January 12, 2010 Board Meeting
Synopsis
SYNOPSIS
REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF
BLAINE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 61
TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2010 - 6:30 P.M.
DISTRICT OFFICE
Action was taken to convene to
closed Executive Session pursuant to Idaho Code §67-2345(1)(b)
to conduct a formal Expulsion Hearing for a Blaine County School
District student and for the discussion of personnel.
I. Closed
Executive Session
The Board of Trustees conducted a
formal Expulsion Hearing for Student No. 2009-10:2.
After hearing testimony from
school administration, the student, and the student’s family,
action was taken to convene to Regular Open Session.
II. Convene to
Open Session
Action was taken to expel Student
No. 2009-10:2 for one calendar year with the ability to
re-enroll at the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year under
certain conditions.
REGULAR JANUARY
BOARD MEETING
III. Call to Order and
Welcome
Chairman Julie Dahlgren called
the Regular meeting to order at 6:35 p.m. and welcomed everyone
in attendance.
Present were Board Chairman Julie
Dahlgren and Board Members Dan Parke, Steve Guthrie and Paul
Bates. Also in attendance were Dr. Lonnie Barber,
Superintendent of Schools, Mike Chatterton, School District
Treasurer, and Laurie Kaufman, Board Clerk.
IV. Pledge of Allegiance
Woodside Elementary School
student Monica Carrillo led the audience in the Pledge of
Allegiance.
V. Accolades
a. Norma Yager –
Bellevue Elementary School Librarian
Angie Martinez, Bellevue
Elementary School Principal, sent the following letter regarding
Norma Yager, Bellevue Elementary School Librarian.
Dear Dr. Barber and the Board of
Trustees for Blaine County School District,
This accolade is written in honor
of Norma Yager, Bellevue Elementary School Librarian, for
establishing Bear Hugs, a special holiday project that shares
the gift of giving with our neighbors. Norma started the program
last year as a way for our school to give back to our community.
Our students bring in bear donations or raise money for the
purchase of stuffed bears. Pretty bows and name tags are put on
the bears. Some names from this year’s group of 66 donated
bears were Hope, Merry, and Cuddles. In keeping with our school
vision, Bellevue Elementary is a thoughtful place, our students
then donate these bears to Wood River Fire and Rescue and our
Bellevue Marshall’s office.
Representatives from Wood River
Fire and Rescue and Bellevue Marshall, Brian Carpita, are
invited to our special Bear Hugs assembly where the students
present them with the bears. The law enforcement and fire and
rescue teams keep our bears in their emergency vehicles to have
available to give Bear Hugs to emergency victims in their time
of need. When they respond to emergencies, they are able to
calm and comfort the victims by giving them one of our bears to
hug.
I thank Mrs. Yager for helping
Bellevue Elementary School be our BEST. It is our proclamation
to always be beary good neighbors, and Norma has helped to
cultivate our school spirit the last two years during the
holiday season through this special community service project.
Her heartfelt leadership serves us well and is much
appreciated!
Sincerely,
Angie Martinez
b. Joni Cashman
– Woodside Elementary Art Teacher
Woodside Elementary art teacher
Joni Cashman is well known for her exuberant teaching manner and
for the rapport she creates with her students. Back in the
fall, she and her students created a giant multi-sequined fish
which presided over Dr. Lewis’ “Gone Fishing” retirement party.
This past month, Ms. Cashman’s students participated in ‘Company
of Fools’ poster design contest for their holiday production of
the play “Frog and Toad”. Not only was the art work of one of
Ms. Cashman’s students chosen as the winning poster design for
the play, but her students also garnered 2nd, 3rd, and honorable
mention awards, as well as figuring among 9 of the 18 runner-up
awards.
The success of Ms. Cashman’s
students in the poster contest is testament to her success as an
art teacher. We’re grateful for her work.
Please click here to view a photo of all the winning students including Monica Carrillo, winner of
the ‘Company of Fools’ poster design contest.
