BOARD OF EDUCATION
10/15/08
The Regular Meeting of the Board of Education of the Margaretville Central School District was held on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 in the Board Room.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Lee Austin, Robbie Martin, Randy Moore, and Al Tanzer. ROLL CALL
MEMBERS ABSENT: Barbara Funck
OTHERS PRESENT: Tony Albanese (Superintendent), Karen Dietrich (Treasurer) and Teresa Goodchild (Clerk).
At 7:00PM, President Austin called the Regular Meeting to order. CALL TO ORDER
From the Superintendent, Mr. Albanese updated the Board on the following: By 11/19, the Commissioner will need to make a decision regarding ONC BOCES and a hearing must be held prior to that date. MCS is support of Option 1 to keep BOCES as is; gave the Board an updated copy of the 2007-08 Organizational Goals; Recommended that the 2008-09 Goals be posted on the MCS web site; Explained that the issue regarding volunteer coaches had been handled in November 2007 with a procedure approved by the Board, but recommended that they be approved annually by the Board just like Head Coaches; Met with Skene and Fairview Libraries regarding additional services for MCS students - extended hours, activities, etc. COMMENTS FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT
From the Public, Cassie Finnis-Palen thanked the Board for serving and for the information on volunteer coaches. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
IT WAS MOVED by Mr. Tanzer, seconded by Mrs. Martin to accept the Minutes of 9/17/08 as presented. Motion carried unanimously.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
IT WAS MOVED by Mr. Moore, seconded by Mr. Tanzer to approve the Treasurer's Report and the Activity Fund Report for September 2008 as amended. Motion carried unanimously. TREASURER'S REPORT
The Board audited the Warrants and the Internal Claims Auditor Reports for Warrant #6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. WARRANTS
In presentations, the School Board was commended for their time and hard work in honor of School Board Recognition Week, and presented with a copy of the Governor's proclamation. Refreshments were provided by MESPA and MTA. PRESENTATIONS School Board Recognition Week
Birgitte Bentivenga, Cafeteria Manager, gave the Board a written report on the Overview of the Department, listing their accomplishment of healthy and tasty meals and snacks, and their challenge to building up the breakfast program without overspending. CAFETERIA REPORT Birgitte Bentivenga
Bob Dwyer and Beth Smith both presented the Board with written reports on Transportation. The reports contained information on the condition and mileage of all of the buses, vans, and trucks, the bus routes involving 700 miles per day and the number of students on each bus, . Mr. Dwyer recommended that the Board consider purchasing a 47-passenger bus and another mini van. He also commented that it would be nice to be on a 10-year cycle, rather than the 14-year cycle we are currently on. TRANSPORTATION REPORT Bob Dwyer & Beth Smith
Bill Fiedler gave a presentation on his Summer Staff Development Project on Social Studies for K-6. He put together a curriculum based on the NYS standards in an effort to unify the social studies program. Mr. Fiedler commented on how important DBQ's are to the curriculum in the younger grades to prepare the students for middle and high school. SSD K-6 Social Studies Bill Fiedler
Kathy Taylor gave a presentation on her Summer Staff Development Project on integrating social studies into K-2 music. SSD K-2 Music - K. Taylor
IT WAS MOVED by Mr. Tanzer, seconded by Mr. Moore to appoint the following Extra-Curricular Advisor positions: Band for 2006-07 - Kathy Taylor, Band for 2007-08 - Kathy Taylor, Band for 2008-09 - Kathy Taylor, Outing Club for 2008-09 - Jennifer Leaver. Motion carried unanimously. EXTRA-CURRICULAR ADVISOR APPOINTMENTS
IT WAS MOVED by Mr. Moore, seconded by Mr. Tanzer to appoint Diane Oles as a Full Year Mentor and Joseph Dabritz as a 1/2 Year Mentor for the 2008-09 School Year. Motion carried unanimously. MENTORS Diane Oles & Joseph Dabritz
IT WAS MOVED by Mr. Tanzer, seconded by Mrs. Martin to approve Barbara Quintero and Lindsay Coager Oles as Substitute Teachers for the 2008-09 school year. Motion carried unanimously. SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS Quintero & Oles
IT WAS MOVED by Mrs. Martin, seconded by Mr. Tanzer to approve Martha Cruz DeMartinez as a Substitute Food Service Helper for the 2008-09 school year. Motion carried unanimously. SUBSTITUTE FOOD SERVICE HELPER
IT WAS MOVED by Mr. Tanzer, seconded by Mrs. Martin to approve Richard Funck as a Substitute Bus Driver for the 2008-09 school year. Motion carried unanimously. SUBSTITUTE BUS DRIVER - Funck
IT WAS MOVED by Mr. Tanzer, seconded by Mr. Moore LEAVE OF ABSENCE
"RESOLVED, that the Board of Education of the Margaretville Central School District, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools, does hereby grant a maternity leave of absence for Denise Asher from her position of Elementary Teacher to begin tentatively December 5, 2008 and returning on April 6, 2009.” Elementary Denise Asher
Motion carried unanimously.
