NOTES: Board Meeting, 11/18/08

The Board Meeting Tuesday, October 14th will be re-broadcast on Channel 96 on Wednesdays at 6 p.m.; Fridays at 9 a.m.; and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. . To view the full agenda and the various reports, please visit BoardDocs.

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 transparent. Although I have diligently tried to make these notes as unbiased and accurate as possible, I am only human and do make mistakes.

Executive session - 12 p.m. (Closed to the public)

Call to order - 1 p.m.

• Pledge of Allegiance, Thomas Stone High School's JROTC unit

REPORT - Superintendent's Update to the Board

• All high schools have met AYP & the system at every level
• Bridge Plan woking well
• Transfers into our system in senior year remains a problem
• North Point graduation ceremony to take place at the school per the principal. She believes it can be accomodated. (I believe this to be a mistake) All others will remain at Show Place Arena for this year. Roads will be an issue because the county has not completed them.
• Working with CISCO for telepresence
• JROTC Military Ball 6-11 p.m. on 12/5. at North Point, formal

REPORT - Board Member Updates

• Pedersen - MABE draft legislative positions
• Carrington - Barnhart for Freedom day; construction going well
• Wise - Jenifer Elem DARE graduation last year; Mudds was yesterday
• Pedersen - Middleton's Freedon Day event impressed her
• Carrington - Mt Hope Nanjemoy senior luncheon outstanding

REPORT - Education Association of Charles County Update

• Met with commissioners about funding
• Retained independent financial analyst to review county budget
• Still waiting for response to the 11/5 questions submitted via email
• legislative packet; labor relations board - supports; asks for us to delay position

REPORT - Student Board Member Update (no link available)

• Students from Thomas Stone HS and La Plata HS attended the MASC High School Leadership Conference South River High School on Saturday -Students attended workshops on diversity, public speaking, ethical decision making, student advocacy, and environmental affairs
• November 7 meeting for Safe driving successful. Viewed Alive@25 presentation and Sheriff Coffey spoke
• Requested 10 minutes at December Board meeting for presentation

REPORT - Deputy Superintendent Update - Personal Responsibility; Student Behavior

• See Report

REPORT - Supporting Service Update - CIP update ; Enrollment Analysis

• Barnhart on target; completion expected early
• Gale-Bailey and TC Martin - state has approved contract award
• Effective 12/1/08 - Scotland Heights Div. will be assigned to a middle school by Superintendent for the Spring semester until redistricting can be completed for the 09/10 school year
• Town Center South middle school will be assigned
• CCPS will seek approval for leftover funds from all day kindergarten projects to secure and install 8 relocateables at North Point and Davis
• Redistricting committee to be formed for 09 fall enrollment for the areas
• Bailey - asked for additional information to be provided in update
• Pedersen - absolute number of students North Point can hold
• Wineland - doesn't want to answer and set a limit because building is very versatile
• Pedersen - exhausting current energy supply; how would we produce more
• Wineland - purchase transformer from SMECO
• Pedersen - Referred to Policy 1700; do we adhere
• Wineland - yes

REPORT - Human Resources Update - Teacher Recruitment

• See power point
• Hired 110 new experienced teachers; 117 new graduates (38 from U of MD)(15 from Towson)
• Lots of statistics; very informative; highgy recommend viewing this document

REPORT - Instruction Update - Health Curriculum Report; Curriculum

• See report
• Abell - on committee; want to remind board members that this is a high school curriculum and is an opt-in only. Students must have parents signture. Teachers must be comfortable speaking and presenting the sex education portion. They are not forced to teach if they are not.
• One board member proposed changes. Consensus of board to accept those changes (link not available yet)

REPORT - Finance Update - Food Services Update; Presentation

• See report - lots of statistics and information
• Pedersen - crowded schools; more lunch shifts; part-time employees - how are we dealing
• Staff - case by case basis
• Abell - do certain schools prepare food and transport to others for warming before serving or do ALL schools prepare their own food
• Staff - ALL schools prepare their own food
• Abell - Discrepancies on food options from school to school. We need to ensure that students are aware of side dishes that are already included in the price of the meal. Not all know they are available without additional charges.
• Cook - Whats on the menu is not always what is actually served; nugget and fries days - lines are too long 2 get lunch
• Pedersen - People losing jobs - can families enroll in free/reduced lunch mid year
• Staff - Yes

REPORT - Legal Update - Legislative Issues

• Abell - Seat belts on school buses and labor relations - consider removing Opposition opinion on these until further information
• Schwartz - seat belts do not mean safer
• Pedersen - labor board too expensive for state at this time
• Pedersen - not sure if she supports or opposes
• Abell - exactly why we shouldn't oppose; Ms. Pedersen stated she was undecided
• Wise - doesn't think this is a productive measure and supports the opposition

Motion to accept positions on legislative matters by Wise
Second by Pedersen
Yes - Bailey, Carrington, Cook, Pedersen, Wade, Wise
No - Abell

REPORT - Communications Update - School Locator

• Abell - great; thank you
• Pedersen - new subdivisions added
• Staff - added and updated at midnight

UNFINISHED BUSINESS -

• Wade - Student Recognition in clusters per semester as opposed to quarterly
• Wise - Time to try something new due to poor attendance
• Consensus is yes

NEW BUSINESS -

• Richmond - porposal on school calendar change for inauguration day; 20th off for students; liberal leave for teachers; 23rd would be a regular school day

FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS -

• Abell - Alternative schedules requested report and analysis that Mr. Cunningham referred to at the December 07 board meeting. This item was brought up Jan 07, Dec 07, July 08 requested via email by a member of the public; 8/08 requested via email by Pedersen; 10/08 requested via email by a member of the public; and now I'm requesting.

RECOGNITION - 4:30 p.m. - November Recognitions

PUBLIC FORUM - 6 p.m. (Rules)

• None

ACTION - Minutes October 14, 2008; Motions October 14; Minutes October 27, 2008; Minutes November 10, 2008

Motion to accept minutes by Wise
Second by Pedersen
Yes - All

ACTION - Personnel

Motion to accept Personnel by Bailey
Second by Wise
Yes - All

ACTION - Parental Involvement Policy Title 1 Part 1; Part 2

Motion to accept by Wise
Second by Pedersen
Yes - All