Mount Desert School Department
Mount Desert School Committee
Minutes
The Mount Desert School Committee held a meeting on Wednesday, 4 November 2009, with the following
members present: Chair Heather Jones, Gail Marshall, and Charlie Wray
Also present were Scott McFarland, Rob Liebow, Kate St. Denis and Sumner Rulon-Miller
CALL TO ORDER
Heather Jones called the meeting to order at 4:03 p.m.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Tabled to the December 2nd meeting
PRINCIPAL’S REPORT
Principal McFarland presented his report (see attached Principal’s Report)
DISCUSSION ITEMS
• Investigations in Math Program Presentation – Kate St. Denis the math specialist for MDES
presented the math program that is used K-5. This program is different from traditional math programs
in that it teaches students about math concepts through an inquiry and self-discovery model.
• Budget Calendar for FY 2011 – Principal McFarland went over the budget calendar that pushed
the process back by a month so allow for more time for budget prep and for getting information from
the state. All of the schools are anticipating some significant cuts from state subsidy in both the
current budget year, as well as for the planning of the FY 2011 budget. Agreed that we will be trying
to hold the line as much as possible since the loss of state revenue and staff salaries and benefits will
create a substantial increase on its own.
• 8th Grade Class Trip Presentation – Tabled until December
• Boiler Repair and Ball Field Drainage Issues – Coastal Energy will be doing the boiler repair soon
and we are still in the process of getting estimates from contractors for the field drainage issues.
OTHER BUSINESS
• There was no other business
DATE, TIME AND PLACE OF NEXT MEETING
December 2, 2009 at 4:00 P.M. at Mount Desert Elementary School
Future Agenda Items
• Budget update
• Boiler repair and ball field drainage issues update
• 8th grade class trip presentation
• Goals update
EXECUTIVE SESSION
MOVED by Gil Marshall, seconded by Charlie Wray and unanimously voted to enter executive session at
5:25 p.m. pursuant to 1 M.R.S.A. § 405(6)(A) for the purpose of discussing contract negotiations.
At 5:55 p.m. the committee came out of executive session.
ADJOURNMENT
MOVED by Gail Marshall, seconded by Charlie Wray and unanimously voted to adjourn the meeting
at 5:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Scott McFarland
Mount Desert Elementary School
Principals Report
November 4, 2009
1. It looks as though the illness bug has hit us hard. As of Tuesday we had 32 (20%)
students out with about 16 of these experiencing a high fever and other symptoms that
could be associated with H1N1. Currently we have one teacher out with similar
symptoms. We also have a cluster of students out with Strep Throat. We are required
to report out to the Maine CDC once our rate of H1N1tudents will play
math games and parents will have an opportunity to learn some math strategies that
they can use at home to help their child develop essential math skills and
understandings
• A team of 6 staff members recently attended a workshop “Lets Talk Math” that focused
on the language of math and the importance of a common understanding and use of
the language as a vital piece of the acquisition of math skills and concepts (example ¾
is 3 quarters and not 3 over 4)
• Team meetings, IEP meetings and SST meetings continue to support students who are
struggling in math
• Targeted students have started using ALEKS – math software program that identifies
holes in student’s math skills and targets skill work to strengthen these areas of need.
• Teachers were asked to respond to the following prompt: “ What conditions, tools or
information do you need to be the best math teacher you can be?”
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