MINUTES - REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION

 

January 11, 2006            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: Mrs. Janet Smith, Mr. Uvaldo Herrera, Mrs. Cheryl Jackson, Mr. Keith Davis and Mr. John Dirks, Board President.  Mr. John Hanson and Mrs. Millicent Roth were absent.

 

Present from the administrative staff were Mrs. Sally Tucker, Mr. David Wood, Mr. Barry Reilly and Dr. Robert Nielsen.

 

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

 

      Present from the news media were Ms. Sharon Wolfe, The Pantagraph, and Mr. Erik Stock, WJBC Radio Station.

 

Mr. Dirks presented the Minutes for approval.  It was moved by Mr. Herrera, seconded by Mrs. Smith, that the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Board of Education held on December 14, 2005 and the Minutes of the Closed Meeting of the Board of Education held on December 14, 2005 be approved.   Upon a roll call vote Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Roth, Mr. Herrera and Mr. Dirks voted “Aye”.  Mrs. Jackson and Mr. Davis abstained as they were not present at the December 14, 2005 meeting.  Motion carried.

 

Dr. Mary Kay Scharf, Irving School Principal, introduced students and volunteers who are associated with Terrific Tuesdays at Irving School for recognition. Those in attendance were: Students Dimond Neal, Dayna Neal and Terrence Nicholas; Volunteers Mr. Carroll Oien, Ms. Pat Oien, Ms. Betty Acklin, Ms. Pat Machaels, Ms. Ruth Hargis, Ms. Deb Deterding, Ms. Barb Waddell, Mr. Jack Secord, Ms. Lois Matsler, Ms. June McClister and Ms. Jackie Adelman.    

    

• The goal of Terrific Tuesdays is relationship building. Mentors work with the same student for a period of 2-3 years. Some relationships continue after students move on to junior high school. • This group was established 5 years ago, in spring 2001. • In the past 5 years, approximately 65 adult mentors have worked with students at Irving School. In any given semester, there are between 14 and 18 active mentors, most of who come from downtown Bloomington churches. Some are students at Illinois State University. Teachers at Irving School identify students, primarily from 2nd and 3rd grades, who would benefit from some extra attention by a caring adult. • Mentors arrive at school at about 3:00 p.m. As students are dismissed at 3:15, they enjoy refreshments with their mentors in the cafeteria and then move to the learning center to work on homework or other needs identified by teachers. 4:00 until 4:15 p.m. is ”social time” during which mentors and students play board games together or just visit. • Mentors meet with students every Tuesday from October until December and again from February through April.

     

Dr. Scharf stated how important the group is to her school and thanked everyone for their time and work in volunteering.

 

Mr. Dirks thanked the group for coming to the Board Meeting and for their hard work in volunteering for the program. 

 

 

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Mr. Dirks asked the group to come forward and receive personal appreciation from the Board.

 

Mrs. Roth entered the meeting at 6:39 p.m.

 

Mr. Dirks welcomed Mr. Jim Patton as the new Bloomington Education Association President.

 

Mrs. Smith stated that there will be a meeting on the Judge John M. Scott Educational Foundation Trust February 9, 2006.

 

Mr. Dirks stated that he, Mr. Herrera and Dr. Nielsen met with the representative from McKinsie Consulting Group who is helping District 87 and Unit 5 with the Achievement Gap Taskforce work.  McKinsie is helping design some surveys that will go out to students, teachers, administrators and parents to try to get a handle on views and feelings about the achievement gap.  Responses are coming in from the invitations that were sent out to community members and business leaders to be part of the taskforce.  Mr. Dirks stated that progress is being made and we are pleased with what we are seeing.

 

Mr. Colin Manahan, Director of Facilities Management, reported on the 2006 Facility Improvement Plan.  Construction projects for the 2006-07 school year includes the following:

 

Bent School - • Building air conditioning (100%); •Kitchen serving area, learning center, and all hallways; • New boilers and heat distribution system (building will be out of use for entire summer); • Building heating and cooling system will be complete (100%)

Irving School - • Renovate the playground; • Replace fencing; • Building air conditioning-Kitchen; •  Building heating and cooling system will be complete (100%); • New marker board skins in rooms 102, 103, 104, 105, 128, 129, 134, and the art room)

Oakland School - •  Building Heating & Cooling Installation (100%); • Fourth grade wing, learning center, cafeteria, kitchen, and kindergarten wing; • Building heating and cooling system will be complete (100%); • Suspended ceilings, lighting, painting, and marker boards (where needed) associated with HVAC installation; • Replace two exterior doors, room 7 and the old air handler room

