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EATON SCHOOL DISTRICT MEETING
MINUTES
MARCH 13, 2007
School Moderator, Ralph Wilkewitz, called the annual meeting of the Eaton School District to order at 5:00pm, with 20 people in attendance.
The moderator opened the meeting with a pledge to the flag and reading of the moderator’s by-laws.
Articles 1-5
Article 1: Moderator: Ralph Wilkewitz
Article 2: Clerk: Marla Browning
Article 3: School Board (3 years): Judi Goss
Article 4: Treasurer: Judith Guerringue
Article 5: Auditor: Robert Bridgham
School Moderator, Ralph Wilkewitz, requested if there was a motion to dispense of the re-reading of the warrants, so moved by Paul Hennigan and seconded by Colleen McCormack-Lane. No discussion, vote passed in affirmative.
The Moderator instructed those who were elected to office to take the oath of the office they were elected to. To be sworn into office at the next school board meeting (April 2, 2007 at 6:00).
School Moderator, Ralph Wilkewitz, requested that any Complimentary Resolutions be put forth now, not at the end of the meeting. There were none.
The Moderator indicated that the minutes of the prior annual meeting, 2006 were in the Town Report.
Article 6: To see if the School District will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500.00) to be placed in the Capital Reserve Fund (School Bus), established at he 1975 school district meeting, to be held in the custody of the Trustees of Trust Funds for the Town of Eaton. (Recommended by the School Board 3-0-0).
The Moderator asked for a motion on this article.
Jane Gray moved and Robert Bridgham seconded.
Discussion:
School Board Chair Jane Gray commented: "This is a continuation - each year we set aside money so when it’s time to buy a bus the money is there to buy it and this is just a continuation of that. Currently there is $52,095.00 in the bus fund. A new bus is approximately $75,000. The current bus is 7 years old and a new bus is needed every 10-12 years.
The Moderator asked if there were any more questions, comments or discussion. Ralph read the article again and instructed the voters to vote by saying Yea. The vote on Article 6 was passed unanimously, with no motion to reconsider the question or restrict the reconsideration of the question.
Article 7: To see if the school District will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of seven hundred nineteen thousand, two hundred fifty four dollars ($719,254.00) for the support of schools, for the payment of salaries for school district officials and agents, and for the payment of the statutory the obligations of the District, exclusive of all other articles. (Recommended by the School Board 3-0-0).
The Moderator asked for a motion on this article.
Pat Philbrick moved, second by Jane Gray.
Discussion: Jane Gray brought attention to the new line item in the budget called "trust fund lines" they are for the new tuitions contracts they are maintenance trust funds for each of the buildings that we have students attending. There are other changes in how the budget is presented. There will no longer be a listing of the number of students or calculation per number of students. This is because the new contracts are now calculated by 35% equalization value; 65% number of students.
The Moderator asked if there were any more questions, comments or discussion. Ralph read the article again and instructed the voters to vote by saying Yea. The vote on Article 7 was passed unanimously, with no motion to reconsider the question or restrict the reconsideration of the question.
Article 8: To see if the District will vote to create an Expendable Trust Fund under the provisions of RSA 198:20c, to be known as the Tuition Trust Fund, for the purpose of assisting with future tuition costs. Furthermore, to raise and appropriate an amount up to fifty thousands dollars ($50,000.00) toward this purpose, with such amount to be funded from the year end undesignated fund balance available on July 1, 2007, and to name the School Board as agents to expend from this fund. (Recommended by the School Board 3-0-0).
The Moderator asked for a motion on this article.
Jane Gray moved, second by Joyce Blue.
Discussion: Jane Gray stated: The Expendable Trust Fund has the same intent as both the Capital Reserve Funds for the School Bus and Special Education that are established. What will happen under the new contract is that there will no longer be a surplus at the end of the year, we will either have a credit that will move forward to the next year or we will owe more than we thought. That is why it is important to establish this Expendable Trust Fund so it gives us a cushion if we end up with costs that were not anticipated. This way we don’t have to have a big deficit appropriation in a given year and bump the money up.
Joan Kojola asked if there would be a balance in July.
