Notes from the Board of Education Meeting, 8/9/11

The Board Meeting on Tuesday, August 9 will be re-broadcast on Comcast Channel 96, Verizon FIOS Channel 12 and is available via webstream at http://www.ccboe.com/ . 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 – 10:00 a.m.

Call to order – 11 a.m. - Pledge of Allegiance

Superintendent's update - Read Report

Delegate Peter Murphy - presented a General Assembly citation to Mr. Richmond recognizing him for receiving the 2011 Alan Shepard Award

Education Association of Charles County update - No report today

Student Board Member update

• 19 students attended Leadership Work Shop


• August 18th is first CCASC meeting

Oral update on preparations for opening of schools; student transfers

• Cunningham - administrative appointments; school preparation; programs happening prior to school; new teacher orientation; student transfers


• Wise - Large influx of new students we didn't expect
  


• Cunningham - student transfer information; see report;


• Dr. Patricia Vaira (Director Student Services) - Brief overview of process


• Abell - numbers are high, all schools are already over crowded & don't have openings so how can a transfer be awarded? High number of student transfers for employees.


• Vaira - medical and criminal aspects do exist


• Wise - concerned about transfers for programs; concerned about misuse


• Cunningham - Dr. Vaira has added fresh ideas to the whole process


• Taylor - annual approval?


• Vaira - you do not have to refile every year unless by principal request


• Abell - still concerned about the high number of students of employees, especially ones where parents work in different buildings; is this in the teacher contract?


• Hettel - no, it is not in their contract or guaranteed.


• Bowie - do these figures include Barnhart transfers regarding AYP


• Vaira - no, these figures are from 2010


• Pedersen - concern about consistency between the schools; supports employee student transfers to make family life more normal for our teachers but hopes staff understands that they will not always be approved.


• Cornette - presenting on fall sports season; all schools will hold a pre-season meeting; all athletic trainers will be certified by October 1 per legislation;


• Pedersen - team becoming ineligible because a student/player was ineligible due to residency; students practice on their own in school neighborhood communities; Are we liable


• Cunningham - working on having legal consequences for parents that falsify information


• Schwartz - Yes, we would be sued but it would be doubtful if we would lose. Coaches need to make sure that it is understood by players that practice is NOT approved.


• Student - Eligibility for sports if students transfer?


• Abell - they are ineligible for one full calendar year from the date of transfer.


• Bowie - In the handbook does it state GPA is a requirement.


• Cornette - yes; 2.0 but no more than one F


• Taylor - transfers in sports; does it apply for incoming freshmen?


• Cunningham - yes.

CIP Update - see report
Report item: State FY2013 CIP State and Local CIP Program - see report
College prep English; Study Island - see report (partnership with CSM)
Report item: new Office 2010 textbooks - see report
Oral update on staffing

• a number of possible employees have declined offers due to housing issues because the banks are withholding mortgages. Rentals are extremely higher. Apartments are not giving teacher discounts anymore.


• Schools should be completely staffed by opening of schools.


• Superintendent choosing to close the entire school system for the week between Christmas and New Year 2012.

New ethics policy - see report

Communications update - see report

Resolutions – American Education Week; American Freedom Week; African American History Month; Career and Technical Education Month; National School Counseling Week; Read Across America; Women's History Month; Fine and Performing Arts Month; Month of the Young Child; National Student Leadership Week; Teacher Appreciation Week; Administrative Professionals' Week; Child Nutrition Employee Appreciation Week; National Physical Education and Sport Week; Washington Post Distinguished Educational Leader; Charles County Teacher of the Year; Employees' Retirement; Washington Post Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award.

Unfinished business

• Wade - concerned about the number of athletes, mainly minorities, that are ineligible for sports due to academics.


• Wise - Report from Cornette forthcoming on how they are addressing this issue.


• Richmond - concerned with the STUDENTS in general, not just athletes and it is being discussed and it is a focal point for staff.

New business


Future agenda items


Public Forum – 3:30 p.m. - None

Action items

• Minutes

Motion to accept Executive Session Minutes from June by Abell; Second by Pedersen

Yes = Unanimous (Cook absent) No Vote = Lukas

• Minutes

Motion to accept Minutes from June by Pedersen; Second by Wade

Yes = Unanimous (Cook absent)

• Minutes

Motion to accept June Work Session Minutes by Abell; Second by Lukas

Yes = Unanimous (Cook absent)

• Personnel

Motion to accept Personnel by Pedersen; Second by Wade

Yes = Unanimous (Cook absent)

• Personnel

Motion to accept Personnel Termination by Pedersen; Second by Wade

Yes = Unanimous (Cook absent) Recused = Abell

• New policy #5118 Elementary and Secondary: gang activity

Motion to accept Policy by Pedersen; Second by Wade

Yes = Unanimous (Cook absent)

Adjournment