CITY OF DERBY
BOARD OF EDUCATION
SPECIAL MEETING
MINUTES AUGUST 14 2008
Meeting called to order: meeting called to order at 7:10 p.m.
Pledge of Allegiance: all rose and pledged allegiance
Roll Call Present: Sheila Parizo, Ken Marcucio, Jodi Chevarella, James Stadt, Tina Ulman, and Kim Kreiger. Absent: Brad Tobin. Marguerite Bondi is excused. Rebecca O’Hara arrived at 7:15 p.m. Also Present: Superintendent Dr. Stephen Tracy. There is a quorum.
John Saccu – Youth Services Bureau presentation
There is an advisory board which is the education side. It reviews the needs of the district and to help develop programs for the district. There is a juvenile review board that includes educators, social workers and psychologists, members of the working and professional community as well as other service groups in town, designed to divert kids from the criminal justice system to alternative programming.
Approval of minutes
June 26 2008 – Motion to approve by Kim Kreiger, second by Jodi Chevarellai, all in favor, motion carries. Mrs. Ulman abstained as she was not present.
July 10 2008 – Motion to approve by Kim Kreiger, second by James Stadt, all in favor, motion carries.
July 31 2008 - Motion to approve by Kim Kreiger, second by Tina Ulman, all in favor, motion carries. Sheila abstained as she was not present.
Public Participation
No one present.
Public Portion Closed.
Reports
A. Chairwoman – no report
B. Superintendent
Dr. Tracy presented preliminary achievement data related to the 2008 CT Mastery Test and the CT Academic Proficiency Test. He asked the principals to look at the information and review it with their staff.
Back to school activities:
Aug 22 – New Staff Orientation
Aug 25 – Entire Faculty and Staff returns
Aug 26 – Annual Welcome Back Staff gathering
Derby HS Principal Search – There were over 30 applications to review. A selection advisory committee has been identified and convened. A half dozen of the best candidates have been invited to come back for interviewing.
Derby MS Building project – The Building Committee met and accepted the guaranteed maximum price for the project. The bids are well under budget. Ground breaking will be on September 6th.
Vacancies – vacancy report is located in the Board packet and will be voted on during this meeting.
Choice Theory Workshop is August 21st.
Nurse staffing – Irving School – There are a number of medically needy children at the school. Their conditions will require careful monitoring throughout the day. Dr. Tracy is planning to assign the existing nurse to work full time. Dr. Tracy is recommending transferring the $13,000.00 needed for this from the Central Office payroll account due to a vacancy in the Superintendent’s office.
Draft letter from the Chairwoman regarding public participation – This letter will help maintain order in a proper way.
Crisis Management Exercise – The Chief of Police invited Dr. Tracy to be a part of this exercise on August 25th.
C. Administrators Derby MS (7th & 8th grade) there has been steady progress with math being the lowest area for DMS students. Writing continues to be a great strength. There was a sizeable growth in reading for grade 7 and a 3% growth in grade 8. The Middle School has also continued the extended learning time resulting in an extra twenty minutes each day.
D. Vacancies Dr. Tracy presente the vacancy report.
Executive Session motion to go into Executive Session at 8:00 p.m. and invite Dr. Tracy, Nancy O’Dea-Wyrick, Mrs. Linda Coppola and Ms. Bonina by Kim Kreiger, second by Rebecca O’Hara, all in favor, motion carries.
A. Personnel
B. Student Special Service Contract
C. DEA Contract Matter
Executive Session ends at 8:34 p.m.
Action Items
A. Recommended Appointments – Dr. Tracy added some names from the Executive Session: Wilson, Nash, Russo and Ronson for faculty appointments and Malory and Resto for support staff. With the understanding that Dr. Tracy has the authority to appoint people to vacant positions that may arise between now and the September meeting to allow for full staffing for the beginning of the school year and by the recommendation of Dr. Tracy, Ms. Bonina, Mr. Gallo, Nancy O’Dea-Wyrick and Mr. Bradshaw to appoint the recommendations as discussed in the Executive Session by Jodi Chevarella, second by Kim Kreiger, all in favor, motion carries.
B. Approve the health care staffing agreement for school services as presented by Dr. Tracy with the condition that a bid waiver is granted from the Board of Apportionment and Taxation and the Board of Aldermen – Motion by Kim Kreiger, second by James Stadt, all in favor, motion carries.
C. Move that the Board of Education authorize the Superintendent to file for application of the Perkins Grant, the Early Reading Success Grant and the Consolidated grant - Motion to approve by Kim Kreiger, second by Jim Stadt, all in favor, motion carries.
D. Approval of request for Italian III and Italian IV students to visit Italy in the spring of 2009 – Motion to approve by Tina Ulman, second by Rebecca O’Hara, all in favor, motion carries.
E. Pre-Audit Financial Report FY 2008 – Motion to approve by Rebecca O’Hara, second by Jim Stadt, all in favor, motion carries.
F. FY 2009 Budget Update – Nancy presented a summary for 08-09 as opportunities and exposures. The opportunities are holding back the hiring of an Assistant Superintendent position, the other is going without a HS principal for three months. Those two things help to provide available monies for the full time nurse.
G. Monthly Financial Report Format – Nancy presented the new format to the board and all were in agreement of the new format.
H. Approval of Budget Transfer Protocol – Kim did a first read of the protocol. It limits the dollar amounts of transfer up to $5,000.00 to be made prior to the board’s approval. If it is a higher cost, it would have to have board approval.
I. Approval of Residency Tracking Program – This is a software program which has verification of residency. This may be shared with the City.
Sheila informed the board there is a State Statute that whatever nursing services are provided in the public schools, the same amount of nursing services need to be provided to private or parochial schools. If you have a full time nurse at Irving School, you need to have a full time nurse at St. Mary St. Michael School. Dr. Tracy reads the statute as the services need to be the same, not necessarily the same number of hours.
New Business no new business
Previous Business no old business
Adjourn
Motion to adjourn by Jim Stadt, second by Rebecca O’Hara at 9:05 p.m., all in favor, motion carries.
Respectfully Submitted,
Denise Cesaroni
Recording Secretary
***These minutes are subject to the approval of the Board of Education at their next regularly scheduled meeting.
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