress that adding lap and shoulder seat belts to buses would save only about one life a year if every child buckled up.
However, others disagree. The American Academy of Pediatrics recently recommended that parents and pediatricians work with school districts to ensure that new school buses have lap and shoulder seat belts that can incorporate car seats and booster seats. Deborah Hersman, a member of the National Safety Board, said the government’s “compartmentalization” approach doesn’t always protect passengers in rollover and side-impact crashes. In those types of crashes, she said children could be thrown out of the vehicle or strike hard surfaces within the bus. Some educators said safety remains paramount but requiring seat belts or making big changes to the buses could strain their budgets.
Cecilia looked at all kinds of regulations from state, federal and many other agencies. Cecilia handed out a large document about seat belts to the Board. She said that this document said the final rule which upgrades the school student passenger crash protection requirements. It requires that all new school buses weighing 10,000 pounds or less to have lap and shoulder belts in lieu where seat belts are currently required. This final rule also sets the performance standards for the seat belts voluntarily installed on school buses with a weight greater than 10,000 pounds. Each state or jurisdiction may decide whether to use the school bus safety requirements of raising the heights of the seat backs from 20 to 24 inches and self latching mechanisms. These requirements are supposed to be in place by 2011.
Essentially, Vermont does not have any regulations at this time and we can choose what we want to do. George also spoke about the information he was able to gather which was very similar to Cecilia’s. Stacey Mudgett-Fox, Cecilia and Carolyn all expressed the need to have preschool children buckled in safely. There are times when the buses go over some of the bumps/pot holes that children fall out of their seats. It’s a safety issue. (See Board Action)
PTSO – Carolyn had a letter from the PTSO and they would like to come to the next School Board meeting to discuss a primary playground initiative. George will put them on the agenda for the November 17th meeting.
(See Board Action)
Executive Session
On a motion by Chris Tormey, second by Roman Kokodyniak the Board entered Executive Session at 6:35 p.m. to discuss a contract grievance and a student issue. The Board returned to open session at 8:05 p.m. on a motion by Chris Tormey, second by Roman Kokodyniak. So voted.
4. Student Report: Lillian Alexander & Jese Feltus
There was no student report this evening.
5. Principal's Report: Regina Quinn
a. Behavior Support Person Update – Jessica spoke to the Board on her position. She handed out a list of incidents that have happened at school and/or on the bus since school has started which were numerous. She was asked if she had a typical day but replied, “not really”. First thing in the morning, she usually checks in with Patrick about the bus, then usually there’s some kind of meeting she has to attend, she checks in with Regina to see if there’s anything she needs to know, then there are a few kids she is meeting with every week that she sees, one child she does a home visit to on Tuesdays, and there are days when she has time that she will observe in some of the classrooms. She’s trying to be proactive with these kids. It seems to be working so far. She spoke at length about other things she’s doing, wants to do, and hopes to accomplish. The Board thanked her for her presentation.
6. Superintendent's Report: George Burlison
a. FY2009 Financial Update – George distributed to the Board the FY2009 Financial Report. They briefly reviewed where the finances are at this time. It looks like we could end the year with a small surplus.
7. Board Discussion
a. Budget FY2010 – George spoke briefly to the Board about the budget FY2010. At the last Board meeting, we all agree to have a financial fiscal target that we were going to us by way of determining how much more or less we were going to spend in this budget cycle. We were going to use the equalized cost per pupil as a base. We will have more information to work with after we’ve gathered info from the community on Thursday, November 6th and from the faculty on November 17th. Also, the equalized pupil amount should be available to us around mid-November.
The second thing we agreed to as a Board was to keep the community informed as we go along. There will be a second meeting on the budget in December.
We would try to have a budget that would best fit the needs of our students and school.
Also, we would try not to vacillate from these things as we go along. Roman would like us to look at our goals as part of the programmatic side of the budget. We will do that, as well.
In the meeting on the budget this coming Thursday, the Board plans on listening to the community’s questions, comments, suggestions, etc. They may have everyone list their questions before the Board starts answering them, in case some of the questions are similar. The Board continued to discuss what they’d like to do at that meeting.
The Board feels there may be questions on the woodchip project and the performing arts building project especially since the performing arts building is coming along much quicker than the woodchip project is.
b. Performing Arts Building Update – They are looking for able bodied people on Wednesday to help put plywood up on top of trusses. The trusses should be here tomorrow morning. They hope to have the trusses, plywood and insulation on this week. Then they should be able to put the roof on the following weekend.
8. Board Action
a. On a motion by Niall McCallum, second by Chris Tormey the Board approved having 3 point seat belts put in the 1st 7 rows on each side of both of the new buses for preschool children. (When not in use by preschool children, these seats convert to regular bus seats.) So voted.
b. On a motion by Roman Kokodyniak, second by Chris Tormey the Board approved the fundraising efforts of the PTSO for the primary playground initiative. So voted.
c. On a motion by Roman Kokodyniak, second by Gemma Yamamoto the Board approved hiring a long-term sub for a paraeducator to cover a student with special needs through the end of December. So voted.
d. On a motion by Gemma Yamamoto, second by Niall McCallum the Board approved going to Level 4 arbitration on the grievance matter before them. 3 – Yes, 1 – Abstention.
9. Adjournment
On a motion by Chris Tormey, the Board adjourned the meeting at 9:30 p.m. So voted.
Respectfully Submitted,
Joanna Brickey
Transcriber
CABOT SCHOOL BOARD
SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Present: Chris Tormey, Gemma Yamamoto, Roman Kokodyniak, George Burlison
1. The meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m. by Chris Tormey, Chair.
2. Board Discussion
a. Budget FY2010 – The Board discussed the FY2010 budget. There was no community present at this budget informational meeting.
3. Adjournment
On a motion by Chris Tormey the Board adjourned the meeting at 7:50 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Joanna Brickey
Transcriber
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