1. Call to Order:
The meeting of the Jackson School Board was called to order at 6:30 p.m. Present were Sarah Isberg, Candide Kane, Peter Benson, Dr. Carl Nelson and Anne Kebler. Also present were Ann Bennett and Tami Mallett.
2. Approval of Minutes: (3-31-05 & 4-26-05) – Motion was made by Mr. Benson, seconded by Ms. Kane and carried by unanimous vote, that the Minutes of the 3/31/05 work session and the 4/26/05 regular meeting be approved as submitted.
3. Citizen Comments: None.
4. Presentation of School Programs/FYI Items:
A. SAU – Other School Board Reports – Dr. Nelson announced the following
meetings: May 17th at 5:30 p.m. SAU Facilities Meeting at SAU Office; May 26th at 7:00 p.m. Joint AREA Boards meeting at Conway El; June 9th at 7:00 p.m. SAU Executive Board meeting at the SAU Office.
5. Old Business – None.
6. Instructional Issues:
A. Consider First Reading of Jackson Grammar School Technology Plan – Motion was made by Mr. Benson, seconded by Ms. Kane, to consider approval of Jackson Grammar School Technology Plan at first reading. Discussion: Ms. Kebler expressed the importance that the plan be fully approved by June 30th. Ms. Bennett explained the process is that the School Board adopt it and then it is sent to the State, that Ms. Higgins of the State Dept. has agreed to review it and it will come back to the Board again in June. She noted one of the positive parts of the process is the staff reflection of the role of technology in this building and where we are heading as regards equipment purchases, and personal and professional growth. She noted it was really a team
effort, a positive collaboration. The motion carried by unanimous vote.
7. Personnel:
A. Consider Accepting Resignation of Carol Saunders as Classroom Assistant – Motion was made by Mr. Benson, seconded by Ms. Kane, to accept the resignation of Carol Saunders with regret, recognizing her 30+ years of service to the District. Carried by unanimous vote. It was noted Ms. Saunders will be missed.
B. Consider Election of Personnel for 2005-06 – Motion was made by Mr.
Benson, seconded by Ms. Kane, to consider the election of listed personnel for the school year 2005-06. Regarding vacancies, Ms. Kebler said ideally for the Special Ed paraprofessional they would be looking for someone with a degree in education. She noted that by 2006-07 hirees will be required to at least have a two year degree, or equivalent by experience or proficiency, so we would want to hire someone with those qualifications at this point. The motion carried by unanimous vote.
Status of Vacancies: Long term K-1 – no applicants at this point. Music teacher position – two applicants will be interviewing with Dr. Nelson this week. Special Ed paraprofessional and Building paraprofessional – they have three applicants for those two positions.
8. Business Affairs:
A. 2004-05 Budget Status Report – Dr. Nelson reported the School is still in good shape with a fund balance of about $86,000 ($55,000+ in the tuition areas).
B. FYI – Maintaining Current Health Insurance – Dr. Nelson explained actual rates came in at average increase of 3%, the District had budgeted 12%. Savings will be realized SAU-wide.
9. Administrators' Reports:
A. Superintendent – Dr. Nelson reminded everyone the first Facilities Meeting
is scheduled for June 4th at 5:30 p.m. in Jackson.
B. Principal – Ms. Kebler reported that the computerized spring testing has been completed. On Wed. four representatives from the school will go to training for second level of interpretation of NWEA testing.
Thursday the Museum of Science will be coming to do a Star Lab at the Town Hall.
10. Citizen Comments: Tami Mallett questioned when the public would find out the configuration for next year and whether it will be posted. Ms. Kebler stated they will have another coffee hour with the Principal and will discuss that; however, they will go with the configuration decided upon last year – K-1, 2, 3-4, 5-6.
Ms. Mallett thanked Ms. Kebler for seeing that the parking lot got swept, noting it was a safety issue. She said she has also discussed with Selectmen getting the crosswalk painted since the children cross a lot because of the library and some walk to school. Mr. Benson suggested a letter to NHDOT. Ms. Bennett stated they were called last spring. Ms. Isberg suggested a follow up call. Ms. Kebler reported also, along with the Selectmen, this year the Board agreed to install lighting at the end of the parking lot which should happen in July.
Ms. Mallett expressed that in talking with parents within the school community she has heard interest in pursuing the possibility of the 6th graders going to Bartlett, or seeing if there was a potential for a cooperative middle school, and wished to know the Board’s position on this. Ms. Isberg said it has been previously stated that they do not have space for that consideration; also we have stated that our philosophy is not to support those options. She said no one has talked to her personally; the Board would answer questions from the community, but has not received any previous to this. Ms. Isberg stated there seems to be no need to pursue a middle school with Bartlett – they have a K-6 and like
it the way it is, we have a very good situation as it is right now, so our sending 5-6 does not do anything. Jackson has a tuition agreement with Bartlett for 7-8.