Raymond School - • Paint north stairwell; • Replace southwest entrance doors

Sheridan School - • Replace the heating and cooling equipment in rooms 101, 102, 103, 104, 106, 107, 109, 110, and the cafeteria; • New ceilings, lights, painting and marker board skins (where needed) for rooms 101, 102, 103, 104, 106, 107, 109, and 110; • Add air conditioning to the kitchen; • Building heating and cooling system will be complete (100%)

Stevenson School - • Repair, replace, and/or paint the northeast, northwest, center west, boiler room, kitchen, southwest, outside storage, gym, and front exterior doors; • Add landscaping to the main entrance area;

• New marker board skins in rooms 131, 134, 129, 128, 127, 126, 122, 124, 121, 120, 118, 117, 116, 104, 103, and 102 (building 100% complete); • New ceilings and painting (reuse lights) in rooms 120, 121, 122, 124, and north faculty restroom

 

 

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Washington School - • Building air conditioning (100%)- Hallways, teachers lounge, two offices; • Renovate the playground; • Replace fencing; • Replace the ceilings and lights in the hallways

Bloomington High School (BHS) - • Building air conditioning (100%)-Kitchen, art rooms, AVC classrooms; • Rebuild the south main entrance; • Repair and paint gym canopies; • Reseal & paint north & east exterior windows and columns; • Add electrical panel board in the kitchen; • Replace electrical panel boards in building; • Replace the south gym stairs; • Replace the main office carpet and the old academic first floor hall floor tile; • Convert the woods lab to a health and fitness center

 

      Estimated total expenditures for 2006-07 construction projects are $6,010,000.

 

Mr. Manahan stated the 2006 Facility Improvement Plan will be brought back to the January 25, 2006 Board Meeting for Board consideration.

 

      Mr. Manahan updated the Board on the Bloomington Junior High School (BJHS) addition:

 

• Majority of all exterior block walls are complete

• Majority of all interior block walls will be complete by the end of January

• Majority of all roofing will be complete by the end of January

• Brick should be delivered by the end of January and/or beginning of February

• Majority of all concrete floors will be poured and complete by the end   of January

• Expecting occupancy for the 2006-07 school year

 

Mr. Manahan also reported on BJHS 2006-07 Construction Projects which include:

 

•Replace the carpet in the main office and the stage area

•Paint the 8th grade classrooms

•Completion of academic, physical education, and arts for life building addition and renovations

 

      Mrs. Vickie Slagell, Stevenson School Principal, Mr. Jim Cooper, Sheridan School Principal and Mrs. Cindy Helmers, BHS Principal presented the 2006 Summer School/Extended School Year proposal.  In summary:

 

Housed at Bloomington Junior High School (BJHS)

•          Summer School for grades 6 – 8

•          Special Education Extended School Year (Pre – K through grade 12)

•          Monday, June 5 through Friday, June 30 (20 days of attendance)

•          Student hours:  8:30 AM - 12:00 Noon

•          These programs will be held at BJHS

 

Elementary Program

•          Summer School for grades K – 5

•          Monday, July 24 through Friday, August 18 (20 days of attendance)

•          Student hours:  8:30 AM - 12:00 Noon

•          The July/August program will be held at Sheridan School.

 

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Bloomington High School

•          The High School program will be at BHS.

•          BHS will offer the following on a tuition basis (minimum of 20 students):

•          Driver’s Education Classroom and BTW       (June/July)

•          PE (June 5-June 30)

•          Transitional Algebra (June 5-June 30)

•          Composition/Literature Rescue (June 5-June 30)

•          IVHS Technology Labs (June 19 through July 14)

 

Logistics

•          Student enrollment will be based upon receipt of the $200 tuition payment for regular education classes.

•          Registration deadline to determine classes:  Friday, April 28, 2006.

•          Tuition will be non-refundable unless the class is cancelled due to lack of enrollment.

•          Scholarships will be available for K-5 students only.

 

Extended School Year Special Education

•          Tuition Free

•          Instructional Programs for:

•          Learning Disabilities

•          Behavior Disorders

•          Mentally Impaired

•          Developmentally Disabled

 

BJHS Program

•          We will offer classes at the following grades based upon enrollment:

•          One-sixth grade class.

•          One-seventh grade class.

•          One-eighth grade class.

•          Minimum enrollment will be 20 students per class or the class may not be offered.

 

K-5 Summer School

•          Tuition will be $200 per student.

