MINUTES -
REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
The Board of Education of the
Ms. Marianne Clancy, Board Secretary, established a
quorum and the following Members were present: Mr. John Hanson, Mr. John Dirks,
Mrs. Cheryl Jackson, and Mrs. Janet Smith, Board President. Mr. Keith Davis and
Mr. Uvaldo Herrera were absent.
Present from the administrative staff were Dr.
Robert Nielsen, Dr. Roger Kilpatrick, Mr. Barry Reilly and Mrs. Sally Tucker.
Ms. Linda Aschenbrener, Public Relations
Facilitator, was also in attendance.
Present from the news media was Ms. Sharon Wolfe
from The Pantagraph and Mr. Russ Eisenberger from WJBC Radio Station.
Mrs. Smith stated that Board Action Item B,
Resolution to Fill Vacancy in Board of Education would be moved to this point
on the Agenda.
It was moved by Mr. Dirks, seconded by Mrs. Jackson
that the Resolution to Fill Vacancy in Board of Education be approved and Mrs.
Millicent Roth be appointed to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of
Dr. Diana McCauley until the next regularly scheduled election. Upon a roll call vote, all Members present
voted Aye. Motion carried. (See with Original Minutes, Attachment 9-24-03/1)
Mrs. Millicent Roth took her seat
at the Board table.
Mrs. Smith stated the following: At this time, the Board of Education is
holding a public hearing on the 2003-04 Budget for the Bloomington Public
Schools, District 87.
In accordance with Section 17-1 of the School Code,
the Board of Education prepared a budget in tentative form for the fiscal year
ending
Also in accordance with Section 17-1 of the School
Code, the Board is holding a public hearing on the budget at this time. This
public hearing is pursuant to notice published in The Pantagraph on
During the public hearing, Assistant Superintendent
of Operations, Dr. Roger Kilpatrick, will provide a summary of the budget. The
Board of Education will be given an opportunity to discuss the budget. Members
of the public will then be given the opportunity to discuss the budget. When
all the discussion has concluded, the public hearing will be adjourned.
At this time, Dr. Kilpatrick will present a summary
of the budget."
Dr. Kilpatrick summarized the 2003-2004 Budget:
$49,545,025 in revenues
$50,903,000 in expenditures
an overall deficit of $1,357,975 in the Education Fund, revenues are expected
at
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$35,890,872
with expenditures totaling $37,363,241 for a deficit of $1,472,369
Operating deficits will also occur in the Transportation fund ($155,246); the
Municipal Retirement/Social Security fund ($19,343); the Site and Construction
fund ($122,000).
Dr.
Kilpatrick stated that there were no changes to this budget other than what we
originally presented to the Board in August.
Mrs. Smith asked, Is there any discussion of the
budget from the Board? There was no
discussion from the Board.
Mrs. Smith asked, Is there any discussion
from the public?
Representative
Dan Brady asked what is the amount of increase of the Teacher Retirement System
(TRS) that the State pays to the District?
Dr. Kilpatrick stated that in terms of the TRS the State provides an estimate
of the amount of money that they contributed to the TRS on behalf of each
district. The figures the State provided
us at the end of this last year showed an increase of about 11%. We had not planned on that large of an
increase in this years budget and therefore we are incorporating a larger
increase within our Budget numbers tonight.
Mrs. Smith stated "The Public Hearing is now
concluded."
Mrs. Smith presented the Minutes
for approval. It was moved by Mrs. Jackson, seconded by Mr. Hanson that the
Minutes of the Regular Meeting held on
Ms. Kanisha McSwain, a senior at Bloomington
High School (BHS), was introduced by Mrs. Cindy Helmers, BHS Principal. Mrs.
Helmers stated that Kanisha was one of only 350 high school students from
across the nation to be selected to participate in the National Young Leaders
Conference in D.C from November 4 to 9th. During this six-day conference,
Kanisha will meet elected officials, sit in on Congressional Hearings, and take
part in a Model Congress. She was nominated by BHS special education teacher, Ms.
Donna Washington. Mrs. Smith asked
Kanisha and her parents to come forward and receive congratulations from the
Board.
Mr. Dirks attended a Beyond the
Books Educational Foundation kickoff organizational meeting on
Mrs. Jackson announced that the next
Corn Belt Division meeting will take place on
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Mrs.
Smith stated there will be a Judge John M. Scott Vocational Education Trust investments
meeting in early October. Mrs. Smith mentioned that the last negotiation
meeting with the Bloomington Education Association (BEA)
occurred on September 18th and the next meeting will occur during the week of
October 14.
Mrs. Roth added that she was
encouraged by the support she has received from fellow Board members, her
family and the community. Mrs. Roth stated she looks forward to working with
the Board and the community.
Mrs. Smith congratulated Mrs. Roth
on her appointment to the Board and for accepting the challenge of being a
Board member.
Mrs. Vickie Slagell, Stevenson
School Principal and coordinator of the regular summer school program,
presented a report on the traditional Summer School. Mrs. Slagell stated several
factors may have impacted the program this year which led to fewer students
enrolled:
Title I money was used for Irvings and Sheridans Early Start Programs
Sheridan offered a Summer Bridges program for its students this year that ran
concurrent to the District's Summer School program
No pre-K grant available this year
Bilingual grant sponsored Early Start at Stevenson instead of the traditional
program at Summer School
Tuition of $150 was charged for the first time
642 students were invited. Enrollment included 63 from BJHS and 44 from the
six elementary schools. Non-tuition students included 55 from Special Education
classes. In addition, 125 high school and 52 elementary students participated
in the summer band program and 32 participated in strings.