Joni Cashman presented Monica
with a gift from ‘Company of Fools’ -- a framed, poster-size
reproduction of her prize winning artwork!
c. Max Stimac,
Choir and Strings Music Teacher and Jim Watkinson, Music
Accompanist – Wood River High School and Wood River Middle
School
It’s not often that a patron
takes the time to write separate notes to the High School and
Middle School Principals to acknowledge the same teachers!
Karen Robideaux did just that. I’m going to read both of her
letters because they are short; -- but they are also packed with
adulation for our District’s secondary school music teachers.
Ms. Robideaux writes:
Dear Mr. Blackman,
My husband and I are still
discussing the amazing Christmas program we attended last
night. Mr. Max Stimac and Jim Watkinson are truly rare. I can
assure you that we have attended a zillion school programs and
this is the first one we didn’t want to end.
I am sure I speak for many in
saying how much we appreciate the efforts, talent, excitement
and love that was shown to our students and parents and
grandparents who were fortunate to attend the Christmas program.
Thank you,
Karen Robideaux
Dear Mr. Peters,
The performance last night needs
special recognition. I have sat through many school programs
but the efforts of Max Stimac and Jim Watkinson are award
winning.
Districts all over the country
would be envious of the talents, dedication and love that these
men show to their students.
Yours truly,
Karen Robideaux
VI. School Presentation
a. Woodside
Elementary School’s ‘No Excuse University’ Program – Principal
Brad Henson, Paraprofessional Crystal Peck, Social Worker Jane
Goodson
Please click here to view
Woodside’s ‘No Excuse University’ presentation.
VII. Consent Agenda
a. Consideration
of Minutes
Regular Meeting of December 8,
2009
b. Acceptance of
Monthly Financial Report – Payment of Bills
Please click here to view the
December 2009 Financial Reports.
c. Approval of
Requests for Up to Twelve-Week Family Leave
Desna Smith, Bellevue Elementary
School – Preschool Teacher
Brian Smith, Alternate Settings
Center – Special Education Teacher
Jodi Palmer, Bellevue Elementary
School – Paraprofessional
Amy Sauvageau, Woodside
Elementary School – 1st Grade Teacher
Mark Sauvageau, Hailey Elementary
School – 5th Grade Teacher
d. Approval of
Social Worker Internship for Julianne Fischman Under the
Direction of Tod Gunter, Wood River Middle School
e. Approval of
Principal Internship for Merrilee Sears Under the Direction of
John Peck, Carey School Principal
f. Application
for Student/Travel by Student Group – Karl Nordstrom, Wood River
High School Speech/Drama Teacher
g. Approval of
Personnel –- Exiting and Entering
Classified Staff – Exiting
Tom Lovell – Bus Driver,
DSB-Transportation Department
Classified Staff – Recommending
for Hire
Matthias Harmon – Bus Driver,
Transportation Department
Michael Stogner – Custodian, Wood
River High School
Certified Staff – Exiting
None.
Certified Staff – Recommending
for Hire
None.
Action was taken to approve items
“a” through “g” of the Consent Agenda and to modify item “a” as
described from “Consideration of Minutes” to “Consideration of
Synopsis/Minutes.”
VIII. Public Comments
(paraphrased)
a. Annie Weber
Submitted in writing and read
aloud by Chairman Dahlgren.
Dear School Board Members,
I am
writing this letter because I am unable to attend tomorrow
night’s School Board meeting but was hoping to speak during the
“Public Comment” portion of the meeting.
At the December
meeting I presented during the public comment period regarding
foreign languages in our schools. Jim Laski also presented on
the subject.
The public would like to know if you have
discussed these issues and if you are making any recommendations
for updating the curriculum for the 2010-2011 school year,
specifically at the Middle School level.
We would love to
know what your thoughts are regarding foreign languages in our
schools. We are excited to hear that our district is moving
forward with the IB Middle Years Program. Knowing that foreign
language is a part of the IB curriculum, having an enhanced
foreign language program already in place could ease that
transition.
Sincerely,
Annie Weber
WRHS & WRMS Parent
WRMS PTA
Vice President
b. Leslie Dilley
I’m here
because I went through the 6,000 comments that were sent to the
Strategic Plan and I just wanted to point out that there were
two comments asking for geothermal to be considered. That’s one
of the reasons I’m here, just to bring that up, because we’re
about to make decisions at a Hearing tomorrow night regarding
that, and I just wonder if the Administration is aware that
there were only two comments out of 6,000 that requested
geothermal, and it was also requested with wind, solar, etc. I
just wanted to bring that up while I have the chance in public.
