The Shelton School District Board of Directors met in regular session at 6:00 p.m. on September 13, 2005 in the Board Room located at the CHOICE School.

 

Board members present:  Chairman Bill Freund, Holly Sharpe, Sue McCausland, Ross Gallagher, Julianna Miljour and student board representative Amy Thornton.

 

Staff members present:  Superintendent Joan Zook, Jackie McGuire, Alison Nutt, Marcie McKaig, Linda Arnold, Danni Colo, Brian Faire, Gary Nelson, Gordy Hansen and Sue Barnard.

 

Others present:  Jeff Green and Dedrick Allen.

 

CALL TO ORDER

Chairman Freund called the meeting to order at 6:00 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 9.11 – Supplemental personnel report.  Holly Sharpe made a motion to adopt the agenda as amended.  Sue McCausland seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously.

 

Ross Gallagher read the district’s Mission Statement.

 

COMMUNITY COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS
Brian Faire, President of the Shelton Education Association (SEA), told board members that the Shelton Education Association voted to ratify their 2005-06 contract with the school district.  However, the SEA is still concerned over compensation and health care benefits.  Brian gave board members a spreadsheet showing how Shelton compares to other local districts in regards to extra compensation and health care allotment and said he was looking forward to working with the board on these issues this year.

 

REPORTS AND RECOGNITIONS

6.01 – Recognition of Sue Barnard:

CHOICE teacher Sue Barnard was honored for being selected as the 2005 ESD #113 Teacher of the Year.  Chairman Freund and CHOICE Principal Gordy Hansen spoke of Sue’s accomplishments and her involvement in the community.  Sue first became involved in the Shelton School District and at CHOICE in 1993 as a volunteer working with Mason County Literacy and then joined the teaching staff at CHOICE in 1995.  This is the 3rd year in a row that a Shelton teacher has received this award, out of the 45 school districts ESD #113 serves.

 

DISCUSSION ITEMS

7.01 – Proposed revision to Board Policy No. 2005 and new procedures:

At the last board meeting, Debbie Wing reviewed with board members the recommended changes to Policy No. 2005 on School Improvement Plans, as well as the new recommended procedures.   School Improvements Plans will now be 3-year plans, although principals will still report to the board annually.  Holly Sharpe moved, seconded by Julianna Miljour, to approve revised Policy No. 2005 and new procedures. 

 

7.02 – Proposed Resolution No. 05-06:

Proposed Resolution No. 05-06 expresses the Shelton School District’s support for the efforts of the School Districts’ Alliance for Adequate Funding of Special Education to ensure that the state provides adequate funding for all students in special education programs in the State of Washington and authorizes the use of the district’s name in the amicus brief.  Chairman Freund commented the he is an expert witness in this lawsuit and compensated by the Alliance, however voting on the resolution will not affect his compensation in any way.  Superintendent Zook also commented that it was her understanding that this lawsuit has been delayed for 18 months until the Governor’s Washington Learns education funding study is complete.  Holly Sharpe made a motion to approve Resolution No. 05-06.  Julianna Miljour seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously.

 

7.03 – Proposed 2005-06 Transitional Bilingual Grant application:

The 2005-06 State Transitional Bilingual Grant in the amount of $152,362 was presented for approval.  Gail Straus, Asst. Director of Special Services, commented that approximately 200 students in grades K-12 will be served by the grant this year.  Holly Sharpe moved, seconded by Sue McCausland, to approve the grant application and the motion passed unanimously.

 

7.04 – Proposed surplus of miscellaneous textbooks:

Evergreen Elementary submitted a recommendation to surplus miscellaneous reading and social studies textbooks no longer needed at Evergreen due to the recent reading curriculum adoption and the poor condition of the social studies textbooks.  There are usually people who are interested in our surplused textbooks and possibly even for Hurricane Katrina relief.  Ross Gallagher mentioned the he read there are 376,000 kids that don’t have schools to go to and wondered about the logistics of sending these surplused textbooks to the Gulf.  Joan Zook said that State Superintendent Terry Bergeson is working with other state school officials to see how our schools can respond to help other schools and that the district will probably store these surplused textbooks for the time being and wait to see what plans emerge.  Holly Sharpe made a motion to declare these textbooks as surplus.  Sue McCausland seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously.

 

7.05 – Proposed awarding of 2005-06 fuel bid:

Sandi Thompson, Director of Transportation, recommended that the 2005-06 fuel bid be awarded to Pettit Oil Company.  Pettit Oil was the low bidder by a significant amount.  Joan Zook clarified that the profit margin is actually what is bid on, not the price of the fuel itself.  She also distributed a spreadsheet showing the history of fuel prices by month last school year.  Holly Sharpe made a motion to award the fuel bid to Pettit Oil.  Sue McCausland seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously.

 

 

 

7.06 – 2005 WSSDA Legislative Assembly proposals:

Joan Zook said that Ross Gallagher will be leaving for the Washington State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA) Legislative Assembly later this week, so this is the time for board members to give any input they may have to Ross.

 

7.07 – Leadership WSSDA Program:

WSSDA is reinstating their leadership program for board members called Leadership WSSDA.  The cost of the program is $1,400 per person and consists of a series of two-day workshops to train emerging leaders.  Ross Gallagher has taken advantage of this training in the past.  Chairman Freund commented that he has been reading a lot of K-12 finance papers from other states that have done costing out studies.  One of the criteria for extra funding involves accountability on the part of school districts and part of that accountability is to have qualified school board members.  Bill does not think the state should take money out of the classroom to educate board members.  School district membership in WSSDA is mandatory and leadership training should be provided to members without additional charges above what they already pay.