Ms. Mallett said she is looking at options for her daughter, noting there are some grades with one gender, some with only two of the same gender in the class; the potential of looking at the options is interesting. Ms. Isberg felt they have to consider whether it is an issue of a single family or a whole community, that we may have a community of taxpayers telling us it is not feasible to run a school with 35 kids. She stated that the Board’s philosophy is really a philosophy of preserving an elementary school in Jackson, that we believe that what we do here is a quality education experience, understanding that for everyone it may not be the best solution. Ms. Mallett questioned whether it is an option to
give someone who lives in Jackson a voucher to go to another school and was told it is not.
Mr. Benson said it would be a precedent of unknowns, and the end result might be that it bolsters the argument for a weakening of this building. Ms. Mallett said she was hoping the school does sustain and go on, but it concerns her as a parent that it is getting smaller next year and she questioned enrollment. Ms. Kebler stated the projection is 48 for next year as opposed to 59 this year.
Mr. Benson said this is the first time he has heard this in this setting; if there is a big, strong group of parents who think this is a good idea they should come before the Board. Ms. Mallett stated it is difficult with kids in school presently to say “let’s cut out.” Parents do not feel comfortable saying this; however, Mr. Benson reminded her that is what the Board is here for. Ms. Isberg added that if people do not come forward and talk about it, then we cannot present our side. Mr. Benson stated if parents were coming back to him and saying “my 7th or 8th grader is not prepared when entering school,” he would say we have a problem, but everything he has seen says they are not only ready, but they are at the head of the
class, and to him that says “it is not broken, don’t fix it.” He noted there are a lot of parents out there who really like this school and some have asked why we can’t we have a 7&8th grade here? Ms. Mallett said she is not saying she does not like the school, but in some instances when kids get older and when we have a situation where a child is the only girl in a class, we want to look at it.
Ms. Mallett questioned whether the Board would be interested in pursuing a study? Ms. Isberg questioned if we as a Board do not feel that is a feasible educationally and fiscally sound thing to do, why would we want to encourage certain expectations that we might be going down that road? Ms. Kane said she does not see how a survey would hurt. Mr. Benson pointed out the survey would have to be worded very carefully to be as objective as possible. He noted also that Bartlett has said they do not have the room for our kids. Their system works, our system works. Ms. Kebler said the numbers change, noting that during the work session we had about space issues, the facilities people said next year grades
5&6 in Bartlett are at the top of what they like for a class size, and sending ours there would require room for a 3rd class.
Ms. Isberg said her experience with the staff here is they are more aware than any of us about the particular dynamics in each class. Because of such small classes they know their students intimately, the individual attention they are receiving here is an advantage. Ms. Mallett said another reason she brought it up was she had heard that Mr. Voci was interested in a cooperative middle school with Jackson. Ms. Isberg questioned whether she had heard it directly from Mr. Voci himself? Ms. Mallett said “possibly.”
Mr. Benson pointed out that a cooperative educational experience is completely different than tuitioning our kids to Bartlett. Dr. Nelson explained a cooperative study committee has to be established, Articles of Agreement have to be drafted, and it has to go to a vote – it requires the votes of both towns and is not the same as a tuition agreement. Ms. Mallett said Jackson has more say in a school that takes some kids out of a building where we have a space issue, also there is a bigger social scene. Mr. Benson noted that cooperatives are a form of governance - it is not a given that the classes would be over in Bartlett, they could say we want to build a new building here in Jackson. Ms. Mallett questioned whether there was potential for a study on a cooperative
middle school. Dr. Nelson stated there has not been an expressed interest of either Board to move in that direction so there is no reason to pursue a study. Ms. Kane said she thinks researching this (there are some pros for this), maybe in the future a cooperative junior high would be feasible.
Ms. Bennett said as far as the social issue goes she has to say she feels grateful that her daughter was in 6th grade here because our kids grow up so fast as it is, with a middle school it exposes those children to a whole different set of issues. She said we give our kids a gift of time by having them attend here - they have an extra year to mature and be ready to go to middle school.
11. Board Member Issues – Board Discussion:
A. Set Date for Next Meeting - The next meeting will be held on June 20th at
6:30 p.m. at Jackson Grammar School.
B. Consider Resignation of Candide Kane – Motion was made by Ms. Isberg, seconded by Mr. Benson, to accept with regret the resignation of Candide Kane. It was expressed that the school and the community will miss her. It was noted that her leaving would take place after the June meeting. It was agreed the position would be posted and an ad would be placed in the paper seeking interested persons to apply at the SAU Office. The motion carried by unanimous vote.
12. Signing of Manifest: The manifest was duly signed.
13. Nonpublic Session: None
14. Adjourn: At 7:10 p.m. Motion was made by Mr. Benson, seconded by Ms. Kane and carried by unanimous vote, that the meeting be adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Gail T. Currier
Recording Secretary
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