Members Present:  James Bell, Shelly Bennett, Larry Davis, Patricia Davis, Melissa Douglass, Pam Goulette, Patricia Izbicki, Donna Littlefield, Lorna Marshall, Susan McAvoy, George Nuite, Donna Runnels, Michelle Ward and Charles Woodmancy.

Members Absent:      Ralph Eastman, Nancy Hall, Cinthia Hoak and Anita Kain

Also Present:              Greg Bellemare, Trisha Kurt, Crystal Priest, Jeffrey Aronson and Paul Stearns.

Call to Order:             The meeting was called to order by Chairman George Nuite at 7:08 p.m.

Approval of Minutes:  A motion was made by Patricia Davis and seconded by Lorna Marshall that the minutes of the August 9, 2005 Board of Directors meeting be approved as printed.

Vote: Yes~ 14 No ~ 0 Ab. ~ 0

Public Forum:             none  

Correspondence:                    none

Educational Reports:             none

1.         Adjustment to Agenda:  none           

2.         Create Position:

A motion was made by James Bell and seconded by Pam Goulette that the Board of Directors authorizes the Superintendent to create a payroll clerk position for 30 hours per week at the Central Office.

Discussion items included cost of position, wages, hours per week, history of central office staffing, split of duties and employee benefits.

Vote: Yes~ 11 No ~ 3 Ab. ~ 0

3.         Committee Reports:

Building & Grounds – Patricia Davis

The committee met on September 6^th and toured PCHS and GPS.  The next Building & Grounds Committee meeting will be held at the McKusick School on November 29^th.

4.         Administrative Reports:

            Crystal Priest (Technology Coordinator):     

By the end of this week all laptops will be rolled out to students K-12.  Getting those ready has been the focus for the past month or so.  Jay and Arnie have really been working over and above this summer to get this done.  Jef Hamlin has also been getting into the act lately as well.

Arnie has worked a deal with Sibelius Software to do a pilot this year with their software.  The music dept. had 2 days of training with people from the Vermont Midi project.  Sibelius is a piece of music composition software.  Students can create their own music on the machines and then upload it to the Midi project where professional musicians critique their work and offer them feedback.  Both Les and Debbie have plans for using this software with their students.

Once the laptops are out, Star Math and Reading Testing will be taking place this week and next.

Started offering after school staff development sessions on Thursday nights - the first two were Powergrade trainings.

The high school staff is working with Mike Muir from UMF on engaged learning and technology integration this year.  The first two sessions went very well.

CLC  update:

Between the school year program and the summer program this past year the CLC program had 527 different kids involved in one or more nights in either SAD 4 or Union 60.  We offered roughly 60 programs and had about 80 adults involved.   This was a really great start for a first year program.

 CLC buses start running after school the week of the 19th.  Letters should have gone home this past week about the schedule, bus route, etc.

CLC activities are also on tap to start the week of the 19th.  Soccer for grades 2 & 3, Books and Backpacks program for K-3, Video club and Watercolor painting for 8th grade, Spanish club and Photography for the High School are the offerings to start.  We are always looking for additional programming.

Once Star testing is done, the new CLC academic academy will start up offering afterschool academic programming for targeted students.  We had 18 people go through training on August 22 and 24.  Jolane Clawson and Robyn Rich are heading up this program for SAD #4. 

CLC has contracted with the National Center for Student Aspirations at UMO to work with the academic content specialists and with the HS staff in the areas of student aspirations and advisor/advisee programming.

Trisha Kurt (Special Education Director):

We have been doing Kindergarten screening this week.  We did Ms. Connolly's class on Monday, Mrs. Kelly's class on Tuesday and Mrs. Cookson's class on Wednesday.  We are using a new screening tool this year for Kindergarten screening.  The DIAL-3 assesses Language, Motor and Concepts.  In the past teacher created materials have been used for Kindergarten screening but this year we have switched to a standardized assessment that will give us a lot more information.

STAR reading and math testing will be done in Grades 2-8 by Friday the 16th and first grade and the high school will be doing their testing next week.  As soon as the testing is done I will be sitting down with Title teachers and going over the results and starting Title pull out groups in reading and math based on the results.

For the Reading First Grant we are also doing DIBELS testing this week to all K-3 students.  This test assesses phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, comprehension, as well as vocabulary.  It is administered to all students three times this year.  Patrick O'Shea from the department of education is coming to meet with me next week to go over the results and help us make instructional decisions based on the results.

Greg Bellemare (PCMS Principal):

Six of our teachers taking their masters at the University of New England did a day long presentation to the PCMS Staff on bullying, classroom management, hero, team building and communication.  From this we have made a focus of the staff to first look at and revamp our HERO program. We will then address bullying and then brain research.

