MINUTES - REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION

 

June 9, 2004                    6:30 P.M.         Educational Services Center

 

The Board of Education of the Bloomington Public Schools, School District 87, McLean County, Illinois, met in Regular Session.

 

Ms. Marianne Clancy, Board Secretary, established a quorum and the following Members were present: Mr. John Dirks, Mrs. Janet Smith, Mrs. Millicent Roth, Mr. Uvaldo Herrera, Mr. Keith Davis and Mrs. Cheryl Jackson, Board President.  Mr. John Hanson was absent.

 

Present from the administrative staff were Dr. Robert Nielsen, Dr. Roger Kilpatrick and Mrs. Sally Tucker.

 

      Ms. Linda Aschenbrener, Public Relations Facilitator, was also in attendance.

 

Present from the news media was Ms. Michelle Steinbacher, The Pantagraph and Jayme Monacelli, WJBC Radio.

     

Mrs. Jackson presented the Minutes for approval. Mr. Dirks stated on Page 3, the first line in the third paragraph should end with “Budget”.  It was moved by Mr. Davis, seconded by Mrs. Roth, that the Minutes of the Regular Meeting held on May 26, 2004, and the Minutes of the Closed Meeting held on May 26, 2004 at 7:45 and the Minutes of the Closed Meeting held on May 26 at 8:05 be approved.  Upon a roll call vote all members present “Aye  Motion carried.

 

      Mrs. Jackson stated that there will be a Closed Session tonight before Board Action.

 

      Mr. Herrera reported that he attended a meeting of the Citizens’ Advisory Council (CAC) recently.  He stated that Mr. Colin Manahan, Director of Facilities and Ground Maintenance, reported on the work being done at some of the schools.  Mr. Herrera stated that we are looking at the future of the CAC.

 

      Mr. Dirks stated that the meeting concluded with a discussion regarding the direction of CAC in following years.  In order to better serve District 87’s community, an ad hoc committee may be formed through each school’s parent organization as a district-wide issue needs to be addressed.  The committee will disband once resolution is reached. Mr. Dirks stated there has not been a recommendation yet on how the CAC will progress next year.

 

      Mr. Dirks stated that graduation at Bloomington High School (BHS) was tremendous.

 

      Mrs. Jackson stated that she received a thank you card from Ms. Judy Hughes, retiring BHS French teacher, thanking the Board for the clock she received for retiring and talks nicely about her years at District 87.

 

      Mr. Tom O’Shea, member of the Student Achievement sub-committee of the CAC, made an end of the year report on ways to improve the bridge between school and home and get more parents involved in their children’s education.  All principals in the District were asked for their input on this issue. A list from each school was devised with things that area already working, a list of things principals would like to do in the future to get parents more involved and volunteer opportunities that exist in each school.  The entire report is on the District website. General conclusions from this information is finding more flexibility with the parent/teacher conferences e.g. evening hours, more days involved.  A parent coordinator is being recommended either in each school or district-wide.

 

      Mr. Manahan summarized the work to be done on District facilities this summer:

  • Bent – Air conditioning added to top floor; replacing suspended ceilings and putting in new light fixtures
  • BHS – redoing south gym floor; HVAC units will be replaced; paint south gym; replace south gym roof; refurbish north gym floor; the southwest quadrants are being worked on; stage curtains will be replaced; and the track will be repaired
  • BJHS – roof being replaced; replacing carpet in hallway; south side of BJ is being redone
  • Irving – hallway ceiling being replaced; new suspended ceilings and light fixtures
  • Oakland – air conditioning will be put in in the third grade wing; new suspended ceilings and light fixtures
  • Sarah Raymond – carpeting will be replaced in the hallways on first and second floor
  • Sheridan – classroom ventilators will be replaced; carpet replacement on the second floor hallway
  • Stevenson – Exterior paving replaced
  • Washington – Air condition and/or heating system will be replaced/upgraded; new suspended ceilings and lights

All work is scheduled to be done by August 20 with the exception of classroom air conditioning at BHS.

 

Dr. Nielsen stated that we are having weekly update meetings on Friday mornings in the media center at BJHS at 7:30 a.m. and welcomed Board members to attend.

 

Dr. Steve Poznic, Director of the Bloomington Area Vocational Center/McLean-Dewitt Regional Vocational Center System (BAVC/RVS)summarized the BAVC and RVS Tentative Budgets for 2004-05:

  • BAVC’s $985,129 budget represents a 5% decrease from the fiscal 2004 budget. The budget drop reflects a decrease in state grant money.
  • The RVS budget has a proposed budget of $924,310. That is down 11% from last year. That decrease is due partly to the Gridley school district's decision to no longer attend the RVS after the El Paso and Gridley school districts merge this summer.

