January 5th Minutes

Minutes of the Regular Board Meeting

of

RSU #74 Board of Directors

Wednesday, January 5, 2022

6:00 p.m.

At

Carrabec Community School

Troy Dunphy, Chair, called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.

Directors Present: Troy Dunphy, Judi Dunphy, Grace Carreiro, Pamela Mitchell, Larry Dunphy, Eric Ewing, Kevin Sousa, Valerie Pinkham, Bobbi sue Harrington, Robert Lindblom, Laura Layman, Deron Whittemore, and Heather Longley.

Directors absent with notification: Amy Price and David Royce

Directors Absent without notification: None

Staff Members Present: 13

Students Present: 3

Citizens Present: 0

Agenda Item #1 ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AGENDA

Upon motion by Judi Dunphy and seconded by Larry Dunphy the Board voted by unanimous consent to add agenda item # 6.a. To direct all RSU #74 high School and middle school teachers to teach synchronous classes for their quarantined students during their respective class periods. All instruction, lectures, discussions, and debates are to be conducted synchronously. In the event the class is to be engaged in an activity that cannot be replicated at home, the teacher will provide an alternate activity or lesson for the quarantined student to complete synchronously during the class period. Motion passed.

Upon motion by Eric Ewing and seconded by Bobbi Sue Harrington the Board voted 10-3 to add agenda item #6. b. To see if the Board will add a zoom link or remote option for Board Members and members of the public for meetings while the mask mandate is in effect, and to fast track remote meetings policies by February 2, 2022. Motion passed

Agenda Item #2 TO SEE IF THE BOARD WILL APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING OF DECEMBER 1, 2021, AND THE MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL BOARD MEETING OF DECEMBER 15, 2021.

Upon motion by Kevin Sousa and seconded by Deron Whittemore the Board voted by unanimous consent to approve the Minutes of the Regular Board Meeting of December 1, 2021, and the Minutes of the Special Board Meetings of December 15, 2021. Motion passed.

Agenda Item #3 PRESENTATIONS: None

Agenda Item #4 REPORTS:

A.) Superintendent’s Report - Mr. Tracy spoke about the vaccination/testing mandate that will begin on February 28^th, the negotiations for the support staff contract, and the SOP update and changes.

1. Appointments:

Bonnie White – Bus Radio Monitor - $500 stipend

Candy Lebeau – Bus Radio Monitor - $500 stipend

Joh Tierney – Bowling Coach – per contract

2. Resignations: None

3. Nominations: None

B.) Administrators: Written Reports were mailed to Board members and are available online at www.carrabec.org.

C.) Committees:

Negotiations Committee met on December 9^th – Troy Dunphy reported

Academic Committee met on December 13^th – Laura Layman reported

Agenda Item #5. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

On behalf of the RSU #74 Board of Directors, I want to make it clear that we encourage public comment during the Public Comment portion of this meeting. There are restrictions, however, on what is allowed to be discussed publicly. Those comments are limited to policy and procedures in general terms.

Comments or complaints that may pertain to personnel and/or personnel issues should be raised through RSU #74 School Board Policy JII/KI/GBK. This policy outlines the procedures to be followed.

Each individual choosing to speak tonight will be provided with 3 minutes so that we can hear from as many members of the public as possible.

The RSU #74 Board of Directors will follow RSU #74 School Board Policy BEDH/KD in that public participation will be limited to no more than 30 minutes in total length and that all comments at a regular meeting may deal with any topic related to the Board of Directors’ conduct of the schools. The Board of Directors shall give due attention to comments and contributions from the audience but shall not respond or take any immediate action.”

For those who wish to participate, please note that in order to keep things running smoothly, we do have a number of guidelines that people need to follow when making public comment. Those include the following:

1. Please address your thoughts to me, the Chair, and the rest of the School Board.

2. We expect all members of the public to remain civil during the public comment period. This includes the speaker, as well as members of the audience. This means you may not share gossip, make defamatory comments, or use abusive or vulgar language.

