Members Present:  James Bell, Paul Bridge, Larry Davis, Patricia Davis, Melissa Douglass, Ralph Eastman, Pam Goulette, Nancy Hall, Patricia Izbicki, Anita Kain, Susan McAvoy, Michelle Ward and George Nuite.

Members Absent:      Laura Auger, Donna Littlefield, Lorna Marshall, Raymond Morse

Also Present:              Kevin Jordan, Fred Andrews, Trisha Kurt, Crystal Priest and Paul Stearns.

Call to Order:             The meeting was called to order by Chairman George Nuite at 7:03 p.m.

Approval of Minutes:  A motion was made by Pam Goulette and seconded by Jim Bell that the minutes of the January 11, 2005 Board of Directors meeting be approved with the following correction under Public Forum:   Anita Pushor thanked PCHS students for their help in shopping for approximately 25 students and thanked PCMS students and staff for the money they raised and donated to the Christmas Program.

Vote: Yes~ 13 No ~ 0 Ab. ~ 0

Public Forum: none

Correspondence:        Paul shared a letter from the Athletic Director at Foxcroft Academy to Kevin Jordan expressing gratitude for the treatment of Foxcroft Academy student Matt Carey when he reached his 1000 points at PCHS.    

Educational Reports:  Mrs. Kurt reported on the Reading First Grant (attached)        

1.         Adjustment to Agenda:          none

2.         Creation of Position:

 A motion was made by Jim Bell and seconded by Ralph Eastman that the Board of Directors     authorizes the creation of an Ed Tech IA position at the McKusick School.

            Vote: Yes~ 13 No ~ 0 Ab. ~ 0

3.         Resignations:

            The Board of Directors accepted the following resignations:

            Gary Sinclair – Ed Tech IA (PCHS)
            Nanci Foster – Bus Driver

            Vote: Yes~ 13 No ~ 0 Ab. ~ 0

4.         Committee Reports:

Budget Committee – Larry Davis reported that the Budget Committee had heard from the administrators regarding their budget requests for the coming year.  He reported that the larger cost drivers in the budget are salaries, benefits, fuel, oil and technology replacements and upgrades.

The committee will meet next on March 1^st at which time they will review a proposed budget and revenues sheet, with cuts, revisions and accompanying explanations.

Building, Facilities and Grounds Committee – Patricia Davis reported that the committee had met on January, 18^th at which time they heard a presentation from Mike Young of Sewall in Old Town regarding the recently completed facility assessment plan.  The committee is reviewing the data. 

 Mr. Young has been retained to perform a structural analysis of the McKusick and GPS roofs.  He is also providing assistance in the revolving renovation process for projects at PCHS.

5.         Administrative Reports:

Crystal Priest (Technology Coordinator):      Crystal Priest reported that the first group of  Fast-Forword students are done and the second group is just getting started.  Mike Muir from UMF was up last week doing interviews of students and teachers.  Students have been completing their 2nd STAR tests and Mike will be crunching the numbers over the next month.  I'm looking forward to seeing what the early numbers look like.

Report cards and midterm reports went home at all levels last week.

The latest issue of the Pirate Post is available online, Dave Inglehart is also working with a group of kids and teachers on getting a student work showcase up and running for the high school - stay tuned for more as this gets up and running.

The 7th & 8th graders started taking their laptops home on a limited basis a couple of weeks ago, this seems to be going very well so far.

The 8th graders have been taking their MEA online practice tests.  There are still many bugs in the system that need to be worked out.

Roxanne and I are working on Erate applications for next year, the application needs to be finalized by Feb. 17th. 

Greg Bellemare (PCMS Principal):   Fred Andrews reported for Greg that PCMS will be having a “Our Respectful Communication Week” and their slogan is “We are all in this together”.  They have    Randy Judkins coming on Monday to kick off the week.

8th graders did practice tests today for MEA on line.  We will decide whether we will do it this way or by paper later this week.

8th grade is visiting the state museum on Friday.

Band and chorus will be going to a festival in Greenville on March 4 where they will be given ratings by judges.

MEA's will be taken the weeks of March 7th thru l8th;  NCLB-AA's the week of March 20th

The 5th grade ski program has started. 

Very successful early reports from students, teachers and parents on students taking home laptops on a "Need" basis at PCMS.

March 1^st  - Brenda Kain will be taking 7th and 8th grade girls to Orono for a women's conference

Kevin Jordan (PCHS Principal):  Kevin reported that Jared Pingree was chosen to attend the National Youth Leadership forum on Defense, Intelligence, and Diplomacy

Tri-County Technical Center Local Skills Competition medal winners were announced

Technology training January 13^th  and 14^th .  Fifteen staff members went through subject specific technology integration workshops put on by MLTI facilitators.

Joey Luchini and I presented our Career Prep program at the Dover-Foxcroft Kiwanis Club meeting.

Met with and scheduled health occupations career days for all freshmen with Ken Proctor, Director of   Human resources at Mayo.

Met with Mike Young from the Sewall Co. looking at areas of concern at PCHS.

Winter Athletics is winding down, Boys Basketball will be in the tournament, possibly home next week.