Jane stated that there would be in excess of $100,000, we are not asking to use it all.
Tom Costello clarified that the Expendable Trust Fund would be helpful if we had children move into Eaton during the school year, that we didn’t know about.
Judith Guerringue asked if the amount was $50,000 or some other figure.
Dr. Nelson clarified that it was written "up to $50,000" in case there was not $50,000 or available. There is a larger surplus from this year so that $50,000 will be the figure for the Expendable Trust Fund.
The Moderator asked if there were any more questions, comments or discussion. Ralph read the article again and instructed the voters to vote by saying Yea. The vote on Article 8 was passed unanimously, with no motion to reconsider the question or restrict the reconsideration of the question.
The moderator asked if there were any challenge or motions to reconsider or question or reconsideration any of the three articles (Articles 6, 7, 8). There were none.
Article: To transact any other business that may legally come before this meeting.
Ralph asked if there were any more comments, questions or other business.
Peter Blue wanted to go on record with his concern regarding the non-completion (drop out) rate. He noted that in the last four years Kennett High School has gone from 19 to 12 to 11 and this year to number one in the drop out rate. Peter stated he understand the school has a continuous process improvement and that two grants were awarded to address the drop out issue.
Mr. Kennedy followed up Mr. Blue’s comment and asked the board to comment on what is being done to address the drop out rate.
Dr. Nelson commented that he appreciates the concerns and shares the same concern. Last year the drop out numbers were slightly down however, this year there was a jump, disastrously. There is a task force that has been established to look at not only the drop out rate but also looks at overall student successes. Success in our view is a complete school and we need to put together all of the pieces. Dr. Nelson stated that is was a complicated process and it is not a single approach. It needs to be looked at not just at Kennett High School but throughout the Valley to establish comprehensive change. Our task force is looking at the profiles of the students that have dropped out to determine what the key factors are. This process is taken very seriously by the school district and Dr. Nelson made the comment that the progress of the task force would be reported out to the community.
Joan Kojola asked: Of the 37 students are any of these students getting their GED’s, or taking jobs elsewhere?
Dr. Nelson replied: Yes, there are all sorts of questions they are asked. He then mentioned several of the questions. There are also several factors that have already been identified, credits to graduate, income, family issues, and many more. Dr. Nelson stated that he appreciated the concern from the community, as the community will have to be a part of the solution. Dr. Nelson continued to comment on some of the other things that are being looked at; solutions other schools have come up with, programming options as well as several others.
Mr. Hennigan expressed his concerns regarding the drop out rate and wanted to know how many of these drop outs were from the Valley students since grade 1.
Dr. Nelson stated; we do have that data.
Mr. Hennigan stated that he felt our district gets a bad reputation if that number is predominately students who move into the valley versus those that have been here since grade 1. Mr. Hennigan also expressed that he would like to see who the members of the task force are so that people know who to go to, to express their concerns and/or if there are public meetings to comment or demonstrate concern.
Dr. Nelson commented on the statement about where the drop out students are coming from, the data collected the past two years indicates that students who move into our middle school from other than the 8 sending towns that make up the valley drop out at a higher percentage.
Judith Guerringue asked about the 16 days of non attendance equated as dropout.
Dr. Nelson commented that at that point some action had to be taken, that was 16 days. When a child misses just a few days of school and we don’t know where they are we try and find out, 16 days is just the point at which we have to consider the student as dropped for non attendance.
Judith Guerringue asked if the teacher evaluations that were done by the students at Kennett two months ago were going to be made public.
Dr. Nelson stated that it will be made public but he did not have the information at this point. Dr. Nelson stated that Jack Loynd had the information and was not sure if it had been completed as of yet.
Tom Costello asked what the drop out rate for Eaton Students was.
Jane Gray stated that there were no students from Eaton who have dropped out.
Dr. Nelson stated that the data was available in regards to the district the drop out student came from.
Mr. Hennigan moved to adjourn, seconded by Joan Kojola.
The Moderator took a vote to adjourn which passed unanimously.
Meeting was adjourned at 5:30
Respectfully Submitted,
Marla Browning
Eaton School Board Clerk
