MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF DWIGHT COMMON SCHOOL DISTRICT #232

Transcription

1 MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF DWIGHT COMMON SCHOOL DISTRICT #232 Held in the Dwight Common School District Library On April 16, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. Board President Debra K. Christoff called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. PRESENT: Debra K. Christoff; Ron Colebank; Tim Harris; Bret Heinrich; Rob Pulver; Steve Tock ABSENT: Stacey Connolly To begin the meeting, 7 th Grade student Taran Black led the Board in the Pledge of Allegiance. Miss Black has been awarded a Good News certificate honoring her for being asked to sing the National Anthem at the 7 th Grade Girls Volleyball State Finals. FINANCIAL REPORTS Superintendent Adams reported that we have still only received 2 installments of Transportation reimbursement from the state. We should have received 3 by now and he is now doubtful that we will receive all 4 in this fiscal year. Mr. Adams has transferred the $30,000 from the Corporate Personal Property Replacement Tax to Transportation already this year it usually is not transferred until the end of the school year. Mr. Adams also noted that we have not yet received the final installment of property taxes and interest from Livingston County. REPORT OF BOARD REPRESENTATIVES AND COMMITTEES K-5 Principal Patricia Marshall made recommendations for filling 2 positions at the K-5 level. She is recommending Samantha Bastian as the replacement for retiring 4 th Grade Teacher Sharon Bossert. Ms. Marshall is also recommending Erin Greenholt as the replacement for a pending resignation in the 5 th Grade. Ms. Marshall has recommended Barb Svornik, Yvonne Welsh and Leslie Grieff to teach Summer School this year. There will be an assembly at the DTHS Auditorium on April 25 th from 12:45-1:45 p.m. for 3 rd through 5 th Grade students. This assembly is about internet safety and is being presented by Pontiac Police Officer Jack Bristow. 1

2 Ms. Marshall has included a handout titled Student/Teacher/Parent Compact for Dwight Grade School. This compact is the only proposal for changes to the handbook this year and is being added to the Early Learning through 2 nd Grade handbook to satisfy Title I requirements. Ms. Marshall reported on retention numbers as follows: Kindergarten- 3 (plus 3 possible) 1 st Grade- 3 2 nd Grade- 4 (plus 1 possible) 3 rd Grade- 1 possible 4 th Grade- 1 5 th Grade- None A lengthy discussion was held regarding class size and the number of sections of 2 nd and 3 rd Grades. This discussion was tabled until a Special Meeting, to be held on April 30 th at 7:00 p.m. This meeting will be held strictly for discussion of this subject. Jr. High Principal Mark Pagel introduced Mike Guerrero as his recommendation for the upcoming opening in Band. Mr. Pagel noted that he has no retention candidates for Middle School this year, but he may have up to 15 possible recommendations for Summer School. Dressing for PE has become an ongoing issue at the Jr. High and Mr. Pagel asked the Board if it could become mandatory to purchase a PE uniform through the school at a cost of no more than $15/uniform. The request has been tabled until further information is available. Mr. Pagel also requested that the school go to all mail-in registration. This would help to allow the secretaries the time to contact families that have not registered their children so that it is not all done the week prior to or the first week of school. A ceremony will be held on May 23 rd at 2:40 p.m. to dedicate the new mural and street signs in the Jr. High hallways in Keith Salems name. Mr. Salems, 6 th Grade Teacher, passed away 1 year ago and the students have decided to honor him in this way. NOTICES OR COMMUNICATIONS Mr. Adams distributed a survey from IASB to the Board members for their completion. The Board has been invited by the IASB to attend a LeaderShop Academy Symposium on June 21 st. Board Vice President Tim Harris has been recognized by IASB for his participation in the IASB Delegate Assembly at the Joint Annual Conference in November. 2

