Minutes November 28, 2012

Minutes

CHAPPAQUA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
BOARD OF EDUCATION
Chappaqua, New York

 

Date:

November 28, 2012

 

Time:

8:15 p.m.

 

Place:

Horace Greeley High School

 

Present:

Board of Education
Victoria Tipp, President
Alyson Gardner Kiesel, Vice President
Karen Visser
Randall Katchis
Jeffrey Mester

 

Staff Members
Present:

Dr. Lyn McKay, Superintendent

Mr. Eric Byrne, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum

Mr. Andrew Selesnick, Assistant Superintendent for Leadership, and Instruction

Mr. John Chow, Assistant Superintendent for Business

Theresa Markley, District Clerk / Adm. Asst. to Superintendent

 

Visitors Present:

Representatives of the Chappaqua PTA, school PTAs, building administrators, faculty, and other interested citizens.

 

President Tipp called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Alyson Kiesel moved to enter into Executive Session for the purpose of discussion of labor negotiations and a legal issue. Randall Katchis seconded. The motion passed unanimously. Alyson Kiesel moved to adjourn the executive session. Karen Visser seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

President Tipp welcomed the community.

Alyson Kiesel moved to reconvene the public session at 8:25 p.m. Karen Visser seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

Presentations:

Review of middle school 55-minute periods

New grade six research course

Dr. McKay commented on the new schedule for the middle school. She introduced Martha Zornow and Martin Fitzgerald, principals of SB and Bell respectively.

Assistant Superintendent Eric Byrne commented on the earliness of the status report. More time is needed to provide accurate information and a full report is expected in the spring.

Martin Fitzgerald noted the five steps or levels on how we evaluate 55 minute periods: Level 1 - Level of Satisfaction; 2. The Learning; 3. Organizational Support; 4. Level of Use; 5. Student Learning Outcomes.

The goal is to maintain a balance of core and encore subjects, and still able to address the needs around literacy, math, and other subjects. There is a need for instruction that is not interrupted, more group work, more differentiation and more time for collaboration, reflection and class discussions. Both principals feel that there is a high level of satisfaction and will work through the dissatisfaction. This work will take more than a year and has the potential for 4 or 5 years of work to evaluate.

Teachers have been able to go into material in more depth, but there are other classes that meet less, and it is important to find out how that part of the curriculum is working There hasn't been a normal school schedule with the snow and hurricane. Students were staying with family, friends, sleeping in their father's office, etc. and didn't have the ability to obtain instruments, books, materials so its more difficult to assess.

Dr. McKay stated that we knew it was not going to be ideal or as good as having a class every day, but it is still doable to have foreign language and music in middle school. We have more time for English and math and writing. We are trying to keep all the good programs in all the schools because we thought it would be better academically, but it also has the economic plus of being less expensive to maintain.

Sixth grade research course

Martha Zornow reported that she and the two library media staff plus staff developers developed a pilot research course to develop better, more in-depth research skills that the teachers will use with the students.

In addition, WISER is a new program students use to develop inquiry questions. The acronym stands for: Wonder Investigate Synthesize Express Reflect. Mr. Fitzgerald reported on the program using "fat" questions such as -- what is privacy? what is child labor? and they had to do some deep reflection and promote abstract thinking. These are topical questions at the sixth grade level and there is a library use relevant question in each one.

1.

Information

1.1

President's Report

1.1.1

Joint School/Town Boards meeting

President Tipp reminded everyone that there will be a joint Town / School meeting on December 4. Agenda items include coordination of emergency response plan, use of facilities, commercial development and possibly mandates. Meeting will begin at 7:45 p.m. at town hall, but we may have it here for space reasons.

1.1.2

Board Learning Walk

President Tipp announced that there will be a Board Learning Walk at Bell on December 13.

1.1.3

President Tipp also reported that yesterday she was invited to go to a women's studies class. There was an essay contest by American Civil liberties Union on the topic, "Should schools provide the morning after pill to students?" The class launched a discussion on a number of relevant issues including parental consent, medical issues and facts on side effects. It was a great experience and congratulated the teachers and students on the great work that they are doing.

1.2

Superintendent's Report

1.2.1

Extended elementary instructional day, 2013-14

Dr. McKay reported about 50 parents, board members and Michael Rettig attended a meeting before Thanksgiving regarding the elementary day to start one-half hour earlier. This will be instituted next year. A full report will be made at the December 12 meeting.

Questions and Comments

We welcome public inquiries, and in respect for each other's time, we ask that you limit your inquiry to three minutes. Board members may be contacted via email or phone.

2.

Organization

3.

