May
6, 2008
The
Montgomery County School Board met on the above date in the administrative
building at 6:30 p.m. for the purpose of a regular business meeting.
Board Members Present
B. Wendell Jones, Chair Penny
J. Franklin
Phyllis T. Albritton W.
Wat
Jamie M. Bond Joseph T.
Ivers, Jr.
David G. Dunkenberger, II
Staff Members Present
Tiffany Anderson, Superintendent
Harvey C. Goodwin Jonathan E. Schulz
Lois T. Graham Walter L.
Anita P. Johnston Richard D. Weaver
Katie Miano Laura Williams
Diane Naff Brad King, Attorney
Mark J. Pasier
Call to Order
Mr.
Jones called the meeting to order with the pledge of allegiance to the flag at 6:30
p.m.
Adoption
of Agenda
On motion by Ms. Franklin, seconded by Mr. Dunkenberger, the Board voted unanimously to adopt the agenda as presented.
Closed Session
Mr. Dunkenberger
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 6:31 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
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.
Real Estate Matters: The discussion or consideration of the
acquisition of real estate for the construction of a new school, where
discussion in an open meeting would adversely affect the bargaining position or
negotiating strategy of the public body, as authorized by Section
2.2-3711(A)(3) of the Code of Virginia.
Return to Open Session and Certification
Ms. Franklin
moved, seconded by Dr. Hopkins, and the Board voted unanimously to return to
open session at 7:30 p.m.
Dr. Hopkins moved,
seconded by Ms. Franklin, and the Board adopted the following resolution:
WHEREAS, the County School Board of
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
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
hereby certifies that, to the best of each member’s knowledge (i) only
public business matters lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements by
Ayes: Phyllis
T. Albritton W. Wat
Jamie M. Bond Joseph T. Ivers, Jr.
David
G. Dunkenberger, II B. Wendell Jones,
Chair
Penny J. Franklin
_________________________ May
6, 2008
Clerk
of the
Action
Dr. Hopkins moved, seconded by
Mr. Dunkenberger, and the Board voted unanimously to exempt two students from
compulsory attendance in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS).
Public Address
Janet Perrot, a Blacksburg High School (BHS) parent whose son is on homebound as a result of an assault, urged the Board to petition the court to have her son released from mandatory attendance so he can pursue other avenues for education.
Larry Schoff, former MCPS facilities director, highly recommended that the School Board approve the Energy Performance Contracting concept as a means of improving energy efficiency in the school district.
Carol Bland, a first grade teacher at Price’s Fork Elementary School (PFES), read a “Dr. Seuss type story” illustrating the need for a new school at Price’s Fork.
Kimberly Breeden and Elisa Blankenship, eighth grade students at Auburn Middle School (AMS), talked to the Board about the inadequacies of AMS.
Laura Wilkins, an Auburn parent,
told Board members that the AMS floor plan does not meet the standards set for
schools in
Julie Snyder, an Auburn parent,
asked the Board to set a timeline for a school project in the
Alan Mandzak, a former MCPS
employee, told Board members about fill dirt that was stolen by staff members during
the construction of
Item 05/08-77 Personnel
Report: On motion by Ms. Franklin, seconded by Mrs. Albritton, the
Board unanimously voted to approve the personnel report as presented.
Item 05/08-77
The report is attached and made a part of
these minutes as pages A1-A6.
Item 05/08-78 Payment
of Bills: On motion by Mrs. Albritton, seconded by Dr. Hopkins, the Board
unanimously voted to approve the bills as presented.
Operating Fund:
Bills, 05/06/08, Ck. Nos. 449657-449995,
$308,560.88
Utilities, 05/01/08, Ck. Nos. 449996-450015,
$205,412.30
Payroll, 04/04/08, supp. Ck. Nos. 45582-45594, $11,336.23
Fixed Charges, 04/04/08, Ck. Nos. 45595-45599, $1,732.42
Payroll, 04/30/08, Direct Deposit, VOID $771.60
Payroll, 04/30/08, Ck. Nos. 45600-45611,
$4,788,090.46
Fixed Charges, 04/30/08, Ck. Nos. 45612-45678, $1,793,437.12
Cafeteria:
Bills, 04/30/08, Ck. Nos. 2558-2575,
$163,328.82
Payroll, 04/30/08, Ck. No. 5198, $139,748.78
Fixed Charges, 04/30/08, Ck. Nos. 5199-5218, $34,710.62
Item 05/08-79 Consent Items: The following items were approved by general
consent:
1.
Minutes: Minutes from the regular session on March 4,
2008 and the work session on March 18, 2008.
2.
Field Trips:
a.
Third graders at PFES to travel to
Item 05/08-77 (Continued), Item 05/08-78 and Item
05/08-79
b. The yearbook club at
Eastern Montgomery High School (EMHS) to travel to Pipe Stem,
3.
Grants:
a.
What’s on Stage?: A grant requesting continuation
funding for What’s on Stage?, a
Harding Avenue Elementary School after-school program that exposes at-risk
third through fifth grade students to cultural events while expanding their
language arts and technology skills.
b.
Books for Ear and There: A grant to
increase literacy development among Belview Elementary School (BES) first
graders by providing each student with one book a month to keep and presenting
them with weekly opportunities to listen to books on CD.
c.
Interactive Games for Math: A grant to enable
BES second graders to practice math skills through the purchase of interactive
games and manipulatives.
d.
