February
20, 2007
The Montgomery County School Board met on the above date in the administrative building at 6:00 p.m. for the purpose of a public hearing/work session.
Board Members Present
Penny J. Franklin, Chair W. Wat Hopkins
Jamie M. Bond B. Wendell Jones
David G. Dunkenberger, II Susan K. Morikawa
Staff Members Present
Tiffany Anderson, Superintendent
Nancy L. Ballinger Carol Reynolds
Daniel A. Berenato Walter L. Shannon
Kathy A. Duncan Patricia Talbot
Christina T. Gilley Jeanette R. Warwick
Harvey C. Goodwin Laura Williams
Anita P. Johnston Brad King, Attorney
Mark J. Pasier
Call
to Order
Ms.
Franklin 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. Morikawa, seconded by Mr. Jones, the Board voted unanimously to adopt an amended agenda moving the school musical presentations before the honors and awards.
Closed Session
Mr. Jones 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 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.
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
Dr.
Hopkins moved, seconded by Mrs. Morikawa, and the Board voted unanimously to
return to open session at 7:15 p.m.
Dr. Hopkins moved,
seconded by Mrs. Morikawa, and the Board 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 B.
Wendell Jones
David G. Dunkenberger, II Susan K. Morikawa
W. Wat Hopkins Penny J. Franklin, Chair
_________________________ February
20, 2007
Clerk
of the Montgomery Date
County
School Board
Dr. Hopkins moved, seconded by Mrs. Morikawa, and the Board voted unanimously to grant religious exemptions from Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) for students A and B.
Mr. Dunkenberger moved, seconded by Mrs. Morikawa, and the Board voted unanimously to expel student C from MCPS.
Mrs. Morikawa moved, seconded by Mr. Jones, and the Board voted five to one to expel student D from MCPS. Voting in favor were Mrs. Bond, Dr. Hopkins, Mr. Jones, Mrs. Morikawa, and Ms. Franklin. Voting against was Mr. Dunkenberger.
Vickie
Neal, a Harding Avenue Elementary School (HAES) parent, asked the Board to
increase its allocation for special education services. Ms. Neal told Board members that special
education staff is overworked and more testing needs to be provided to assess
special education students.
Paul
Heilker, a volunteer at Blacksburg Middle School (BMS) and Blacksburg High
School (BHS), urged the Board to provide greater resources for special
education students as special education involves a very diverse
population. Mr. Heilker said early
intervention is crucial for special education students.
Jennifer
Shanks, a parent of an autistic child in Montgomery County, requested that the
Board provide additional funding for special education teachers and aides.
Sharon
Duncan, a Kipps Elementary School (KES) parent, told Board members that parents
are fortunate to have the support for inclusion in Montgomery County; however,
more special education teachers and aides are needed in the school division.
Suzanne
Barnett, a parent of a student at Gilbert Linkous Elementary School (GLES),
asked the Board to appropriately fund special education services.
Gina
Gardner, a member of the Special Education Advisory Committee, thanked the
School Board for its continued support of the special education program. She urged the Board to provide additional
funding for special education teachers and aides.
Brownie
Cauley, Vice President of the Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA),
thanked the Board for its past support of employees. Mr. Cauley urged Board members to submit a needs-based budget to
the Board of Supervisors.
Karen
Trear, a member of the MCEA, provided the Board with information outlining the
number of hours that teaching staffs actually spend on their duties. Mrs. Trear said the school division could
not afford to pay teachers by the hour because they work 10-11 hours per
day. She referenced the school division’s
drop in local and state salary standings over the last few years. Mrs. Trear urged the Board to fund the
three-year compensation plan and the three percent cost of living increase in
this year’s budget. She also asked that
the Board continue to fund benefits, as has been the case in the past.
Roxana
Hartman, a parent of an autistic student, thanked the Board for its support of
special education. Ms. Hartman urged
the Board to reconsider the special education department’s request for
additional special education teachers and aides.
The Board heard musical presentations from students at Christiansburg High School and GLES.
Continuing
the commitment of recognizing student achievement and accomplishments, eight
new “Senior of the Month” selections have been made by high school principals
in Montgomery County. Their activities
reflect the full range of opportunities in the school division, ranging from
fine arts to vocational experiences to athletic accomplishments. The four students for February are:
Auburn High School Heather Paige Akers
Blacksburg High School Nitin Kapania
Christiansburg High School Olivia Courtney Robinette
Eastern Montgomery High School Allen Childress
The
Board recognized Robin Bibb, a third grade teacher at Belview Elementary
School; Cindy Dowdy, a first grade teacher at Belview Elementary School; Karen
Ragsdale, a Title I reading teacher at Kipps Elementary School; Julie Stanley,
a second grade teacher at Kipps Elementary School; and Ginger Wagner, a Reading
Recovery teacher at Christiansburg Primary School, for achieving certification
by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards.
