Current Committee Minutes

Barre Town Policy and Communication Committee

Archived Minutes

Barre Town Policy/Communication Committee Meeting
May 5, 2008
Barre Town School, Upstairs Conference Room
5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Unapproved MINUTES

ATTENDANCE: Chris Bond (Chair), Laura Moore, Laurie Gossens, Dr. Theodore Riggen

1. Adult Anti-Harassment Policy (GBBA) – The committee considered a draft policy based on the VSBA model policy (“Harassment of Employees”). The draft included several edits and modifications that the policy committee had discussed when it considered an earlier version of the draft at its March meeting. After discussing the changes, the committee agreed to recommend the draft policy to the School Board for approval. The committee agreed to recommend a new version of GBBA for approval by the School Board.

2. Act 230 (IHB) – The committee agreed that more concise language would be preferable to the language used in the VSBA model policy. The committee agreed that the language in the VSBA policy seems redundant, given that it reiterates large sections of state statutes. Where possible, the committee is committed to avoiding needless restatements of law. However, the committee agreed to table the discussion of this policy until more research could be done on the required language for this policy. The committee agreed to table IHB until the May 22, 2008 policy committee meeting.

3. Tobacco Prohibition Policy (GBK) – The committee agreed to recommend the current policy to the board for approval with an additional provision regarding disciplinary action for violations of the policy. Also, the committee noted that the Tobacco Prohibition Policy is directed only to staff, and not to students. Thus, the committee agreed to add the student Use, Possession, and Distribution of Substances (JICH) Policy to the agenda for its next meeting. The committee agreed to recommend the policy for approval at the second Board Meeting in May.

4. Independent Educational Evaluation (IHBB); Independent Educational Evaluation – Procedures (IHBB-R); Schedule A (IHBB-R1); Provision of Special Education Services to Private School Students (IHBC) – The administrators stated that these policies were out of date. They further suggested that since the federal regulations relating to the subject matter of these policies are so detailed—and change so frequently—it might not be prudent (or necessary) to keep these policies. After discussion, the committee agreed to recommend these policies for removal. The administrators will review the policies to decide whether any of their provisions might be useful for adoption as procedures. The committee agreed to recommend these four policies for REMOVAL.

Respectfully submitted, Chris Bond

Barre Town Facility and Transportation Committee

Archived Minutes

March 21st, 2007 MINUTES
Barre Town Facility & Transportation Committee

Attending: Bill Kirkland, Steve Murray, Jeanne Danielle and Jeff Gagne

The meeting started at 4:35 PM.

The minutes of the February 21st meeting were approved.

Steve is working on lining up the bus positions for the following year. The new position added into the budget will help. Staffing is still short but one driver should be back from medical leave and a substitute driver will be back soon. Steve is currently driving as the substitute. There may be a driver leaving at the end of this year. Steve will have more information near the end of the year. A used bus has been converted into a training unit for EMT/Police/Firefighters. It will be used at an accident scene sometime in August and will be videotaped. There will be bus safety information available at the School Safety Expo, March 22nd, at 6:30 PM. Steve is looking into information on idling and heaters in regards to the busses.

Steve passed out two lists of construction projects for the ensuing year. The first was the annual project list while the second reviewed the project list approved by the voters. Projects for FY 08-09 were briefly discussed.

Storage needs were discussed, including the possibility of creating a floor above the cafeteria. Bill will look into this and get more information. Solar energy was discussed. Jeff will work with Fred Thumm on getting more information for the next meeting.

Bill will look into the Crops By Kids request to use lawn space in the horseshoe for the garden project.

Steve commented that the administration is looking into security needs. Steve Ehrliy is working with Steve Murray and staff to review security issues and needs. Some serious discussion occurred in regards to the safety of students, staff and community members when walking to and from the parking lot. An idea of adding special parking spots near the west wide of the wood chip plant and blocking off the driveway around the wood chip plant was discussed but there was no consensus on the idea.

Steve noted that the custodial staff has had to take on more responsibility with the composting project. Ideas such as staff and /or students getting more involved were reviewed.

Steve is working with staff at Kilawatt Partners on the energy savings plan.

The meeting adjourned at 5:57 PM.

Respectfully submitted,  Jeffrey Gagne

Curriculum and Teacher-Support Committee

Archived Minutes

Barre Town Curriculum and Teacher Support Committee Meeting
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
8:00 AM

Board Members: Brenda Buzzell, Chairperson; Laura Moore
Administrators: Paul Moccia, Ted Riggen, Tim Crowley
Curriculum Specialists: Sarah Chap
Community Members: Kim Canavan, Bonnie George, Shelly Weeks

Brenda Buzzell called the meeting to order in BTMES second floor conference room at 8:00 AM.

