MINUTES OF THE CORNWALL BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING
HELD ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 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; Ken Keskinen, Selectman; and two members of the press.

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

Board of Finance meetings: December – Barbara Gold

On a motion by Mrs. Hurlburt, seconded by Ms. Tatge, AFSCME Contract Ratification was moved from a) under Old Business to b) under the Superintendent’s Report on the Agenda.

Minutes of the October 21 meeting were accepted as read.

Mr. Terrall commented that people told him that the Veteran’s Day program at school was excellent.

The budget as of October 31 is in good shape.

Mr. Hart reported from the Region One Board.

He noted that CCS music teacher Alicia Simonetti-Shpur has a .2 FTE position at the high school. The Drama Society made up to $8,000 from the Kitchen Tour. The Seymour suit against Region One comes before the Supreme Court on November 29. The HVRHS Strategic School Profile indicates that 24.2% of juniors and seniors have after-school jobs; and the dropout rate is 5.3%, compared to 9.5% at the state level, and 6.5% in comparable (to HVRHS) schools in Connecticut.

There was no Board of Finance report.

Mr. Terrall reported from the Building Committee. The girls had basketball practice today in the new gym, after receiving approval from Fire Marshall Stan McMillan. All life safety issues had been addressed. Teams should be able to use the gym next week. The bleachers are in, stage lights are up and the sound system is on the way. The parking lot has been paved and striped and the kitchen TAHD approved. The controls for the old furnace are not working however, and Pete Selino will be getting cost estimates for dovetailing the old system into the new.

Dr. O’Brien – Superintendent’s Report

· The Region One Board is looking at options for the distribution of the undesignated fund balance. That board will either keep 1% for regional expenses (reducing the April payment (for Cornwall) by $8,861, or reduce the April payment by the full amount of $17,367.

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

· Dr. O’Brien highlighted changes in the AFSCME contract

On a motion by Ms. Tatge, seconded by Mrs. Hurlburt, the Collective Bargaining Agreement between Cornwall Board of Education and Cornwall Consolidated School Employees Local 1303-352 of Connecticut Council 4 AFSCME, AFICIO Effective July 1, 2004 – June 30, 2007, was ratified.

Dr. Fitzgibbons – Principal’s Report

· The Veteran’s Day program, with main speaker Brandon Ives, was thoughtful and well received by students and staff.

· The annual Kindergarten Thanksgiving Dinner will be held tomorrow in the Gathering Room

· For the record – Trevor Ives, a brand new teacher, has yet to experience teaching physical education in a real gym. All agree that he is doing a tremendous job under less than perfect conditions. Along with Dr. Fitz, the Board of Education expressed their gratitude to Mr. Ives.

· Work on the 2005-2006 Board of Education budget has begun, and the staff will submit their orders by December 15.

After four years, the Bradford Scholarship will again be available for the 2005-2006 University of Connecticut school year. Candidates will apply and be interviewed in the spring.

An Open House for the new gym and renovated school will take place on Sunday, December 19 at 1:30 p.m. The stage curtain will be in place, the jazz band will play, and students may give guided tours.

On a motion by Ms. Tatge, seconded by Mrs. Kavanagh, discussion of the Strategic School Profile was tabled and will be on the December agenda.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:45 p.m.

Susan F. Gingert

Board Clerk