MORETOWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
School Board Minutes
Tuesday, November 14, 2000

UNAPPROVED

Attendance

Dave Deutl, Kent Holden, Mike Strojny, Karen Horn, Wavell Cowan,
Bill Riegel,
Michelle Baker, Roberta Barone, Judith Sutphen, Susan Vantine,
Jeanne Lamica

5:30 p.m.

Mike Strojny called meeting to order.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Kent Holden motioned to approve October 10, 2000, MES minutes.
 Karen Horn
seconded.  Passed unanimously.

Foreign Language

Judith Sutphen approached the board advocating a Foreign Language
program in the
MES curriculum.  At this time the school does not have the funds
for this and suggested
she inquire again before August 2001.  Other possibilities for
incorporating this  program
included asking the WWSU on a K-12 basis rather than on an elementary
basis and/or
offering Foreign Languages in the After School Program.

6:12 - 7:15 p.m. Michelle Baker - 1999/2000 Draft Audit Report
& 2000/2001 Budget
1st Draft

Mike Strojny asked Michelle about the Audit’s recommendations,
and what happened
with the $30,000 Construction Acct.  Michelle determined the
Construction Acct was
mingled into the General Acct as a fund balance for the Construction
Account could not
be found.

Wavell Cowan asked about the retirement funds and it asked about
a possible
discrepancy in the Special Ed figures.

Kent Holden asked if MES took out a loan.  Michelle answered
that MES had previously
authorized a line of credit and that it was used.  Kent also
asked if Michelle heard from
Joe Gaboree regarding the  double payment he received on the
same invoice.   Michelle
reported she left phone messages to him and that he did not respond
to any of them.
Wavell Cowan motioned to authorize Kent to draft a letter for
review to Joe Gaboree for
repayment on the double-paid invoice.  Karen Horn seconded.
Passed unanimously.

Dave Deutl noted there was a typo on page 20 of the Draft Audit:
instead of the word
“teachers”, it should be “full year support staff”.

In regards to the Budget 1st Draft, Wavell questioned the FY2000
9.3% increase
believing it to be fictional due to contract issues.  He also
questioned the 33.7%
increase in the Early Ed totals.  Further discussion on these
two questions will resume
using the list serve with a focus on decreasing the tax rate
for the Moretown community
and keeping the Special Ed tax rate at 2.01.

7:15 - 7:20 p.m.   After another brief discussion on  budget
cuts, the MES board
decided to hold a special board meeting on Thursday, November
30, from 5:30 to 6:45
p.m. for further discussion.

Governance

Earlier this evening Bill Riegel mentioned that at the last Governance
meeting the
general consensus seemed to go forward especially on the issues
of Curriculum,
Assessment and Policies.  He invited MES board members to an
open meeting at
Harwood Union on Thursday, November 30th at 7:00 p.m.

Wavell Cowan motioned that the MES board send WWSU a proposal.
 Kent Holden
seconded.  Dave Deutl opposed.  Passed 4 to 1.

Harwood Assessment

Mike Strojny reported that Liz has not drafted a letter to Commissioner
Wolk.  He also
noted that there has been no formal response from Harwood.

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

Kent Holden motioned to authorize the Board to hire Tina Kennedy
as a
paraeducator.  Wavell Cowan seconded.  Passed unanimously.

Roberta Barone announced the resignation of Larry Godin effective
November 24, 2000.

The Board acknowledged that Roberta could have the road that
leads to the back of
school blocked off as hunters were walking through carrying guns.

Policies

Kent Holden distributed a set of 50 policies to each board member
for review.  Any
changes can be put on the list serve.  Together the board will
examine ten or so policies
at each board meeting with completion by March 2001.

BOARD ORDERS

Dave Deutl motioned approval of the following Board Orders:

check warrant #19 in the amount of $         79.81
#21 in the amount of                        $162,032.38
#17 in the amount of                        $  38,412.62
#18 in the amount of                        $  36,232.25
#20 in the amount of                        $  44,003.80

Kent Holden seconded.  Passed unanimously.

Transportation

Wavell Cowan motioned to draft letter to Bill Riegel explaining
our position based on the
new information available to the MES board.  Karen Horn seconded.
 Mike Strojny
opposed.  Passed 3 to 2.

OTHER

Bill Riegel distributed to each MES board member a copy of the
Vermont Education Law
Book 2000.

The Board received a $300 donation for the library and music
departments from Maxine
Grad.  Mike Strojny motioned to authorize Kent to send her a
letter of thanks.  Dave
Deutl expressed concern about accepting money from a public official.
 Wavell Cowan
seconded.  Passed 4 to 1.

8:45 p.m.

Kent Holden motioned to go into Executive Session for the purpose
of discussing
personnel issues.

8:55 p.m.  Out of Executive Session.

Dave Deutl motioned to adjourn meeting.  Karen Horn seconded.
Passed unanimously.


Signed by:____________________________Dated:_____________________________
                Kent Holden, Clerk