* Health and Family Consumer Science Curriculum:
Sarah Chap had distributed the scope and sequence of the eighth grade Personal Choices and Relationship Unit along with the Alternatives to committee members before this meeting for all members to examine. Members present discussed this unit. Sarah explained that the material follows what has been presented in past years and is based upon Reducing the Risk Curriculum and Positive Prevention, a curriculum through the Red Cross.

The procedure for informing parents about the unit will follow the same procedure as for the Puberty unit in sixth grade that is recorded in the April 4, 2008 committee minutes. If parents decide to exercise the option to not have their child included in this unit’s instruction, the four topic alternatives of an independent research project were discussed.

Members thanked Sarah for a very thorough job of developing the detailed scope and sequence and appropriate alternatives for these two Family Health and Science Units in grades six and eight.

*NECAP Results:
Paul Moccia led the discussion on NECAP scores. It was noted that although Barre Town did meet Adequate Yearly Progress overall for all students in reading, writing, and math, the school failed to meet AYP in the sub categories of Children of Poverty and Children with Disabilities. It was noted that these populations have increased and that levels of intervention need to improve.

Paul explained that intervention is described as three tiers. The first tier is within the classroom, the second tier is with individual and small groups and then tier three is for students with defined disabilities. He noted that intervention through the VALLI project has been introduced for the middle school faculty and students. Brenda suggested that there is research based tier one programs that schools use in whole classroom instruction to complement the reading program. These programs such as Wilson Fundations that is specific to K-3 and other strategies in instruction have proven to improve student learning for children in all sub categories.

Discussion of strategies including research based interventions ensued. Paul and the administrators will explore strategies to improve student learning and discussion will continue at the June meeting.

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 4, 2008 at 8:00 am in the upstairs conference room.

Respectively Submitted, Brenda Buzzell, Committee Chair

School Health Advisory Committee

SHAC Meeting Minutes - WAITING APPROVAL
April 7, 2008
 

Attendants: Susan Barnard, Beth Campo, Sarah Chap, Tanya Crawford-Stempel, Natalie Hamblin, Nina Hansen, Cameo Lamb, Patty Meriam, Laura Moore, Kevin Otis, Ted Riggen

1. Review of March Minutes

   1. Approved with the following corrections: Spelling of the names “Akins” & “Hansen”, and that the Iron Chef competition is at Champlain Valley Fairgrounds.

2. Introductions

3. Move to change agenda; kitchen news first due to scheduling.

4. Old News

   1. Kitchen Report – Kevin Otis

      1. 11% for breakfast, lunch still 50%, VT menu day, 53% one of the best. Taste Test.

      2. Local purchasing last month included $53 on eggs, beans, apples, kim chee, and salad mix.

      3. Attended FEED panel, discussed farm networking and kitchen garden.

      4. Will add a “pizza garden” to the kitchen garden, including; basil, peppers, tomatoes, etc.

      5. Child Nutrition Program will be giving out free signs for local produce that will be hung in café.

      6. Other signs will designate Taste Tested items, such as beet black bean corn salad, and The Harvest Soup winning “Stone Soup”

      7. Kitchen staff trainings on use of the immersion blender and the recipe for homemade pizza sauce occurred.

      8. Iron Chef contest will feature recipes for stone soup and spinach salad.

      9. Freezer/ice machine, and steam kettle are out for repairs, thermometer for freezer are getting upgraded.

      10. Planned for April 17 is a Maple Celebration featuring local sugarers, Mayor Tom Lauzon, and Taste Testing maple granola/yogurt and glazed carrots. “Bump,” the Frost Heaves mascot, Channels 3 & 5, and the Times-Argus have also been invited. The emphasis is local produce and Vermont’s maple season.

   2. Farm to School committee will link with Teresa Murry-Claussen mtme@verizon.net from the Union Elementary School Montpelier snack program to get information.

   3. SNAC committee – Cameo Lamb

      1. Five 8th graders (including Taylor Molander, Shane Safford, Cameo Lamb, and Chelsea Ciampi, Katherine Gagne) formed a student nutrition board to help improve meals at the school.

      2. Reviewed idea of bringing food including hot chocolate to class room TA. Concern with hot chocolate spilling. Utilizing lids, and getting the beverage after going to locker will decrease spillage.

      3. Other breakfast ideas that have been shared with Nina Hansen and Kevin Otis include; fruit & yogurt smoothies (which were a hit at the student international fair), and chocolate chip muffins. SNAC feels these choices provide for a healthy and balanced menu.

      4. Lunch ideas include baked salted/unsalted pretzels with cheese sauce, ketchup/mustard.

      5. SNAC members are willing to help in kitchen if needed.

      6. Feedback for the SNAC committee include having a healthy base, such as banana for chocolate muffins, concerns about hot chocolate with the waste of lids, meshing with the nutrition policy (alternative might be hot apple cider), and recent published news article discussing concerns about children and chocolate.

      7. Idea of having breakfast menu and hot drink in cafeteria rather that upstairs. This would mean we need a cafeteria monitor.

      8. Cameo will take info discussed and report to SNAC.

   4. Further discussion on having children sit to eat breakfast. This would require supervision, opening breakfast earlier and allowing students to arrive earlier. An alternative idea would be a snack cart upstairs.

5. Written report – Patty Meriam

   1. Farm to school recommendations

      1. Several meetings rendered additional points, now reformatted to focus points.

      2. List of topics for monthly Abbey report was recommended by Tim Crowley.

      3. Investigating healthier vending machine items sparked realization that amount of revenue from existing vending machine is unknown. Audit on this was requested.

6. Announcements

   1. Safe Routes to School – Karen Akins

      1. Spring activities include receiving the bike/pedestrian safety curriculum license.

      2. New bike racks are in place.

      3. Ride to School and Back Club, with Kathy Lord, starting mid May to June 17th. Permission slips are pending.

      4. $580 of grant money is left.

         1. Can purchase new bikes or perform maintenance with this $.

         2. Other ideas for this money are a Barre Town open house for students at Millstone, or purchasing unicycles.

         3. This to be decided with PE on Wed 4/9 by Tim Crowley and Phil Joyal.

         4. Safe Route to School Action plan may be a resource for further school planning. Karen will provide copy.

         5. Further questions can be answered through regional manager and town.

      5. School Chemical Audit – Laura Moore

         1. Met with Charen Fegard from CV Solid Waste Management. Board okayed audit.

         2. Audit will occur during spring break.

         3. Review of recommendations will occur after break with Steve Murray, Tim Crowley, Ted Riggen, and Tanya Crawford-Stempel. The ensuing report will be brought to SHAC and the school board.

      6. Community Classroom – Laura Moore/Tanya Crawford-Stempel

         1. Al Kaiman proposing professional development idea for next year.

         2. Goal to offer health education to community. The three class or class series for parents and community members will be held on health topics in the evenings at the school.

         3. Will report at next SHAC

      7. Grant for Kitchen Improvements – Beth Campo

         1. Proposed 2 salad bar units which will double current capability. Grant is up to $3500 with a match. BTMES already has the match in its facility budget.

         2. Grant will be presented to the board next session, in its revised version, although the preliminary version was already approved.

         3. We will be notified on May 1 if we received the grant.

      8. School Improvement Plan – Tanya Crawford-Stempel

         1. Recently learned of a program through the Department of Education to conduct the School Health Index (SHI), an audit of health and safety in schools created by the Center for Disease control. Facilitators assist schools in completing their SHI and create a school improvements plan with timeline.

         2. Participation in this program might help give direction for SHAC next year.

         3. Tanya will investigate more into this program.

      9. Action Planning – Ted Riggen

         1. This summer’s planning will be on August 14 &15 at Norwich University.

         2. Any ideas for Action Planning may be presented at the next SHAC meeting. These ideas must be data driven.

      10. Sewing Class

          1. Suzie Klinfelter, and Lorrette Allard are leading this class which is going well. It is funded by EPSDT.

      11. Tobacco Grant – Tanya Crawford-Stempel

          1. Ideas for next years Tobacco Grant, and spend remaining funds from this year may be proposed at the next SHAC meeting.

   2. Water Report – Ted Riggen

      1. Review conducted of state tests for town water concludes that school water is safe to drink - not “pure” but is drinkable. Laura to review report.

      2. Contaminants occur as products of chlorination

      3. Water is tested monthly, on a rotating schedule.

      4. Barre City is the source for the school’s water.

   3. Maple Celebration

      1. April 17th will bring the Maple Celebration, combining a Taste Test, unveiling of the lunchroom mural, and celebration of local sugarers.

      2. Some focus will be on white versus maple sugar, looking at maple syrup as a healthy sweetener. Several non-dessert recipes featuring maple syrup will be distributed.

      3. Mayor Tom Lauzon will be here, as well as some press.

      4. Sue Wells will do classroom presentations on sugaring.

      5. Ann Leeds is constructing a maple tree statue with some volunteer students for a display.

      6. This tree can stay up year round to celebrate other seasons, such as apple picking in the fall.