Dr. Poznic stated that the two programs get about 45% of their revenue from local schools and 45% from career technology grants. About 77% of expenditures go into salaries and benefits.

Dr. Nielsen presented a “Second Reading” of the following Proposed Board Policies.
      2.040 School Board Membership

2.110 Qualifications, Term, and Duties of Board Officers

     2.150 Committee Organization

     2.200 Regular Meetings

     2.202 Closed Meetings

     2.210 Organizational School Board Meetings

     2.220 School Board Meeting Procedure

     2.222 Voting Method

2.224 Minutes: Regular, Special, Adjourned, Emergency, Closed

     2.250 Access to District’s Public Records

2.260 Uniform Grievance Procedure

     4.010 Fiscal and Business Management

     4.110 Transportation

     4.140 Waiver of Student Fees

     4.170 Safety Program

     6.030 Organization of Instruction

     6.180 Extended Instructional Programs

     6.240 Field Trips

     7.030 Student Assignment and Intra-District Transfer

     7.130 Student Rights and Responsibilities

     7.300 Extracurricular Athletics

     7.330 Student Use of Buildings—Equal Access

     8.020 Community Use of School Facilities

8.025 Advertising & Distributing Materials in Schools Provided by Non-School Related Entities

 

Dr. Nielsen stated these proposed policies will be brought back at the next Board Meeting for Board consideration.

 

    Mrs. Jackson presented the Consent Agenda for consideration.  Mr. Davis asked that Item I, Amending Board of Education Policies Manual be pulled and moved to Board Action H.  It was moved by Mrs. Smith, seconded by Mr. Dirks that the Consent Agenda (Personnel Report, Bills, Payroll, Project “Lead the Way” Contract-AVC, Cancellation of July Board Meetings, Prevailing Wages for 2004, Early Release of Summer Accounts Payable and Ratified Checks, Agreement with Chestnut Health Systems, Tuition Based Enrollment and Letter of Understanding-Outsourcing of Study Halls for Bloomington High School) be approved. Upon a roll call vote, all Members present, voted “Aye”.  Motion carried. (See with Original Minutes, Attachment 06-09-04/1)

 

 

It was moved by Mr. Dirks, seconded by Mrs. Roth that the Board go into Closed Session to consider student discipline; 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 Mrs. Smith that the Board return to the Regular Meeting.  Upon a roll call vote all members present voted “Aye”. Motion carried.   

    

It was moved by Mrs. Smith, seconded by Mr. Davis that the Board approve the Notice of Public Hearing & Display of 2004-05 AVC/RVS Budgets. Upon a roll call vote, all members present voted “Aye”.  (See with Original Minutes, Attachment 06-09-04/2)

 

It was moved by Mrs. Smith, seconded by Mr. Dirks that the Board approve the OTE Level Six Training. Upon a roll call vote, all members present voted “Aye”.  (See with Original Minutes, Attachment 06-09-04/3)

 

It was moved by Mrs. Roth, seconded by Mr. Dirks that the Board approve the Insurance Rates. Upon a roll call vote, all members present voted “Aye”.  (See with Original Minutes, Attachment 06-09-04/4)

 

It was moved by Mrs. Smith, seconded by Mrs. Roth that the Board approve the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction’s Contract. Upon a roll call vote, all members present voted “Aye”.  (See with Original Minutes, Attachment 06-09-04/5)

 

It was moved by Mr. Dirks, seconded by Mr. Davis that the Board approve the SHOR0304-4. Upon a roll call vote, all members present voted “Aye”.  (See with Original Minutes, Attachment 06-09-04/6)

 

It was moved by Mrs. Smith, seconded by Mr. Dirks that the Board approve the SHOR0304-5. Upon a roll call vote, Mr. Hanson, Mr. Dirks, Mrs. Smith, Mr. Davis, Mrs. Roth and Mrs. Jackson voted “Aye”.  Mr. Herrera voted “Nay”.  (See with Original Minutes, Attachment 06-09-04/7)

 

It was moved by Mrs. Roth, seconded by Mr. Dirks that the Board approve the Superintendent’s Contract. Upon a roll call vote, all members present voted “Aye”.  (See with Original Minutes, Attachment 06-09-04/8)

Mr. Davis stated he did not have an objection to Item H, Amending Board of Education Policies Manual, after all.

 

It was moved by Mr. Davis, seconded by Mr. Dirks that the Board approve Amending Board of Education Policies Manual. Upon a roll call vote, all members present voted “Aye”.  (See with Original Minutes, Attachment 06-09-04/9)

 

There being no further business to come before the Board, Mrs. Jackson adjourned the meeting.

                                          APPROVED:

ATTEST:

                                          _________________________________

                                          President

_____________________________

Secretary