REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING

FEBRUARY 14, 2000

PAGE 3

COOS BAY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

COOS BAY, OREGON FEBRUARY 14, 2000

REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING

The Board of Directors of Coos Bay Public Schools met at 7:00 p.m., Monday, Febru- ary 14, 2000, in the Board Room of the District Office at 1330 Teakwood, Coos Bay, Oregon, in regular session. The meeting was opened by Board Chair Tom Bennett with the Pledge of Allegiance.

The following members were present:

Tom Bennett Donna Stolle

Don Blom Sue Walberg

Betty Golden Rob Wall

Wally Hazen

Also present were: Superintendent Giles Parker, Attorney David Dorsey, Jerry Hill, Rod Danielson, Barbara Walton, Libby Hughes, Arnie Roblan, Karen Gray, Bill Lawrence, Mary Bjornerud, Blaine Barklow, Gael Berhow, Arlene Roblan, Nancy Tedder, Paul Swank, Gina Sutherland, Greg Mulkey, Mike Hughes, Tom Jenkins, Ruth Greiner, Linda Smith, Art Pierce, Paul Huzefka, Craig Osterson, Connie Cullen, Jennifer Helm, Mark Allen, Sandra Archerd, Sandy Hoffer, Sue Sharps, Linda Warnock, Jamie Fereday, Jay Farr, Penny Morgan, JoAnn Amsbary, Bob Huggins, Stephen Cox, Mike Helfrich, Shelley Tildon, Dean Tildon, Patti Richter, Arlene Guerin, Michael Cook, Nikki Davidson, Marty Giles, Jim Bice, Dave Pinello, Teri Jones, Lee Taft, Kyle Taft, Mike Grifantini.

