School Board Approves Goals and Budget Assumptions

The Vernon Board of Education met Monday evening with a full agenda.

The board approved two measures – board goals for 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 Budget Assumptions and Priorities.

Vernon Public Schools Board of Education 2011-2012 Educational Goals

The board adopted three goals last year that were created and presented by Superintendent of Schools Mary Conway. Each goal has objectives and strategies. The strategies are where additions were made this year. The goals are:

1. Build and improve relationships and partnerships with family and community.
2. Increase the achievement of every student through high quality curriculum, instruction and assessment.
3. Promote safe environments that are socially, emotionally, and physically conducive to learning.

Conway explained that the district will look into accreditation for kindergarten.

“It is a lot of work,” Conway said. “It also tells us we are doing the right things. We will be compared to a national level.”

Conway also highlighted systemic writing.

“This is an area we thought we were not developing,” Conway said. “We want to focus on becoming good writers, not just responding to the CMT.”

The district is moving toward a standards-based curriculum following suit with a national movement. The strategy seeks the implementation of standards-based reporting.

“We are moving toward standards,” Conway said. “We need to be reporting out on that to parents. We need to be able to talk about that.”

“Love, love, love that,” board member Terry Goldich said. “This gives parents something more than just a score.”

One strategy seeks opportunities for students to build relationships with educators.

“Every child should have an adult to connect with,” Conway said. “We need to make sure students are not falling through the cracks relationship wise.”

Board member George Apel asked that another strategy be emphasized that provides professional development and training for teachers to be up-to-date with technology and its uses.

“Teachers need to be up-to-speed on technology,” Apel said. “We are only going to be getting more and more technology in the future.”

Board member Paul Stansel agreed.

“We have a responsibility if we are going to incorporate technology,” Stansel said. “We have to have those on the frontline be able to use it.”

Conway explained to the board that more could come, but currently what she presented is the focus now.

2012-2013 Assumptions and Priorities

The board approved the assumptions and priorities presented by Conway. Assumptions and priorities fall under three areas: program, facilities, and funding.

“This drives the administrator discussions,” Conway said. “We start with what do we need, not wish lists.”

Conway told the board that administrators' salaries have no impact on this coming years budget. There is a step increase for teachers and a .5% increase for some, which is “significant,” she said.

“That’s the given right there,” Conway said. “I am not anticipating another zero this year. That doesn’t happen often.”

Assumptions

Priorities

Program

The Town of Vernon and its school community expect an educational system which is of high quality, challenges all of our children and meets their needs in a changing society, while being as cost effective as possible.

The changing structure of society and the family unit, and the focus n a global society will cause the school system to find better and more efficient was to support the children and their families and will necessitate the exploration of innovative ways to deliver education.

In order to meet the challenges of a global society, all students must be expected to achieve at higher levels.

Program

-Maintain low teacher-pupil ratio especially in grades K-5.

-Strengthen and increase literacy initiatives and interventions, K-12.

-Increase efforts and initiatives to lower the failure rate and increase student attendance at all levels.

-Increase the number of students finding success in school in grade 9.

-Support pupil personnel staffing levels, which provide quality service to our students and their families.

-Provide opportunities for all students to achieve the district’s mission.

Facilities

The Board of Education wishes to provide its students with an atmosphere which is conducive to learning.

The Town of Vernon expects its educational facilities and buildings to be adequately maintained.

Facilities

-Implement a long-range plan for building and grounds maintenance and upkeep.

-Appropriate sufficient funds to acquire, maintain, and replace technology and other equipment on an ongoing basis.

-Continue planning for capital improvements over a long term basis.

-Develop and implement a plan to complete short term projects from 2012-2014.

Funding

State and Federal requirements as well as local initiatives will necessitate continued monitoring of funding requirements.

Grant funding will be sought if in alignment with the goals of the Vernon Public Schools.

Funding

-Communicate the Vernon Public Schools’ needs and accomplishments to the public in order to receive support for needed funding.

-Monitor costs and seek cost containments.

-Meet contractual obligations.

-Seek out competitive grants.

Apel questioned Conway about the five positions that were created because of federal stimulus money requiring the district to use the money for job creation. Those dollars were provided for two years.

“We know we need to keep the data manager,” Conway said. “The teacher coaches are a luxury, but they are absolutely marvelous and they are wonderful to have. But to trade a teacher in a classroom, we don’t want 35 students in a classroom.”

Stansel reminded Conway to bring to the board what the district needs.

“Please don’t think it always needs to be a trade-off,” he said. “If you think it is something the district needs, please talk to us about it.”

Other Board Business

Supplemental educational services will be provided to 31 students at five different providers. The district will provide the services to those determined most at-risk at this point at the district has learned its Title I funding is being reduced by 1.5 percent, according to Assistant Superintendent Deborah Murasso.

The board learned that 91 Vernon students are attending 14 magnet schools in the greater Hartford area at a total of $363,719 in tuition costs. Vernon accepts 15 Open Choice students with a reimbursement of $37,500.

The board approved a grant application for approximately 15 teachers to receive more in-depth training on the use of whiteboards offered by CREC. The board also received an annual grant review.

The board approved the donation of dictionaries to third grade students in Vernon from Friends of the Rockville Public Library.

Board member Dean Houle provided a report from the technology committee regarding a technology audit being done by BlumShapiro. The company is behind on its timetable it provided to the committee. The company was hired to audit the technology by inventorying hardware, software, licenses, a gap analysis of what the district should have, and a projection for the future. The board passed a motion for Conway to review the contract and to terminate it if the contract allows because of lack of services provided. The district’s information technology director has assured Conway he is capable of handling this in house.

A report from the facilities committee was given by Houle to the board. Inspections are being done at Northeast School and Rockville High School for standard maintenance. Generator work is completing at Vernon Center Middle School. Running the auditorium on the generator could be an issue because the generator was not intended to do that. Estimates as being obtained for work on the chimney at VCMS. Leases for vehicles that need replacing are being worked out. Houle said, “We have a plumber who will be carrying his toolbox around if we don’t take action soon.” The board budgeted $30,000 for the leasing of 6 vehicles. 

The board's next meeting is scheduled for Nov. 14.