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 – 11 a.m.
Call to order – 1 p.m. - Pledge of Allegiance
Superintendent's update - see report
Correspondence/Board member updates
- Wise - Wade receiving MABE Willis award
- Abell - MABE Budget Committee; requesting one time fee adjustment of $1,000 - $5,000 based on size of school system to be voted on at conference.
Student Board Member update - see report
School Administration - Athletics update - baseline & impact testing; concussion reduction; parent meetings synonmous; handbook updated; athletic trainers at each high school; awards reports and same thing done at all schools (see report)
- Wise - soccer not considered an impact sport?
- Abell - soccer players are tested too even not classified.....yes
School Administration - Opening of schools - Leadership Institute this week; break out sessions; school visits;
State of evaluations - see report - ongoing process; subcommittee
CIP update - new high school; digital classroom; Mitchell renovations; Gale-Bailey kitchen; Hanson Nurses Suite;
FY 2015 CIP state and local CIP program - see report
Office of Instruction - Assessments - see report
Staffing udpate - 128 new hires, still need 9 special ed; 5 elementary; 16 high school; 21 resignations since July; needed special ed math, science, tech ed, library media; minority hiring has increased.
New website - see report; Launch August 19th
Recurring resolutions - American Education Week; American Freedom Week; African-American History Month; Gifted and Talented Education Month; Career and Technology 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; Washington Post Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award; Charles County Teacher of the Year; and Employees' Retirement
Unfinished business
- Cell phones - Current Rules in report; Abell requested a subcommittee to review this and BYOD for the next school year. Discussion and concern over "the end of the school day" and consistency across the schools.
- Board members pay/reimbursement - see report analysis of other counties; discussion; Pedersen supports increase; Wise should be comparable to surrounding counties; Abell ditto; Bowie and Lukas against.
Motion to raise board member salary to $7,000/$6,000, Chair/Members respectively and add a $1,000 scholarship for the student board member and leave the stipend as is by Cook; Second by Pedersen
FURTHER DISCUSSION
Amendment to Original Motion to Change stipend to $800 and add members serving on committees outside of the county are entitled upto $2,000 in expense reimbursements per year by Cook; Second by Pedersen
Yes=Abell, Cook, Pedersen, Wade, Wise; No=Bowie, Lukas
Vote on Original Motion
Yes=Abell, Cook, Pedersen, Wade, Wise; No=Bowie, Lukas
- Future School Renovations - Discuss a recent letter from David Lever, executive director of the Interagency Committee on School Construction, concerning future renovation of schools and take action on recommendations. Discussion on APFO subcommittee.
- Cook - College prep report
Public Forum – 6 p.m.
- None
Action Item - Personnel
Action Item - Advanced Placement (AP) Spanish textbooks
Adjournment