February 4, 2015 at 6:30 PM - Regular Board of Education Meeting

Rationale:  Please note the personnel report as you will find updated employee information reflected in it.

Please take note of the February enrollment report. We have a total of 1,362 students (in-house) enrolled. The enrollment committee is meeting next week to review our projected enrollments as they relate to our long range planning and staffing proposals. 
Several LOLHS students distinguished themselves at the annual Connecticut Scholastic Art Awards.  Jordan Bourne, Adi Dahlke, Rande Gearing and Sofia Restrepo were awarded Gold Keys in the competitive Senior Portfolio category. Their portfolios will go on with other Gold Key works to jurying for possible inclusion in the National Scholastic Art Awards. Their portfolios also earned them scholarship offers from the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts, the University of Hartford, and a Connecticut Women Artists Scholarship prize. Sofia’s individual entry was also recognized by the Connecticut Art Education Association as “Best in Show” in the Painting category. The accepted works of all of our student artists are on display at the University of Hartford Art School’s Silpe gallery through Friday, February 6 (weekdays 10AM-4, weekends 12-4). Congratulations to everyone who participated!  

I had previously mentioned that we have completed the final borrowing on the LOLHS project.  When comparing our final numbers with what was proposed in 2008, we have come in $17,899,781 less than what was expected over the 20 year financing period!  This is a tremendous savings from what was proposed.  Furthermore, as you can see from the attachments, the savings to individual taxpayers is quite impressive as well.

We are in preliminary discussions with LEARN regarding the rental of some classroom space at Center School next year.  I will update you as the opportunity for rental income progresses.

As noted in my e-mail on Friday, our schools continue to get good press coverage for their excellent work. Again, congratulations to all.
 

Rationale:  Mrs. McCalla will provide a year to date budget status report as well as a contingency fund report.  She will also report on our compliance with new legislation that requires us to post aggregate spending by school on our website.

Rationale:  Patty Cournoyer will provide an update on the status of our Physical Education and Health programs as well as discuss our needs for next year.

Rationale:  The Techno Ticks are requesting approval of their annual trip to St. Louis.  Board action is required for approval of this trip.  The following information regarding the trip has been provided by Mr. Derry:

The FIRST robotics team will be seeking to go the World Championship in St Louis, MO in April 2015. We would leave early in the morning on Wednesday, April 22, as teams are allowed to unpack their robots and go through tech inspection that evening. The competition continues on Thursday, April 23 – Saturday, April 25. Then, Sunday, April 26, would be our day to travel home. So, a total of 3 school days are missed.

The cost for airfare, hotel, mass transit to/from the airport and dinners with the team is usually around $900. Students share accommodations in order to keep the costs down, and there are usually 4 in each room. And we encourage them to bring just one carry-on, so that luggage costs are minimized.

Many of our students are preparing to take multiple AP classes in late April, and our students bring their review packets with them on the trip, and work on them while traveling, or during down-time when it’s available.

We usually take about 20-25 students and the adults who go usually include Mr. Derry, Mr. Goss and Mr. Gentry from our staff, as well as at least 6 additional adult mentors. These adults include parents and mentors who have been with the team for many years.

As this is the World Championship for FIRST robotics, the opportunities available to our students are numerous. They collaborate and compete alongside students and adults on teams representing many countries. The students also visit tables at the convention center staffed by representatives from highly-competitive colleges and high-tech companies.

In addition, the students experience representing themselves in a trade-show setting by staffing a team “pit” and a Hall Of Fame booth. The handful of teams who have been Championship Chairman’s Award winners in previous years are expected to have a presence in the Hall Of Fame, and automatically qualify to attend the Championship each year based on that accomplishment.  

Rationale: 

The Mile Creek window replacement was completed during the summer and fall of 2013. The completed project cost is $960,726.60 excluding reimbursement. This agenda item requires Board action to approve the project as complete.

Rationale:  As reported during our budget presentations, our previous bus contract expires at the end of this year.  We bid the contract this fall and have negotiated a proposed new five year contract with the lowest bidder, M&J Bus, who currently provides our service.  There are some cost increases from the previous contract related to the following: an increase in the lease payments to the Town of Old Lyme for the bus barn, new regulations related to the Affordable Care Act, electricity costs due to changes in lighting at the bus barn, and the State of CT Mandatory Sick Leave Law.  The cost of this contract is estimated at $820,000 for the first year with approximate increases of 4% each year for the term of the contract.  Board action is required for approval of this contract.

Rationale:  We are applying for a technology grant from the CSDE that may help offset some of our costs for next year.  As this is a grant that only offers partial funding thereby requiring some funding from the Board, Board approval is required prior to submission.  Approval requires Board action.

Rationale:  I will respond to questions raised at our last budget hearing.  We will also provide information on our decision packages.  In order to prepare for the budget forum, the Board will need to decide what decision packages will be included in the proposed budget.  As approval of the budget does not take place until after the budget forum, no Board action is necessary at this time.

Rationale:  I received the attached correspondence regarding policy 6565.