MINUTES OF THE CORNWALL BOARD OF EDUCATION SPECIAL MEETING
HELD ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2004 AT 5:00 P.M. AT
CORNWALL CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL

Board members present were:  Barbara Gold, Chairperson; Phil Hart, Becky Hurlburt, Wynne Kavanagh, and Catherine Tatge.  Jim Terrall was absent.  Others present were Sam Herrick, Region One Business Manager; Kathleen Fitzgibbons, Principal; Katherine Gannett, Region One Representative; Patricia Bramley, PTA President; Ken Keskinen, Selectman; Barbara Yohe, administrative intern; and one member of the press.

Mrs. Gold called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.

Board of Finance Meetings: March 11 Ð Mrs. Gold presents the Board of Education Budget to the Board of Finance; March 18 Ð Board of Finance response

Budget Work Session: Friday, February 20 at 4:00 p.m.

The minutes of the January 15 meeting were accepted as written.

Mrs. Gold read a thank you note from Buddy Fletcher, who looks forward to seeing the new gymnasium and the scoreboard funded by grant money from his foundation.

The Day on the Hill, when people interested in education meet with legislators in Hartford, is set for March 3.

Expenditures for January are in line with the budget.

Mrs. Bramley said that the Backpack Awareness talk was moved to February 24 because of the NCLB Forum.  The PTA is working on an NCLB information package for parents.  Mrs. Bramley offered the support of the PTA for any budget issues.

Mrs. Gannett distributed the Housy News, the Housy Times, and the 2004-2005 Course of Study.  On February 23 Housatonic students will be at CCS to speak with eighth graders.   She said that the Region One Board would schedule a general meeting with boards of selectmen and finance before the hearing on the Region One budget.  Seventy-five people attended the NCLB Forum at the high school.  Many were interested in where the funding would come from.

Mrs. Gold gave Mr. TerrallÕs report on the building project.  Trusses should be up in a few weeks, and a trailer will be rented to store equipment, etc., when the contractor starts work on the existing building, after International Day on April 28.  The cost of heating is quickly using money in the contingency fund.

There was no Board of Finance report.

Mr. Herrick gave the SuperintendentÕs Report

á      The Department of Education previously paid out-of-district placement costs any time those costs exceeded the 5 x $12,000 threshold.  This year that cost sharing has been reduced, Region One will pay more, and the Region One Board will decide by next week what the reduced April payments for the six towns will be.

Dr. Fitzgibbons gave the principalÕs report

á      Planning a workshop about diversity for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students, presented by a group from the Anti-Defamation League

á      GirlsÕ Learning International will be coming to CCS Ð teaching young women about human rights

á      100Õs Day today, February 12 Ð Hosted by the Kindergarten Class

á      Awards Assembly was held today

á      Graduation plans Ð briefly discussed some changes Ð possibly creating a separate awards ceremony

á          

As the administrators will all be at a conference on March 18, Mrs. Hurlburt moved that the March 18 regular meeting be changed to March 11.  Mrs. Kavanagh seconded the motion.  The vote was unanimous.

 

On a motion by Ms. Tatge, seconded by Mrs. Hurlburt, the Board went into executive session at 5:28 p.m. to discuss personnel issues.  Dr. Fitzgibbons and Mr. Herrick were invited to stay.

The Board came out of executive session at 7:06 p.m.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:07 p.m.

 

 

 

 

Susan F. Gingert

Board Clerk