The other thing is I wanted to point out is that in numerous
instances during the Public Comment period in previous Board
meetings, those commenting have asked for consideration of
changing certain procedures during Board meetings. I’m concerned
that when the public brings them up, that we don’t seem to have
a follow-up procedure in place. Therefore I do request an
action item for the Board to have a follow-up procedure on the
items brought up. Two of the items that should be immediately
addressed are a new public comment procedure and a committee
selection formation procedure that’s not hand-picked and is
fair, open and transparent. I would just like to have that out
there and I would also like to say that the Woodside
presentation was amazing! I thought it was fantastic!
c. Kathryn Graves
Actually Leslie just
touched on something that I was going to bring up so I don’t
know if I should bring up anything about the Public Comment
procedure. In the October Board meeting I submitted this letter
to all the School Board Members:
I am requesting that the
Board please consider two things. First, I would like you to
consider allowing an additional public comment at these
meetings. And secondly, I would like you to consider holding
town hall meetings.
In your procedures of operation #203.4 it
says “the Board encourages citizen participation in the decision
making process.”
I feel very strongly that the public is not
an integral part of these meetings. Because of the way the
meetings are set up, the public is unable to comment in a
meaningful way.
I understand that you are complying with the
open meeting law, which requires that the meeting is open to the
public; however, this open meeting law does not prohibit you
from giving the community more than once chance to speak.
Again, the first thing I would like you to consider is allowing
additional public before decision are made, especially when new
information is presented. Presently, the public is expected to
comment up front, then new information is presented – so many
times one does not know what comment they want to make before
the presentations have been made.
I am not asking for a
free-for-all or an extra hour to be added to meetings; just
asking for five to ten minutes to give the people at the meeting
an opportunity to comment. If there is more than ten minutes
worth of comments, the Chair has the authority to end the
comment period. I have attended several Blaine County and
Hailey City meetings where they have all allowed public comment
throughout their agendas. I am asking that this Board adopt a
similar process. Thank you.
d. Liz Schwerdtle
I’m just going to say that the Public Comment
period is needing a follow-up. I think there has been a public
committee process brought up that hasn’t been followed up, AVID
hasn’t been followed up, and by the way, I loved the
presentation tonight, and I think AVID was here way before that
and I would love to see that followed through in the later
grades. That’s the main reason that I was going to comment, I
really want a follow-up and I want a formalized procedure.
e. Penfield Stroh
I wasn’t going to say
anything tonight, I was just going to come and enjoy how much
fun this is, but a few minutes before I came I realized that
there was another piece of information which was added in
addition for tomorrow night’s Public Hearing. I didn’t see that
before and I never read that piece of information in the Notice
of tomorrow night’s Public Hearing and that piece of information
basically says: ‘The sign-up sheet will be posted in the Blaine
County School District Office Board Room for those intending to
speak at the Public Hearing to Consider Resolution Authorizing
the Filing of Petition for Judicial Confirmation Under the Idaho
Judicial Confirmation Law’. These signatures will be gathered
at the hearing’s 6:30 p.m. start time. Only those listed on the
sign-up sheet will be allowed to comment during the hearing.
Okay, as far as I understand, the hearing was noticed for 6:30
so people will arrive at 6:30, maybe they’ll arrive a minute or
two ahead of time. I’m concerned that tomorrow’s hearing will
be a public listening, and not a public hearing. I feel like
the Board probably has the authority to make a resolution to
listen to the public maybe more than those who sign-up at 6:30.
I feel like this district doesn’t want to hear from people,
especially tomorrow night at your public hearing which was
scheduled for 6:30, noticed in the paper at 6:30, and now
there’s an additional piece of information saying that anyone
that doesn’t get there name on the list by 6:30 will not be
listened to. That is my deep concern. I feel like it will be a
public listening and not a public hearing. Thank you.
f. Larry Schoen
The Board of County
Commissioners has had a lot of concerns about some of the issues
that have been raised tonight. We actually had a presentation
recently on some of these issues like minutes and that type of
thing and I would be happy to share that with the Board Members.
