FIRST DRAFT

HIGHGATE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING Minutes

HIGHGATE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LIBRARY
April 9, 2015
6:15 PM
Present: Connie Beyor, Chairperson, Nola Gilbert, Chad Larivee, David Roddy
and Richard Flint.
Others Present: Marcel Choquette, Principal, Karen Casavant, Assistant
Principal, Winton Goodrich, Superintendent, Channel 16 Cameraman, Pierrette
Bouchard, School Board Secretary
Visitors from the community and staff: Alyssa Sweet, JoAnn Campbell, Jim
Messier, Mark Wilde and Guy Choiniere.
Call to Order:
Connie Beyor called the Meeting to Order at 6:21pm.
Agenda Amendments:Add the following: executive session personnel request,
approval of minutes, next meeting April 13, 2015 at 7pm in Franklin on school
consolidation.
Public Comments:
Connie Beyor reviewed the process on public comments. She
referred to following the policy D10
.
The Board reserves the right to ask visitors the

following questions before they are invited to address complaints to the Board:
Have you directed your complaint through our Complaint Policy i.e.
o Attempt to address the complaint first with teacher/staff
member, and,
o If not satisfied, discuss complaint with the principal, and,
o Still not resolved, then meet with the superintendent,
o Only then, will the Board hear your concern at a Board meeting.
When speaking with the Board, if the complaint becomes personal,
disrespectful, or threatening, then the Board chair may rule the speaker
Out of Order or,
If the complaint addresses specific personnel or is evaluative then the
Board chair may invite the complainant into executive session, and,
The Board chair may limit speaking time for each individual and ask that
similar points of view from multiple speakers not be presented.
Connie Beyor requested the board enter executive session for a personnel request.
Richard Flint moved, seconded by Chad Larivee to enter executive session for
personnel request at 6:30pm and invited Karen Casavant, Marcel Choquette and
Pierrette Bouchard.
The board exited executive session at 6:34pm.
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Approval of Minutes:
Richard Flint moved, seconded by Chad Larivee to approve
the minutes with the following revisions: change of the vote for the end of the year
calendar to 4 to 1 no with Connie Beyor recorded as the no vote and change David
Rood to David Roddys name on the second page. The Board approved the motion
4-0 vote.
Ratification of Master Agreement
: Connie Beyor handed out the memorandum of
agreement specifically between Highgate School Directors and the Highgate
Association. This agreement was created as a result of the removal of 11.7 from
the new master agreement providing a transition of the retirement benefit for
teachers with 20 years of experience on July 1, 2010. Nola Gilbert moved,
seconded by Richard Flint to ratify the contract (minus the salary schedules) dated
July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2017. The board approved 4-0 vote. Chad Larivee
moved, seconded by Nola Gilbert to authorize the chair of the board to sign the
memorandum of agreement around retirement transition. The board approved 4-0.
End of Year Reconsideration
: Connie explained that there will always be an end of
school date. The negotiations committee has worked hard to get additional student
days added to the contract and to excuse those days doesnt seem like a good
educational decision. There are only two staff members going to math studios.
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They will have step up day on June 12
with June 11
being grade 6 graduation. The
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board stayed with June 12as the last student day.
Business Report:
The board members requested a financial report ahead of the next board meeting.
Win stated that he would request a report be sent one week before the next board
meeting.
Check Warrants
: Connie Beyor and Nola Gilbert have reviewed the bills and the
check warrants. Connie inquired about VSBIT. Win explained that there are many
advantages to belonging to VSBIT and are planning to obtain the Supervisory
Unions liability insurance through them. Connie requested a cost comparison and
services between the current insurance and VSBIT.
Motion to approve the check warrants minus two invoices that need revision made
by Nola Gilbert and seconded by Richard Flint. The board approved on a 4-0 vote.
Motion to approve the warrants that include payroll and payments to government
agencies was made by Richard Flint, seconded by Chad Larivee. The Board approved
on a 4-0 vote.

Principals Report:

SBAC:
Karen Casavant reported that they stated SBAC English/Language Arts
this week with grades 3,4,5 and 6. They have had very few problems with
technology. The kids stated that they felt this test was easier than NECAP.
Easter Egg Hunt:
Marcel reported that with the inclement weather, they had an
alternate plan and held it inside. The number of children went down a little but
everyone had a great experience. He thanked the Town for being here early.
Vocal:
Vocal Unrest, an Acappella group from Castleton College, sang to the entire
school. It was a fantastic performance and a great experience for the students.
The College kids volunteered and they thanked the president of Castleton for their
participation.
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Upcoming Events:
Highgate will be sponsoring Big Rig Day on April 11
. April 15th
Books and Bikes, April 16-Crossroads Talent Show, May 16-Talent Show. On May
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Math & Literacy Family Night- Ted Shoe will be here to work around poetry
and provide a segment at night to work with parents.

