School Board Summary/Action Sheet

January 8, 2002

A regular scheduled meeting of the Portsmouth School Board was held on Tuesday,

January 8, 2002 in the Council Chambers at the Portsmouth Municipal Complex.

PRESENT: Mr. Kent LaPage (Chair), Mr. John Lyons, Jr. (Vice-Chair), Mrs. Nancy Novelline Clayburgh, Mrs. Nansi Craig, Mr. Clay Hayward,

Mrs. Colleen M. Montminy, Mr. Carvel Tefft, Mr. Charles Vaughn

ABSENT: Mr. Raimond Bowles

PARTICIPATING: Dr. Lyonel B. Tracy (Superintendent of Schools), Dr. Robert J. Lister (Assistant Superintendent), Mr. W. Peter Torrey (Business Administrator), Mr. Alan Robinson (Student Representative), Mrs. Ann Walker (Employee Representative), and Mrs. Ann Mayer (SAU 50 Representative).

Actions Taken by the Board

Chair LaPage called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m.

Minutes of December 11, 2001 meeting unanimously approved on a motion by J. Lyons; seconded by C. Hayward.

Open letter from Joe Arnstein accepted and placed on file (motion by C. Vaughn; seconded by J. Lyons and unanimously voted).

Letter from Nad Reynolds placed on file (motion by C. Vaughn; seconded by J. Lyons and unanimously voted).

Mr. Peter Bresciano spoke on the School Department’s web-page.

Mrs. Valerie McKenney, Ms. Kathy Pearce, and students from Team Piscataqua English classes gave a presentation on the brochures they designed to help students understand Board policies and school rules.

Resignation of Deborah Horman (social studies teacher at the Portsmouth Alternative Secondary School) accepted on a motion by C. Vaughn; seconded by C. Montminy and unanimously voted.

Resignation of Wayne Ford (special education teacher at the Portsmouth Alternative Secondary School) accepted on a motion by C. Vaughn; seconded by C. Hayward and unanimously voted.

Actions Taken by the Board (continued)

Request from Amy McEnaney (art teacher at Dondero and New Franklin) to extend leave of absence through the 2002-03 school year unanimously approved on a motion by C. Tefft; seconded by C. Vaughn.

Request from Laurie Sweet (teacher at Dondero School) to extend leave of absence through the 2002-03 school year unanimously approved on a motion by J. Lyons; seconded by C. Hayward.

Chair LaPage gave a report on the activities of the Joint Building Committee and its meeting of January 2, 2002.

Chair LaPage announced committee assignments. (Assignments to GPEPC will be done at the next Board meeting and assignments to negotiations committees will be done in March.)

Chair LaPage reported on the meeting of the Joint Budget Committee held this morning (January 8) at City Hall.

Copy of Staff Development Plan given to the Board. The plan was approved by the State Department of Education in December and is approved through June 30, 2004.

N. Clayburgh informed the Board the annual Penguin Plunge for Special Olympics will be held on February 10 at Hampton Beach. She circulated a pledge sheet.

School Board goals for 2002 approved on a motion by C. Tefft, seconded by C. Hayward, in a 7-0-1 vote (C. Vaughn abstained).

Mr. Torrey presented and reviewed the December 2001 financial report.

N. Craig requested the Superintendent to schedule a meeting of the Policy Committee.

Chair LaPage said he will be attending a meeting next week with School Department personnel and the Director of the Community Child Care Center to discuss a seminar that will be presented regarding early childhood education (pre-kindergarten) and standards.

N. Clayburgh reported a “face off” for the ice hockey skating rink will be held at the Jarvis Center on March 9 at 6:30 p.m. The cost per ticket will be $25.

Chair LaPage declared the non-public session scheduled for January 10 has been cancelled.

On a motion by C. Vaughn, seconded by C. Hayward, the Board unanimously voted to adjourn its meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 8:51 p.m.

LBT/paw

1/14/02