April 4, 2006

The Montgomery County School Board met on the above date in the administrative building at 7:00 p.m. for the purpose of a regular business meeting.

Board Members Present

Penny J. Franklin, Chair B. Wendell Jones

Jamie M. Bond Amy U. Lythgoe

David G. Dunkenberger, II Susan K. Morikawa

W. Wat Hopkins

Staff Members Present

Tiffany Anderson, Superintendent

Nancy L. Ballinger Walter L. Shannon

Daniel A. Berenato Jeanette R. Warwick

Anita P. Johnston Richard D. Weaver

Carol Reynolds Brad King, Attorney

Marilyn M. Session

Call to Order

Ms. Franklin called the meeting to order with the pledge of allegiance to the flag at 7:00 p.m.

Adoption of Agenda

On motion by Mrs. Lythgoe, seconded by Mr. Jones, the Board voted unanimously to adopt the agenda as presented.

Closed Session

Mrs. Morikawa moved, seconded by Mr. Jones, and the Board voted unanimously to enter into a closed meeting pursuant to Section 2.2-3711(A) of the Code of Virginia at 7:01 p.m. for the purpose of discussion of the following specific matters:

Student Matter: Discussion or consideration of a student disciplinary matter, as authorized by Section 2.2-3711 (A)(2) of the Code of Virginia.

Personnel Matters: The discussion or consideration of prospective candidates for employment; assignment; appointment; promotion; performance; demotion; salaries; disciplining or resignation of specific public school officers, employees or appointees, as authorized by Section 2.2-3711 (A)(1) of the Code of Virginia.

Return to Open Session and Certification

Mrs. Morikawa moved, seconded by Mrs. Lythgoe, and the Board voted unanimously to return to open session at 7:35 p.m.

Dr. Hopkins moved, seconded by Mr. Jones, and the Board unanimously adopted the following resolution:

WHEREAS, the County School Board of Montgomery County has

convened a closed meeting on this date pursuant to an affirmative recorded vote and in accordance with provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act; and

WHEREAS, Section 2.2-3711(d) of the Code of Virginia

requires a certification by this School Board that such closed meeting was conducted in conformity with Virginia Law;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED

that the County School Board of Montgomery County

hereby certifies that, to the best of each member’s knowledge (i) only public business matters lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements by Virginia law were discussed in the closed meeting to which this certification applies, and (ii) only such public business matters as were identified in the motion convening the meeting were heard, discussed, or considered.

Ayes: Jamie M. Bond Amy U. Lythgoe

W. Wat Hopkins Susan K. Morikawa

B. Wendell Jones Penny J. Franklin, Chair

Mr. Dunkenberger was not present for the vote.

_______________________________ April 4, 2006

Clerk of the Montgomery Date

County School Board

Action

Dr. Hopkins moved, seconded by Mr. Jones, and the Board voted unanimously to long-term suspend a student from Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS).

Public Address

Lisa Carver spoke on behalf of Stephanie Harman, a teacher who she said is not being recommended for renewal of her teaching contract. Ms. Carver told Board members that Ms. Harman is being retaliated against because she retained an attorney to represent her regarding the school division’s treatment of her son.

Carrie Ligon also spoke on behalf of Ms. Harman. Ms. Ligon said Ms. Harman is doing a good job as a teacher and her performance has not resulted in any disciplinary action.

Item 04/06-48 Personnel Report: Mrs. Lythgoe moved, seconded by Mrs. Bond, to approve the personnel report as presented.

Mr. Jones expressed concern about the administration’s recommendation for the administrator of personnel services due to the fact that he is overqualified. Board members also asked questions about the position in general as well as the two new part-time positions in human resources. Board members agreed to return to closed session at the end of the meeting before voting on the personnel report.

Item 04/06-49 Payment of Bills: On motion by Mrs. Morikawa, seconded by Mr. Jones, the Board unanimously voted to approve the bills as presented.