•          We will offer a summer program for each grade level from kindergarten through fifth grade based upon enrollment.

•          Minimum enrollment will be 15 students per class or the class may not be offered.

 

Scholarships

•          250 full scholarships will be available to K-5 students on a first come first served basis who:

•          qualify for free/reduced lunch

•          scored a 1-2-3 stanine on Math or Reading on Terra Nova (grades 1-5)

•          scored below 40 on PALS (kindergarten)

•          Contributions may be made to:

•          Bloomington School District #87

         Summer School Fund

         300 East Monroe

         Bloomington, IL   61701

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Summer School & Extended School Year Costs

•          30 Certified Staff @ $125 per day x 20 days     $   75,000

•          Transportation                                  $   14,000

•          14 Program Assts. @$40 per day x 20 days        $   11,200

•          2 Administrators                                $    8,400

•          Preparation time-4 hours per teacher            $    3,265

•          Supplies                                        $    2,000                                              

•          Postage                                         $    1,000

•          Clerical                                        $      550

•          Total                                           $  115,415

 

Revenues

•          Summer School is a supplemental program dependent on available funds each year.

•          In the past, Summer School has been funded with local funds, Reading Improvement and Summer Bridges (state), IDEA (federal), Tuition, Contributions, and Judge Scott Trust among others.

•          Reading Improvement           $    3,000

•          IDEA                          $    3,000

•          Judge Scott Trust             $   50,000

•          Tuition                       $   10,000

•          District 87 Funds             $   49,415

•          Total                         $  115,415

 

Timeline:

•          1/11/06

–         Presentation made to Board of Education

•          1/25/06

–         Board action on recommendations

•          4/28/06

–         Last day to register for summer school (except BJHS and BHS)

 

      Mr. Reilly presented the draft for the 2006-07 Academic Calendar.  In summary: 

 

      August 24 will be the first partial day of school for students K-9; all students return for a full day on August 25; institute days will be August 21-23 and October 20; end of the first quarter will be October 27; parent/teacher conferences will be November 3 and January 19; winter break will be December 25 through January 5, students will return on January 8; end of the second quarter will be January 18; School Improvement Days will be February 9 and April 27; Spring Break will be March 25-30; end of the third  quarter will be March 23; and the last day of school is June 1, with emergency days the first full week in June.  The proposed calendar has been designed to coincide with Unit 5 as closely as possible.  Should the two Districts want to share speakers for various occasions we will have that opportunity.

 

      Mr. Reilly stated the calendar will be brought back to the January 25, 2006 Board Meeting for Board consideration.

 

      Mrs. Tucker and three members of the 2005-2006 Science Focus Group sub-committee for grades 6-8, Mr. Mike Jones, Ms. Michelle Nauman, and Mrs.

 

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Debbie Armendariz, presented the Science Materials Recommendation for Grades 6-8 to be implemented in the Fall of 2006.  In summary:

 

Why new science materials are needed:

 

          Current materials adopted before the Illinois Learning Standards were approved by the ISBE.

 

          New materials are more closely aligned with the Illinois Learning Standards.

 

What process has been used in making tonight’s science materials recommendation:

 

1) A Science Focus Group was organized this year.

          All science teachers were encouraged to apply.

          ELL student needs were represented by Debbie Armendariz to assure that well-developed Spanish materials were available and that useful suggestions were made for ESL instruction.

          Representation came from all grade levels at BJ and from Grade 4 and 5 for vertical articulation purposes.

2) A Science Text Review Checklist was developed for use by all members of the Science Focus Group by Josh Oberts, Michelle Nauman, and Debbie Armendariz.

3) October 28, 2005 the Grade 6-8 Science Focus Group Sub- Committee met with 4 vendors in a day long meeting.  The vendors were:  

           Glencoe

           Prentice Hall

           McDougal-Littell

           Holt

4) At the end of the October 28 Meeting, a decision was made to submit the Holt and Prentice-Hall Programs to all Grade 6-8 science teachers for review.

5) A half-day was given to the Grade 7 and 8 teachers to thoroughly review the materials.

6) November 30 – BJ Science Faculty Meeting to discuss the Science Adoption

7) Science teachers completed the Science Text Review Checklist online, Nov. 30-December

8) Checklist results were tabulated, printed, and reviewed by the sub-committee on December 12.

 

Why is the sub-committee recommending Prentice-Hall Science?

 

          After a thorough review of the 2 publisher’s materials, the committee recommends the adoption of Prentice-Hall.