CONSENT AGENDA
Wally Hazen moved, Betty Golden seconded, and the Board unanimously approved the Consent Agenda items as listed below.
MINUTES OF
MEETINGS / The Minutes of the January 10, 2000 Executive Session and the January 10, 2000 Regular Board Meeting were approved as submitted.
AYA REFERRALS / The Board approved 7 District students to attend the AYA program. In addition, 4 students already attending AYA who moved from out-of-district into the Coos Bay School District received approval to continue attending.
REGULAR AGENDA
MHS STUDENT
REPRESENTATIVE / Blaine Barklow, MHS Student Representative, gave an update on Marshfield’s activities and events as highlighted in the Board Summary.
PUBLIC INPUT –
TEACHING ABOUT
CONTROVERSIAL
ISSUES / Dave Pinello, Wildlife Services Specialist for the Department of Agriculture, addressed the Board regarding the way a teacher handled a situation. Dan Polk, 4th grade teacher at Blossom Gulch Elementary School, had found a coyote in a steel leg-hold trap while riding his bicycle on Coos Bay/North Bend Water Board property. He placed calls to Wildlife Services to express disapproval of the practice and also presented the situation and pictures to his classroom. Students wrote letters about the situation to Stan Thomas at Wildlife Services.
Mr. Pinello gave the history of complaints from the Oakway Drive neighborhood to the Coos Bay Police Department about coyote sightings and concern over the safety of pets and children. He was contracted to capture and destroy the animals. Mr. Pinello expressed his feelings that Mr. Polk had unfairly presented this to his students.
Several citizens presented their opinions regarding how this issue was handled. Superintendent Parker gave assurance the District had a sufficient policy in place regarding teaching about controversial issues. The policy states the students should have the opportunity to study issues appropriate to their interest, experience, and ability and that they have access to relevant information and examine all sides of an issues. Students have the right to form and express their own points of view and opinions. This opportunity has been and will continue to be available.
TRACK & FIELD
UPDATE / Bob Huggins provided a history of the efforts to renovate the track and field facility at Marshfield High School. In 1996 a privately-funded stadium committee was formed to obtain donations to build a new south side grandstand and upgrade the track and field facilities. The hill on the south side started to slide, making it necessary to redesign and upgrade the support for the new stadium.
TRACK & FIELD
UPDATE
(continued) / This, along with less than expected donations, forced them to pare back the project to include only the first phase, the grandstands. The stadium committee is about to begin on the foundation work for the new stadium, which is planned to be ready for use next fall.
Mr. Huggins, who is Executive Director of the Prefontaine Memorial Committee, reviewed their fund-raising efforts to completely renovate the school’s track facility. For the past ten years, the Board has been aware of the need to rebuild or resurface the track. Working with the District’s architect, a plan has been drawn up to tear out the existing track, put in a new base, new track surface, new curbs, improve drainage and new surfaces for all the field events.
Steve Cox of HGE, the District’s architect of record, did a preliminary study of the track and field project, which included resurfacing the playing field with artificial turf. Last year, the Board made a commitment to match donations up to $600,000 to upgrade the track and field and gave the committee until February/March, 2000 to raise sufficient funds to do so.
Superintendent Parker discussed the current efforts being made since combining the stadium, track, and field groups. He expressed the need to take action in order to meet the Board’s commitment to resurface or redesign the track at the end of the 2000 track and field season. He reviewed several options which could be considered and recommended the Board take appropriate action to redesign the track to bring into compliance with current competition and safety standards and resurface the field with artificial turf. Estimated cost to do this is $1.4 million. Counting revenue of $200,000 from non-District funds and $600,000 as a District commitment, that would leave $600,000 to finance if approved by the Board. Future revenues from field rental, ticket surcharges, parking fees, and further fund raising would be used to pay back the financed amount.
Donna Stolle made a motion the Board commit $600,000 from the capital improvement fund to redesign the track and resurface the field with artificial turf; authorize the District to enter into a finance
TRACK & FIELD
UPDATE
(continued) / agreement to cover any temporary shortfall to complete the project, assuming repayment from additional fund raising and future revenue sources from the new facility; and authorize the staff to call for bids to begin construction by mid-May, 2000. Wally Hazen seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously. No bond money will be used for this project.
CBEA/OSEA / Ruth Greiner, CBEA President, introduced certified staff present at the meeting and brought attention to the displays in the Board Room provided by Bunker Hill Elementary School students and staff. She reminded everyone that March 2 is “Read Across America” day and invited the Board to read in a classroom on that day.
Linda Smith, OSEA Secretary, announced the upcoming raffle to benefit their scholarship program for children and grandchildren of employees. She also recollected that last year about this time the classified staff came to the Board about the value of education assistants. They still have concerns about not having enough educational assistants in the classroom.
PRESENTATION
OF MUSIC
AWARD / Mark Allen, introduced as the greatest band/music leader in the state, provided a background of the OMEA administrator award. Three years ago the local OMEA District decided to recognize an outstanding administrator for contributions to the music program. Two years ago the state OMEA followed suit. He presented Barb Walton, Director of Curriculum, with the State OMEA Administrator of the Year award for her many contributions to their efforts. He also mentioned that the jazz band had returned from competition among 24 bands across Oregon and Washington and had come home with 1st place!