Operating Fund:

Utilities, 03/29/06, Ck. Nos. 436952-436977, $143,365.27

Bills, 04/04/06, Ck. Nos. 436978-437270, $442,350.36

Payroll, 03/06/06, Ck. Nos. 42726-42728, $733.87

Fixed Charges, 03/06/06, Ck. Nos. 42729-42733, $58.65

Payroll, 03/31/06, Ck. Nos. 42734-42746, $4,490,396.95

Fixed Charges, 03/31/06, Ck. Nos. 42747-42825, $1,339,582.02

Cafeteria:

Payroll, 03/31/06, Ck. Nos. 4586-4587, $133,231.41

Fixed Charges, 03/31/06, Ck. Nos. 4588-4613, $28,110.08

Item 04/06-48 and Item 04/06-49

Item 04/06-50 Consent Items: The following items were approved by general consent:

1. Minutes: Minutes from the February 21, 2006 work session and the March 7, 2006 regular session.

2. Donation: Ms. Rebecca Loehrer to donate an HP printer, copier, and scanner to Christiansburg High School (CHS).

3. Field Trips:

a. The CHS DECA club to travel to Carowinds in Charlotte, North Carolina, on April 28, 2006. Students will travel via charter bus. No accommodations are needed. The cost per student is $68.

b. Third grade students at Price’s Fork Elementary School (PFES) to travel to the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine in Beckley, West Virginia, on May 22, 2006. Students will travel via charter bus. No accommodations are needed. The cost per student is $23.

c. The Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) club at Auburn High School (AHS) to travel to Carowinds in Charlotte, North Carolina, on April 29, 2006. Students will travel via school bus. No accommodations are needed. The cost per student is $40-50.

d. The MCPS Robotics team to travel to Atlanta, Georgia, on April 26-29, 2006. Students will travel via charter bus. Accommodations are to be provided by the Marriott Fairfield Inn. The cost per student is $350.

e. The choir at Auburn Middle School (AMS) and AHS to travel to Dollywood in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, on April 12, 2006. Students will travel via charter bus. No accommodations are needed. The cost per student is $50.

f. The treble choir at Christiansburg Middle School (CMS) to travel to Carowinds in Charlotte, North Carolina, on May 20, 2006. Students will travel via charter bus. No accommodations are needed. The cost per student is $75.

Item 04/06-50

4. Grants:

a. Rivendell Service Project: A grant that will engage Rivendell students in a service project to make and laminate classroom materials for use by MCPS elementary teachers and students.

b. Project PAUR: Precision Agriculture Using Model Rockets: A grant to enable agriculture education students at CHS to use model rockets outfitted with cameras to fly over producing fields and collect data. This data will be used to determine field characteristics and inputs needed on the fields.

c. Project PAUR: Precision Agriculture Using Model Rockets: A grant to enable agriculture education students at CHS to use model rockets outfitted with cameras to fly over producing fields and collect data. This data will be used to determine field characteristics and inputs needed on the fields.

d. What’s On Stage?: A grant that requests continuation funding for What’s On Stage?, a Harding Avenue Elementary School (HAES) after-school program that exposes at-risk third through fifth grade students to cultural events while expanding their language arts and technology skills.

e. Four Seasons Garden for Falling Branch Elementary School (FBES) First Grade: A grant to create an outdoor classroom at FBES designed to foster understanding of the four seasons among first graders. Creation and maintenance of the garden will support active learning of Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) in science, math, language arts, and social studies.

5. Supplemental Appropriation: Approved to request from the Board of Supervisors a supplemental appropriation to the 2005-2006 School Operating Budget, Code 610000, Instruction, in the amount of $120,592 and Code 620000, Administration, Attendance, and Health in the amount of $6,795.

Item 04/06-50 (Continued)

Superintendent’s Reports, Recommendations, Announcements:

Item 04/06-51 Update on the Gifted Program (Information): Nancy Ballinger, Supervisor of the Gifted Program, and other gifted staff members presented the Board with information on the gifted program. Ms. Ballinger told Board members that the school division has approximately 1,056 gifted students and 174 (K-3) students in the talent pool as of March 1.

Item 04/06-52 Update on Student Services (Information): Jeanette Warwick, Assistant Superintendent, provided the Board with discipline data and information on the alternative programs in the school district. Ms. Warwick briefed the Board on Independence Secondary School, Wilson Avenue, and the Phoenix Center.

Ms. Warwick said the administration’s vision for the future is to consolidate resources for better instructional delivery; provide equitable access to services; better accommodate special needs students; provide substance abuse prevention and anger management resources; and to make available virtual school opportunities to ensure academic success.

Mrs. Morikawa moved, seconded by Dr. Hopkins, and the Board voted unanimously to allow the administration to move forward with plans to explore improvements for the alternative education programs.

Item 04/06-53 2006-2007 School Calendars (Action): Dr. Hopkins moved, seconded by Mr. Jones, and the Board voted unanimously to approve the 2006-2007 school calendars.

Item 04/06-54 Auburn Cannery (Action): Carola Haas, a member of the community group interested in saving the Auburn Cannery, provided information to the Board on a planning grant to provide funding for the Auburn Cannery.

