Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Notes from Board of Education Meeting, 2/12/13

The Board of Education Meeting on Tuesday, February 12 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 – 12 p.m. 

Call to order – 1 p.m. - Pledge of Allegiance, Westlake High School's JROTC unit

Superintendent's update - See Report

Correspondence/Board Member updates

  • Bowie - Governor visit at library story time. 4 year old that could recite all the presidents and told him HE was going to be president.
  • Bowie - Summer Reading List
  • Pedersen - North Point Student to Student Program - work with military families to become aclimated to new school environment
  • Lukas - County Chess Tournament; thanks to Mr. Cummings
  • Lukas - Stone recognition for principals honors
  • Wise - Annaplois to ask for $ for system
Education Association of Charles County update - See report

Student Board Member update - See report

CIP update - See report

Teacher Evaluation - See report; rejected by state with no explanantion; assume for state testing percentage.

SY 2014-2015 calendar - see proposed calendar
  • Abell - 3 week cluster from MLK holiday to mid February has several days off.  Need to reevaluate?
Revisions of student transfer rule - See suggested changes on report
  • Pedersen - suggests adding to student handbook
Homeless Population
  • currently increased to 796 from 618 last year and still rising
  • we're not unique in the numbers across the state
  •  unique in 9 year wait for Section 8; no transitional housing
  • we are providing everything we can to these students; confidentiality is at the highest
  • last year we had a $35,000 grant; this year we have a $33,000 grant to help cover all misc costs for these students.
  • Currently transporting 15 students from PG county (per law)
Legislative update
  • numerous bills being submitted on school safety that we would oppose based on unfunded mandated
  • also on Open Meetings Act with personal monetary violations to the perpetrator
  • Special Education claims...whomever brings the claim has the burden of proof...new bill shifts the burden of proof to the Board of Education in all cases SB691
  • Teacher Evaluations
  • Representation fee by teachers who chose not to join the union
  • March 5th, MABE Legislation Luncheon
Unfinished business
  • Bowie - EReader devices in the classrooms
  • Richmond - working on it
New business

Future agenda items
  • Abell - Review Cell Phone Policy
  • Lukas - regurgitated on the transfer policy
Recognition – 4:30 p.m.
  • Students:  Jackson Tross, 5th grade, Personal Responsibility, Berry Elementary School, Principal: Marvin Jones; Jacob Waddell, 5th grade, Career Readiness, Eva Turner Elementary School, Principal: Stephanie Nottingham; Conner Smith, 8th grade, Academic Achievement, Matthew Henson Middle School, Principal: Sonia Jones; Liam Vienneau, 8th grade, Academic Achievement, Piccowaxen Middle School, Principal: Kenneth Schroeck; John (Jake) Bayer, 12th grade, Academic Achievement, La Plata High School, Principal: Evelyn Arnold
  • Employees:  Lenora Green, special education teacher, Berry; Nicholas Adam, special education teacher, Turner; Caitlin Sinclair, mathematics teacher, Piccowaxen; Linda Adgate, job placement coordinator, La Plata; Lakeisha Webster, Stay Program instructional assistant, F.B. Gwynn Center, Principal: Thomas Weirich
  • Resolutions:  Read Across Charles County; Women's History Month; Fine and Performing Arts Month
Public Forum – 6 p.m.
  • John Hayes - resident of the county for 23 years; redistricting; Davis students went to Henson; now Hensen is 56 students over capacity;  commissioners just approved 156 homes in Henson zone.....gave more numbers just approved by commissioners via DRRA.
  • Roseman Diaz - redistricting.  Davis to Henson.  Amazing staff at Henson.  commissioners approved DRRA's today.  says BOE told government they have room
  • Robert Harlan - watched school board for the last 7 years.  Impressed with student board member Ms. Adeleke.  St. Charles High School, doing it for the students.  kids are asking for the pool but upset that the parents, homeowners, developers, business owners, etc aren't asking for a pool.
Action items
  • Minutes
Motion to accept the minutes by Cook; Second by Pedersen
Yes=Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wade, Wise;

Motion to accept the minutes January 8th by Cook; Second by Pedersen
Yes=Abell, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wade, Wise; Abstain=Bowie

  • Personnel
Motion to accept the personnel by Cook; Second by Wade
Yes=Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wade, Wise
  • Policy #3514 – green product cleaning supplies
Motion to accept the Policy #3514 by Lukas; Second by Wade
Yes=Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wade, Wise
 
BUDGET WORK SESSION

See report

Motion to accept the Budget as presented by Pedersen; Second by Lukas
Yes=Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wade, Wise

Friday, February 08, 2013

REMINDER: Board of Education Meeting, 2/12/13

The Board of Education's next monthly meeting is Tuesday, Feb. 12, at the Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building on Radio Station Road in La Plata. The public portion of the meeting begins at 1 p.m. and student and staff recognition starts at 4:30 p.m. The meeting is televised live on Comcast Channel 96 and Verizon FiOS Channel 12 and is rebroadcast throughout the week. The meeting is also streamed live on the Charles County Public Schools website. Visit http://www2.ccboe.com/boe/live/ to watch the meeting.

Executive session – 12 p.m.  Call to order – 1 p.m. - Pledge of Allegiance, Westlake High School's JROTC unit Superintendent's update Reports of officers/boards/committees

  • Presentation by Wells Fargo on the Classified Retirement Plan
  • Correspondence/Board Member updates
  • Education Association of Charles County update
  • Student Board Member update
  • CIP update
  • SY 2014-2015 calendar
  • Revisions of student transfer rule
  • Legislative update
Unfinished business

New business and future agenda items
  • New business
  • Future agenda items
Recognition – 4:30 p.m.
  • Students
  • Employees
  • Resolutions: Read Across Charles County; Women's History Month; and Fine and Performing Arts Month
Public Forum – 6 p.m.

Action items
  • Minutes
  • Personnel
  • Policy #3514 – green product cleaning supplies
Adjournment