School Board Meeting Minutes 6-17-2008

Minutes of Board Meeting6-17-08

I am posting these minutes to expedite information dissemination. Much more complete and detailed minutes will be posted in 4-6 weeks on the school district’s website. In the mean time, these minutes are what I feel were the big “takeaways”, a macro look at my impression of the meeting. These are condensed, abbreviated, shortened, and to the point.

All Board Members, except Pete Gindl, present.

PTA Presentation—given by Cindy Gerhardt

Stellar Employee of the Year Recognized—Mrs. Beth McGowan, Data Specialist, West Florida High School

2008 Principal Achievement Award for Outstanding Leadership—Aggie Bauer, Cordova Park Elementary School

2008 Assistant Principal Achievement Award for Outstanding Leadership—Susan Soderlind, Tate High School

Public Forum: 4 Speakers

2 Speakers said do not alter the school start times
1 Speaker was thankful that the proposal to expand janitorial outsourcing was pulled from the agenda
1 Speaker (Gail Husbands) presented results of a survey regarding elementary school teachers and their perceptions about the proposed extended elementary school day.

MAY Meeting Minutes Approved

Entire Consent Agenda (minus Finance #9 2008-2009 Administrative Salary Schedule and Classification Guide) approved. This item, which would have resulted in savings to the district in excess of $200,000.00, was voted down 3-1. I was the lone vote to approve this recommendation from Jim Paul which was a 2% reduction in administrative pay throughout the district. My fellow board members felt this would have been too great a hardship on the school based administrative staff, particularly the assistant principals.

Note: Item #12 under finance represented a more than $20,000.00 expenditure to pay dues in the School Board’s professional organization, the Florida School Boards Association. I made a motion that we opt out of the association for one year, due to the budget crisis. I felt that the money would be well spent here locally, in the classroom. I also felt that as a board, this would have shown that we would give up some important items to help shoulder the econonmic burden of our tightening budget. My fellow board members disagreed with me on this, and allowed this motion to die for lack of a second.

All Curriculum items approved

All Finance items approved

All Purchasing items approved

Note: Item #45, GPS School Bus Tracking System for Transportation Department, which is estimated to save the district nearly $800,000.00 this upcoming year, was passed by a 3-1 vote, with Claudia Brown Curry voting against the purchase.

All Operations items approved

Corrected Affirmative Action Plan—(re-named Diversity Action Plan, at my request) approved 4-0

Permission to Advertise Revisions to School District Rule Chapter
6Gx17-1.14 (3)(5)(6)(7) Public Records—granted via 4-0 vote.

(Entire Consent Agenda was meticulously covered and discussed at length during a marathon 4 1/2 hour board workshop held during the afternoon/early evening of 6/16/2008)

Board voted to accept the superintendent’s recommendation regarding the following:

19 students expelled from regular school facilities for various infractions, including 14 for possession of marijuana.
All recommended Administrative School Based Personnel (School Term 2008-2009) were reappointed

1 Employee terminated

2 Employees suspended

1 Employee had their suspension rescinded

Meeting adjourned at 7:35.