 

7.08 – Report from student board representative:

Student school board representative Amy Thornton reported that school has gotten off to a good start; there was a home football game last Friday which we won; there is another home football game this Friday; and this Thursday morning a motivational speaker will be presenting at Shelton High School and board members are invited.

 

CONSENT AGENDA

Holly Sharpe made a motion to approve the consent agenda with the addition of Item 9.11.  Julianna Miljour seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously.  The board:

 

1.      Approved minutes from the August 23, 2005 regular board meeting.

2.      Approved General Fund Voucher Nos. 101447 through 101684 in the amount of $490,971.62.

3.      Approved General Fund Voucher Nos. 101685 through 101690 in the amount of $17,567.54.

4.      Approved Capital Projects Fund Voucher Nos. 1532 through 1546 in the amount of $469,091.05.

5.      Approved Associated Student Body Fund Voucher Nos. 15784 through 15825 in the amount of $31,760.50.

6.      Approved Private Purpose Fund Voucher Nos. 101 through 102 in the amount of $825.00.

7.      Approved Private Purpose Fund Voucher No. 103 in the amount of $1,000.00.

8.      Approved Payroll Voucher Nos. 38861 through 38984 in the amount of $2,127,669.78.

9.      Approved cancellation of General Fund Voucher No. 38973 issued in error.

10.  Approved the regular and supplemental personnel reports as submitted and as attached.  (See Attachment #1.)

 

 

 

 

SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT

9.01 – Report on Medicaid Match:

Jackie McGuire reported on Medicaid Match.  The district has participated in this program in the past but it became so burdensome to process the paperwork that it was not worth doing.  The process has now been simplified so it seems like it will be worth our time to again participate in the program.  This is a federal program administered by the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) which connects eligible students to Medicaid services.  The district is reimbursed for activities we are already doing in connecting kids with Medicaid services.  We do not know at this point how much money we will receive.

 

BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS

·        Amy Thornton said it was good to be back after missing several board meetings during summer vacation.  She also invited everyone to attend the home football game this Friday night and watch the band perform.

 

·        Julianna Miljour said she was getting ready for fall and enjoyed being on vacation for most of August.  She also said her thoughts go out to the families affected by Hurricane Katrina.

 

·        Ross Gallagher said that since the last board meeting he’s taken a trip to Victoria, B.C.; said the Shelton girls’ swim team won their recent meet and his daughter placed first in the backstroke and free style; said the Shelton High School swimming pool looks great after being refurbished; and went to last Friday’s home football game which Shelton won by an amazing score.

 

·        Holly Sharpe commented on the great speech given by Amy Thornton at All Staff Day; gave kudos to the maintenance and custodial staff for getting all the buildings in great shape for the start of school; attended Bordeaux open house where her grandson will be a kindergartner this year; and will be giving her annual whale talk to 3rd graders this Thursday.

 

·        Sue McCausland thanked the Shelton High School staff for letting her participate in the Renaissance training that took place before the start of school; enjoyed attending New Teacher Day with Bill Freund and also attended All Staff Day; is organizing a fundraiser at each school, the Central Office and the Transportation Coop for victims of Hurricane Katrina with all money collected going to the Red Cross; and thanked Linda Arnold and others who worked on developing the Standard Operating Procedures for Athletics and Activities.

 

·        Bill Freund said he learned a valuable lesson at All Staff Day, which is that it’s always better to speak before Amy Thornton does.  Bill is working full time at OSPI, as well as having three additional contracts.  He will be in Eugene, OR tomorrow working on another finance study.

 

 

 

 

FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER

·        There is a state-wide earthquake drill scheduled for 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday, September 14th.  Every location will drop, cover and hold, and then evacuate and communicate with the Central Office.

·        The WSSDA Annual Conference is November 16th-19th in Seattle.  Ross, Holly, Sue and Joan have been registered to attend.  Sue said she is having foot surgery on October 14th, so she’ll have to wait and see if she’s well enough to attend.  Holly also said she may have to undergo additional treatment so she may or may not be attending.  Julianna will confirm tomorrow whether she can attend and Amy said she cannot.

 

·        The joint dinner meeting with the Skokomish Tribal Council is scheduled for September 20th.  Both Holly and Julianna said they are unable to attend.

 

·        Bill Freund commented that at the last board meeting a board member requested to have a presentation on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and he asked that board members please call him any time they have agenda items.

 

EXECUTIVE SESSION

At 7:13 p.m. Chairman Freund announced that the board would take a 5-minute recess and then enter into a 30-minute executive session to discuss the proposed 2005-06 bargained agreement with the Shelton Education Association and the proposed 2005-07 bargained agreement with the Educational Support Personnel.  The board may take action when they return to regular session.

 

The board resumed regular session at 7:50 p.m.

 

ACTION TAKEN AS A RESULT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION

Holly Sharpe made a motion to approve the 2005-06 bargained agreement with the Shelton Education Association.  Julianna Miljour seconded the motion and the motion passed 4-1 with Sue McCausland abstaining due to a conflict of interest.

 

ADJOURN

Chairman Freund declared the meeting adjourned at 7:50 p.m.