Board Meeting Dec 18

It gets harder and harder to try to make these interesting (although there is a glimmer of possibility as I have raised the question of looking at school quality and this may mean we will talk about learning sometime in the coming year!). Meeting notes: 1. Principal reports on Critical Friends Groups and teachers talking about articles on differentiating learning and begin to think a bit differently in how they work with kids. Also, some teachers went to a math training that was supposed to be very good and this presenter is coming to Westminster to work with the whole staff. 2. Superintendent reports on March inservice and the idea of looking at science. Can't really argue with this as this is definitely an area that needs attention, although I wonder how we pick what to focus on and what this decision is based on (beyond picking one idea of many possible more or less out of thin air). 3. First reading of head lice policy: I think we already were ahead of this curve but now we have a district wide policy that doesn't freak out about lice and let's kids stay in school. 4. Budget committee reports on budget that cuts overall spending a pretty fair bit (maybe $200,000) but may not result in lower taxes to due reappraisal and some other state permutations about student numbers, etc. This new act 82, two vote threat seems to provide some restraint, although even when we are under the allowed increase, our spending is still near the high end statewide. It seems everyone involved with the budget is very prudent and careful about spending, and the big questions are about if we should cut as much as possible or put back some things that could be cut--how can we tell what is preferred by the voters and what makes a difference in terms of education. 5. Decided an engineering firm to handle water system improvement required by someone. Nice to see everyone lean to the local (also the lowest bids). 6. Happily for me, the board agreed to move the regular meetings to Thursdays. This avoids many conflicts I have on Tuesdays and hopefully is not a burden for others. 7. I mentioned that I spoke with Rep Obuchowski about this issue of kids having to move out of schools mid year if their family moves. This seems to me to be just a terrible thing to do to kids whose families are under stress and there is nothing else stable but school. And after the October count, I think they are paid for already. I sensed dissatisfaction with the notion of looking out for the kids which is more than a little troubling. I realize this can be a potential challenge to the system, but I feel these kids are not just Westminster kids or Saxtons River kids but all our kids and we need to work together for the best for all kids, esp when it involves very little or no cost. We will see where this goes, but I bet there will be a lot of opposition at the state level from school boards and administrators who might be inconvenienced by this change in the interests of kids. We'll see.