Master Schedule: The Master Schedule has been sent back to the staff for
feedback.
Hiring Process for licensed staff
: Marcel explained that he usually has a
committee that has been selected with one board member for interviews. Usually
have one or two finalists. They recommend one finalist to the board. Win stated
that in accordance with 16VSA 241, the Superintendent nominates a licensed
finalist for the boards consideration. If the board would like to meet the staff,
they will schedule a meet and greet with the board probably at a board meeting.
Sixth grade Field Trip
: Marcel called customs and they will have a field trip form
to complete. Marcel will email information to parents. The board suggested that
only staff members ride the bus.
Superintendents Report:
Win sent the board self-assessment survey. He would like the board to do goal
setting in May.
Negotiations:
They will need a representative from each local school to serve on
the Support Staff negotiations council. The Supervisory Union Board agreed that
they would move forward 4 board representatives (1 from each school) and 4
support staff representatives. The support staff agreement ends on 6-30-15.
Connie Beyor will be the representative from Highgate. They would like Nola to
attend as an observer. Win encouraged the board to attend a negotiations
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workshop in Winooski on April 25
.

Ag Committee:
Mark Wilde, Jim Messier, JoAnn Campbell and Guy Choiniere all from the MVU Ag
Advisory Committee, were in attendance at the meeting to discuss their plan to
utilize the 20 acres otherwise known as the Cassidy Land that the Highgate School
owns. Guy Choiniere has been working on a strategic plan for the Ag Program at
MVU. He is a representative from the MVU Advisory Board of the Ag Dept. They
support the existing activity already going on at Highgate. He showed a lay out of
the land divided up in three components: the garden area (currently being run by Jo
Ann Campbell), the grazing area and the composting/heavy use area. They would
like to bring in a water system to complement the garden area and bring some
fertility to the area so that they can grow and produce more food. The grazing
program could help the beef program at MVU. The beef that is grown is used to
feed back the students at MVU. They want to be a model for intense grazing.
Richard Flint offered the use of his barn as a loading area for the animals and
possibly also a place for students to observe the animals. From the Flint farm, they
would like to implement a plastic water line to transport water to the source. They
are proposing using the land as half conventional and half organic. The compost
area/heavy use area will be more something they would like to do in the future. As
it becomes mandatory to compost food scraps and fertility is needed to grow
produce, they would like to use that area for composting Highgates food scraps and
possibly MVUs. The compost area will be close to the road so that it can be uses
year round and be accessible. Mark Wilde spoke about his success with composting
at MVU and believe they can bring that expertise to the Cassidy Land to run a
successful composting area there that could be used as fertilizer for the garden
and grazing along with possibly selling some to use as revenue to help cover
expenses. JoAnne Campbell is excited to work with MVU and is setting up a plan to
make a good garden. Already went to MVU to start the vegetable plants and will
have MVU students work with the younger students as mentors. Grade 4 class are
willing to work with JoAnne in the Spring along with the after school program.
Mark Wilde would like to tie in the lake and watershed into this plan to show
students how to protect the lake. MVU is looking at building a 8x8 storage shed
for JoAnnes garden project to store the garden tools. Nola Gilbert and Connie
Beyor both expressed concerns about the composting. The board directed Win to
check into Act 250 permits.
Richard Flint moved seconded by Nola Gilbert t
hat the Highgate Board accepts the
proposed AG plan for Cassidy property and, complete research on composting, which
will later be presented to board before implementation, allow the process to move
forward, pending any permit restrictions and acceptance by the Cassidy family.
Board approved 4-0 vote.
o
The Ag committee left at 9:05 pm.
Next Meeting Dates:
Next Highgate Board Meeting-May 14, 2015 @ 6:15pm
FNWSU Board Meeting-May 6, 2015 @ 7:00pm in Swanton
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Executive Session and Adjournment:

Richard Flint moved, seconded by Nola Gilbert to enter executive session for
negotiations update, 2 contract issues and the Superintendents Evaluation. The
board approved 4-0. The board went into executive session at 9:15pm.
Exit Executive Session
at 10:29pm
Action:
o Alyssa Sweet
Grant four days of unpaid leave request, and is
non-precedent setting decision. (Richard/Chad) 4-0
o Win nominate Linda Rixford for Summer School hire at
May board meeting
Motion to hire Linda Rixford as Summer School
Director and pay an hourly rate, not to exceed
$2,000, pending verification of adequate Medicaid
funds Chad/Richard (4-0)
o Marcel as agreed,
Motion to issue contract with 3% pay increase
Richard/Chad (4-0)
o Custodians and secretaries not unionized
Motion to issue contracts with 3.5% increase,
pending budget verification (Richard and Nola (3-0)
abstention Chad for conflict of interest)
Negotiations Update
Superintendent Evaluation
Sign 3/12 visitor letters
Adjournment @ 11:00
Respectfully submitted,
Chad Larivee
Highgate School Board Clerk