IT WAS MOVED by Mr. Tanzer, seconded by Mrs. Martin to approve the Memorandum of Understanding with the Margaretville Teachers Association regarding longevity. Motion carried unanimously. LONGEVITY MOU WITH MTA
IT WAS MOVED by Mr. Moore, seconded by Mr. Austin to approve the following volunteer coaches for the 2008-09 school year: Julia Green, Edward Sanford, and George Redden. Motion carried unanimously. VOLUNTEER COACHES Green, Sanford, Redden
IT WAS MOVED by Mr. Tanzer, seconded by Mr. Moore BOCES SUPPORT
“RESOLVED, that Margaretville Central School, is desirous of and fully supports the option of keeping the existing configuration of the Otsego, Northern Catskill BOCES (ONC BOCES) as it is currently constituted. Further, we reject both the tenor and conclusions drawn from the July 2008 report to Commissioner Mills characterizing ONC BOCES not adequately meeting the needs of our component district stating that: “the critical factor is that the responses clearly express there is a general dissatisfaction with the existing organizational arrangement”. The thrust of the responses from the component district recognize need for improvements but believe the current configuration is our best option. RESOLUTION
The goal of any proposed change must have as its target an improvement to the current situation for the affected students. The current configuration serves its component districts admirably offering a range of student programs and district services that are done professionally and effectively. Any changes that would lessen the number of districts, or change the administrative make-up of the current ONC BOCES, risks the quality and amount of program availability to the component districts.
We are fully confident that we are in the best position to meet the challenges of our administrative and CTE costs as we are currently configured. The collegial relationships that have been formed and continue to grow within the ONC BOCES network enhance and solidify our collective abilities to formulate and enact reasonable and effective solutions to our challenges. To fully appreciate our position we seek a careful and intelligent examination of our topography; simple conclusions based upon a two-dimensional map that does not take topography, roads, and real travel-time into account along with the resolve and resources that are currently available within the component districts of ONC BOCES, is doomed to an end that does not seek what is best for our students.”
Motion carried unanimously.
IT WAS MOVED by Mr. Moore, seconded by Mrs. Martin to approve the disposal of old athletic equipment (bats). Motion carried unanimously. DISPOSAL OF BATS
IT WAS MOVED by Mrs. Martin, seconded by Mr. Tanzer to authorize a Saturday Driver Education Program with Gordon (Tom) Brigham as the instructor for the 2008-09 school year. Motion carried unanimously. SATURDAY DRIVER EDUCATION
IT WAS MOVED by Mr. Tanzer, seconded by Mr. Moore to approve the Board Goals for 2008-09. Motion carried unanimously. 2008-09 BOARD GOALS
IT WAS MOVED by Mr. Tanzer, seconded by Mrs. Martin to approve the request from the Longyear Gallery and Sue Whittenburg on behalf of orphans in Zimbabwe at no cost to the school district. Motion carried unanimously. LONGYEAR GALLERY
IT WAS MOVED by Mr. Tanzer, seconded by Mr. Moore to approve the CSE Recommendations as presented. Motion carried unanimously. CSE RECOMMENDATIONS
Mr. Albanese gave the Board the last enrollment statistics, with the PreK Program at 12 students, and a total of 476 students K-12. ENROLLMENT
IT WAS MOVED by Mrs. Martin, seconded by Mr. Tanzer to move into Executive Session at 8:30PM to discuss personnel matters. Motion carried unanimously. EXECUTIVE SESSION
The Regular Meeting resumed at 9:05PM.
IT WAS MOVED by Mr. Moore, seconded by Mr. Tanzer to adjourn the meeting at 9:05PM. Motion carried unanimously. ADJOURNMENT
Approved:____________________ Clerk:____________________________________