MINUTES OF THE CORNWALL BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING
HELD ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2004 AT 5:00 P.M. AT
CORNWALL CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL

Board members present were: Barbara Gold, Chairperson; Becky Hurlburt, Secretary; Phil Hart, Wynne Kavanagh, Catherine Tatge and Jim Terrall. Others present were John O’Brien, Superintendent of Schools; Kathleen Fitzgibbons, Principal; and one member of the press.

Mrs. Gold called the meeting to order at 5:03 p.m.

Board of Finance meetings: January – Mrs. Kavanagh

The Agenda was approved as presented.

Minutes of the November 18 meeting were accepted as read.

Mr. Hart read a letter that had been sent to all Board members from Hendon Chubb, in which he suggested that the D.A.R.E. program not be reinstated at CCS, as he thinks it’s expensive and doesn’t work.

The budget as of November 30 is in good shape. The Board Clerk is keeping track of expenses related to the school building project.

Mr. Hart reported from the Region One Board. The holiday concert was a success and fundraising continues for the trip to England. A Special Meeting was held and an outline for the superintendent search was presented. A search committee will be formed with two representatives from each school – Mrs. Gold suggests one from the Board and one community member. A Special Meeting will be held on January 12 at 5:00 p.m. to begin the process.

There was no Board of Finance report.

Mr. Terrall reported from the Building Committee. A Certificate of Occupancy was issued and the first basketball games have been played in the new gym. Both the boys and girls teams won! The new stairwell will be open by the Open House on Sunday, December 19. There has been some trouble updating the old furnace controls to the new system.

On a motion by Ms. Tatge, seconded by Mrs. Kavanagh, the Board will spend up to $4,500 to update the furnace controls.

Mr. Terrall is working on the windows replacement issue and laminate repair. Money will come from CCS Capital Expenses line of the town budget. CL&P is to install two lights to better illuminate the parking area.

Ms. Tatge, on behalf of the Board, thanked Mr. Terrall especially, and the School Building Committee for all the time and energy spent on this project.

Dr. O’Brien – Superintendent’s Report

· Signed Collective Bargaining Agreements between Cornwall Board of Education and Cornwall Consolidated School Employees Local 1303-352 of Connecticut Council 4 AFSME, AFICIO were distributed to Board members

· When the Connecticut legislative session resumes, they will again be looking at a Regional Finance Board.

· Dr. O’Brien distributed a letter from the Region One attorney re: Gabriel Seymour v. Region 1 Board of Education, et al.

· Fundraiser for the Arts in Region One (actors reading student works) grossed over $20,000. (Dr. Fitzgibbons noted that a piece by Cornwall’s Hannah Colbert was read at the program)

Dr. Fitzgibbons – Principal’s Report

· Both the upper and lower grades holiday concerts were well attended and excellent.

· An extra bus will be added in January to shorten the routes.

· The Strategic School Profile 2003-04 was discussed. Ms. Tatge questioned time allocated to courses, noting that math time seemed low and technology high.

The 6000 Series – Instruction, was distributed for a first reading.

The first Budget Work Session was scheduled for 4:00 p.m. prior to the regular meeting on January 20.

Ms. Tatge advertised a Blue Plate Special at the Wandering Moose on January 17 and 18 – a fundraiser for the HVRHS music students going to England in the spring. She also spoke of the Cornwall Consolidated School Fund for Excellence “To Assure the Highest Levels of Achievement by Encouraging Excellence, Innovation & Creativity” – A Fund of the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Inc. On February 6^th, Sam Waterston will be Reading Others’ Mail in the CCS gym, to kick off the fundraising efforts for CCSFE, and as a shared fundraiser with the Cornwall Free Library. The goal of the group is to raise $400,000 as an endowment base.

Mr. Hart expressed concern about the way that the press reports meetings. The tone can be negative and points are not always accurate.

The meeting was adjourned at 6:18 p.m.

Susan F. Gingert

Board Clerk