CRIPPLE CREEK-VICTOR SCHOOL DISTRICT RE-1

Board of Education     Regular Meeting

March 30, 2009       Room 1/ Board Meeting Room

6:00 p.m.

1.         Call to Order.   The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. by President, Brent             Kennedy.

2.         Pledge of Allegiance.  Mr. Kennedy led the Board and audience in the Pledge of            Allegiance.

3.         Roll Call:  Arrick, present; Casey-Svetich, present; Kennedy, present; Tomlinson, present.   Also present were Sue Holmes, superintendent; Joan Rook, secondary principal; Martha DeJesus, elementary principal; Jean Olmsted, secretary to the Board and approximately 10 other individuals. 

4.         Approval of Agenda.

Mr. Kennedy recommended that the agenda be amended to delete Harold Hern Statute as Item 1 and replace that with Consideration for Board Appointment and add Sick Leave Bank Appeal as Item 9.   

      Motion by Arrick to approve the agenda as amended.  Seconded by Tomlinson.

Roll call vote:  Arrick, aye; Casey-Svetich, aye; Kennedy, aye; Tomlinson, aye.

5.        Approval of Minutes

The minutes from the February 23^rd regular meeting were presented.  Corrections were made indicating that Mr. Kennedy was not on the Policy Committee and there were several votes that Tomlinson made as “aye,” that were not noted.

           Motion by Casey-Svetich to accept the minutes as corrected.  Seconded by Arrick.

Roll call vote:  Arrick, aye; Casey-Svetich, aye; Kennedy, aye; Tomlinson, aye.

6.         Awards and Presentations

There were no awards or presentations for this meeting.

7.         Public Participation

No one addressed the Board at this time.

8.         Focus:  Professional Development

The principals were asked to speak as to professional development opportunities in each school.  Mrs. DeJesus reported that in focusing on student achievement her staff was involved in

ü Collaborating.  Teachers were teamed up with another teacher for a year and were able to provide feedback and try new teaching techniques.

ü Teams.  Several teams have been formed including leadership and curriculum.  Time was being consolidated and staff meetings were being used for professional development.

ü Love & Logic.  2 groups of staff (totaling 21) were studying the Love & Logic resources.  This will carry over into the next year.  Staff is working on more strategies to help under-achievers.

ü Sensory Processing Disorder

ü A new reading program has been purchased.  Staff is becoming familiar with the strategies presented with the curriculum.

ü Small group instruction.

Mrs. Rook reported

Ø Secondary is also working in teams including but not limited to Leadership, Principal’s Advisory Committee, and Professional Development.

Ø Staff is focusing on literacy and incorporating reading as a big piece of staff development

Ø PAVE-Pioneers Achieving Vocabulary Excellence is incorporating new vocabulary words into the curriculum

Ø Staff is being trained on data analysis and using the information to develop strategies for low achieving students.

Ø Progress is being made.  15 out of 60 junior high students were behind in reading and the number has dropped to 8.  Senior high school numbers have gone from 26 to 7.

Ø Staff is also working on Love & Logic and small group instruction.

Discussion followed.

9.         Business Meeting

A. Action Items

i.          Consideration of Board Appointment.  Mr. Braun has submitted a letter requesting that he be appointed to the position that he vacated and allowed to complete the remainder of his term.  Mrs. Holmes advised she had contacted the attorney and there were no legal restrictions or ramifications. The Board discussed the request.

Motion by Casey-Svetich to appoint Mr. Tim Braun to the position of Director for District B for the remainder of the term.  Seconded by Tomlinson.

Roll call vote:  Arrick, nay; Casey-Svetich, aye; Kennedy, aye; Tomlinson, aye.

The president administered the Oath of Office to Mr. Braun at which time he joined the Board at the table.

ii. Reschedule May Board Meeting.  The May Board meeting falls on Memorial Day.  The Board was asked to reschedule the meeting.

Motion by Tomlinson to set the May Board meeting for June 1, 2009 at 5:30 p.m.  Seconded by Arrick.

Roll call vote:  Arrick, aye; Braun, aye; Casey-Svetich, aye; Kennedy, aye; Tomlinson, aye.

iii. Personnel Recommendations.  Mary O’Donnell, kindergarten teacher, was asking for approval to participate in a transitional year before retirement.  Ronald Berry is being recommended to replace Darla McClure and Eric Baker as a preschool bus driver/secretary.  The superintendent asked the Board to accept the recommendations as presented.

Motion by Arrick to accept the administration’s personnel recommendations.  Seconded by Tomlinson.

Roll call vote:  Arrick, aye; Braun, aye; Casey-Svetich, aye; Kennedy, aye; Tomlinson, aye.

iv.        Policies: JICJ, JEB

JICJ, Student Use of Electronic Communication Devices.  The policy committee felt that the policy was too confining and should allow building principals to determine student use of devices. The committee suggested that the language “during unauthorized times” should be added at the end of the first sentence in the second paragraph.

Motion by Arrick to approve the recommendation.  Seconded by Casey-Svetich.

Roll call vote:  Arrick, aye; Braun, aye; Casey-Svetich, aye; Kennedy, aye; Tomlinson, aye.

JEB, Entrance Age.  The committee felt that this should be revised to align with the CASB recommended policy and the deadline date changed to October 1.

Motion by Casey-Svetich to approve the recommendation.  Seconded by Tomlinson.

