Notes from Board of Education Meeting, 4/9/2013

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

Call to order – 1 p.m. - Pledge of Allegiance, La Plata High School’s JROTC unit

Superintendent’s update - See report
Correspondence/Board Member updates

• Pedersen--Gwynn Center Ribbon Cutting, MESA, Senior Citizens Prom
• Bowie--Gwynn Center Ribbon Cutting, Thanks for patronizing the library, Westlake Student Recognition, Parent - Thank you for Principal Holstein at Barnhart, Parent - impressed with McDonough, Bus Driver - invite new Supt and Board Members to ride
• Abell--APFO Subcommittee Public Forum tomorrow night at Stone at 6:30, Gwynn Center Ribbon Cutting, C.C. Early Childhood Advisory Council
• Lukas--Senior Citizens Prom, History Fair, Science Fair, Dr. Mudd History Night, Regional Destination Imagination Night
• Wise--Lackey Career Fair, Stone / McDonough Military Ball

Education Association of Charles County update - see report

Student Board Member update - see report

Policy #6000 - Instruction - see report

Sadlier grammar workshop and SpringBoard reading and mathematics - see report

Library media program - see report

Legislative update -

• HB1168 - PASSED-Minority Teacher Recruitment Reporting
• HB667 - PASSED - Representation Fee $$
• HB207- PASSED-Chronically Absent Students
• HB331 - PASSED - Open Meeting Act Violations
• HB139 - PASSED - Open Meeting Act Trainings
• HB1107 - PASSED - PG adds members to BOE, direct appt of Supt by County Exec, etc.
• SB 740 - PASSED - College Ready Assessment
• HB 1161 - PASSED - Commission Special Education Improve Service
• HB 1286 - PASSED - Similar
• HB 860/SB 743 - PASSED - School Construction Baltimore City
• HB103/SB243 - PASSED - Solar Technology
• HB229/SB277 - PASSED - Net Taxable Income Bill
• SB143 - PASSED - Evaluations Emergency Management Plan
• HB453 - PASSED - Maryland Center for school Safety Resources -  Bowie State
• HB396/SB1092 - PASSED - Computer Harassment
• HB269 - DID NOT PASS - School Safety - Will provide $$ to school safety

Cell phone rule - See report

• Sorry, very passionate discussion from students and board members....I believe the final consensus was for it to come back next month after consulting with principals on after-school guidelines.

Action item

• Approval of new superintendent

Motion to appoint Kim Hill as the next Superintendent by Wade; Second by Pedersen

Yes=Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wade, Wise; No=Abell

• Abell- My vote is not a lack of confidence in Ms. Hill’s ability to perform the duties of Superintendent. On the contrary, we had three very highly qualified and capable candidates and while Ms. Hill was not my top choice, she is very qualified, capable, and will have my full support in leading and guiding Charles County Public Schools. My practice has always been to cast the same vote in public as I do in private so the public knows exactly where I stand and my position. I look forward to working with Mrs. Hill and moving Charles County Public Schools forward. 

• Approval of new superintendent contract

Motion to approve the new superintendent contract by Pedersen; Second by Wade

Yes=Abell, Bowie, Cook, Pedersen, Wade, Wise; No=Lukas

• Lukas - during these tight budetary times, I don't agree with some of the benefits afforded in the contract.

Redistricting proposals - See report

Unfinished business - none

New business - none

Future agenda items - none

Recognition – 4:30 p.m.

• Students - De'ja Brown, 5th grade, Academic Achievement, Indian Head Elementary School, Principal: Toni Melton-Trainor; Kiersten Walker, 5th grade, Personal Responsibility, Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy Elementary School, Principal: Kristen Shields; Aisac Accad, 8th grade, Career Readiness, Theodore G. Davis Middle School, Principal: Wendell Martin; Alyssa Kepner, 12th grade, Academic Achievement, Westlake High School, Principal: Chrystal Benson
• Employees - Shayna Pounds, fourth grade teacher, Indian Head; Lisa Sweeney, technology facilitator, Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy; Mildred Alexander-Moses, school counselor, Davis; Holly Dolan, resource, Westlake
• Resolutions:Teacher Appreciation Week - Accepting: Paige Baker, special education teacher, Dr. Thomas Higdon Elementary School; Administrative Professionals' Week - Accepting:      ;School Nutrition Employee Appreciation Week - Accepting: Crystal Sopher, Supervisor of Food Services; Michael Clarry, Food Service Field Operations Manager; National Physical Education and Sport Week - Accepting: Bradley Jones, physical education teacher, C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School; Diana Gyuras, physical education teacher, J.C. Parks Elementary School; and Chris Brown, physical education teacher, Matthew Henson Middle School

Public Forum – 6 p.m.

• Elridge Proctor - James & Jessica children in attendance; Davis MS, got to stay there during last year's redistricting.  Husband got deployed and never would have been able to do it otherwise.  Natural disasters and accidents and emergencies should be considered about distance from homes.  Consideration for Plan B.
• Lourdes Saigon - Also thanks for leaving him at Davis MS.  Wants to continue to stay there.  Plan B.
• Dawn Sutherland - Mother of 5.  Support Plan B.  Dismay in redistricting again.  Continued housing development.  Do not allocate any more school seats.

Action items

• Minutes

Motion to accept the minutes by Cook; Second by Pedersen

Yes=Abell, Bowie, Cook, Pedersen, Wade, Wise  Abstain=Lukas

• Personnel

Motion to accept personnel by Wade; Second by Pedersen

Yes=Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wade, Wise

• 2014-15 calendar

Motion to accept 2014-15 calendar by Pedersen; Second by Lukas

Yes=Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wade, Wise

• Revision of student transfer rule #5126

Motion to accept student transfer rule #5126 by Cook; Second by Pedersen

Yes=Abell, Bowie, Cook, Lukas, Pedersen, Wade, Wise