School Board members and the School Board Clerk received certificates for School Board Appreciation month. The School Board recessed at 8:43 p.m. for an appreciation reception and reconvened at 9:03 p.m.
Kelly Passek urged the Board to adopt the Code of Virginia clause regarding nepotism in its hiring policy.
Peter Anderson expressed his concern about the recent decision to open school on a dangerous inclement weather day. Mr. Anderson noted that the school district did not provide adequate communication regarding this decision, and children were left outside waiting for buses that never arrived. He urged the School Board to provide better communication in this area in the future.
Michael Butler of the Adventure Club voiced his concern about a proposed before and after-school program at HAES. Mr. Butler said he has been speaking with staff and parents about establishing an Adventure Club site at HAES and urged the Board to allow these individuals to decide the type of program they would like to have at the school.
Rakesh Kapania told Board members that he supports a change to the Board’s nepotism policy.
Item 02/07-21 Personnel
Report: On motion by Mr.
Dunkenberger, seconded by Mrs. Morikawa, the Board unanimously voted to approve
the personnel report with an addendum.
The
personnel report is attached and made a part of the minutes as pages A1-A8.
Item
02-07-22 Payment of Bills: On motion by Mr. Jones, seconded by Mr.
Dunkenberger, the Board unanimously voted to approve the bills as
presented.
Operating Fund:
Bills, 01/18/07, Ck. Nos. 441523-441819,
$395,869.49
Utilities, 01/18/07, Ck. Nos. 441820-441847,
$329,484.05
Bills, 02/06/07, Ck. Nos. 441848-442074,
$267,518.56
Utilities, 02/06/07, Ck. Nos. 442075-442099,
$252,952.17
Bills, 02/20/07, Ck. Nos. 442100-442354,
$249,148.44
Payroll, 01/31/07, Ck. Nos. 43897-43913,
$4,573,860.77
Item 02/07-21 and Item 02/07-22
Fixed Charges, 01/31/07, Ck. Nos. 43914-43997, $1,605,993.78
Cafeteria:
Bills,
01/18/07, Ck. Nos. 2145-2157, $58,575.86
Bills, 01/30/07, Ck. Nos. 2158-2171, $81,783.06
Bills, 02/13/07, Ck. Nos. 2172-2187, $69,875.30
Payroll, 01/31/07, Direct Deposit,
$135,993.88
Fixed Charges, 01/31/07, Ck. Nos. 4838-4861, $33,528.38
Item 02/07-23 Consent Items: The following items were approved by general consent:
1.
Minutes: Minutes from the December 5, 2006 regular
session, the December 19, 2006 special session, the January 9, 2007 regular
session/reorganization, the January 16, 2007 work session, and the January 18,
2007 budget work session.
2.
Field Trips:
a.
Eighth grade students at Christiansburg Middle School (CMS) to travel to
Washington, D.C., on April 27, 2007. Students will travel via charter bus. No accommodations are needed. The cost per student is $65.
b.
Chorus students at BMS to travel to Miami, Florida, on March 6-11,
2007. Students will travel via
airplane. Accommodations are to be
provided by the Sheraton Miami Mart Hotel.
The cost per student is $1,500.
c.
The Singing Eagles choral group at Elliston Lafayette Elementary School
(ELES) to travel to Hershey Park, Pennsylvania, on May 25, 2007. Students will
travel via personal vehicles.
Accommodations are to be provided by the Best Western Inn and
Suites. There is no cost to students.
d.
Seventh grade students at BMS to travel to Baltimore, Maryland, on May
23-24, 2007. Students will travel via charter bus. Accommodations are to be provided by the Days Inn at the Inner
Harbor in Baltimore. The cost per student is $225.
Item 02/07-22 (Continued) and Item 02/07-23
e.
Art guild students at BHS to travel to Washington, D.C., on March 27,
2007. Students will travel via charter
bus. No accommodations are needed. The cost per student is $46.
f.
The debate team at BHS to travel to Washington, D.C., on March 9-12,
2007. Students will travel via school
bus. Accommodations are to be provided by the Holiday Inn in Rosslyn,
Virginia. The cost per student is $200.
g.
Students at Independence Secondary School to travel to Winterplace Ski
Resort in Ghent, West Virginia, on February 25, 2007. Students will travel via school bus. No accommodations are
needed. The cost per student is
$30-$40.
