Members in attendance: Stoney Cantler, Sara Littlecrow-Russell, Paul Weinberg, Lyle Hawthorne, Matthew King, Beth Graham, Benny Docter, Bob Brick, Jean Baxter, Dorie Shallcross, Sarah Sansom, Frank Sansom, Lisha Brooks

Members not in attendance: Danika Tyminski, Nicco Palazzi, Karla Muise

Others in attendance: Bailey Jackson, Mary Cantler, Mary Clare Powell,  Leslie Fisher-Katz, Anna Rossi, Lisa Kowalski

Summary of Votes Taken:
The Board approved the Board membership slate as recommended by the Executive Committee. There were six votes in favor and one opposed.

The Board approved a motion that the remaining opening on the Board will be filled with a parent member in collaboration with the Diversity Committee. There were eight votes in favor, none opposed, and two abstentions.

The Board approved the slate of Officers with seven in favor, one opposed.

The Minutes of September 9 were unanimously approved.

The Board approved the following proposal of the Space Steering Committee:
“Upon receipt of a grant to fund a feasibility study, the Special Space Steering Committee recommends to the Board of PVPA and the Board of the Friends of PVPA that we authorize the Executive Director to begin the implementation of a request for proposals for a schematic design study.”

The Board unanimously approved the application deadline January 5, 2009 and the lottery deadline February 13, 2009.

Summary of Meeting
There was no public comment.

Benny Docter read the Mission Statement.
 
Paul Weinberg presented the Board membership slate for approval.  There was a last minute withdrawal of potential parent representative Michelle Carmichael. An extensive discussion of the procedures related to the election of Board members followed:
•    After the Executive Committee nominates the slate, it is up to the Board to accept all or some of the nominees.
•    The new Board members may not vote until the next meeting after the MA Dept.  of Elementary and Secondary Education approves them as members of the Board.

The Board approved the Board membership slate as recommended by the Executive Committee. There were six votes in favor and one opposed.

The Board approved a motion that the remaining opening on the Board will be filled with a parent member in collaboration with the Diversity Committee. There were eight votes in favor, none opposed, and two abstentions.

The Board approved the slate of Officers with seven in favor, one opposed.

Jean Baxter distributed Board Handbooks to new members.

The Minutes of September 9 were unanimously approved.

•    “Responsibility of Being a Board Member” along with “Meeting Management Guidelines” from the Board Handbook were both distributed. Jean Baxter reviewed the management guidelines.
•    The Board of Trustees retreat on October 18 will be held at Smith College. Dorie Shallcross asked that members let her know if they are unable to attend. Anyone who has dietary restrictions should let Bob Brick know.  Dorie thanked Bob for taking responsibility for ordering food and Beth Graham for arranging to have the Retreat at Smith College.
•    Board members will receive two brief surveys from the facilitator Marci Cornell Feist by e-mail. That information will be used for the discussion at the retreat. After the retreat, the facilitator will put together a document of what we accomplished.   
•    There will be a pre-board Meeting in November during which all committee chairs will present their committee’s goals for this year.

Student Representatives;
•    Benny Docter and Lyle Hawthorne expressed an interest in changing the bylaws so that the student state representative would be considered a Board member.
•    The Student Council has received many complaints about food options at the school. One idea offered is that there be a student co-op store. This is something for students to take up with the Administration and the Ancillary Committee.
•    There have been student complaints about the new schedule. This is also not a Board issue but should be taken up with the Administration.

Development:
•    Mary Cantler reported on launching of the Annual Appeal.  This year’s slogan is: “Keep making great things happen!”  She distributed the letter that will go out to all PVPA parents. Friends of PVPA President Jeff Glaze and Executive Director Bob Brick have signed the letter. Jeff Glaze also spoke to parents at the Open House.
•    Mary would like to continue the process of meeting with members of both Boards.
•    Beth commended Mary Cantler on her accessibility and availability, saying that Mary has already made a difference in the school.

Treasurers’ Report:
•    Frank Sansom distributed the Financial Statement as of June. This statement was included in the Annual Report.  It is to be audited and then sent to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education by December 31.
•    One of the big decisions facing the Board this year is that we are in dire need of additional space. The school has $500,000 dollars and “Friends” will be able to contribute $4-5,000 from the sale of the Hadley property. Going ahead would take a  full-school discussion.

Director of Curriculum and Instruction:
•    Beth Graham reported on the excitement and energy in learning in the seventh and eighth grades. Beth feels this is a direct result of collaborative planning time.
•    Academic teachers now have two-and-a-half hours weekly for collaborative time in varied configurations.
•    Beth has been analyzing data from MCAS, and she reported students who have entered PVPA in the seventh grade are scoring higher in MCAS than those who entered in higher grades.

Executive Director:
•    Bob Brick reported that there would be a preliminary report from the Transportation Committee at the November meeting. Stoney Cantler has agreed to join that committee.
•    The Charter School Office has deferred our request for a bylaw change until we submit a complete package to put our bylaws in line with their recommendations.
•    We now have a full-time Technology Coordinator Luke Jaeger working on our website. There is a beginning template at pvpa.simplwebsite.com.  The old website will continued to be maintained until the new one is ready.

The Board approved the following proposal of the Space Steering Committee:
“Upon receipt of a grant to fund a feasibility study, the Special Space Steering Committee recommends to the Board of PVPA and the Board of the Friends of PVPA that we authorize the Executive Director to begin the implementation of a request for proposal for a schematic design study.”

•    Beth, Robert, Bob have begun meeting in response to the economic situation and will report back to the Board.
•    Bob distributed an Enrollment Analysis and proposed that new applications only be accepted for grades seven and eight. This was tabled for the November meeting.

The Board unanimously approved the application deadline January 5, 2009 and the lottery deadline February 13, 2009.
 
Dorie Shallcross thanked outgoing Board members Matthew King and Sara Littlecrow-Russell for their Board participation.
 
Respectfully submitted, Anna Rossi