Approvals

Alyson Kiesel moved to approve the minutes of November 14, 2012. Karen Visser seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

3.1

Minutes of November 14, 2012

4.

Recommended Action: Personnel

Dr. McKay made the following recommendations, including the addendum:

4.1

Instructional

Resolution:

"BE IT RESOLVED that, the Board of Education hereby appoints the individuals listed as per diem substitute teachers to be employed on an "as needed" basis":

Pamela Cartelli.

Request for Discretionary Leave of Absence:

Ms. Beth Connors, Teaching Assistant, Seven Bridges Middle School, effective November 26, 2012 through June 30, 2013.

Request for Child Care Leave of Absence:

Ms. Michelle Ramahlo, Teacher of Foreign Language, Seven Bridges Middle School, effective December 10, 2012 through January 31, 2013.

Appointment: Teaching Assistant

Ms. Lauren Pinsley, Teaching Assistant, Douglas Grafflin Elementary School, effective November 26, 2012, $21,256, prorated.

Appointment: Part Time

Ms. Beth Connors, (.8) Teacher of Special Education, Seven Bridges Middle School, effective November 26, 2012 through June 30, 2013 (or earlier at the discretion of the Board of Education), Step 1, A(BA), $50,270, prorated.

Ms. Christina Schilling, (.04) Teacher of Elementary Education to provide Academic Intervention Services as per the Teachers' Contract, Robert E. Bell Middle School, effective November 5, 2012 through May 8, 2013 (or earlier at the discretion of the Board of Education), Step 1, A(BA), $52.36/hour.

Ms. Dawn Brown, (.04) Teacher of Elementary Education to provide Academic Intervention Services as per the Teachers' Contract, Robert E. Bell Middle School, effective November 5, 2012 through May 8, 2013 (or earlier at the discretion of the Board of Education), Step 1, B(BA+30) with Masters, $56.33/hour.

Ms. Jennifer Durand, (.04) Teacher of Elementary Education to provide Academic Intervention Services as per the Teachers' Contract, Westorchard Elementary School, effective November 20, 2012 through May 8, 2013 (or earlier at the discretion of the Board of Education), Step 1, A(BA), $52.36/hour.

Appointment: Volunteer Coaching

Mr. Daniel Hall, Varsity Wrestling, Horace Greeley High School, effective November 12, 2012 through March 1, 2013 (or earlier at the discretion of the Board of Education).

Addendum:

4.1

Personnel - Instructional

Be it resolved, the Board of Education ratifies the Supplemental Memorandum of Agreement between the District and the Chappaqua Congress of Teachers, dated November 28, 2012, regarding the addition of a modified wrestling coach. A copy of said agreement shall be incorporated by reference into the minutes of this meeting.

Alyson Kiesel moved to approve the recommendations. Randall Katchis seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

4.2

Non-Instructional

Resignation:

Brendan J. Monahan, - custodian at Roaring Brook Elementary School, resigning effective November 19, 2012.

Jeffrey Mester moved to approve the recommendation. Karen Visser seconded. The motion passed unanimously. Jeffrey Mester and the board wished Brendan well.

5.

Recommended Action: Other

5.1

Karen Visser moved to approve CSE summaries reported to the Board on November 21, 2012. Alyson Kiesel seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

5.2

Alyson Kiesel moved to approve agreement with Pitney Bowes for postage meter for Bell Middle School - savings of $16/month, effective 11-28-2012 for 51 months. Karen Visser seconded. Discussion ensued about the length of the contract and it was indicated that an annual contract was preferable. Alyson Kiesel moved to withdraw her motion to approve the agreement and instead table it until the December 12 meeting. Karen Visser seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

6.

Facilities

6.1

Facilities report

6.1.1

Randall Katchis reported Campbell Engineering is having difficulty performing certain tests because of the bad weather.

7.

Financials

7.1

Alyson Kiesel moved to accept the Claims Auditor Report for October 2012. Randall Katchis seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

8.

President Tipp gave Notice of Future Meetings -

Tuesday, December 4 - Joint Town / School Boards

Board tours:

Wednesday, December 5, 2012 -

Grafflin at 7:00 a.m.;

Bell at 7:45 a.m.

Friday, December 7, 2012 -

Horace Greeley at 7:00 a.m.;

Roaring Brook at 7:45 a.m.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012 at Horace Greeley High School, 8:15 p.m.

Presentations:

Measuring the Board of Education teaching and learning question
(Local assessments)

Extending the Elementary Day

9.

Adjournment

At 9:55p.m., Alyson Kiesel moved to adjourn. Randall Katchis seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

Respectfully submitted,

Theresa Markley, District Clerk / Admin. Asst. to Superintendent

Victoria Tipp, Board President

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