BUNKER HILL
PROGRAMS / Gael Berhow, Principal at Bunker Hill Elementary School, provided a slide presentation, “Climbing the Hill to Excellence,” describing the programs and activities at the “school on the hill.” All students at Bunker Hill are eligible for Title I services, including math, reading, computer lab, and early morning study hall. Bunker Hill has a tremendous parent/community outreach program, which is also part of Title I. Students enjoy programs like hobo science, field trips, Read Across America, DARE, and Coos Art Museum projects, as well as activities like swimming, skating, bowling, and art contests. They are proud of their strong PTO, their new gym/cafeteria provided by public bonds, and their recent “Strong” rating by the State on their school report card. The Board thanked Mrs. Berhow for her enthusiastic presentation.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
RETENTION
PROPOSAL / Sunset Principal Greg Mulkey and Assistant Principal Arlene Roblan and Millicoma Principal Mike Hughes and Assistant Principal Gina Sutherland discussed the proposed retention policy for middle school students. They explained that students must be responsible for attending school and learning. Some students feel they don’t have to do school work and that they will be promoted regardless of their grades. The proposed retention policy would amend the current District administrative regulations to include holding back middle school students failing in two or more core subjects. Academic ability will be considered. Students who are working up to their potential and still failing will not be retained. Students with IEP’s for learning disabilities are not candidates for retention.
The policy would affect 8th grade students only this year but would include 6th and 7th grade students in 2000-2001. Students may successfully complete summer school if offered that year or repeat the current grade. Students who are retained will not be able to participate in sports during the repeated grade.
Chairman Tom Bennett urged the administrators to re-examine some of the statements, including “Students who are working up to their potential and still failing . . ..” and “considered on a case-by-case basis.” The Board supported and applauded their efforts.
The revised procedures will be presented for approval at the next regular Board meeting.
REVISED POLICY / Revised Policy JECAC/GBH, Staff/Student/Parent Relations, was presented for second reading. It has been brought up to date with the law concerning rights of non-custodial parents. Wally Hazen made a motion, seconded by Betty Golden, to approve revised Policy JECAC/GBH. The motion passed unanimously.
ESD RESOLUTION
PROGRAMS and
CONSORTIUM CONTRACT
PROGRAMS / Superintendent Parker told the Board the superintendents in Coos and Curry Counties reviewed the programs provided by the South Coast Education Service District and feel they are about as “bare bones” as they can get. He recommended approval of the programs. Donna Stolle moved the Board approve the Resolution Programs and the Consortium Contract Programs for 2000-2001 offered by the ESD. Wally Hazen seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.
RESOLUTION
2000-011 and
2000-012 / Resolution 2000-011 accepts and appropriates a grant in the amount of $8,000 from Coos County. The Juvenile Crime Prevention Planning Committee awarded $6,000 to Sunset Middle School and $2,000 to Madison Elementary School for After School programs. Arlene Roblan, Assistant Principal at Sunset, said the program would be up and running very soon, but no later than when students return from spring break. Rob Wall made a motion, seconded by Sue Walberg, to accept the grant. The Board passed the motion unanimously.
Resolution 2000-012 accepts and appropriates the $4,250 donations from the Charleston Community for the purchase of stage curtains at Charleston Elementary School. Sue Walberg moved the Board accept the $4,250 grant. Don Blom seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.
PERSONNEL
REQUEST / Jamie Fereday and Maureen Kelly have asked to continue to share a science position at Millicoma Middle School for the 2000-2001 school year. Each will teach one-half year and take leave of absence the other one-half year. Stating this is an excellent, non-precedent-setting arrangement and an enlightened approach to employees needs, Tom Bennett moved the Board approve this request. Donna Stolle seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.
MHS GRADUATION
REQUIREMENTS --
PROPOSED CHANGE / Marshfield Principal Arnie Roblan explained that the State dropped the requirement for Career Development last year. The high school staff looked closely at that course and determined that, with all the added requirements, Career Development should be dropped from their graduation requirements. The MHS Site Council agreed it should be presented for Board approval. The essential components of that course will be embedded in other junior curriculum. Don Blom moved the Board follow the recommendation of the Site Council and drop Career Development as a required course. Betty Golden seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.
HIRING –
DIRECTOR
OF SUPPORT
SERVICES / Superintendent Parker explained that he is required by law to present a balanced budget. District administration has been looking at cuts in order to make the $850,000 reduction necessary and has provided the Board with proposed cuts.
HIRING –
DIRECTOR
OF SUPPORT
SERVICES
(continued) / One of the earlier considerations was not to fill the Assistant Superintendent’s position when Jerry Hill retires the end of June, 2000. He recommended that, whenever that position is filled, it return to that of Director of Support Services. He asked for input from the Board, stating this is the appropriate time of the year to begin a search if the position is to be filled.
Wally Hazen said this position is far too valuable to leave unfilled. Donna Stolle agreed she would feel very uncomfortable leaving it vacant and feels the District has been highly dependent on that position as well as the superintendent’s. Sue Walberg felt the change in title was a good one and that it fit better in the organization. Rob Wall also said he would not like to see the position cut as it is an important one to the District.