3 Mr. Adams reported on a meeting he had with Teachers regarding new regulations for 403(b) accounts. The IRS has issued final regulations for these accounts which signifies the first changes made to them in over 40 years. The school will now be responsible for the oversight of these accounts and they will be more like 401(k) accounts. A committee is being formed to make the plan document and it will be brought to the Board for approval. We also may need to look into having a 3 rd party administrator to deal with these accounts. These new regulations go into effect January 1, 2009, but Mr. Adams would like to have our plans in place at the start of the school year. The Board received a thank-you note from the family of Helen Ely, who was the grandmother of 2 nd Grade Teacher Kristen Steidinger. CONSENT AGENDA Items for consideration on this month s Consent Agenda are as follows: 1) Minutes 2) Bills 3) Accept letters of resignation (Kari Mahannah- Pre-K for All; Dev. Kindergarten; Erik Black- 6 th Grade Boys Basketball) 4) Employ Certified Staff (Brooke Cunningham- ECE- replaces Melissa Kapidis; Michael Guerrero- Band- replaces Stephanie Lyon; Stinnett Gettinger- 6 th Grade Boys Basketball; Samantha Bastian- 4 th Grade- replaces Sharon Bossert; Erin Greenholt- 5 th Grade- for a pending resignation) Moved by Colebank, seconded by Pulver, to approve the Consent Agenda as presented, plus adding the resignations of Kari Mahannah, Pre-K for All and Dev. Kindergarten Teacher; and Erik Black, 6 th Grade Boys Basketball Coach. Also adding the hiring of Stinnett Gettinger as the 6 th Grade Boys Basketball Coach for Roll call. All voted aye. Motion carried. UNFINISHED BUSINESS Mr. Adams presented the final list of Board Goals for He also noted that since the grand prize at the Booster Bash was won by the Boosters, they are looking into using the money to paint both the HS and GS gymnasiums. Moved by Tock, seconded by Heinrich, to approve the Long Range Board Goals as presented. Roll call. All voted aye. Motion carried. NEW BUSINESS Mr. Adams explained to the Board that the State Board of Education has changed the rule on who is responsible for parochial school students that attend a public school (parttime). In the past, the public school district that the parochial school was located in was 3

4 responsible for providing the educational services. Currently, the rule requires the school district where the child lives is responsible for the educational services. This intergovernmental agreement states the Odell GS will provide educational services to students that attend St. Paul s GS regardless where they live at no cost to the sending school district (the old rule). It is the recommendation of your Superintendent that you approve the Intergovernmental Agreement with Odell and St. Paul s GS. Moved by Tock, seconded by Harris, to approve the Intergovernmental Agreement with Odell Grade School and St. Paul Grade School as presented. Roll call. All voted aye. Motion carried. Included in the packet was a resume for Ashlee Bell. She was to be the part-time Social Worker shared with Gardner-South Wilmington High School. Ms. Bell declined the position. Beth Lawless will be hired to fill the position. A schedule for Ms. Lawless is being worked out. Mr. Adams reported that the dishwasher in the GS kitchen is in need of replacement. He is recommending the purchase of the American Dish Service model at a cost of $9,220, plus $200 shipping, as well as a booster heater that costs $1,305, plus $100 shipping. This model represents a savings of over $5,600 over the cost of a similar Hobart model. There will also be extra plumbing and electrical costs associated with the installation of a new machine. The installation will be done during the summer. Moved by Pulver, seconded by Tock, to approve the purchase and installation of the recommended dishwasher and booster heater, as well as plumbing and electrical upgrades associated with the installation. Roll call. All voted aye. Motion carried. Mr. Adams presented the final calendar for approval. The district had to use 1 snow day this year, making the last day of school June 3 rd ( 1 hour) and Monday, June 2 nd as the final full day of school. Moved by Heinrich, seconded by Colebank, to approve the final school calendar as presented. Roll call. All voted aye. Motion carried. Mr. Adams reviewed the major summer maintenance projects that will most likely be done this summer. They are: 1) Repair and resurface the circle drive. 2) Upgrade electrical and plumbing in kitchen; install new dishwasher 3) Paint gymnasium He recommends the hiring of 3 college students for the regular summer maintenance and a fourth to work on painting jobs throughout the school. Also, since the minimum wage will be increasing as of July 1 st, he recommends starting the summer employees at a rate of $7.75 per hour. 4

5 The Boards of Education and the DEA have agreed to a final teaching contract for the through school years. This contract is essentially the same as the previous 3-year contract, with some language changed and the same pay increases over three years as before. DEA formal approval is pending. Moved by Harris, seconded by Pulver, to approve the Teacher contract as presented, pending DEA approval. Roll call. All voted aye. Motion carried. A previous proposal by Tech Coordinator Dan Kaiser for new computers for the GS had to be tabled until further information regarding a lower bid could be presented. It will be voted on at the May meeting. PUBLIC COMMENT Grade School Teacher Linda Rosenbaum remarked on the fabulous job being done by LCSSU Counselor Jodie Norman. She also informed the Board that she attended a mentoring reunion and that it was very well received by all attended. Moved by Colebank, seconded by Tock to go into Executive Session at 9:23 p.m. to discuss the employment and compensation of support staff/teachers according to Section 2, subsection c, #1 of the Open Meetings Act. Roll call. All voted aye. Motion carried. Moved by Colebank, seconded by Tock, to exit Executive Session at 9:29 p.m. Voice vote. All voted aye. Motion carried. Moved by Pulver, seconded by Heinrich, to adjourn the meeting at 9:30 p.m. Voice vote. All voted aye. Motion carried. Debbie Conroy, Secretary, District #232 Debra K. Christoff, President, District #232 5