3. Individuals should not provide thoughts/reactions/commentary unless recognized by the Chair. We request that you do not clap, boo, or provide similar reactions.

4. Comments about specific individuals, including students and school employees, have the potential to violate the rights of those individuals, and will not be tolerated.

If the Board has specific procedures or policies with respect to the matter on which you are commenting, I may redirect you to those policies rather than allow you to continue. If another commenter discusses the issue you wish you discuss, you may address the Board, but please try to reduce repetition.

Please note that if you violate these rules or exceed the time allotted to you, I may give you a warning or ask you to stop. If you choose to continue, you will be asked to leave and escorted out.

On behalf of the Board, we appreciate your interest and look forward to hearing from you. I will now recognize the first speaker – are there any individuals present that would like to address the Board?

Agenda Item #6 TO SEE IF THE BOARD WILL EXTEND THE RSU #74 UNIVERSAL MASK MANDATE THROUGH MARCH 2^ND.

Upon motion by Robert Lindblom and seconded by Eric Ewing, the Board voted 4-9 to amend the motion to see if the Board will extend the RSU #74 mask mandate until the Maine CDC changes the SOP. Motion failed.

Upon motion by Larry Dunphy and seconded by Kevin Sousa the Board voted 10-3 to extend the RSU #74 universal mask mandate through March 2^nd. Motion passed.

Agenda Item #6. a. TO DIRECT ALL RSU #74 HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS TO TEACH SYNCHRONOUS CLASSES FOR THEIR QUARANTINED STUDENTS DURING THEIR RESPECTIVE CLASS PERIODS. ALL INSTRUCTION, LECTURES, DISCUSSIONS, AND DEBATES ARE TO BE CONDUCTED SYNCHRONOUSLY. IN THE EVENT THE CLASS IS TO BE ENGAGED IN AN ACTIVITY THAT CANNOT BE REPLICATED AT HOME, THE TEACHER WILL PROVIDE AN ALTERNATE ACTIVITY OR LESSON FOR THE QUARANTINED STUDENT TO COMPLETE SYNCHRONOUSLY DURING THE CLASS PERIOD.

Upon motion by Judi Dunphy and seconded by Larry Dunphy the Board voted 10-3 to direct all RSU #74 high school and middle school teachers to teach synchronous classes for their quarantined students during their respective class periods. All instruction, lectures, discussions, and debates are to be conducted synchronously. In the event the class is to be engaged in an activity that cannot be replicated at home, the teacher will provide an alternate activity or lesson for the quarantined student to complete synchronously during the class period. Motion passed.

Agenda Item #6. b. TO SEE IF THE BOARD WILL ADD A ZOOM LINK OR REMOTE OPTION FOR BOARD MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC FOR MEETINGS WHILE THE MASK MANDATE IS IN EFFECT, AND TO FAST TRACK REMOTE MEETING POLICIES BY FEBRUARY 2, 2022.

Upon motion by Eric Ewing and seconded by Bobbi Sue Harrington the Board voted 5-8 to see if the Board will add a zoom link or remote option for Board members and members of the public for meetings while the mask mandate is in effect, and to fast track remote meeting policies by February 2, 2022. Motion failed.

Agenda Item #7 TO SEE IF THE BOARD WILL ENTER INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, PUSUANT TO MRS. TITILE 1, CHAPTER 13, SUBCHAPTER 1, SUBSECTION 405.6.D. DISCUSSION OF LABOR CONTRACTS WITH THE CARRABEC TEACHERS ASSOCIATION.

Upon motion by Kevin Sousa and seconded by Robert Lindblom the Board entered into executive session at 6:59 pm.

No action was taken.

The Board entered back into regular session at 7:58 pm.

ACTION ITEMS OLD BUSINESS:

None

The Board Chair declared the meeting adjourned at 7:59 pm.

______________________________

Michael Tracy

Superintendent