The Board of Trustees of the Maine School of Science and Mathematics met on Saturday, April 9, 2005 at the school in Limestone.

Present:  Board members Bill Bergen, David Brown, Monroe Dubois, Mike Edgecomb, Dave King, Ben Lofton, Stan Marshall, Dave McCarthy, David Peterson, Bill Shields, Joe Siddiqui; Administration and Staff: Cathy Bowker, Deb McGann, Jerry O’Keefe, Norma O’Keefe; Alumni Tom Giblin ’99, Allison Wood ’01.  Parents: Dale Gordon, David Haines, Sylvia Lowry.

1)  The Board approved the minutes of the meeting of February 5, 2005.

2)  Joe Siddiqui presented the Executive Director’s Report.

3)  Bill Bergen reported for the Academic and Residential Life Committee. (Parent Dale Gordon attended this meeting.)

a.  Nate has been writing up the residential life philosophy of MSSM.

b.  Teacher Evaluation:  The Academic Dean will help faculty set goals each fall and follow up with a performance review and student course evaluations in the spring.

c.  Oral History:  It was moved and seconded to create a Heritage Program to preserve the history of MSSM and to appoint a historian to work in the long term to put it on paper, beginning with the work that Nate Gardner has already done.

d.  Gale O’Toole is being considered as a consultant on college counseling.  Several issues were raised:

i.  Does the Board need more information about her qualifications?

ii.  What will the school be getting for the money it pays her?

iii.  Does she have experience with schools similar to the MSSM?

iv.  It was moved that further discussion of this issue would occur in executive session   at the end of the meeting for the convenience of  those who may have to leave early.

e.  Mike reported that there is a bill before the Legislature to order the Department of Education to draft a plan for the Maine School of Languages.  A motion was unanimously supported to ask Mike to testify in Augusta for MSSM to support the bill (i.e. share facilities, etc.) if it is “properly funded.”

f.  There are several students doing internships this May Term.  It was suggested that the Parents Group might be able to assist in identifying other internships for next year.

g.  A motion was passed to change the departure time from 8:00 am to 12:30 pm on April 15, the morning after the Prom.

h.  There was discussion of next year’s calendar and whether to approve it now or at the next Board meeting. Some trustees felt that they needed to receive the calendar proposal sooner in order to have more time to consider it before voting on it.  A vote was taken and passed with one abstention.

4)  Dave King reported for the Committee on External Relations. (Parent David Haines attended this meeting.)

a.  Mike and Joe met with the Limestone School Board to discuss communications, MSSM students wearing hats in the building, and cafeteria costs.  He stressed the importance of maintaining the quality of the food service for the MSSM students.

b.  There is a bill before the Legislature (LD 921, requested by MSSM parent Paul Chartrand) to restructure the Board of Trustees by replacing two of the currently unused seats with an alumnus seat and a parent seat. 

c.  Several people are working on the Host Parent Program.

d.  Rebecca Rackliff is the new director of the Limestone Development Foundation, through which the MSSM may be able to get some grants.

e.  The Committee on External Relations is offering to help with press releases and photos for the school.

5)  Mike Edgecomb reported for the ad hoc Search Committee for the Executive Director.

The Committee met with several candidates in Bangor April 2.  One of the candidates, Walter Warner, visited the school this week.  The Committee has called his references and he has passed all necessary background checks.  A motion passed unanimously to authorize the Chair of the Board to execute a contract with Walter Warner  to be the new Executive Director.   Bill Bergen made a motion, which passed unanimously, to thank MSSM Parents Group member Nigel Calder for connecting us with Jerry Pieh, who was instrumental in finding excellent candidates for Executive Director at no cost to the school or the State.

6)  Dave McCarthy reported for the Finance Committee. (Parent Sylvia Lowry attended this meeting.)

a.  They are negotiating with the Limestone Community School about costs for food.

b.  They are exploring alternate health care insurance coverage for school employees.

7)  Stan Marshall reported for the MSSM Foundation that the Stay-at-Home Ball brought in about $2000.  He reminded us that income for the school is essentially fixed and anything extra will have to come from fund-raising.

8) David Haines, President of the MSSM Parents Group, reported that

a.  He and Stan Marshall have drafted a document telling parents how to contribute to the school through the MSSM Foundation.   He passed out copies, which are also available on the MSSM Parents Group Web site.

b.  The Parents Group is pleased about the progress being made with professional development of faculty and with course evaluations.

c.  He is enthusiastic about the prospect of a Maine School of Languages being connected with MSSM.

d.  He encouraged the Board to continue its work to establish an alumni association.

e.  The Parents Group is ready to continue to help with the Host Family Program.  (See the minutes of the PAC meeting held earlier in the day.)

f.  The Parents Group is ready to help with the orientation of new parents.  (See the PAC meeting minutes.)

g.  The Parents Group is ready to help with recruiting students, including making parents available to talk with parents of prospective students.  (See the PAC meeting minutes.)

h.  The Parents Group will sponsor a Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day on Friday, April 15.

i. The Mystery Weekend sponsored by the Parents Group seemed to be well-received by the students and generated interest among prospective students and parents.  (See the PAC meeting minutes.)

j.  He said the Parents Group is available to help with Graduation Night activities.  (See the PAC meeting minutes.)

9)  Bill Bergen brought up the importance of Board Development, including the creation of a register of potential board members.  A motion was passed unanimously that the Chair of the Board appoint a Board Development Committee to report at every Board meeting. Parents were invited to suggest new board members.

10)  Ben Lofton reported on behalf the Student Senate and the Dorm Council

11)  There was some discussion of the date for the next meeting, but it was agreed that the date will depend on the appointment of the new Executive Director.

12)  The parents left the room, assuming that the rest of the meeting would be in executive session to discuss item 3)d(iv) above.  This did not occur and the Board decided to defer discussion of hiring a consultant for evaluation of college counseling until the next meeting, at which time the new Executive Director could be involved.