3. Grants:
a.
BHS Floral Design Project: A grant to allow the BHS Future Farmers of America
(FFA) to sponsor a basic floral design clinic for school faculty and community
members. Horticulture students and a
local community florist, as well as the BHS agriculture teachers will teach the
clinic.
b.
Program Support for Christiansburg Elementary School (CES): A grant to
enhance school safety through the purchase of an additional two-way radio and
to fund attendance of low socioeconomic status students on trips and in
programs.
c.
HAES Greenhouse Project: A grant to allow HAES to make use of the former
Wilson Avenue School greenhouse for K-5 instruction to support the science
Standards of Learning (SOL).
d.
BMS Community Entrance Project: A grant to beautify the community entrance at BMS,
while at the same time providing an opportunity for BMS agriculture students to
work with plants in an outdoor setting.
e.
HAES Hometown Helper Project: A grant to increase HAES teachers’ ability to use
technology for enhancing instruction through the purchase of two laptop
computers to be shared among the staff.
Item 02/07-23 (Continued)
f.
Belview Elementary School Book Club: A grant to provide books to give away
to Belview students as part of an existing before-school Belview Book
Club. As part of the club, students
listen to read-aloud books from 8:20-8:40 a.m. and receive personal copies of
the books that are read to them.
4. Cancellation of Checks: Cancellation of the following checks:
Check # Amount Payable To Issued By
441344 $ 646.50 Montgomery
Regional Hospital Regular Operating
441726 $17,400.00 Prosource Inc. of VA Regular Operating
441767 $
5,472.38 Southern Maintenance Supply Regular Operating
435665 $ 10.00 Clerk
of Circuit Court Regular
Operating
436128 $ 20.00 Clerk
of Circuit Court Regular
Operating
439758 $
3,015.00 Data Business Systems Regular Operating
Work Session
Dr. Hopkins moved, seconded by Mr. Jones, and
the Board voted unanimously to enter a work session at 9:12 p.m.
Item
02/07-24 Policy 5-2.5: Hiring: Nepotism and Conflict
of Interest Prohibitions (First Reading): The Board expressed concern about
revisions to the policy that are still not clear. The Board agreed to continue discussion of the policy to the next
meeting for second reading.
Item
02/07-25 Discussion of Policy 5-7.5: Employee
Absences and Leave: The Board received information on the transfer of sick
leave for employees enrolled in the sick leave bank. Ms. Franklin said she asked that the policy be reviewed because
she was unclear about the procedures for transferring sick leave.
Return to Regular Session
Mrs. Morikawa moved, seconded by Dr. Hopkins,
and the Board voted unanimously to return to regular session at 9:35 p.m.
Superintendent’s Reports, Recommendations and
Announcements
Item
02/07-26 Belview Elementary School’s
Artist-In-Residence Grant Proposal (Action): Dr. Hopkins moved, seconded
by Mr. Dunkenberger, and the Board voted unanimously to approve the Belview
Elementary School’s Artist-In-Residence Grant Proposal.
Item
02/07-23 (Continued) and Items 02/07-24-26
Item
02/07-27 Price’s Fork Elementary School’s
Artist-In-Residence Grant Proposal (Action): Dr. Hopkins moved, seconded
by Mr. Dunkenberger, and the Board voted unanimously to approve the Price’s
Fork Elementary School’s Artist-In-Residence Grant Proposal.
Item
02/07-28 Kipps
Elementary School’s Artist-In-Residence Grant Proposal (Action): Mr. Jones moved, seconded by Mrs.
Morikawa, and the Board voted unanimously to approve the Kipps Elementary
School’s Artist-In-Residence Grant Proposal.
Item
02/07-29 BHS/Booster
Club Request to Build a Field House at the New Stadium Site and Other Sports
Facilities Improvements (Action):
Dan Berenato, Director of Facilities, told Board members that he hopes to have
the final design draft for the stadium in a few weeks with construction to
begin in early summer.
Amy Woods, President of the BHS
Booster Club, asked for the Board’s approval in concept to allow the Booster
Club to raise funds to build a field house at the new stadium site; to install
artificial sports turf at the new stadium; and to make improvements to the
track and practice field at BHS. Ms.
Woods said the booster club would also like to make improvements to the weight
room at BHS in the future; however, further research and discussion is needed
on this issue before decisions are made.
Mrs. Morikawa moved, seconded
by Mr. Jones, and the Board voted unanimously to give approval in concept to
allow the Booster Club to raise funds to build a field house at the new stadium
site; to install artificial sports turf at the new stadium; and to make
improvements to the track and practice field at BHS.