First I would like to speak as County Commissioner. I wanted
to give you sort of a second touch on something I touched on the
last time I was here two months ago. I had hoped to bring you
all a letter of invitation, but I didn’t have a chance to draft
it in time for tonight’s meeting. I would ask that you set
aside on your calendars February 27th; it’s the first ‘Winter
Wake-up Conference’ sponsored by the Blaine County Community
Drug Coalition. I will be sending out a letter of invitation to
the School Board of Trustees as well as the Board of St. Luke’s
Wood River Medical Center to participate along with the Blaine
County Commissioners at this conference discussing issues around
the drug and alcohol use among youth, and community norms in our
community. There will be two speakers. It’s a Saturday
morning; the time will be determined. That’s just a heads-up
and I’ll explain it more fully in the letter I send. The whole
community is invited and I wanted to take this opportunity to
talk about this because I think it’s an important topic, and the
idea behind this conference is to take the discussion around
these issues to another level where it’s not simply parents
coming to hear these speakers and have a discussion, but also
key public officials who really work together separately and
together on these issues. I think it will lend importance and
will be an opportunity for parents to know that these issues
will be heard by all of us and offer us the opportunity maybe to
work more together on this.
The second thing I want to talk
about is tonight’s presentation following Public Comments; the
presentation on Goal #1 of the Strategic Plan, 21st Century
Skills. I too, wish to applaud all the staff and students at
Woodside Elementary; that was a beautiful presentation, very
inspiring. It’s a philosophy that we all should adopt; and the
whole state, frankly, should adopt, right onto the Governor’s
office.
The last time I was here I spoke about what I view as
the success of the GATE Program and the promise for more
success. Mr. Murray is running the program and I encourage the
Board to look at expanding the GATE Program into more of the
schools and providing more staff and support for the program. I
wanted to speak tonight about the style of teaching that’s used
in the GATE Program because one of the components of 21st
Century Skills is thematic project based instruction. This is a
method of teaching which I really support; I love the
multidisciplinary and engaging nature of it. I believe that Mr.
Bailey supports the concept and I just wanted to share the story
of its success with my own children. We have two children, one
is in GATE. We discussed this issue with one of our children’s
teachers and she said she wanted to try this approach and did so
with a little bit of course work on Native American Culture and
Civilization. She came back to us afterwards raving about the
children’s success in her third grade dual immersion class. The
children quickly adapted to it and loved it. I really want to
encourage this approach for a number of reasons and speak in
support of it because it’s part of the presentation tonight.
Thank you.
g. Alex Sundali
Thank you for
taking my public comment. Recognizing that the first and most
important job of a school board is to improve student
achievement and recognizing that the Blaine County School Board
takes this task very seriously, I would like to tell you about
the positive experience we had as a family this year using the Naviance program in conjunction with guidance counselor Donna
Sipe and college counselor Carla Donaldson at Wood River High
School.
Using Naviance made the college application process a
breeze for my son. Any college, public or private, in the United
States using the common application can be accessed using
Naviance. Through this program Daniel could write his
application, ask his teachers to upload their recommendation
letters into his file and create his high school resume of
academic, athletic and extracurricular achievement. Putting
together his application was far easier and much faster using
this resource then even two years ago when then Senior, Taylor,
had to do it all by hand. Now more and more colleges do not
accept anything but an application in e-doc form, and this
program helps put it all together for the student, teacher, and
counselor. As Naviance came online midyear in 2009, Daniel was
able to make use of only some of its features. I know from
speaking with the guidance staff at the high school that in
addition to the time saving and record keeping aspects I
mentioned, Naviance assists students in preregistering for
classes, creating academic plans, doing personality profiles,
discovering more about a students' learning style in addition to
giving the student, family and counselors tools for career
exploration, college trip planning, and more self discovery
tools. Utilizing this program has allowed our guidance and
college counselors more quality face time with their students,
freeing them up to spend the critical one on one time helping
students from Freshman through Senior plan for their present and
future which can only help to improve every student's academic
and personal success. Naviance is a terrific addition to the
college and career counseling services at the high school.
