Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Notes from Board Meeting, 12/12/06

The below notes are my personal notes and are not intended to be all-inclusive or official minutes for the Board of Education meetings and are provided as a request from my supporters and the general public in a personal effort to be more transparet. Although I have diligently tried to make these notes as unbiased and accurate as possible, I am only human and do make mistakes. Please follow-up for official minutes upon approval. For copies of printed reports presented visit http://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/ccpsmd/Board.nsf/Public?OpenFrameSet

Public Forum

  1. Gentleman spoke in support of Margaret Young. Thanked her for her dedication and voice for the children of Charles County. Presented her with flowers. Encouraged the incoming board to televise board meetings and make attendance at board meetings more inviting to the public. Last meeting he attended he felt intimidated.

Action - Approval of Minutes from 11/14/06

  • Young - requested numerous missing items and conversations to be included in the minutes. Currently could not locate her notes.
  • Abell - stated missing items. Conversations regarding color-coded badges, GED rate comparison among counties, food services and nutrition budget, new high school vision committee, NAEP test results, and missing votes on the summary table of votes.

*Vote on amending the minutes
Yes=Abell, Young; No=Coggins, Crawford, Marshall, Wade; Bailey=no vote
FAILED

*Vote to approve minutes
Yes= Coggins, Crawford, Marshall, Wade; No=Young; Abstain=Abell; Bailey=no vote
PASSED

*Vote to unapproved the October Meeting minutes
Yes=Abell; Crawford; Coggins; Wade; Young; Bailey=no vote
PASSED


*Vote to correct vote count to go into Executive Session (Young actually abstained)
Yes= Abell; Bailey; Crawford; Coggins; Wade; Young;
PASSED


*Vote to approve October Meeting Minutes
Yes= Abell; Bailey; Crawford; Coggins; Wade; Young;
PASSED


Correspondence/Board Member Updates

  • Wade - spoke about the It’s Academic competition. Very professional and well attended.
  • Crawford - relayed his appreciation for serving on the board. Read Psalm 100.
  • Abell - attended the state football game, even though McDonough lost they played a good game and we should be proud of our athletes.
  • Coggins - relayed his thanks for the opportunity to serve on the board.
  • Young encouraged new board to meet soon regarding vision and goals because budget will be coming before them soon.
  • Young - request from last month regarding violent offenders. Staff response was that names could not be released. Young clarified that was not the request.
  • Young - request from last month regarding 10-digit number. Young felt staff response did not answer her question.

Report – EACC

  • Bill Fisher spoke about class sizes and encouraged board members to visit http://www.national-class-size-database.org/; over testing and teaching to the test and stress placed on teachers; CCPS is outstanding on closing achievement gap and teachers need to know about how children can learn a second language; discipline issues and guidelines and the need for administrative and board support; surveys completed by teachers regarding workload and priorities for negotiations. over testing and teaching to the test and stress placed on teachers; CCPS is outstanding on closing achievement gap and teachers need to know about how children can learn a second language; discipline issues and guidelines and the need for administrative and board support; surveys completed by teachers regarding workload and priorities for negotiations.
  • Meg MacDonald spoke of the discipline issues and teachers being assaulted by students; need to have students removed and changes filed w/sheriff’s office; board policy is to remove the student and they thank us; problem is getting worse and students need to be removed immediately and additional policies needed for special education students.
  • Young – in a perfect world, what would you do to correct the testing issues
  • Fisher – curriculum is suffering due to preparation for numerous tests. Limits need to be set. Don’t know perfect amount. Possibly have report card grades included as part of AYP.
Report - Student Board Member
  • Andrew VanWorkem – At the CCASC meeting students discussed curriculum and instruction in schools; testing is becoming the curriculum; students required to retake course if test is not passed; Mr. Kregar is fabulous for increasing scores on SAT/ACT; students suggest class or seminar is a waste of time and teachers are not effectively teaching; Richmond told Student Advisory Council he would like to implement IB courses and compare to AP.
Report – Superintendent
  • Richmond –McDonough won It’s Academic; met with Dr. Richard Nadolink, Director of Energetics Technology Center and discussed plans to build an ETC in Bryans Road and ETC to give two county scholarships; Student Advisory Council Meeting; Richmond and Marshall attended state football game at Raven stadium and helped present awards.
  • Young – noticed Richmond meeting with business on increasing math and technology curriculum. Has he considered and will he be meeting with professionals regarding the performing and fine arts?
  • Richmond – Always; the arts are very near and dear to his heart.

Report - Deputy Superintendent

  • None

Report - CIP

  • Davis MS – all roof work complete; windows being installed; interior work to be completed throughout winter
  • North Point – baseball field reseeding; underground sprinkler system; waiting on pump station
  • Gale-Bailey – boiler replacement almost complete
  • Smallwood - boiler replacement ongoing January completion
  • Requested $27M from state, IAC recommendations only received $6.5M
  • $161,000 transfer request from Commissioners to cover field conditions
  • Young – Was this an intercategory transfer?
  • Wineland – No. It combined three line items.
  • Young – No notes on the CIP meeting with commissioners that took place following the legislative breakfast on 11/27/06.
  • Wineland – Staff was just there to answer any questions from commissioners
  • Wade – congratulated staff for their professionalism and having the best interest of the school district.

