MINUTES - REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION

 

January 24, 2007            6:33 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, Mrs. Millicent Roth, Mr. John Dirks, Mr. Michael Harrison and Mr. Joseph Butcher. Mrs. Cheryl Jackson and Mr. Keith Davis were absent.

 

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

 

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

 

Present from the news media was Ms. Phyllis Coulter, The Pantagraph.

 

Mrs. Smith presented the Minutes for approval. 

 

Mrs. Roth noted that in the fifth paragraph of the last page of the Regular Minutes, it stated that she made a motion to go into closed session and she was not in attendance at that meeting.  The Board Member who made that motion should have been Mr. Davis.

 

It was moved by Mr. Dirks, seconded by Mr. Harrison, that the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Board of Education held on January 10, 2007 and the Minutes of the Closed Meeting of the Board of Education held on January 10, 2007 be approved.  Upon a roll call vote, Mr. Dirks, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Butcher and Mrs. Smith voted “Aye”.  Mrs. Roth abstained as she was not in attendance at those meetings.  Motion carried.

 

Mr. Dirks stated that The Beyond the Books Educational Foundation met recently and the focus was on fundraising.  Some letters are going out within the month to help bring in donations.  The project applications are out soliciting projects for this spring’s awards.  The foundation increased the amount of the awards this year over last. 

     

      Mr. Dirks stated that the Achievement Gap Taskforce met yesterday morning.  The Parental Involvement subgroup is fashioning a pilot program to do some home visits for one school in each District which will be aimed at engaging parents in school involvement.  There will also be some coordination of Public Service Announcements to stress “Achievement Matters” around the community to help engage students and parents as well. 

 

      Mr. Dirks stated that the Data Modeling and Reporting subgroup has been working with some new developments.  We have two dedicated resources from State Farm Insurance that have met a couple of times with the technical directors of both Districts to map out technology needs.  The first step is to connect the data bases of information between the Districts and make that information more readily accessible to teachers and administrators. 

 

      Mrs. Hill outlined the proposed 2007 Summer School program. In summary:

  

• The Elementary and Extended School year 5-week program will run from June 11 through July 13 at Bloomington Junior High School (BJHS).

 

Board Meeting

January 24, 2007

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• BJHS Assistant Principal, Mr. Jeff Geringer, will administer the    Summer School program this year.

• Classes will be held from Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.  Seventy-two hours of instruction will focus on literacy and mathematics.

• Teachers will receive professional development and collaborative planning the week prior to Summer School. 

• Breakfast will be available to students, as well as daily transportation to and from school.

• All attending students who qualify for Free and Reduced lunches will have their $200.00 tuition fee waived.

 

• Bloomington Junior High School's program will be offered for 6th, 7th and 8th graders and will focus on reading, writing and mathematics; Tuition, $200.00

 

• Bloomington High School (BHS) will offer a Summer School program for students who need to make up credits.

 

• Early Start programs will be offered for Sheridan and Irving School students for three weeks starting in late July. Sheridan's program will be funded by a $21,000 grant from State Farm and Irving's program will be funded through Title I funds.

 

• Two Transition Pilot programs are being proposed for selected students who are transitioning out of one school and may need help with their organizational and planning skills. One program will be offered to 5th grade students who will attend BJHS and the other program will help 8th grade students adjust to BHS. Each of these programs is expected to occur just prior to the start of school and will last about 15 hours each. No tuition will be charged.

Summer School & Extended School Year Program Costs

          Salaries for Certified Staff        $80,640

          Transportation                      $16,000

          Program Assistants                  $14,400

          Administrative Costs                $ 8,000

          Prof. Development/Planning          $ 8,000

          Curriculum Materials/Supplies       $10,000

Elementary Summer School & Extended School Year

          Title I                             $81,000

          IDEA                                $ 3,000

          District 87 Funds                   $46,000

          Tuition                             $ 9,000

Early Start & Transition Programs

          AGTF Gift (State Farm)             $21,000

          Title V                             $ 5,000

     This Summer School Proposal for 2007 will be brought back in February for Board consideration.

Board Meeting

January 24, 2007

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  Mrs. Smith presented the Consent Agenda for Approval.  It was moved by Mr. Butcher, seconded by Mr. Dirks, that the Consent Agenda (Human Resources Report, Bills, Treasurer’s Report, Financial Summary, Resolution: School Year Hazard Report, Resolution: Review of Minutes of Closed Executive Sessions,

Delta Dental Contract, Stevenson Cooling Tower Equipment Bid Recommendation,

BHS Packaged Boiler Equipment Bid Recommendation, BHS Heat Exchanger/Boiler Replacement Project Bid Recommendation, BHS Kitchen HVAC Bid Recommendation

Building Permit Applications, 2007 Actuary Engagement, and Vision Service Plan (VSP), be approved.  Upon a roll call vote, all Members present voted “Aye”. Motion carried. (See with Original Minutes, Attachment 1-24-07/1)

 

     Dr. Nielsen stated that the Achievement Gap Taskforce has been functioning for about a year and thanked all the groups involved in the taskforce for their work.  District 87 has received grants from State Farm Insurance to pay for after school programming this year and for supporting the Early Start Program at Sheridan School next year.   These are significant advancements for our students.  There is movement beginning to work with State Farm Insurance expertise in the development of the technology infrastructure and the creation of assessment data management regarding our students.  This is definitely a communitywide approach.  There will be a public relations push to emphasize academic achievement this summer and fall.  Dr. Nielsen stated that Mr. Dirks deserves credit for coordinating many of the meetings as well as his work in the meetings.

 

     It was moved by Mrs. Roth, seconded by Mr. Butcher, that the Resolution: Amending Board Policies Manual: 6.320, High School Credit for Proficiency,

be approved.  Upon a roll call vote, all Members present voted “Aye”. Motion carried. (See with Original Minutes, Attachment 1-24-07/2)

 

     It was moved by Mr. Harrison, seconded by Mr. Butcher, that the Bloomington High School Textbook Adoption for 2007-08 be approved.  Upon a roll call vote, all Members present voted “Aye”. Motion carried. (See with Original Minutes, Attachment 1-24-07/3)

 

      It was moved by Mr. Dirks, seconded by Mr. Harrison, that the Letter of Remedial Warning be approved.  Upon a roll call vote, all Members present voted “Aye”. Motion carried. (See with Original Minutes, Attachment 1-24-07/4)

    

       It was moved by Mr. Butcher, seconded by Mr. Harrison, that the Board go into Closed Session for the purpose of considering 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.

 

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

 

 

APPPROVED:                          ATTEST:

 

 

 

______________________              ___________________________

President                           Secretary