Wireless Slate for Interactive Learning: A grant to
facilitate interactive learning for BES second graders through the use of an
Airliner wireless slate.
e.
Olweus Bullying Prevention Program Continuation: A grant to reduce
the incidence of bullying at
4. Supplemental
Appropriation: To request from the Board of Supervisors a supplemental
appropriation to the 2007-2008 School Operating Budget, Code 610000,
Instruction, in the amount of $87,645, and Code 650000, Non-Instruction, in the
amount of $37,899.
Superintendent’s Reports, Recommendations,
Announcements:
Item 05/08-80 Picturing
Item 05/08-79
(Continued) and Item 05/08-80
Item 05/08-81 Worker’s Compensation (Discussion/Action): Dr.
Hopkins moved, seconded by Mr. Ivers, and the Board voted unanimously to
approve a resolution to cover School Board members under the school division’s
worker’s compensation plan at no additional cost to the school division.
The resolution is attached and made a part of
these minutes as page B1.
Board
members agreed to move the Auburn project agenda item up on the agenda since
there were so many people in the audience interested in that item.
Item 05/08-82 Auburn Project (Information/Action): Dan Berenato, Director of Facilities,
summarized the feasibility study completed on the
Mr. Berenato informed Board members that there is no
gas service in
Walt Shannon, Assistant Superintendent, said the
administration is recommending that the School Board authorize a Request for
Proposals (RFPs) for an architectural/engineering firm and use the planning
money already allocated for this expenditure.
Ms. Franklin
moved, seconded by Dr. Hopkins, and the Board voted unanimously to authorize an
RFP for architectural/engineering services using planning money allocated for
this project.
Item 05/08-81 and Item 05/08-82
Item 05/08-83 Fiscal Year 2007-2008 Year-End Close
Purchases (Action): Mrs. Albritton moved, seconded by Dr.
Hopkins, and the Board voted unanimously to approve the 2007-2008 Year-End
Close Purchases as presented.
Item 05/08-84 School Calendar 2007-2008 (Action): Ms.
Franklin moved, seconded by Mrs. Albritton, and the Board voted unanimously to
establish May 30, 2008 as the last day of the school year.
Item 05/08-85 Career and Technical Education (CTE) Textbook
Adoptions (Information): The
School Board reviewed proposed CTE textbook adoptions. The textbooks will be placed on the next
meeting agenda for approval.
Item 05/08-86 Governor’s School Contract (Action): Mrs.
Albritton moved, seconded by Mr. Ivers, and the Board voted unanimously to
approve the Governor’s School Contract, which will fund 20 slots for students.
Item 05/08-87 School Improvement Plans (Action): Rebecca Counts, principal at Shawsville
Middle School (SMS), and Annette Perkins, principal at
Ms. Franklin moved, seconded by
Mrs. Albritton, and the Board voted unanimously to approve all of the school
improvement plans as presented.
Item 05/08-88 Energy Performance Contracting (Action): Dr. Anderson stated that the administration
is recommending that it be allowed to explore the feasibility of Energy Performance
Contracting.
Mrs. Albritton moved, seconded by
Mr. Dunkenberger, and the Board voted unanimously to allow the administration
to explore the feasibility of Energy Performance Contracting.
Items
05/08-83-88
Item 05/08-89 Policy Revisions – Policy 6-4.3, 6-6.2,
6-6.3, and 7-2.3 (Second Reading/Action: Ms. Franklin moved,
seconded by Dr. Hopkins, and the Board voted unanimously to approve the
revisions to policies on second reading.
Item 05/08-90 Announcements/Calendar for May (Information): Dr. Anderson made no announcements.
Unfinished Business by School Board Members
Mr. Jones said he has not been able to connect with his
counterpart in
Mr. Jones asked Board members about items they would like to discuss at the retreat in addition to the six-year plan. He said he would like to discuss whether or not the Board has been successful in reaching its goal from the last retreat to have more recognitions. Mr. Ivers asked about the possibility of discussing the School Board’s self-evaluation and the Superintendent’s evaluation. However, the Board agreed this would be too time consuming with everything else on the agenda.
Announcements/Information
Mr. Ivers
reported on a recent Virginia School Boards Association (VSBA) conference that
he attended on school board budgets and financial reports. He said he learned many
things but knows he has much more to learn.
Ms. Franklin said
she attended the VSBA’s Blue Ridge Regional Forum. She noted that MCPS had a third place elementary
art show winner from
Mrs. Albritton
told Board members that she attended Seussical the Musical, and it was
wonderful. She also noted that she
visited the
Mr. Jones
announced that PFES’ DARE graduation would be held on May 8 at 1:30 p.m. and
said MCPS’ retirees would also be honored that evening.
Agenda Preparation
May 20, 2008 Recognition
of CHS Wrestling Team – Group AA State Champions
Recognition
of VSBA Art Show Winner
Recognition
of May and June Seniors of the Month
Item 05/08-89 and Item 05/08-90
Recognition –
MCPS “Best 100 Communities in Music Education in
CTE Textbook
Adoptions (Action)
July 11-12, 2008 School
Board Retreat – Hotel Roanoke
Adjournment
The
meeting was adjourned at 9:10 p.m. on motion by Ms. Franklin, seconded by Mrs.
Albritton, and passed unanimously.
School Board Chair Clerk of the School Board