Dr. Hopkins moved, seconded by Mrs. Lythgoe, and the Board voted unanimously to allow New River Community Action’s Share Group to pursue a planning grant to provide funding to operate the Auburn Cannery.

Item 04/06-51-54

Item 04/06-55 Announcements/Calendar for April (Information): Dr. Anderson made no announcements.

Closed Session

Mrs. Lythgoe moved, seconded by Mrs. Morikawa, and the Board voted unanimously to enter into a closed meeting pursuant to Section 2.2-3711(A) of the Code of Virginia at 8:47 p.m. for the purpose of discussion of the following specific matter:

Personnel Matter: The discussion or consideration of prospective candidates for employment; assignment; appointment; promotion; performance; demotion; salaries; disciplining or resignation of specific public school officers, employees or appointees, as authorized by Section 2.2-3711 (A)(1) of the Code of Virginia.

Return to Open Session and Certification

Mrs. Morikawa moved, seconded by Dr. Hopkins, and the Board voted unanimously to return to open session at 9:15 p.m.

Dr. Hopkins moved, seconded by Mrs. Morikawa, and the Board unanimously adopted the following resolution:

WHEREAS, the County School Board of Montgomery County has

convened a closed meeting on this date pursuant to an affirmative recorded vote and in accordance with provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act; and

WHEREAS, Section 2.2-3711(d) of the Code of Virginia

requires a certification by this School Board that such closed meeting was conducted in conformity with Virginia Law;

Item 04/06-55

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED

that the County School Board of Montgomery County

hereby certifies that, to the best of each member’s knowledge (i) only public business matters lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements by Virginia law were discussed in the closed meeting to which this certification applies, and (ii) only such public business matters as were identified in the motion convening the meeting were heard, discussed, or considered.

Ayes: Jamie M. Bond Amy U. Lythgoe

David G. Dunkenberger, II Susan K. Morikawa

W. Wat Hopkins Penny J. Franklin, Chair

B. Wendell Jones

_______________________________ April 4, 2006

Clerk of the Montgomery Date

County School Board

Action

Dr. Hopkins moved, seconded by Mrs. Lythgoe, and the Board voted unanimously to amend the personnel report to temporarily remove the recommendations for non-renewal.

Dr. Hopkins noted that his wife is listed in the personnel report under the renewal of contracts section but he does not believe this is a conflict of interest in voting for the personnel report.

Mrs. Lythgoe moved, seconded by Mrs. Morikawa, and the Board vote six to one to approve the personnel report as amended. Voting in favor were Mrs. Bond, Mr. Dunkenberger, Dr. Hopkins, Mrs. Lythgoe, Mrs. Morikawa, and Ms. Franklin. Voting against was Mr. Jones.

The personnel report is attached and made a part of the minutes as pages A1-A14.

Unfinished Business By School Board Members

Mrs. Lythgoe asked if Board members could have the technology department make School Board member name badges with the new machine. Dr. Anderson said this would be arranged.

Ms. Franklin invited all Board members to attend the presentation of the Rosa Parks resolution to Price’s Fork Elementary School students at 3:00 p.m. on April 5.

Board members agreed to begin utilizing a light system for public address.

New Business By School Board Members

Mrs. Morikawa asked about the procedure for maintaining anonymous letters. Brad King, School Board Attorney, told Board members that all correspondence must be maintained for a prescribed amount of time per the guidelines of the Library of Virginia.

Mr. Jones reported on a recent Governor’s School meeting.

Mr. Jones asked for an update on real estate. Dr. Anderson told Board members that an update on real estate would be placed on the May 2 School Board agenda.

Information/Announcements

Mrs. Lythgoe thanked Dr. Anderson and her staff for the Women’s History Month event held at the end of March.

Agenda Preparation

April 18, 2006 Recognition of BHS Girl’s Indoor Track Team – State Champions

Recognition of CHS Wrestling Team – State Champions

Special Education Annual Plan (Information)

Overview of Special Education

After-School Program at GLES

Baseball Field Improvements Memorandum of Understanding with Montgomery County

Report on State Reviewers Visits

May 2, 2006 Special Education Annual Plan (Action)

Budget Update

Health Insurance Proposal

Real Estate Update

May 19-20, 2006 School Board Retreat – Hotel Roanoke

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m. on motion by Mrs. Morikawa, seconded by Mr. Jones, and passed unanimously.

School Board Chair Clerk of the School Board