Roll call vote:  Arrick, aye; Braun, aye; Casey-Svetich, aye; Kennedy, aye; Tomlinson, aye.

v.         Reduction in Force:  Fiscal Exigency.    Mrs. Holmes provided the Board with the information that was available from the state department concerning the financial outlook for the district.  Finite calculations will not be available until May and student enrollment is declining.  She is asking the Board to declare a Fiscal Exigency in order to reduce the workforce.  It is not the intent of the administration to cut programs, but to conserve where possible. The staff has been invited to provide suggestions for ways to save money.  The district is looking at a shortfall of up to $300,000 depending on the final funding calculations that will be approved by the legislature.  Discussion followed with some comments being made from the floor.

Motion by Braun to take no action on this item.

vi. Certified and Non-certified Salary Freeze.  Based upon the financial atmosphere in the state, the superintendent is recommending that all salary increases be frozen.  The Board can re-visit salary increases after the October 1 count to determine if it is possible to grant increases to the staff.

Motion by Arrick to freeze certified and non-certified salary increases for the 2009-2010 year and to revisit the recommendation after the October 1 count.  Seconded by Tomlinson.

Roll call vote:  Arrick, aye; Braun, aye; Casey-Svetich, aye; Kennedy, aye; Tomlinson, aye.

vii. 2008-09 Calendar.  It has been discovered that the current year calendar contains more days than are necessary to comply with the required number of pupil-teacher contact hours.  The Board is being asked to omit 2 Fridays (1^st and 29^th)  in May and end on the June 4^th day.

Motion by Arrick to correct the error and remove the 1^st and 29^th of May as pupil-teacher contact days.  Seconded by Casey-Svetich.

Roll call vote:  Arrick, aye; Braun, aye; Casey-Svetich, aye; Kennedy, aye; Tomlinson, aye.

viii.      Financial Report.  Mr. Arrick reviewed the financial report and asked that the expenditures for March in the amount of $474,770.01 be accepted and the financial report approved.  Some discussion followed concerning legislation that had failed in the state senate on posting financial records.

Motion by Tomlinson to approve Mr. Arrick’s recommendation for the financial reports.  Seconded by Casey-Svetich.

Roll call vote:  Arrick, aye; Braun, aye; Casey-Svetich, aye; Kennedy, aye; Tomlinson, aye.

viii. Sick Leave Bank Appeal.  Mrs. Sturgill had applied to the Sick bank for 45 days due to complications in her pregnancy and the birth of her child.  Discussion followed concerning the Sick Bank and the effect it was having on the budget.

Motion by Braun to grant up to 45 days in leave time through the Sick Leave Bank and that the teachers and administration work on a plan to fund the Sick Leave Bank as a line item in the budget within the next five years.  Seconded by Tomlinson.

Roll call vote:  Arrick, aye; Braun, aye; Casey-Svetich, aye; Kennedy, aye; Tomlinson, aye.

B.         Information Items

i.          Student VOYCE Survey.  The VOYCE representatives surveyed the students.  The results are attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference.

ii.         Demand Side Management.  Mr. Kennedy reported on a seminar he attended that was sponsored by Black Hills Energy.

iii.        Teacher Contract.  The attorney had reviewed the teacher contract and made suggestions for changes to maintain the legal integrity of the contract. This did not require board action.

iv.        City Council Updates.   Each Board member reported on their attendance at the various city council meetings.  Mrs. Tomlinson noted that it would be nice to see more Board members attending school activities as well.

C.         Discussion Items

i.          Budget.  A list of suggestions was presented.  The Board scheduled a work session for April 13, 2009 at 6:45 p.m.

10.                    Executive Session:  (Pursuant to C.R.S. 24-6-402(4)(c) as it pertains to                                       matters required to be kept confidential by federal or state laws or rules…, the                            members of a body politic subject to this  Part 4,   upon the announcement by the                          local public body to the public…may hold an executive session…). 

Motion by Arrick that, pursuant to C.R.S. 24-6-402 (4) (f) as it pertains to                                                 discussion of matters required to be kept confidential by federal or state laws or                                                 rules…, the Board retire into Executive Session.                                                                                                 Seconded by Tomlinson.

Roll call vote:  Arrick, aye; Braun, aye; Casey-Svetich, aye; Kennedy, aye; Tomlinson, aye.

The meeting was closed to the public at 8:31 p.m.  Mrs. Holmes, Mrs. Rook and Mrs. Olmsted were asked to remain.

Motion by Arrick to come out of Executive Session.  Seconded by Casey-                                      Svetich.

Roll call vote:  Arrick, aye; Braun, aye; Casey-Svetich, aye; Kennedy, aye; Tomlinson, aye.

The meeting was re-opened to the public at 10:25 p.m.

A. Expulsion Hearing

Motion by Arrick to Expel Student “A” for one calendar year from March 31, 2009 to March 30, 2010. Seconded by Casey-Svetich.

Roll call vote:  Arrick, aye; Braun, aye; Casey-Svetich, aye; Kennedy, aye; Tomlinson, aye.

B. Personnel

No action was taken

11.              Adjournment

      Motion by Braun to adjourn.  Seconded by Casey-Svetich.                                          Roll call vote:  Arrick, aye; Braun, aye; Casey-Svetich, aye; Kennedy, aye;   Tomlinson, aye.

            The meeting was adjourned at 10:28 p.m.

MINUTES APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CONTENT:

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President                                                                     Date

ATTEST:

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Secretary                                                                      Date