September
20, 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 work session.
Board Members Present
Tacy L. Newell, Chair
Penny J. Franklin B. Wendell Jones
W. Wat Hopkins Susan Morikawa
Richard J. Johnson (6:05
p.m.) Mary Hayne North
Staff Members Present
Tiffany Anderson, Superintendent
Daniel A. Berenato Marilyn M. Session
Sandra Z. Colman Walter L. Shannon
Harvey C. Goodwin Jeanette R. Warwick
Anita P. Johnston Richard D. Weaver
Michael R. Marcenelle Brad King, Attorney
Katherine M. Rodgers
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 Dr. Hopkins, seconded by Mrs. North, the Board voted unanimously to adopt a revised agenda deleting the real estate matter during closed session.
Closed Session
Ms. Franklin
moved, seconded by Mrs. North, 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:
Legal Matter: Consultation
with legal counsel and briefings by staff members or consultants pertaining to
actual or probable litigation, where such consultation or briefing in open
meeting would adversely affect the negotiating or litigating posture of the
school division, as authorized by Section 2.2-3711 (A)(7) of the Code of
Virginia.
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 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.
Superintendent’s
Eval: 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.
North moved, seconded by Ms. Franklin, and the Board voted unanimously to
return to open session at 7:32 p.m.
The
Board delayed certification of closed session until the end of the meeting.
Action
Mrs. North moved, seconded by Ms. Franklin, and the Board voted unanimously to long-term suspend a student from Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) until the end of the first semester.
Honors, Awards and Recognitions
Continuing
the commitment of recognizing student achievement and accomplishments, four 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 September are:
Auburn High School (AHS) Natalie Huntington
Blacksburg High School (BHS) Laura Hobeika
Christiansburg High School (CHS) Justin Krueger
Eastern Montgomery High School (EMHS) Whitney Taylor
The
Board recognized Scot Gilbert, a former Career and Technical Education (CTE)
student from BHS, for winning second place in a national drafting contest
sponsored by the National Association for Women in Construction (NAWC).
The
Board recognized R.S.V.P., Images by B, Wal-Mart, and Coffee Depot for their
service to the school division as school/business partners.
The School Board
recessed at 8:00 p.m. and reconvened at 8:15 p.m.
Public Address
Tonya Smith-Jackson, a mother of two students at BHS, addressed the School Board with concerns about what she believes is a hostile learning environment at BHS as a result of students wearing clothing containing emblems of the confederate flag. Ms. Smith-Jackson urged the Board to review its policies and procedures regarding this issue.
Item 09/05-166 Personnel
Report: On motion by Dr.
Hopkins, seconded by Ms. Franklin, the Board unanimously voted to approve the
personnel report as presented.
The
personnel report is attached and made a part of the minutes as pages A1-A4.
Item 09-05-167 Payment
of Bills: On motion by Mrs.
North, seconded by Mr. Jones, the Board unanimously voted to approve the bills
as presented.
Operating Fund:
Utilities,
09/07/05, Ck. Nos. 433220-433241, $144,015.57
Bills, 09/20/05, Ck. Nos. 433242-433441,
$265,214.13
Work Session
Mr. Jones moved, seconded by Mrs. North, and the Board voted unanimously to enter a work session at 8:23 p.m.
Item 09/05-168 Tenth
Day Enrollment Update: Dr. Anderson noted that the Board would receive a
report on secondary enrollment at the next meeting as there were errors in the
information provided in the Board packet.
Item 09/05-166, Item 09/05-167, and Item 09/05-168
Jeanette Warwick, Director of Instruction, provided the
Board with an update on elementary enrollment.
Ms. Warwick told Board members that there is an increase of 40 students
at the elementary level compared to last year’s tenth day enrollment. She said the administration is carefully
watching class sizes in the second grade at Kipps Elementary School (KES) and
in the third grade at Margaret Beeks Elementary School (MBES). Dr. Anderson
stated that the full-time elementary teacher previously approved by the Board
would probably be placed at one of these schools. She said there are 16 preschool students in a modular unit at KES
this year.
The Board expressed concern about building capacity at
several schools.
Item
09/05-169 Briefing on the School Nutrition Program:
Michael Marcenelle, Supervisor of School Nutrition Programs (SNP), provided the
Board with an update on the SNP.
Return to Regular Session
Ms. Franklin moved, seconded by Mrs. North,
and the Board voted unanimously to return to regular session at 9:25 p.m.
Superintendent’s Reports, Recommendations and
Announcements
Item
09/05-170 Update on Fuel Costs
(Information/Discussion): Walt Shannon, Director of Management Services,
said that although fuel prices have decreased during the last week, the school
division is still paying $1 more for fuel than it did a year ago. Mr. Shannon said the administration will
continue to monitor the situation but it will definitely impact the school
budget.
Mrs. North suggested utilizing the MCPS Foundation for issues
such as these.
Item
09/05-171 Update on Lead Testing (Information):
Dan Berenato, Director of Facilities, told Board members that the school
division is in good shape according to lead testing results.
Item 09/05-168 (Continued) and Items
09/05-169-171
New Business by School Board Members
Ms. Franklin echoed concerns voiced by Tonya Smith-Jackson regarding the confederate flag issue. Brad King, School Board Attorney, told Board members that banning the confederate flag is illegal and would violate students’ First Amendment rights unless there has been recent disruption that is racially motivated.
Ms.
Franklin said she disagrees with a law that says a policy cannot be instituted
to ban the confederate flag in schools until there is a racially motivated
disruption.
Dr.
Anderson told Board members that she would discuss the issue with
administrators and with the Diversity Forum and follow up with Tonya
Smith-Jackson.
Dr.
Anderson asked if the Board would like an item placed on the agenda to review
School Board policies related to issues such as discrimination, harassment,
Student Code of Conduct, etc. The Board
agreed that this would be a good idea.
Mrs.
North expressed her desire for an agenda item updating the Board on the
Governor’s School. Dr. Anderson said
she would put the item on the October 18 agenda. Ms. Franklin noted that she would like to hear student
perceptions of the program.
Agenda Preparation
October 4,
2005 Approve New Members to the Special
Education Advisory Committee
Closed Session
Mrs. North 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 10:15
p.m. for the purpose of discussion of the following specific matter:
Superintendent’s
Eval: 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 Mr. Jones, and the Board voted unanimously to
return to open session at 10:50 p.m.
Ms. Franklin
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: Penny J. Franklin Susan Morikawa
W.
Wat Hopkins Mary Hayne North
Richard
J. Johnson Tacy L. Newell, Chair
B.
Wendell Jones
_________________________ September
20, 2005
Clerk
of the Montgomery Date
County
School Board
Adjournment
The
meeting was adjourned at 10:51 p.m. on motion by Mrs. North, seconded by Ms.
Franklin, and passed unanimously.
School Board Chair Clerk of the School Board