IX.
Superintendent’s Report – Dr. Lonnie Barber, Superintendent of
Schools
a. Report on
Progress of Strategic Plan
● Goal #1: Each student
demonstrates BCSD 21st Century Student Performance Indicators to
ensure preparedness for college, career, and citizenship.
Before Dr. Barber spoke regarding Goal #1, Chairman Julie
Dahlgren made the following statement:
Let me remind the
audience, we started the Strategic Planning process over two
years ago with solid and diverse public input. Through hard
work and complicated conversations, lots of research, many
rewrites to express Blaine County School District priorities,
and much reflection by patrons and education practitioners and
experts, the Strategic Plan was developed and written. Two
Board Members were involved with every session. Each goal was
then vetted and studied in specific subcommittees. The whole
Board then studied the entire plan, asked for some changes and
clarification, then passed it with a unanimous vote. This is
our road map. We expect our Superintendent and all those
top-notch administrators on the Administrative Council to
prioritize the goals in logical sequence over the course of the
next six years. Let me be clear that this is the process of
carrying out the Strategic Plan. These monthly updates,
starting now, on the goals is an excellent way to keep us and
the public informed.
Dr. Barber reported on what has been
accomplished in Strategic Plan Goal #1 since its approval.
Please click here to view Dr. Barber’s report on the Progress of
Strategic Plan Goal #1.
X. Chairman’s Board Report –
Julie Dahlgren, Board Chair
a. ISBA Day on
the Hill – February 18-19, 2010
This annual event is a great
opportunity for Board Members and District leaders to meet with
local legislators to discuss issues that impact our School
District as well as the State of Idaho. It is nuts and bolts
information on how law is passed and what the perspective filter
of the Idaho School Board Association is when you are a member.
It is also about the relationship that the School Board has with
their elected officials. This year Dr. Barber and Board Members
Julie Dahlgren, Steve Guthrie and Paul Bates will attend ‘Day on
the Hill’.
b. Announcement
of Judicial Confirmation Hearing – January 13, 2010
Chairman Dahlgren
reminded the audience that the Judicial Confirmation Hearing has
been noticed in the newspaper and will be held on Wednesday,
January 13, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. in the Blaine County School
District Office Board Room.
Board Member Paul Bates:
I really
have a problem with the public being told they have to be at the
Hearing by 6:30 and only the people that sign up get to speak.
Chairman Dahlgren:
The purpose of the hearing by law is for us
to “hear” it. It is not an inquiry based hearing.
Board
Member Dan Parke:
We have to have some measure of control over
the comment period. If people come in twenty minutes late, they
may have comments about things that have already been discussed
and it becomes redundant. To ask people to be at the Hearing at
a certain time is not unreasonable.
Paul Bates:
Someone could
show up because they don’t get off work until 7:00 that may have
a compelling statement that’s new and original. This person
would not be able to speak and I have an issue with this in
principle. Or, if someone gets to the Hearing at 6:30 and does
not sign up and hears something at 7:30 that strikes something
in them that may be of value to us, I think we have to give them
that opportunity.
Chairman Dahlgren:
According to law, the
Board will make their recommendation/vote 14 days following the
Hearing. This is sufficient time to listen to phone calls or
read emails and letters with their concerns. I think that the
way the meeting was set up to start on time with some procedures
and protocol is the way to run the meeting. I appreciate what
you’re saying but I think there is opportunity for those that
are going to be late, forget the meeting, or for whatever valid
reason, to notify Board Members of what they would have
commented on.
XI. Information Agenda
a. Accounting Procedures – Mike Chatterton,
School District Treasurer
Board Member Steve Guthrie asked
Mike Chatterton to explain the School District’s utilization of
the Skyward software system which includes student accounting,
transportation, school lunch programs, student data systems,
employee data bases, human resources data bases, and financial
accounting/budgeting systems.
- All budgets and
expenditures are broken down to the school level or department
level and controlled by building principals and department
heads.
