September 2, 2008

 

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

          B. Wendell Jones, Chair           Penny J. Franklin

          Phyllis T. Albritton              W. Wat Hopkins

          Jamie M. Bond                    Joseph T. Ivers, Jr.

              

Staff Members Present

Tiffany Anderson, Superintendent

Daniel A. Berenato                Mark J. Pasier

Anita P. Johnston                 Walter L. Shannon

Katie Miano                       Laura Williams

    

Call to Order

Mr. Jones 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. Albritton, seconded by Mrs. Bond, the Board voted unanimously to adopt a revised agenda adding real estate matters to closed session.

 

Closed Session

Mrs. Albritton moved, seconded by Mrs. Bond, 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.

 

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

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

 

Dr. Hopkins moved, seconded by Mrs. Albritton, 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:     Phyllis T. Albritton         W. Wat Hopkins

              Jamie M. Bond                Joseph T. Ivers, Jr.

               Penny J. Franklin            B. Wendell Jones, Chair

                                   

 

     _________________________             September 2, 2008

     Clerk of the Montgomery                Date

     County School Board

Action

Mrs. Albritton moved, seconded by Dr. Hopkins, and the Board voted unanimously to grant a religious exemption from Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) for a student.

 

Dr. Hopkins moved, seconded by Ms. Franklin, and the Board voted unanimously to grant religious exemptions from MCPS for two students.

 

Ms. Franklin moved, seconded by Dr. Hopkins, and the Board voted unanimously to grant religious exemptions from MCPS for three students.

 

Mrs. Bond moved, seconded by Mrs. Albritton, and the Board voted unanimously to grant a religious exemption from MCPS for a student.

 

Mr. Ivers moved, seconded by Ms. Franklin, and the Board voted unanimously to grant a religious exemption from MCPS for a student.

 

Public Address

No one spoke during public address.

 

Item 09/08-141 Personnel Report: On motion by Mr. Ivers, seconded by Dr. Hopkins, the Board unanimously voted to approve the personnel report with an addendum.

 

The report is attached and made a part of these minutes as pages A1-A7.

 

Item 09/08-142 Payment of Bills: On motion by Mrs. Bond, seconded by Mrs. Albritton, the Board unanimously voted to approve the bills as presented. 

 

Operating Fund:

Utilities, 08/19/08,    Ck. Nos. 451414-451447,       $105,930.58

 

     Bills, 08/22/08,        Ck. Nos. 451448-451631,       $547,415.40

 

     Bills, 09/02/08,        Ck. Nos. 451632-451779,       $298,528.75

 

     Payroll, 08/29/08,      Ck. No.  45900,             $2,814,641.46

 

     Fixed Charges, 8/29/08, Ck. Nos. 45901-45928,         $215,405.22

 

     Payroll, 08/07/08, supp.     Ck. Nos. 45974-45980,           $4,740.76

 

Item 09/08-141 and 09/08-142

     Fixed Charges, 08/07/08,     Ck. No.  45981,                   $366.00

 

Payroll, 08/29/08,      Ck. Nos. 45982-45989,       $1,850,160.56

 

Fixed Charges, 08/29/08,     Ck. Nos. 45990-46020,         $352,182.61

 

Cafeteria:

     Bills, 08/29/08,        Ck. Nos. 2646-2658,            $10,104.82

 

Payroll, 08/29/08,      Ck. No. 5268,                  $92,488.75

 

Fixed Charges, 08/29/08,     Ck. Nos. 5269-5270,             $7,105.17

 

Payroll, 08/29/08,      Direct Deposit,                $21,213.82

 

Fixed Charges, 08/29/08,     Ck. Nos. 5279-5285,             $3,471.13

 

Item 09/08-143 Consent Items:  The following items were approved by general consent:

 

1.              Minutes: Minutes from the work session on June 17, 2008, the retreat on July 11-12, 2008, and the special session on July 22, 2008.

 

2.              Field Trips:

 

a.              Blacksburg High School (BHS) Future Farmers of America (FFA) students to travel to Indianapolis, Indiana, on October 21-25, 2008.  Students will travel via county car. Accommodations are to be provided by an FFA recommended hotel.  The cost per student is $250.

 

b.              The BHS football team to travel to Mitchell Stadium in Bluefield, West Virginia, on September 5, 2008. Students will travel via school bus.  No accommodations are needed. There is no cost to students.

 

c.              The forensics team at BHS to travel to Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, on September 25-28, 2008.  Students will travel via county car.  Accommodations are to be provided by a tournament recommended hotel.  The cost per student is $300.

 

 

Item 09/08-142 (Continued) and Item 09/08-143

d.              The Christiansburg High School (CHS) wrestling team to travel to the University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware, on December 19-21, 2008.  Students will travel via charter bus. Accommodations are to be provided by the Holiday Inn in Newark.  There is no cost to students.

 

e.              The CHS wrestling team to travel to Walsh Jesuit High School in Akron, Ohio, on December 4-7, 2008.  Students will travel via charter bus.  Accommodations are to be provided by the Days Inn in Hudson, Ohio.  There is no cost to students.

