SHELTON SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 309
REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, OCTOBER 28, 2008
PAGE 5
The Shelton School District Board of Directors met in regular session at 5:30 p.m. on October 28, 2008 in the board room located at CHOICE High School.
Board members present: Chairman Holly Sharpe, Sue McCausland, Gene Crater, Julianna Miljour and Cheryl Travaglione.
Staff members present: Assistant Superintendent Gordy Hansen, Jackie McGuire, Alison Nutt, Bracken Budge, Ray Field, Pam Farr, Ron Goodale, Linda Arnold, Brent Conklin, Karla Knudsen-Johnston, Mike Kuhns, Stacey Anderson, Cara Prentiss, Ed Born, Paul Lawniczak, and Dann and Robin Gagnon.
Others present: Jeff Green, Helen Thomson, Skylar Carroll, Oz Johnston, Vanessa Gilbert, Liana Hungerford, and a number of Shelton High School seniors.
CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Sharpe called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. and led the Pledge of Allegiance.
ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA
There was one addition to the consent agenda which was a new Item 9.08 – supplemental personnel report. Sue McCausland made a motion to adopt the agenda with the addition of the supplemental personnel report. Julianna Miljour seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously.
Gene Crater read the district’s Mission Statement.
COMMUNITY COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS
§ Mt. View teacher Karla Knudsen-Johnston addressed the board regarding overcrowding conditions at Mt. View Elementary. There are approximately 710 students attending Mt. View this year. Karla said the overcrowding conditions are stretching the school’s teaching, custodial, counseling, lunchroom and secretarial staffs. She also said the bathrooms are overcrowded with only 3 sets of bathrooms in the main building. Karla went on to say that there is a discrepancy in class size between Mt. View and Evergreen and suggested that the dual language program was to blame.
§ Ron Goodale also addressed the board about the overcrowding at Mt. View. He has two children who attend Mt. View this year and said there are safety issues with the building being so overcrowded. He also commented on the impact to bathrooms, the lunchroom, classrooms and the playground with so many students and that the inequity of class size between buildings needs to be addressed. Ron said he was looking forward to knowing how the board will be addressing these issues.
Chairman Sharpe commented that Superintendent Joan Zook was unable to attend tonight’s meeting but she is aware of the situation at Mt. View.
BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS
§ Cheryl Travaglione thanked everyone in the audience for coming to the meeting. She was out of town last week, but before she left she attended Grandparents Appreciation Day at Mt. View Elementary and said it was very enjoyable.
§ Gene Crater met recently with Jim Judson, the new Athletic Director, and discussed the district’s athletic program. Gene feels Jim is doing an excellent job and hopes people remember that change takes time, that we have to support change and Jim is changing things for the good. Gene also met with Joan last week regarding class size.
§ Julianna Miljour thanked Karla Knudsen and Ron Goodale for coming to the meeting regarding the class size issues at Mt. View and said the board understands there is an issue and will be discussing what can be done.
§ Sue McCausland visited recently with the Mt. View principal and said that the issue of class size was a topic that came up in the conversation. Sue said this was also a concern of everyone on the board and believes a study session will be scheduled soon to discuss the issues.
REPORTS AND RECOGNITIONS
7.01 – Recognition of the Shelton High School Marching Band:
Randy Grostick and several marching band students were present to talk about their participation in the Harvest Marching Band Festival on October 17-19 in Yakima. The Shelton High School Marching Band won the Sweepstakes Award at the Festival which is the highest award a band can receive.
7.02 – Focus on Students:
Oakland Bay Junior High teacher Brent Conklin and students Liana Hungerford and Vanessa Gilbert were present for the Focus on Students. Liana and Vanessa talked about what they have been learning this year in Mr. Conklin’s 8th grade U.S. History class.
7.03 – Proposal for open campus for CHOICE students:
CHOICE Leadership students Brandon Bainter, Natasha Russell and Odessa Cook presented a proposal to allow students to leave campus during their lunch period. They proposed the following:
§ Students will be able to leave campus during their lunch period only (10:55 – 11:25 a.m.)
§ This will allow students time to take a break from their small, confined campus.
§ This will allow students to have a variety of lunch options.
§ This will provide students with the responsibility of time management.
The reasons for their request were:
1. There is currently a lack of equity for lunch options between the three secondary schools. Shelton High School has a large campus, a lot of outside grounds. Oakland Bay has a large lunchroom and an outside picnic area. CHOICE is confined to a small lunchroom with limited outside grounds.
