August 2, 2005

The Montgomery County School Board met on the above date in the administrative building at 6:00 p.m. for the purpose of a regular business meeting.

Board Members Present

Tacy L. Newell, Chair B. Wendell Jones

Penny J. Franklin Susan Morikawa

W. Wat Hopkins Mary Hayne North

Richard J. Johnson

Staff Members Present

Tiffany Anderson, Superintendent

Daniel A. Berenato Carol Reynolds

Sandra Z. Colman Marilyn M. Session

Christina T. Gilley Walter L. Shannon

Harvey C. Goodwin Jeanette R. Warwick

Anita P. Johnston Brad King, Attorney

Call to Order

Ms. Newell called the meeting to order with the pledge of allegiance to the flag at 6:00 p.m.

Adoption of Agenda

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

Closed Session

Mrs. North moved, seconded by Ms. Franklin, and the Board voted unanimously to enter into a closed meeting pursuant to Section 2.2-3711(A) of the Code of Virginia at 6:01 p.m. for the purpose of discussion of the following specific matters:

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

Superintendent’s

Evaluation: 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

Ms. Franklin moved, seconded by Mrs. North, and the Board voted unanimously to return to open session at 7:30 p.m.

Dr. Hopkins moved, seconded by Mrs. North, 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: Penny J. Franklin Susan Morikawa

W. Wat Hopkins Mary Hayne North

Richard J. Johnson Tacy L. Newell, Chair

B. Wendell Jones

_______________________________ August 2, 2005

Clerk of the Montgomery Date

County School Board

Action

Dr. Hopkins moved, seconded by Ms. Franklin, and the Board voted unanimously to grant a religious exemption from Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) for Student A.

Mrs. North moved, seconded by Ms. Franklin, and the Board voted unanimously to expel Student B from MCPS.

Public Address

Bonnie Cunningham, a parent and teacher at Christiansburg Middle School (CMS), told Board members that the superintendent made promises that she did not keep in a recent meeting at CMS.

Stephanie Price, a parent at Gilbert Linkous Elementary School (GLES), urged the Board to approve a before and after-school program at the school.

Item 08/05-132 Personnel Report: On motion by Mrs. North, seconded by Mr. Jones, the Board voted unanimously to approve the personnel report as presented.

The report is attached and made a part of these minutes as pages A1-A9.

Item 08/05-133 Payment of Bills: On motion by Dr. Hopkins, seconded by Mrs. North, the Board unanimously voted to approve the bills as presented.

Operating Fund:

Utilities, 07/07/05, Ck. Nos. 432560-432581, $165,246.99

Utilities, 07/21/05, Ck. Nos. 432582-432604, $117,138.18

Bills, 08/02/05, Ck. Nos. 432605-432815, $731,097.35

Payroll, 07/29/05, Direct Deposit, $2,721,061.11

Fixed Charges, 07/29/05, Ck. Nos. 41896-41936, $209,157.31

Payroll, 07/08/05, supp. Ck. Nos. 41974-41983, $2,766.70

Fixed Charges, 07/08/05, Ck. Nos. 41984-41987, $213.51

Payroll, 07/29/05, Ck. Nos. 41988-41994, $166,345.22

Fixed Charges, 07/08/05, Ck. Nos. 41995-42032, $1,023,557.57

Item 08/05-132 and Item 08/05-133

Cafeteria:

Bills, 07/07/05, Ck. Nos. 1689-1700, $64,429.22

Bills, 07/21/05, Ck. Nos. 1701-1747, $122,603.48

Payroll, 07/29/05, Direct Deposit, $90,118.30

Fixed Charges, 07/29/05, Ck. Nos. 4400-4407, $7,183.83

Payroll, 07/29/05, Direct Deposit, $19,101.85

Fixed Charges, 07/29/05, Ck. Nos. 4416-4424, $2,441.30

Item 08/05-134 Consent Items: The following items were approved by general consent:

1. Minutes: Minutes from the June 7, 2005 regular session, the June 17-18, 2005 retreat, the June 21, 2005 work session, and the July 5, 2005 special session.

2. Field Trip: The Blacksburg High School (BHS) cheerleading team to travel to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on August 5-7, 2005. Students will travel via chartered bus. Accommodations are to be provided by the charter company. The cost per student is $210.

Superintendent’s Reports, Recommendations, Announcements:

Item 08/05-135 Authorization of Signatures of Division Superintendent for 2006 Fiscal Year (Action): Mrs. North moved, seconded by Mrs. Morikawa, and the Board voted unanimously to approve Katherine Rogers, Assistant Superintendent, and Walt Shannon, Director of Management Services, as persons authorized to sign all Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) reports, documents, requisitions, and other official correspondence in the absence of the division superintendent from July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006.