 

f.              The CHS wrestling team to travel to Rochester, Minnesota, on December 31, 2008 to January 4, 2009.  Students will travel via charter bus.  Accommodations are to be provided by the Holiday Inn in Rochester.  There is no cost to students.

 

g.              The CHS cross-country team to travel to Orlando, Florida, on October 10-13, 2008.  Students will travel via school bus and other vehicles.  Accommodations are to be provided by the Howard Johnson – Maingate Resort. The cost per student is $250.

 

h.              The CHS cross-country team to travel to Bristol, Tennessee, on September 27, 2008.  Students will travel via school bus. No accommodations are needed.  There is no cost to students.

 

i.              The BHS DECA club to travel to Anaheim, California, on April 28, 2009 to May 2, 2009.  Students will travel via airplane. Accommodations are to be provided by a state recommended hotel.  The cost per student is $1,000.

 

j.              The BHS forensics team to travel to Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on September 12-14, 2008.  Students will travel via school bus.  Accommodations are to be provided by a tournament recommended hotel. The cost per student is $120.

 

k.              FFA students at CHS to travel to Springfield, Massachusetts, on September 11-14, 2008.  Students will travel via charter bus.  Accommodations are to be provided by an FFA recommended hotel.  The cost per student is $150.

 

l.              The CHS football team to travel to Bluefield, West Virginia, on August 8, 2008.  Students will travel via school bus.  No accommodations are needed.  There is no cost to students.

Item 09/08-143 (Continued)

m.              The CHS girl’s basketball team to travel to Bluefield, Virginia/West Virginia, on December 2, 2008.  Students will travel via school bus.  No accommodations are needed.  There is no cost to students.

 

3.              Grant:

Ember Lights up Learning at Christiansburg Elementary School: A grant to enhance the fourth grader’s understanding of electricity through the use of the book, The City of Ember. 

 

Superintendent’s Reports, Recommendations, Announcements:

Item 09/08-144 Project Graduation Academic Year 2008-2009 Academy Grant Proposal (Action): Ms. Franklin moved, seconded by Mrs. Albritton, and the Board voted unanimously to approve the Project Graduation Academic Year 2008-2009 Academy Grant Proposal.

 

Item 09/08-145 Policy 1-1.5, Mission, Vision, and Focus Areas and Goals (First Reading): Board members suggested slight revisions to Policy 1-1.5.  The policy will be placed on the next agenda for a second reading.

 

Item 09/08-146 Affirming Virginia Retirement System (VRS) Resolutions (Action): Ms. Franklin moved, seconded by Mr. Ivers, and the Board voted unanimously to affirm the VRS resolutions as presented.

 

The resolutions are attached and made a part of these minutes as pages B1-B8.

 

Item 09/08-147 Staffing Update (Information): Mark Pasier, Director of Human Resources, provided the Board with an update on the staffing process and open positions.  Mr. Pasier noted that 99.9 percent of certified staff in MCPS are “Highly Qualified” according to the Virginia Department of Education.

 

Item 09/08-148 Announcements/Calendar for September (Information): Dr. Anderson made no announcements.

 

 

 

 

Item 09/08-143 (Continued) and Items 09/08-144-148

 

 

Unfinished Business by School Board Members

Mrs. Albritton said she would like to discuss the timetable for moving forward with building Price’s Fork Elementary School (PFES) or another project on the list. 

Ms. Franklin stated that she has been saying for months that the Board needs to move forward on other capital projects if land is unavailable for PFES.

 

Mr. Jones asked for a report on construction projects.

 

Mr. Jones told Board members that the joint meeting with the Board of Supervisors would take place on September 9, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. at Eastern Montgomery High School.  He said the purchase of land and the status of Old Blacksburg Middle School (OBMS) would be discussed.

 

Mrs. Albritton said she wants to make sure that old BMS will not be needed for students before it’s donated to the county.

 

Dr. Hopkins stated that he is not ready to vote to surplus the property until land is obtained for PFES.

 

Mrs. Albritton said she enjoyed the presentation on alternative education but would like a presentation on middle college as well.  After much discussion, the Board agreed to place this item on a future agenda.

 

Announcements/Information

Mrs. Albritton announced that she is excited about the bullying prevention program in MCPS.

 

Mrs. Albritton asked if the School Board is going to need to discuss state budget cuts.  Mr. Shannon responded that he doesn’t know the level of cuts yet, but the administration has been discussing possible cuts already.

 

Agenda Preparation

September 9, 2008  Joint Meeting with the Board of Supervisors – 6:00 p.m. at EMHS

 

September 16, 2008 Recognition of Dianne Lacy, Health and Medical Sciences Teacher of the Year

                   Policy 1-1.5 (Second Reading)

                   10th Day Enrollment

                   Enrollment Projections

 

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 8:31 p.m. on motion by Ms. Franklin, seconded by Mrs. Albritton, and passed unanimously.

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                 

     School Board Chair                Clerk of the School Board