- Most purchases go through the Purchase Order
system:
- Entered into Skyward at the school level by
building secretaries or department staff. Staff fills out
requisition forms and it is approved before entered into system.
- District Office staff daily updates and faxes or mails
purchase orders for entire District.
- When invoices come
into the District Office, most of them reference the purchase
order and are entered directly into accounting system for
payment.
- Any invoice not referencing a purchase order
goes to the department that the order was for to approve and
code for District Office staff.
- Utility bills are coded
and entered at the District Office for the entire District.
- The majority of invoices are paid monthly; bills are
entered, checked before checks are written and then invoices are
matched against the check one more time before being mailed.
- Remittance copy of check is matched with the back-up and
filed by vendor in the Finance Department.
When entering
invoices into the system, a message is received if there is no
money left in the budget. An investigation is done to determine
if the invoice can be paid or if it needs to go back to the
school/department to be re-coded.
Employee reimbursements are
paid every Friday so staff is not inconvenienced by
out-of-pocket expenses. All reimbursements are approved by
building principals or department heads.
b. NSBA (National School Board Association) Annual Conference
Planning – Laurie Kaufman, Board Clerk
Laurie Kaufman
summarized what has been planned thus far for the 70th Annual
National School Board Association Conference (April 2010) that
will be held in Chicago.
c. Emergency
Services Procedures – Chuck Turner, Blaine County Disaster
Services Coordinator
Chuck Turner: (paraphrased)
First of
all I would like to compliment Woodside Elementary on their ‘No
Excuse University’ program. I think I got out of the business
about a dozen years too early. It is a great, great situation
for the kids; very positive.
I made a couple phone calls and
asked to come to tonight’s meeting; not so much to talk about
the procedures and what went on during the Christmas power
outage. We all know the effect it had on us. In my position
with the county, my lights went out with everybody else’s at
about 10:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve. I went to the office at
about 11:30 and knew pretty well what was coming. On the way I
was mentally putting together a list of people to contact. I’m
going to put Howie Royal on the spot a little bit and he’ll
probably never speak to me again, but I think members of the
community, the Board Members and the staff of Blaine County
School District need to know about the time that was put in on
this outage. Howie was one of many around the county that spent
part of Christmas Eve and all of Christmas Day working for the
public, trying to maintain these schools. When I called Howie
at 1:00 a.m. to ask him if he had ideas for sheltering and names
of people to call, he told me that he was already on his way.
Carey still had power while the rest of the Valley was out. We
got in touch with John Peck to arrange Carey School as a
possible shelter and Rex Squires arranged school bus
transportation. We really made use of the School District
staff, particularly Howie. After making phone calls and meeting
at the county office at 4:30 a.m., he had people up and looking
at all the schools to see what the temperatures were. Fire
Departments were getting alarms because the building fire
extinguishers are on a pressure type system on a compressor.
When the pressure goes down, eventually the alarms go off. The
longer the power is out the more chance we’ve got of pipes
freezing, etc. Howie worked really hard all day long organizing
people into buildings, checking them, and checking the fire
systems. When I went home that afternoon at 3:00, he was still
wandering around making plans that I didn’t know about as far as
equipment and so forth. We all know that he’s dedicated to the
District; he was at one time my former boss as Chairman of the
School Board! It could have gotten pretty bad in another 24
hours but he was there and I appreciated his help because we
were able to bounce ideas off each other. I just think he ought
to be recognized because he did a great job and I think in these
tough times he saved the taxpayers. It was a tough day. We
would all rather be home with our families, but he was out there
doing this.
Howie Royal stated that he was just one little
cog in the wheel. All of the police departments, the fire
departments, the School District, the Red Cross; -- probably 20
different entities were involved. He said they were all
revolving around Chuck Turner.
XII. Information/Action
Agenda
a. Board Meeting Webcasts Update –
Paul Bates, Trustee
Board Member Paul Bates updated the Board
on meeting webcasting. There was also discussion regarding the
possibility of hiring Blaine County School District students to
videotape the Board meetings. /p>
Action was taken to start
webcasting Board meetings as a pilot for six months with the
understanding that meetings will be videotaped with a stationary
camera and the number of hits will be counted.