          Rationale for recommendation.

      -Content engages students in science learning. 

      -Science inquiry includes “The Nature of Science and Technology” (a separate instructional book) as an introduction to science at BJ.

      -Quality of visual aids, including interactive art, available online and in CD form (e.g., earthquake, frequency and distance, circuits, parallel/series.)

      -Online text, including interactive art and audio text.

•        Interdisciplinary activities in writing, math, reading, careers, issues in  science.

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•        Support is superior to other programs in math instruction as it applies to science.

•        Special education, ESL, bilingual support that includes guided reading materials and alternate assessment.

•        Appropriate readability including real world connections to build on prior knowledge, e.g. comparing a current to a conveyor belt, a circuit to a race track, and a description of a trip through the cell.

•        Labs integral to everyday teaching that are open-ended and allow students to form their own hypothesis.

 

In order to prepare our students for ISAT and to meet the intent of the Illinois Learning Standards, changes need to be made in the vertical articulation of the curriculum.

 

The BJHS science curriculum will be modified to more accurately reflect state standards for learning at each level.

 

Science Content Transition, Grades 6-8:   

 

Grade Level

2005-2006

2006-2007

2007-2008

2008-2009

Grade 6

Physical Living/nonliving

Resources

Processing skills

Earth (ISAT)

Shared with Gr. 8

Earth

Shared with Gr. 8

Earth

Grade 7

Life

Physical-Chemistry,

Introduction to Matter

Life

Physical-Chemistry,

Introduction to Matter

Life

Life

Grade 8

Earth

Physical-Chemistry, Balancing Equations

Earth

Shared with Gr. 6

Earth

Shared with Gr. 6

Physical

Publisher will provide:

 

•    All teacher materials at no charge which include:

•    Teacher Access Pack to the internet, allowing students to use e-book online.

•    “E” instruction at no charge.

 

District 87 costs:

 

•    Purchase 450 books per grade level at a cost of $122,184.00 ($16.97 per book, 16 books over 3 years.)

•    Spanish Edition ($21.97 per book for 40 students) $4,833.40.

•    Illinois Textbook Loan Program ($33.83 per pupil) $65,099.27.

•    Cost for Books from the District $61,918.13

•    Laboratory and Other Equipment (amount will vary depending on K-5 needs) $20,000-$25,000.

•    Total Cost for Grade 6-8 Science Adoption $81,918.12 - $86,918.12

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Professional Development

 

•       April 14 – ½ day workshop

  “Implementing Prentice-Hall”

•       (Each teacher will participate in one implementation workshop.)

•       April – 3 days with substitutes “Implementing Prentice-Hall”

•       Tentative – A Day at the Close of the School Year and A Day at the Start of the School Year – Teachers will be given a choice of attending AM or PM Workshop “Implementing Prentice-Hall Science”

•       Spring/Fall, 2006 A Variety of content workshops in science will be offered.

•       Tentative – Fall Institute – Time to Address Questions/Concerns or Focus on a Topic, such as Assessment, Reading in the Content Area, or Technology Resources.

•       The company will provide in-service at no charge for the life of the adoption.

 

      The materials will be on public display in the Community Room for the next 30 days.

 

      Mrs. Tucker stated that this proposal will be brought back at the February 22 Board Meeting for Board consideration.

 

      It was moved by Mrs. Jackson, seconded by Mrs. Roth, that the Consent Agenda (Personnel Report, Bills, Payroll, Treasurer’s Report, Financial Summary, 2006 Audit Engagement, 2006 Actuary Engagement, O & M and Life Safety Occupancy Permits, O & M and Life Safety Building Permit, Health/Life Safety Statement of Completion and SSCIP Liability Insurance Contract Extension) be approved. Upon a roll call vote, all Members present, voted “Aye”.  Motion carried. (See with Original Minutes, Attachment 1-11-06/1)

 

Dr. Nielsen, Mr. Reilly and Mrs. Smith wished Mrs. Delia Hicks, Administrative Assistant to the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, best wishes on her retirement effective January 20, 2006.

 

      It was moved by Mrs. Jackson, seconded by Mrs. Roth that the Board go into Closed Session for the purpose of the placement of individual students in special education programs and other matters relating to individual students.  Upon a roll call vote, all Members present voted “Aye”.  Motion carried.   

 

     There being no further business to come before the Board, Mr. Dirks adjourned the meeting.

 

 

APPPROVED:                                ATTEST:

 

 

 

                                   

___________________________               ___________________________

President                                 Secretary