MSSM Board of Trustees- April 26, 2004 - Poland H.S.
Revised May 5, 2004

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Board Members: Polly Haddow, Dr. Bill Bergen, Peg Copelin, Dr. Monroe Duboise, Mike Edgecomb, Dave King, Stan Marshall, Dave McCarthy, Nancy Violette, Joe Siddiqui, Dottie Martin, Gabi Berube

Staff: Sarah Forster (Attorney General's Office), Cathy Bowker, Norma O'Keefe

Parents: Terrie Frisbie, Nigel Calder, Paul Meyer, Alice Chartrand, Dave Haines, Tamra Bergeron, Georges Berube

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Closed Executive Session

Committee Reports

Executive Director's Report:

• Mr. Siddiqui has won a Presidential teaching award for mathematics.
• Mr. Corrigan (English) has a new book published, entitled Snaphook.
• Math Team continues standings first in state for year's scores. Computer Science team has done well. Chess team has also done well, and is ranked 35th after a recent national competition.
• MSSM has received an automated external defibrillator through a program sponsored by Crown Ambulance and the Aroostook Medical Center. Several staff members will be trained to use the device which will be kept in the Residential Life Office.
• An Emergency Management Grant has been obtained to install video cameras around the school perimeter to help comply w/ the Homeland Security Act.
• Interview Day hosted 30 students with parents April 3
• Prom went well April 16, with the help of 27 parents assisting at the Banquet.
• Graduation planned for June 5, 2004. Sen. Susan Collins to speak.
• $32,000 additional appropriations returned to budget as long as current version in Senate passes.
  
  

Executive Committee:
Dr. Dottie Martin has resigned as of June 30, 2004. The Executive Committee of the Board has tried hard to dissuade her but she is firm. Dr. Martin has turned the finances around at MSSM, improved the food quality immensely, solved the transportation problems that were occurring, and achieved several funding breakthroughs such as a new roof.

Motions were passed to authorize Ms. Haddow as Board Chair to form an interim administrative committee while searching for a new executive director, to budget $20,000 towards that search. The proposed budget already included funding to cover the expenses related to the interim administrative team.

Motion was passed to spend $4,000 on a consultant to be designated by the board and hired by the exec. director for the purpose of assessing and recommending changes in residential life. (additional concerns mentioned in Ms. Haddow's letter to the MSSM community will be the subject of future consultation after Exec Dir. search has occurred).

Academic/Residential Life:
Faculty requested consideration of a zero tolerance policy towards alcohol. The Acad/Res Life Committee voted unanimously to support this and brought it as a motion to the board. However another motion was passed to table this, until the consultantation had been completed and legal opinion could be rendered.

External relations:
$32,000 appropriations returned to budget.
Motion made and passed to add recruitment of students to the duties of this committee.
Nigel Calder volunteered the MSSMPG to assist in recruitment (as has previously discussed in the last PAC meeting).

Personnel:
Executive Director's position to be advertised in several papers and through a search agency by June 1st w/ deadline for applications of July 15th.
Mr. Siddiqui to work w/ May term students on a DVD about the school which could be sent out to applicants.

Finance:

• Now that it has been 10 years MSSM is able to sell some properties given to the school by the US Air Force and the US Department of Education. Two duplexes will be placed on the market, leaving two more duplexes and four single homes on Trafton Dr. behind the school. When these properties were given to the school, it was stipulated that they were to be used for educational purposes. MSSM no longer needs all of these properties.
  
• Medical Insurance has risen 16 % this year.
  
• Motion put forward and passed to raise room and board charges to $3500. (Needs based scholarship are available). Chartrand's suggestion to consider using some of this raised money to pay for cleaning of the bathrooms rejected as controversial and not appropriate for Board level decision.

Nominations:
Current Vice Chair, Michael Edgecomb nominated for Chair of MSSM Board of Trustees to start term as of next meeting. Peg Copelin nominated for Vice Chair. David Peterson to continue as Treasurer. All unanimously elected.

Foundation Report:
There is currently a principal of approximately $100,000 in the Foundation Endowment Fund.
Stay at Home Ball raised $2,500

Parents Advisory Committee:

• Alice Chartrand expressed regret on behalf of the MSSMPG to hear of Dr. Martin's resignation, noting how she had been instrumental in developing the MSSMPG.
• Note made of lobbying efforts made on behalf of the $32,000: future lobbying support offered by the MSSMPG.
• Bylaws are being collected by Terrie Frisbie from other Magnet schools as models.
• The group will have a recruitment table at the Move In Day this year. Chartrand asked that consideration be given to contacting parents of students electing not to return, so as to improve retention and recruitment. Chartrand expressed parental concern re college readiness vis a vis room on schedule to take languages and other humanities courses. Clarification was given regarding college courses may be taken by MSSM students (per handbook) but no MSSM credit is given for them. Mrs. Bowker stated that otherwise students might wish to graduate early or avoid an MSSM course. Chartrand requested clarification as to why this should be a problem and whether this was the Board's policy. It was noted that this is not a Board level decision.
• Calder requested that parents and students be included in the search committee process for a new executive director. It was noted that this could occur under the Chair's discretion.
• Calder requested that parents be interviewed by the consultant as a resource which had already done a lot of legwork. It was noted that the intention is to have the consultant begin work before the end of the school year and that the MSSM community will be kept abreast of the findings in a timely fashion.

Next meeting:
Friday, July 9, 2004 9 am -1 pm in Augusta, location TBA.