Paul Bates then
asked the Board if webcasting could begin the next day at the
Judicial Confirmation Hearing.
AAfter discussion, it was
decided that webcasting would begin at the Judicial Confirmation
Hearing on January 13, 2010.
b. Approval of
“Race To The Top” Memorandum of Understanding – Dr. Lonnie
Barber
Dr. Barber informed the Board about ‘Idaho’s Race to
the Top Participating Local Educational Agency (LEA) Memorandum
of Understanding’.
‘Race to the Top’ is a $5-billion grant
through the stimulus money and the Federal Government and the
Department of Education. There will be ten initial states that
receive ‘Race to the Top’ monies and then there supposedly is
going to be another round later on. Our State Department is
working very hard to try and be one of those ten states that
receive money. Without commenting too deeply, I think they
might be kidding themselves a little bit because we’re the
reddest state and it’s a pretty blue government. I don’t know
that out of only ten states in the country they are going to
give it to Idaho. It doesn’t matter because the application is
going forward. As of today, 42 districts in Idaho have approved
it. When a district sends the MOU in, it can still back away
from the grant. The deadline for submitting the MOU has been
extended to tomorrow at noon.
There is some rub in the state
with the Idaho Education Association and locals. Here is the
problem; getting the money for two years and then it goes away.
Then it does become a problem. There are two ways to access
the Pay for Performance 1) state student achievement, and 2)
local student achievement. Teachers must earn at least some
money in the Pay for Performance from the state and some from
the local. In order for Blaine County School District to be a
participant in the grant, the Board has to approve it and the
Chairman signs off, the Superintendent has to agree to it and
signs off, and the Teachers Union has to agree to it and signs
off. The Teachers Union is meeting this afternoon to vote
because the District’s decision is due tomorrow.
Please click
here to view ‘Idaho’s Race to the Top Participating Local
Educational Agency (LEA) Memorandum of Understanding’ and
‘Exhibit I: Preliminary Scope of Work’ for further details.
Following Board discussion, action was taken to approve the
‘Race to the Top’ Memorandum of Understanding’.
c. Permission to Advertise for Sale of 1992
Ford Taurus – Rex Squires, Director of Transportation
Rex
Squires stated that the District has a 1992 Ford Taurus that was
originally used for a variety of things including Driver
Education and as a Superintendent’s car for Phil Homer. The
vehicle has outlived its useful life to the District and Rex is
recommending it be sold. /p>
Idaho Code states that it is
necessary to bid when purchasing anything over $25,000. Idaho
Code also requires that if excess equipment could be sold for
more than $500, the District needs to go through the sealed bid
process. Rex is asking permission to advertise for bids for the
sale of this vehicle, in its current “as-is” condition with a
minimum bid of $500.
The vehicle is available and may be seen
by appointment through the Transportation office during normal
business hours.
AAction was taken to grant permission to
advertise for the sale of the 1992 Ford Taurus.
d. Approval of Student Teaching Contract for
Regina Sumell Under the Direction of Heidi Copeland and Lynnette
Watkins, Hemingway Elementary School
Regina Sumell’s approval
was tabled from December’s Regular Board Meeting Consent Agenda
pending further research into her Student Teaching Contract with
USC. Dr. Barber has spoken with Regina’s Director at USC and
clarified/resolved all areas of her contract that were
questioned.
Action was taken to approve the Student Teaching
Contract for Regina Sumell under the Direction of Heidi Copeland
and Lynnette Watkins at Hemingway Elementary School.
e. Approval of July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010
Agreement for Cooperation in a Clinical Experience Program
Between the University of Southern California, 2tor, Inc., and
Blaine County School District (Student Teaching Contract for
Regina Sumell)
Action was taken to approve the July 1, 2009 to
June 30, 2010 Agreement for Cooperation in a Clinical Experience
Program Between the University of Southern California, 2tor,
Inc., and Blaine County School District (Student Teaching
Contract for Regina Sumell).
There being no further business
to discuss, action was taken to adjourn the meeting. p>
ThThe
Regular January meeting of the Board of Trustees of Blaine
County School District No. 61 adjourned at 9:00 p.m.
XIII. Adjournment
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