Chatham board approves personnel, finance, curriculum and policy actions; recognizes students and community fundraisers
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
At the December meeting the board approved personnel items (including a middle‑school dean of students), accepted finance and curriculum actions (B1–B12, C1–C2), recognized a $1,000 donation to the CHS robotics team, heard public comments on substitute shortages and a community tree sale, and closed the meeting with customary adjournment.
The School District of the Chathams Board voted to approve routine personnel, finance, curriculum and policy items at its December meeting.
Miss Weber moved personnel action items A1–A26, which included approval for a Dean of Students position at the middle school to provide additional support; the personnel slate passed by roll call 8–0. Mister Ryan moved finance items B1–B11, and the board accepted an audible addition (B12) to approve and file the auditor’s report; the full finance slate B1–B12 passed 8–0. Miss Ross moved curriculum items C1–C2 (including planned timelines for math pathways and a revised gifted program), which were approved 8–0. Policy items D1–D2 were likewise approved 8–0 after Mister Ryan’s motion.
Mister Ryan highlighted a $1,000 contribution from the Blackboard Giving Fund—$500 from an individual donor and a $500 matching gift from Wells Fargo—earmarked for the high school robotics team. Community Foundation and school representatives described two fundraising drives to support classroom grants and programs such as Dash Robot and music access for K–2 special‑education classrooms.
During two public comment periods, Amy Kerr, a Milton Avenue School teacher and CEA building representative, described school performances and community partnerships, and raised concern about ongoing substitute shortages that require staff to rearrange coverage. Community member Bill Heap promoted the JC tree sale, which supports scholarships at Chatham High School.
The board noted an upcoming executive session in which "action will not be taken," closed the meeting and extended holiday wishes to attendees. Posted minutes will include the recorded roll‑call tallies and abstentions where noted in the meeting record.