PCHS will have their annual Winter Carnival activities all next week.

Trisha Kurt (Elementary Principal/Sp. Ed. Director):  Trisha reported that the Dad’s Valentine Breakfast at GPS on February 14^th (Dads come in and cook breakfast for the students on that day)

Promoting Wellness – K-3 is going sledding at Haley’s hill on February 17^th and 18^th

K-3 are selling carnations for Valentine’s Day

March 2nd – Read Across America Day

GPS - Snuggle up with a book (Night program from 5:00 to 6:00)

Storyteller comes to school and kids come in their pajamas

Look at books that were published from Mrs. Herrick’s classroom – Mrs. Herrick’s class was entered as a finalist into a national contest for their book

Margaret Chase Smith library saw in the paper that the 3^rd grade had sent money to the tsunami relief fund in Southeast Asia and called and stated that if a group of 3^rd graders came to the library then they would match their funds.  Mr. Arthers is taking six third graders (two from each classroom) to Margaret Chase Smith library next week to receive the check.  Third graders had to write an essay to get chosen to be able to go to the Margaret Chase Smith library.

6.         Chairperson’s Report:  Mr. Nuite reported that he attended the Skills Competition at TCTC.

7.         Superintendent’s Report:  Mr. Stearns reported that Randy Nelson in transportation now has his inspection license

            We will be purchasing a bus next year bus at the current year’s prices pending budget approval

Facilities:  We have contracted with Sewall of Old Town to do a structural analysis of both elementary roofs.  If the report leads to major work we will apply through the Revolving        Renovation Program.  If it requires minor work we will squeeze it out of the budget.  We are preparing applications for 4 revolving renovation projects at PCHS.  These are all of the priority 1 items, they are very much interrelated and include: asbestos abatement, indoor air quality, HVAC, and Fire Protection.  In order to document problems in these areas we will be conducting carbon dioxide level tests, and tests of the slab in the science wing for moisture content and settling issues that might relate to the air quality issues.   We will be preparing a priority 2 RRF request for a portion of the PCHS roof (this could possibly tie in with elementary projects if necessary).  We will also, in the relatively near future, be preparing an application for RRF priority 3 funds for improvements to instructional space.  Officials of the DOE School Construction Team have indicated to me that priority 3 money is not currently available and not to hold high expectations for a fast timetable on these type projects.  Dexter and Dover are capital projects – hence the 100% funding. These monies are drying up.  We would be many, many years before our buildings dilapidated to such a state as to qualify for these funds.

Funding scene:  We have received our preliminary 281subsidy from the state.  Key points:

For “06 we will be receiving approximately $100,000 more in subsidy from the state

This will be at 84% of EPS - this means that it would require $800,000 in additional revenue for SAD    #4 to provide the very minimal – or essential – educational program.  These funds would come from   revenue forward, tuitions, Medicaid, e-rate and Local Additional.

There are effects of the 4 year ramp up to full funding that give the appearance that “the rich get richer” - the driver here is special education costs at EPS rates.  Some of this might be more than appearance – there is a general consensus that EPS favors Urban districts.

The outlook for the ’07 budget/subsidy is better – reflective of how well we fit the model due to efficiency = our mils raised for education is not far above what the state expects – the gap is not so wide as in other systems.

The state share of the budget is heading in the right direction…similar to trying to turn a large oil tanker on a dime…it is going to take 4 years.  We are definitely adversely affected by declining enrollment and will continue to be. We are also affected by spiraling increases in fixed costs.

The promise of tax relief to our towns is a myth.  55%, $90 % of saved money back to towns is a BIG myth.  I have been in contact with Earl Richardson and Paul Davis on this.  The towns want specific info for their budgets that is simply not available at this time.  There will be increases to assessments if we are to stay stagnant.

On Friday I sat in on the education committee session spoke personally with the chair of the committee, as well as DOE officials regarding the funding situation.  They are aware of the issues    that surround EPS.

OSHA – excellent progress has been made to correct flaws – tip of the cap to all staff, administrators for their excellent work in responding to this.  Fines totaled nearly $6000.  All are being appealed – I will meet with OSHA officials after March 3^rd and expect this process to go well.

Task Force – in the process of creating strategic plan for each objective.  Next full meeting is on the 16^th of February.

GPS and PCHS will have comprehensive food service review the first week in March.

First negotiation session is scheduled for tomorrow – Feb. 9^th.

8.         Yearly Evaluation of the High School Principal:  (Melissa Douglass left the meeting)

A motion was made by Michelle Ward and seconded by Pam Goulette that the Board of Directors goes into executive session for the purpose of evaluating the High School Principal.

            Vote: Yes ~ 12   No ~ 0   Ab. ~ 0

            Time In:          8:22                 Time Out:       9:05

            Action Taken:

A motion was made by Pam Goulette and seconded by Nancy Hall that the Board of Directors extends the High School Principal’s contract through June 30, 2008.

Vote: Yes ~ 12  No ~ 0   Ab. ~ 0

9.         Adjournment:

Vote: Yes ~ 12 No ~ 0   Ab. ~ 0

Respectfully Submitted,

Paul A. Stearns
Superintendent of Schools
SAD #4