Item 08/05-136 Tuition Rate for 2005-2006 School Year (Action): Mrs. North expressed concern that staff members within the school division are required to pay tuition for their children to attend MCPS.

Item 08/05-133 (Continued) and Items 08/05-134-136

Mr. Jones moved, seconded by Ms. Franklin, and the Board voted six to one to approve a tuition rate for the 2005-2006 school year of $3,016.48. Voting in favor were Ms. Franklin, Dr. Hopkins, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Jones, Mrs. Morikawa, and Ms. Newell. Voting against was Mrs. North.

Item 08/05-137 Special Education Staff (Action): Mrs. North moved, seconded by Ms. Franklin, and the Board voted unanimously to approve hiring ten additional special education instructional assistants to be funded by flow through funds.

Item 08/05-138 GLES After-School Program (Information/Possible Action): Dr. Anderson presented information on the logistics and cost of providing a school division-sponsored before and after-school pilot program at GLES.

Mrs. North moved, seconded by Ms. Franklin, and the Board voted unanimously to approve a one-year before and after-school pilot program at GLES.

Dr. Anderson noted that she would provide the Board with an update on the program around December.

Item 08/05-139 Use of Bond Fund Balances (Action): Walt Shannon, Director of Management Services, updated the Board on bond fund balances remaining from the Eastern Montgomery High School, Blacksburg Middle School, and Christiansburg Middle School projects. Mr. Shannon said approximately $621,260 is available in the account that may be used for other renovation/construction projects in the school district. Dan Berenato, Director of Facilities, presented the Board with an updated facilities project list. Mr. Berenato told Board members that some projects have been completed, some are in process, and some would have to remain on the list until funding is available. Mr. Shannon noted that an additional amount of year-end money (approximately $278,000) would also be available to complete projects. He said this information would be presented to the Board in late August or September.

Item 08/05-136 (Continued) and Items 08/05-137-139

Mrs. North expressed concern about some of the priorities on the project list. She said she believes some of the items, such as the carpeting in schools, should be placed at a higher priority than the Eastern Montgomery High School baseball field. She also expressed concern about heating, ventilation, and air conditioning overhauls at Christiansburg High School and Blacksburg High School. Mrs. North voiced her opinion that the walkway between Auburn Middle School and Auburn High School is important. Dr. Hopkins noted that there are several schools, including elementary schools, where students must walk in the weather to classes and unfortunately this is just something the school division must deal with at many schools. Ms. Franklin said she would like more information on the baseball and softball fields at Shawsville Middle School (SMS) and Eastern Montgomery High School (EMHS). She stated that she would like to know how students travel between the two schools for practices and games and if two fields will be needed to support athletic needs.

Dr. Hopkins moved, seconded by Mr. Johnson, and the Board voted unanimously to approve the facilities project list as presented with two contingencies:

1) The Board would like more information on the SMS and EMHS baseball and softball fields and how students travel between the schools.

2) The Board would like the item regarding carpeting for schools to be placed higher on the priority list.

Item 08/05-140 Announcements/Calendar for August (Information): There were no announcements.

Unfinished Business By School Board Members

The Board discussed and made revisions to the superintendent’s evaluation. Ms. Newell asked that the revised document be sent out in this week’s Board Update.

Item 08/05-139 (Continued) and Item 08/05-140

New Business By School Board Members

Mrs. North noted that she recently met with a member of the community interested in the school nutrition programs in the schools. She said she believes the Board needs to evaluate the food choices available at schools in the near future. Dr. Anderson mentioned that the Virginia Department of Education has asked that school divisions have a wellness program in place by next year and this might be an avenue in which to do that.

Ms. Newell noted student issues that are brought before the Board that do not occur at school but on school buses, etc. She said she would like to evaluate the use of student handbooks and consequences for some of these issues in the future.

Agenda Preparation

August 16, 2005 Revisions to Policy Manual (First Reading)

Superintendent’s Evaluation (Continued)

Testing Updates – Stanford 10, SOL, SAT

Enrollment Projections

Recognition of BHS Soccer Team

Recognition of MCPS Bus Drivers

Recognition of BHS Boy’s Tennis Team

Year-End Closeout Report

September 6, 2005 Two-Year School Calendar

Enrollment Update

Revisions to Policy Manual (Second Reading)

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 9:10 p.m. on motion by Ms. Franklin, seconded by Mr. Jones, and passed unanimously.

School Board Chair Clerk of the School Board