School opened on 8/29/05 with 26 new students who came to us from various school and states.  We lost 13 students due to parents moving—total number—61, 47, 60, 65 and 63 = 296 students.

Students at PCMS have started a fundraiser for the victims of hurricane – bottle drive at four area redemption centers for Katrina.  Students are also donating change.  Money will be sent to the American Red Cross.

The kickoff for our annual magazine drive was held on Friday, September 16^th. 

The 4^th grade open house was held August 25^th.

Open house for 5^th, 6^th, 7^th & 8^th Grade was held on September 6^th.

5^th Grade students attended a band demonstration on August 31.

Parent night for new band students was held on September 6^th.

We have set up review teams to look at how our students did with the MEA’s and will be meeting with Julie Orton to strategize our next moves.

School Pictures will be October 3^rd.

Jeff Aronson (PCHS Principal):

The major activities have focused on starting the new academic year successfully. The high school staff and faculty have been invaluable in their guidance and counsel; I also want to thank the Special Education, Technology, Transportation and Maintenance Departments in making the beginning weeks of the school year positive experiences for everyone.

Examples of the activities to date include:

Parent letter of introduction, informational packets, sent to all families of PCHS students

Review of Student Handbook; new draft sent to all students and families, posted on PCHS website.

Parent Forums on Technology at PCHS and Academic/Social program held on August 29-30. Over 170 parents, guardians and students attended.

Two student assemblies on Opening Days (August 29-30)

Election of student class officers and Student Council announced at student assembly on September 12

Roll out process for student laptops to be completed on September 15-16

Implementation of new Academic Support Period at end of every school day

Implementation of strengthened advisory groups through more structured goals and shared activities

Meeting with U-Maine National Center for Student Aspirations to provide structured support for advisory groups

U-Maine Farmington led faculty workshops on Engaged Learning on August 25 and September 2

Begin process of establishing budgetary needs for 2006-07

First meetings of Senior Management Team (Principal, Assistant Principal, Guidance Counselor) to meet operational and administrative needs of the school

First meeting of the faculty Leadership Team on academic strategies and needs for ’05-‘06

Participation in SAD #4 Administrative Team meetings

Hiring of long-term, experienced substitute for Spanish position

Successful start to field hockey, boys/girls soccer, boy’s junior varsity soccer, cross country and golf team seasons

Faculty meetings held on August 29 and September 12

Julie Orton (Elementary Principal/Curriculum Coordinator):

Both GPS and McKusick had Open House and Book Fairs today with a good turnout at both schools.

We have been doing the DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) assessment for all children as a requirement for the Reading First Grant.  Title I personnel have received training during the summer in administering this assessment.  I have also had the opportunity to administer the assessment to several children.  We should have results by the end of the week.

We’ve already had two fire drills at each school that have gone very well.

Children at both schools have been collecting money to give to the Red Cross for Hurricane Katrina relief.

Dates have been secured for two school events, the Northern Stars Planetarium and Chewonki Outreach Program.  The parent-teacher organization, HUGS, sponsors these events.  We are very appreciative of their generosity in providing our students with these great programs.

5.         Chairperson’s Report:

Mr. Nuite reported that eleven board members attended the MSMA workshop on “Boardsmanship”.   Fall Conference registrations will be organized by Mr. Stearns.  Mr. Nuite suggested that the board members from each town arrange to attend.

6.         Superintendent’s Report: 

Tuition Forecast Projected at $157,707

                        Elementary      9 total – Willimantic-4, Elliotsville-3, Blanchard-2

                        Secondary       18 total – Harmony-10, Willimantic-8

Staff Change Payroll Adjustments     $25,000 +/-

Our enrollment is 828             (862 last October)

Resignation:    Ed Nickerson – Ed Tech IA at PCMS

Rod Gudroe is the Golf Assistant

DOE Learning Results Review Process

Tri-County Future Search

            Board members needed October 11,12, 13!

MSMA

            Upcoming Conference in Augusta October 27^th and 28^th

            Successful Boardsmanship Workshop (Patty I, Jim B., Donna L.)

MEA Report in October/Check in on progress toward strategic plan

Budget Committee proposed format change - Saturday Workshop

RRF applications

            Review

MSMA insurance walkthrough “best ever”

Audit wrapped up today – procedural change required – semi annual sign off from employees paid with federal funds

Pre-school #’s are up and the program is full.

Excellent start to school year

            More academic time/ close to same time home

            Increased VPA

MEA score review at October meeting

Energy:           Fuel prices are locked in for 2005-06

                        Electricity – Maine Power Options 20% +/- increase in electrical cost

                        Mike Building Operator Certification Course

Revised Student Profile Update Form – replaces several forms!

Policy Books – Who needs a hard-copy?

EPS meeting tomorrow night

7.         Adjournment: