Current Committee Minutes

Barre Town Finance and Budget Committee
Archived Minutes

Barre Town School Board Finance Committee
May 26, 2010

The meeting began at 3:30 p.m. in the 2nd Floor Conference Room at BTMES. In attendance were Dr. Bacon, Mr. Crowley, Jay Paterson, Brenda Buzzell, Bill Kirkland, Donna Kelty, Julia Pritchard, and Linda Rosa.

The school board financial report dated 5/26/10 was reviewed. Item of note:

2600-5112-00 – Overage in custodial salaries. Detail for this line were provided for review re the monthly increase in projected overage.

Linda Rosa also provided a budget revenue summary (including projected expenditures). Dr. Bacon mentioned that the budget revenue summary should include another $40,000 to reimburse half the cost of bus purchase (2711-5730-00). This results in a projected surplus at year end.

There was discussion re the Special Education Department being notified that they should expect a full audit of FY 10 expenditures sometime in the next fiscal year. Julia Pritchard and her staff will meet with Linda Rosa during her remaining time in Vermont to review details, ensure all data is current (including foster care students placed in Barre Town), and particulars are in order to the greatest degree possible.

Per Jay Paterson’s request, Linda Rosa provided a list of recommendations for school boards. These included: special education and facilities director in the finance meetings; using purchase orders for all expenditures other than salaries and benefits in ADS (to aid in accurate forecasting); annual revenue projections provided monthly to finance committee beginning in January each year; salaries/benefits report provided final contract hiring in August.

Another suggestion from the group was the inclusion of grant reports/activity/funding information.

Other discussion was held regarding the budget development process in general, the use of interest projections in building budgets, what/if any reserve or contingency, and effective reports and information for boards.

It was determined that future warrants will include account numbers and account name along with detail about amount and payee.

The meeting adjourned at 4:45 p.m. The committee will not meet for the next few months. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, September 22, 2010 at 3:30 p.m. in the BTMES second floor conference room.

Barre Town Policy and Communication Committee

Archived Minutes

Barre Town Policy/Communication Committee Meeting
December 15, 2008
Barre Town School, Upstairs Conference Room
6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Unapproved MINUTES

ATTENDANCE: Chris Bond (Chair), Dr. Theodore Riggen, Kerri Lamb

1. Collections and Maintenance of Education Files (JRA) – The committee considered new language based on Dr. Bacon’s suggestion that a provision be added to permit parents/guardians to petition the administration to have non-pertinent documents removed from student files. The committee approved of the proposed language. The committee agreed to recommend JRA for renewal with minor changes.

2. Student Anti-Harassment (JBA) – The committee agreed to several changes suggested by a staff review of the policy. The committee also agreed on several other changes necessitated by legislative changes (as reflected in changes to the Department of Education model policy). The committee agreed to recommend JBA with some changes and additions.

3. Hazing Policy (JICFA) – At the November meeting, the committee discussed whether the Hazing policy was even necessary, given the substantial overlap with the Bullying policy. However, additional research revealed that the Hazing policy is required by the Department of Education. The committee reviewed the existing policy and agreed to recommend minor changes to the policy to be compliant with the model policy. The committee agreed to recommend JICFA for renewal, with some minor changes.

4. Bullying (JK-R) – The committee agreed to recommend JK-R for renewal, with some minor changes that were suggested after a staff review. Additionally, some members of the school staff will attend a conference this winter that might have content that would be relevant to this policy. The committee will reconsider this policy if staff have suggestions at that time. The committee agreed to recommend JK-R for renewal, with some minor changes.

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 Middle/Elementary School – Curriculum Committee Meeting
June 2, 2010 Minutes of the Meeting

I. Attendance:

• John Barone, K-12 Director of Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment
• Brenda Buzzell, Committee Chair. & Chair of the School Board
• Tim Crowley, Co-Principal
• Alice Worth, Co-Principal
• Julia Pritchard, Director of Student Support Services
• Kim Caravan, Parent/Community Member
• Sarah Child, Parent/Community Member
• Laura Moore, School Board member/Parent
• Bill Kirkland, School Board member
• Beth Hulbert, K-8 Math Curriculum Specialist
• Karen Heath, K-8 Literacy Curriculum Specialist

II. Agenda:

• Use of the PSTL Program for 2010-2011
• Math Lab Program for 2010-2011
• AYP Determination
• End of the Year Report to the BSU Board

III. Minutes of the Meeting:

• Mr. Crowley began the meeting with an explanation of the proposed use of the PSTL program for next year. All students, in grades 5 through 8, will be in a heterogeneously grouped Language Arts class for 45 minutes. A second 45 minutes will then be designated for an additional literacy time. During this time students will be differentiated and receive instruction, based upon needs, for example, special ed students will be pulled out for services, Tier II services for identified students, PSTL students will receive enrichment, and we will be creating a Social Studies/Literacy integrated class and a Science/Literacy integrated class. This model being implemented is designed on the recommendations from our VALLI Consultant. It is based on the use of student performance data, teacher recommendations, and supports the curriculum changes that are being made at the high school. Kathleen Brinegar, our current VALLI consultant, is going to spend the remainder of this school year working with the middle school teachers to prepare the lessons/materials for these pull-out programs. Our goal is to make these classes creative, fun, interesting, infusing literacy instruction. We will follow up in the fall with a report on how the program is proceeding (how students were selected for PSTL, the transition between the SS/Science Literacy classes, etc.).
   
• Beth Hulbert presented to the committee updates on the Math Lab Program for 2010-2011 here at Barre Town. Venus Allen has been hired as the Math Lab Teacher for next year, focusing on grades 1 through 5, and possibly Tier II services for grade 6. Venus will be providing instruction to small groups of students (5 to 6 max. per group) at a time, 35 to 45 minutes 4 times per week, for about 8 weeks. This is short intervention around big concepts in Math (number sense, multiplicative reasoning, early number concepts, for example). We have a meeting planned between Venus, Beth, and the Math Lab staff at Barre City. This is supplemental service – in addition to their regular math class.

For identification purposes, we will use assessments that are currently being used at Barre City Schools in their Math Lab Program. Students will be given assessments at the start of the school year and this data will be used to identify the students who will need remediation, based upon the big concepts, in the Math Lab. (First grade we will not pick up until the second half of the school year – they are not ready yet). We will start with 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade immediately. We will give the assessments at the start of the school year; Beth and Venus will do the scoring, identify the students and have them in the Math Lab ASAP. Beth is advocating for one part-time para in the Math Lab for next year. Beth also indicated that regular math teachers will be encouraged to come into the Math Lab to observe Venus and see what she is doing in the lab. Additionally, we will offer workshops (and maybe courses) to the math teachers to support their understanding and professional development around the big mathematical concepts. Laura Moore is encouraging the administration to be in early communication with the Board regarding the progress and needs to keep this program moving forward. We will follow up with the progress on this program in the Fall, 2010.

• AYP Determination – the school is still identified, however, we are only identified for students with disabilities in both Math and Reading. This is an improvement from last year, where we were identified, in Math and Reading, for students with disabilities and for students in free/reduced lunch. Brenda Buzzell acknowledged John Barone for his leadership in establishing professional learning communities that had all teachers working together to improve student outcomes.
   
• The meeting was adjourned at 9:37am. Thank you all for another great year on the committee. We look forward to coming back together in the fall.

Respectfully Submitted,
John L. Barone, Sr.
K-12 Director of Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment
 

School Health Advisory Committee