Report – Budget

  • Balides – Food Services is being monitored closely; general funds in good shape
Report - Curriculum Update - Adult Education
  • Estep – JROTC started in county in 1993; Army at Stone and McDonough; Navy at LaPlata and Westlake; Air Force at North Point and Lackey; $645,000 for 12 instructors’ salaries and benefits; students and recent graduates spoke highly and fondly of the program.
  • Young – Upon visiting schools the JROTC classroom students are always very respectful, disciplined and focused. Have we considered offering a similar program at Middle School
  • Peggy Stafford – JROTC groups have done demonstrations for local elementary schools and recruit at middle schools
  • Wade – Great job to staff and cadets

Action - Personnel

* Vote to accept staff recommendations
Yes=Abell, Coggins, Crawford, Marshall, Young, Wade; No=None; Bailey=no vote

PASSED

Action – Naming of Elementary School
  • Coggins – motions for Mary Burgess Neal
  • Abell – Neal is very deserving of having a school named after her but she is not related to this school or this part of the county in any way. Mary Keech Edelen was a teacher in that area before. Personal opinion is the board needs to consider not naming schools after individuals.
  • Young – agreed with Abell on Neal and Keech but disareed about schools being named after individuals
*Vote to name school Mary Burgess Neal Elementary
Yes=Bailey, Coggins, Crawford, Wade; No=Marshall; Abstain=Abell, Young;

PASSED

Board Farewell
  • Bailey – speech and presentation of gifts

Unfinished Business

  • Young – Request for a sample Physical Education Report Card
  • Young – update on the committee for the new high school vision
  • Young – NAEP test results; Cunningham clarified these were sent in an update
  • Young – update on the status of the Lackey Drama department

New Business

  • Wineland - Pinefield Site Elementary School #3 to obtain state approval; IAC needs assurance that site approval in process; borderline wetlands issue briefed in hopes of a favorable decision by Maryland Department of Environment.

*Vote to move forward
Yes=Abell, Crawford, Coggins, Marshall, Wade, Young; Bailey=no vote

PASSED

Future Agenda Items

  • Young – according to the communication goal the board is to meet with the Economic Development Commission and Chamber of Commerce
  • New board should set a meeting to determine goals and objectives for the coming year

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Let me start by saying...I am a teacher in the system and unable to attend the meetings due to their timing. I would like to personally thank you for posting your notes. It's so refreshing to read a complete and unbiased rendention that's not "iced" over and shoved down our throats. Please keep posting and DON'T shut down your site.

Anonymous said...

3291Asiber here! Blogspot accepts my sign-in, but your site will not. Could it be someone is blocking transmissions?

The November Minutes still aren’t posted under Board Docs.

What is beyond my comprehension is why the male members of this elected Board opposed amending the Minutes to more accurately reflect the public session.

“A public body, through the approval process, must accept responsibility for the contents of its minutes.” Compliance Board Opinion 03-10

I expect the elected Board to ensure those minutes are accurate and topically complete. All taxpayers and parents have a reasonable expectation of that. It is not a transcript we’re looking for – they are minutes, and should contain a summary of the discussion. Not only that – those minutes are official records! What possible justification could these men have for voting against a motion to amend? Did any of them voice a reason for opposition?

Anonymous said...

3291Asiber

It’s aggravating to find questions raised at Board sessions that seem to simply disappear into the mists. Totally ignored. Violent offenders? [The staff’s response, if accurate, is galling…they know very well that Mrs. Young did not request names!] 10-digit identifying numbers? NAEP results were “sent in an update.” [Where might they be posted for the public?] New high school vision committee? Lackey Drama classroom/dressing room issue?

In addition, there seems to be a huge omission in your notes, Mrs. Abell. No mention whatsoever of the complaint filed by Mrs. Young with the Open Meetings Compliance Board? Has the BoE received nothing from the Compliance Board? No copy of the complaint, or request for response?

LegalBeaglette said...

We'll see if this works. It appears the beta conversion on your site requires re-registration for a Google account.

LegalBeaglette said...

Your notes mention that Mrs. Young asked Mr. Richmond whether he has “considered and will be meeting with professionals regarding the performing and fine arts.”

I do hope his response was more elaborative. He readily ticks off names like NASA and Heidelberg USA...what organizations might he be looking to for the arts?

Anonymous said...

I thought I'd feel a lot better after elections, but I'm already getting that frustrated feeling again.

How could anybody object to you putting up your notes?

It's so helpful! That's ALL it is is HELPFUL!

Anonymous said...

Although Mark Crawford asked for clarification on the amendment, the only person that rendered a comment on correcting the minutes was Turner Coggins. It was more a question than a comment. He asked if the minutes were intended to be a summary or a transcript. The remaining members were mute.

In my opinion, a summary should summarize ALL of the TOPICS discussed. Picking and choosing topics to include is not acceptable.

To the person who questioned the exact names of fine and performing arts people and businesses Mr. Richmond is networking with..... well, did you honestly think he would mention any specifics? However, he did "assure" us that the fine and perfoming arts are "near and dear to [his] heart." The proof will be in the pudding (or should I say the new high school).

Anonymous said...

Margaret - I totally agree that topics shouldn't be selective.

Who would be the one deciding what topics stay and which go?

See - the whole thing is bad. I say, just publish the daggone minutes - all topics (and note WHAT the subject/topics are by name, not just some number). Just televise the sessions. Just make the info available, I say.

I really don't understand what is so difficult about it and WHY somebody would object to the public having information they are ENTITLED TO!

LegalBeaglette said...

Minutes for the November meeting were posted yesterday -- 12/20/06 -- eight days after they were approved.

They're still a month old...but eight days is an improvement, and (WHOO HOO!) they're not marked DRAFT again this month. Progress, progress...Applause, everyone!

:)