School was held for 24 days, three hours per day from Monday, June 9th
through Friday, July 11. The school day lasted from
37 staff members participated
99% of students completed the program.
89% of tuition based students met all three requirements
Mrs. Teresa Hill, Bent School
Principal, presented a summary of the Summer Bridges Program at
A state grant provided up to $500 per child, as well as teacher salaries and
professional development funding
The program concentrated on reading and language arts
150 K-Grade 5 students from Sheridan attended the 6-week program
individual skill assessments were given to each student
class sizes were limited to a maximum of ten students in kindergarten and 15
in grades 1-5
daily curriculum focused on phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency
and comprehension
teachers participated in 30 hours of professional development on strategies
for teaching reading. Ms. Terri Matlock, Bent elementary teacher, served as the
Professional Development Provider.
students received 90 hours of classroom instruction
11 teachers participated
each 4-hour day included breakfast and lunch served in the classroom
daily door-to-door transportation was provided
all school supplies were donated
Ms. Laneeda Evans provided full-time social work services
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56% of students in grades 1-5 increased their reading level by 1/2 year or
more
in grades 1 and 2, that figure was 88% and 89% respectively
in Ms. Amanda Wetherell's class, 100% of students
increased their reading level
elementary schools throughout the district are using or are considering using
the
Houghton Mifflin Leveled Readers series.
the Bridges program was completely funded by a State grant
Mrs.
Smith asked the teachers involved in the Summer Bridges Program to come forward
and receive congratulations on a job well done from the Board.
Dr. Mary Kay Scharf, Irving School
Principal, summarized the Early Start program at
this was the first time the program was offered
61 students participated in 3 weeks of instruction
57 students finished the half day program
97% attendance rate was recorded
curriculum focused on reading, writing and speaking
Early Start was funded by Title I funds
717 free breakfasts were served
a kick-off dinner and home visits occurred prior to the start of the program
door-to-door transportation was provided
Mr. Jim Cooper, Sheridan School
Principal, summarized the Early Start program at Sheridan School.
this was the second year the program was offered
all school supplies were donated with the help of Normal resident, Ms. Irene
Nordine
203 students were invited with 158 attending 3 weeks of instruction
around 80% of eligible students attended compared to 20% who attended last
year's traditional Summer School program at BJHS.
the program began one week after the Summer Bridges program ended
door-to-door transportation was provided
all incoming kindergarten students were invited
6 teachers taught during both the Summer Bridges program and the Early Start
program
Early Start was funded by Title I funds
a kick-off dinner and home visits occurred prior to the start of the program
the school year at Sheridan increased 9 weeks with the offering of Bridges
and Early Start
over 200 Sheridan students participated in both programs and consequentially
received 45 total weeks of instruction in one year.
Mrs. Slagell summarized the Early Start
program at
this was the first time the program was offered
all 22 students who were invited enrolled and 91% of them finished the
program
Early Start was offered to bilingual students and was funded by a Title III
grant and the Transitional Bilingual Education grant
daily door-to-door transportation was provided
home visits took place prior to the start of the program
parents came to school for training
program focused on reading comprehension and writing
Mrs. Slagell thanked Ms. Debbie Armandariz, English as a Second Language
teacher, for her work in the program
Mrs. Smith presented the Consent
Agenda for consideration. It was moved by Mrs.
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for Architectural Services Recommendation, 2004-2005 Budget and Levy Calendars, Occupancy Permits for Bent, Bloomington High School, Oakland, Raymond, Sheridan,
Dr. Nielsen thanked all the Principals
and staff who were involved with our summer school programs for their commitment
and dedication in providing our students with the best educational opportunities
available.
It was moved by Mr. Dirks, seconded by Mr. Hanson
that the Board approve the Adoption of the Bloomington Public Schools, District
87 2003-2004 Budget. Upon a roll call
vote, all Members present, voted Aye.
Motion carried. (See with Original Minutes, Attachment 9-24-03/3)
Mr. Mike Williams, President of the B/N
Chapter of the NAACP and Mr. John Elliott, VP of the B/N Chapter of the NAACP,
commended the Board and the District for the appointment of Mrs. Roth. They
also expressed their appreciation of the Summer Bridges program at
It was moved by Mrs.
Jackson, seconded by Mr. Dirks that the Board go into Closed Session to
consider collective negotiating matters between the District and the
Bloomington Education Association (BEA) and the Bloomington Education Support
Personnel (BESP), or deliberations concerning salary schedules for one or more
classes of employees; and to consider the appointment, employment,
compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of
District 87, including hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against an
employee to determine its validity. Upon
a roll call vote, all Members present voted Aye. Motion carried.
It was moved by Mr. Dirks, seconded by Mr. Hanson
that the Board return to the Regular Meeting.
Upon a roll call vote all members present voted Aye. Motion carried.
There being no further business to come
before the Board, Mrs. Smith adjourned the meeting.
APPROVED:
_________________________________
President
ATTEST:
_______________________________
Secretary