Notes from Board of Education Meeting, 6/9/15

The Board of Education Meeting on Tuesday, May 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, St. Charles High School

Swearing-in of new Student Board member - Welcome Pearson Benson

Recognition of high school athletes

Superintendent’s update - superintendent's report 6-9-15.pdf (2).pdf (24 KB)

Correspondence/Board Member updates

• Kelly - attended MABE training; Art exhibit; K field trip to the zoo; 5th grade field trip to Richmond Science Center; Parents Matter dinner - we should recognize at the BOE; Move from STEM to STEAM
• Crawford - Praise on graduation to planning; wore stars and stripes tie in honor of Flag Day
• Palko - NPHS Academy of Nursing pinning ceremony; LaPlata Art Exhibit
• Abell - Attended Adult Independence Program Graduation, kudos to staff and students; Alternative Education Committee held its last meeting and should be presenting to the board shortly; FIMR Committee requesting another staff person to replace Molly Johnson who retired; Graduations - kudos to staff,  CCSO, SHA, county government, NP Culinary Academy and of course all the students.  Received numerous email and FB messages regarding the inability to hear their child's name called.  Discuss in more detail under Ms. Lawson's presentation.
• Marshall - Well orchestrated graduation.  Thank you to Ms. Delacruz who hosted the CCSO and SHA at Diggs during graduations.

Education Association of Charles County update

Student Board Member update - Pearson Benson SMOB report for June 9th.pdf (28 KB)

Graduations 2015 - TurnstileCountsFor2015Graduation.pdf (48 KB)

• Ms. Lawson ensured the board that a task force will be formed to address strategies regarding the crowds at graduations and the inability of parents to hear their child's name called.  Students, parents, administrators will brainstorm and provide recommendations for next year's graduations.

CIP update - CIP Update_ June 9 2015.pdf (330 KB)

• Martin - site improvement; enlarge parking, lighting
• Brown - rooftop units, boiler and new ceiling
• Gwynn Center - boiler and roof replacement
• Gaile-Bailey - Sanitary improvements; sewer; design roof replacement; improve parking, lighting
• Matula - Kindergarten addition; august 2016 occupancy
• Jenifer - Kindergarten addition; august 2016 occupancy
• Elementary school #2 - site acquisition on Billingsley Road approved by state
• Mudd - planning and design for renovations
• Parks - connect to public waterline

Partnership between CCPS and the College of Southern Maryland - Instruction - CCPS_CSM_JuneBoard Presentation 5 9 15.pdf (221 KB)

Legislative update

Unfinished business

• Kelly - Board correspondence regarding emergency situations at schools; on work session
• Palko - Video of PT305 update
• Hill/Abell - Staff/parent/board committee to discuss assessments, curriculum, testing.  Parent meeting will happen during PAC on October 27th at 7.  staff committee will be convened.

New business

• April 2016 Board Meeting - needs to be moved because it is during the national conference.  Consensus was to move it to the following week.  Tuesday, April 19th.

Recognition – 4:30 p.m.

• Resolutions: Maryland/Charles County Teacher of the Year, Sarah Desrosiers, Life Skills teacher, Theodore G. Davis Middle School; Washington Post Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award, Gene Hopkins Jr., social studies teacher, Milton M. Somers Middle School
• Outstanding Vice Principal of the Year – Louis D’Ambrosio, William A. Diggs Elementary School
• Outstanding Support Staff – Victor Woodland, building service manager, Theodore G. Davis Middle School; Madonna Gaume, technology facilitator, C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School; Eric McElhenny, electronic technician, CCPS Radio Station Road Annex; Bijon Trice, secretary to the principal, John Hanson Middle School; Nghia Dang, computer analyst, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building; and Renee Ward, head of accounts payable, Starkey Building.

Public Forum – 6 p.m.

• Keith McGrit - bus driver from Compton Bus
• Kathy Lancaster - bus drivers and attendants not happy with salaries; don't get paid for days missed, holidays, overtime, etc.  No unemployment benefits during the summer.  no health insurance because contractor didn't pay the insurance premium.  do not have adequate retirement plans.
• David Beach - bus driver, graduation ceremonies students praised teachers and staff but not bus drivers.  we are only recognized when something goes wrong.
• Casey Hochum - St. Charles High School parent; fights occur daily, scared to go to school, Spanish class out of control, principal denied problem of fights, staff confirmed.  Teachers have stated the class is out of control.  teachers and students scared to go to school. students are disrespectful, rude.  No control or consequences...teachers quitting, students want to be homeschooled.
• Teresa Ward - parent at St. Charles, son is scared to go to school; poorly ran, changing classes, lunch taken away one week and given back the next week, no consistency, teachers and students both feel this year has been a waste.  Child is a guinea pig and ripped from one school to another.  Students uncontrollable and cant learn in class because kids are disruptive.  don't feel welcome, wants to be homeschooled.  time for change.  asked the school about home schooling.  asked to walk the halls with administrative central office staff and they never called back for an appointment.

Action items

• Minutes

Motion to approve the Minutes by Abell; Second by Marshall

Yes = Abell, Crawford, Kelly, Lukas, Marshall, McGraw, Palko

• Personnel

Motion to approve Personnel by Abell; Second by Lukas

Yes = Abell, Crawford, Kelly, Lukas, Marshall, McGraw, Palko

• Educational Facilities Master Plan

Motion to approve the Educational Facilities Master Plan by Kelly; Second by Abell

Yes = Abell, Crawford, Kelly, Lukas, Marshall, McGraw, Palko

• 2016-17 Calendar

Motion to approve the 2016-17 Calendar by Abell; Second by Kelly

Yes = Abell, Crawford, Kelly, Lukas, Marshall, McGraw, Palko

Adjournment