2. A mid-day break at school would give people time to take care of personal business.
3. CHOICE is a diverse group of people confined in a small space. A break at mid-day would give students the ability to get away from anyone they might be frustrated with.
They proposed the following off-campus guidelines:
§ Students will have a parent/guardian come to the school office and sign a permission slip to be kept on file in the office. Students must also have permission from the principal and his/her advisor.
§ Students will not smoke within two blocks of any school.
§ Students will return to school by 11:25 a.m.
§ Students will not loiter in front of homes or businesses.
They proposed the following consequences:
§ If a student breaks off-campus rules during lunch they will lose their privileges for two weeks.
§ Any student who has an in-school referral will lose off campus privileges for two weeks.
§ More severe violations will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
§ Students with multiple violations will be dealt with using the progressive discipline plan.
§ Any student on academic probation will lose this privilege until they are back in good standing.
CHOICE teachers Stacey Anderson and Mike Kuhns, as well as principal Cara Prentiss were also present. Stacey said that the CHOICE staff was excited about the possibility of open campus and thinks students will fight to earn more credit and do better in school because of this privilege. Cara thought 20 to 30 students would take advantage of this opportunity.
Board members had a number of concerns about granting open campus to CHOICE students, which included:
§ The need to talk with district legal counsel regarding any school district liability if a student gets in an accident while off campus.
§ Shelton High School students will want the same privilege of open campus.
§ CHOICE student leadership needs to communicate with Shelton High School student leadership on why they believe they should have open campus.
§ Littering while off campus.
§ Students not returning to campus on time when their lunch period is over.
§ Difficult for law enforcement to identify those students who are truant vs. those who are excused from school.
Board members also had the following suggestions:
§ Address issue by talking with Food Services for better lunch options for CHOICE.
§ Have woodshop building a gazebo for the CHOICE campus similar to the one built by Shelton High School students for the Shelton High School campus so students have more places to sit outside during lunch.
§ Have a portable “student store” cart to sell different food items since there is no place for a student store within the CHOICE building.
Board members thanked the students for their presentation. No decision was made at the meeting.
7.04 – Report from the Special Education Department:
Paul Lawniczak and Skylar Carroll presented on Response to Intervention (RTI). RTI is a general education approach that aligns resources from general, remedial and special education through a multi-tiered service delivery model in order to provide scientific, research-based interventions to struggling students. Paul is a school psychologist in the Shelton School District and Skylar is a school psychologist and Dean of Students for the Hood Canal School District.
DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS
8.01 – Role of Volunteers:
Cheryl Travaglione asked that this item be placed on the agenda. She said that with state funding not what it should be, that perhaps we could approach service clubs with specific projects in mind or maybe PTSO’s. Chairman Sharpe suggested combining this with Item 8.02.
8.02 – Board study session on current issues:
Gene Crater asked that this item be placed on the agenda. He would like to set a date for a study session where board members can talk about current important issues in the district. Board members then set a study session for Monday, December 1, 2008 from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. in the central office conference room. A light dinner will be provided.
CONSENT AGENDA
Sue McCausland made a motion to approve the consent agenda with the addition of the supplemental personnel report as a new Item 9.08. Julianna Miljour seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously. The board:
§ Approved minutes from the October 14, 2008 regular school board meeting.
§ Approved cancellation of ASB Fund Voucher Nos. 17880, 17910 and 17210.
§ Approved General Fund Voucher No. 112334 in the amount of $1,322.78.
§ Approved General Fund Voucher Nos. 112335 through 112630 in the amount of $726,639.39.
§ Approved Associated Student Body Fund Voucher Nos. 17967 through 18024 in the amount of $73,496.78.
§ Approved Payroll Voucher Nos. 43476 through 43591 in the amount of $3,182,235.90.
§ Approved the regular and supplemental personnel reports as presented and as attached. (See Attachment #1.)
SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT
10.01 – Budget status report:
Jackie McGuire gave a preliminary year-end fiscal report for 2007-08. It is preliminary because it has not been approved at either the ESD or OSPI level. The August ending balance in the General Fund was $1,516,746.49 which is a 3.74% carryover of revenue against the 5.0% board target. Jackie also commented that the remaining $29,253 in the Capital Projects fund will be used for Shelton High School equipment purchase or HVAC.
FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER
Board study sessions are scheduled at 4:00 p.m. on both November 3 and November 4 to hear from the building principals on their School Improvement Plans.
ADJOURN
Chairman Sharpe declared the meeting adjourned at 7:39 p.m.
Chairman, Board of Directors
Secretary to the Board