The Shelton School District Board of Directors met in regular session at 6:00 p.m. on October 23, 2007 in the board room located at CHOICE Alternative School.

 

Board members present:  Chairman Julianna Miljour, Sue McCausland, Peter Boome, Marty Crow, Holly Sharpe and student representative Daniel Glenn.

 

Staff members present:  Superintendent Joan Zook, Alison Nutt, Linda Arnold, Jackie McGuire, Dave Miser, Lori Fey, Gar Thornton, Cheri Longmire, Linda Dittmar, Linda Barnes, Dixie Mize and Candy Brooks.

 

Others present:  Jeff Green, Marty Best, Gene Crater, Dick and Bev Wentz, Sam Funk, Dick Swearingen, Ryan Fernandez, Lois Walker and several other community members and students.

 

CALL TO ORDER

Chairman Miljour called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. 

 

Chairman Miljour asked audience members who signed up to speak to limit their comments to 5 minutes, to direct those comments/questions to the board and not the audience, and to respect the discussion process.  She also said the headline in last week’s Journal was inaccurate.  The board did not nix the two clubs, the motion died for a lack of a second because the board needed more information to make an informed decision.  Chairman Miljour then addressed fellow board members about the importance of contacting the superintendent or board chair prior to the board meeting if they need clarification or additional information on an agenda item.  In the absence of the superintendent or board chair, the vice-chair should be contacted.     

 

ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA

There was one addition to the consent agenda which was a new Item 8.05 – supplemental personnel report.  Holly Sharpe made a motion to adopt the agenda with the addition of Item 8.05.  Peter Boome seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously.

 

Holly Sharpe read the district’s Mission Statement.

 

REPORTS AND RECOGNITIONS

6.01 – Report on the trip to Space Camp by two CHOICE students:

Lori Fey gave a report on the trip to Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama in May by two CHOICE students.  Sue Barnard received a scholarship to send one student as a result of being selected Washington State Teacher of the Year last year.  To make this a better experience Sue wanted to send two students together.  The Shelton Schools Foundation granted a scholarship to send the second student. Lori Fey, who is an E.A. at CHOICE, traveled with the girls as a chaperone.

 

6.02 – Report from the Special Education Department:

Special education teachers Gar Thornton, Linda Barnes, Cherie Longmire, Linda Dittmar, Candy Brooks and Dixie Mize gave a update on the special education classes at Shelton High School, Oakland Bay Junior High, Olympic Middle School and Mt. View Elementary.  They serve 59 special education students between them with needs ranging from Down Syndrome, Autism, Traumatic Brain Injury, Rhett Syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Effect, Rare Genetic Anomalies, Spina Bifida, Neurofibromitosis, Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Severe Mental Retardation, Multiply Physically Handicapped, Medically Fragile and Nonverbal.

 

COMMUNITY COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS

Ryan Fernandez, President of the Shelton High School DECA Club, told board members about the DECA Club’s plans to attend the upcoming Western Regional Leadership Conference in Seattle in November.  Marketing teacher, Jane Mahoney, is working on the overnight student travel request for the board’s consideration at the next meeting.

 

DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS

7.01 – Proposed new Christian Students United Club at Shelton High School:

Superintendent Zook explained that religion based clubs do have a right to exist as an ASB club if certain conditions are met.  They must meet the ASB requirements of having an approved ASB application, which includes having a constitution and a staff advisor.  A religion based club cannot be supported by public funding, other than incidentals such as meeting space and the use of bulletin boards to the same extent that all ASB clubs have such access.  That means that a religion based club cannot receive ASB general funds.

 

One difference between a religion based club and other ASB clubs is that the staff advisor to a religion based club must be a volunteer rather than paid staff.  This is required so that the prohibition against the use of public funds to support a religion based club is not violated.

 

Superintendent Zook said she believes the Christian Students United Club has met its obligations for the formation of a new ASB Club at Shelton High School and that the district has all necessary protections in place to assure that public funds are not used to support the club.  She recommended approval by the school board.  Holly Sharpe made a motion to approve the Christian Students United Club as an ASB club at Shelton High School.  Marty Crow seconded the motion.  The motion passed 4-0 with Peter Boome abstaining.

 

Chairman Miljour then asked for comment from those who had signed up to speak.  Sam Funk was satisfied with the decision made by the board and had no additional comment.  Dick Swearingen and Lois Walker were both opposed to the existence of the club.  Peter Boome said he did not have an opportunity to look through the background information before the last board meeting and although he personally disagrees case law says the club does have a right to exist and the district is legally bound to allow equal access.  Sue McCausland also commented that the law spells out exactly what the school board must do, even though some are unhappy with the decision. 

 

7.02 – Proposed new Scrabble Club at Shelton High School:

Superintendent Zook said the Scrabble Club also meets the requirements for a new ASB club.  Holly Sharpe moved, seconded by Sue McCausland, to approve the Scrabble Club as an ASB club at Shelton High School.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

7.03 – Proposed out-of-state travel for Anita Madea:

Anita Madea requested permission to travel to Oregon City, Oregon on November 2-3, 2007 to attend the Disaster Preparedness for School Nurses Conference.  Holly Sharpe made a motion to approve the travel and Peter Boome seconded the motion.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

7.04 – Proposed board policy on the responsibilities of the student board representative:

The board does not have a policy on the responsibilities of the student board representative.  A copy of Olympia School District’s policy is included in board packets as an example.  Holly Sharpe liked the idea of the student being eligible to receive a one-half (.5) high school credit.  Daniel Glenn commented that the high school is working on finding an alternative student board representative to take Daniel’s place next year.  Board members will let Alison know by Wednesday, November 7, if they have any suggestions or changes to this sample policy, otherwise it will be drafted into our policy format and placed on the next board agenda for a first reading.

 

7.05 – Community Partners for Kids Award:

It is time to advertise within the general community and school district that the board is seeking nominations for their December 2007 Community Partners for Kids Award.  The superintendent will do a press release encouraging nominations of both individuals and community organizations with a deadline of November 21.  The board will review the nominations at their November 27 board meeting and present the award at their December 11 meeting. 

 

7.06 – School board meeting start time:

After executive session at the last board meeting, the board discussed and then made the decision to change the board meeting start time from 5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. effective with the October 23 meeting.  Holly Sharpe was not present when that decision was made and pointed out that the board did not follow proper procedure to modify their board policy.  She also said if this time change is on a trial basis, it was not noted in the minutes.  Peter Boome said it is almost physically impossible for him to be at the meeting by 5:30 p.m. and Chairman Miljour said this puts meetings at risk of not having a quorum.  Holly Sharpe added that in this day and age almost everyone has a cell phone so there is no reason for anyone to be late without giving prior notification to the board chair or superintendent.  This topic will be back on the next board agenda.  Alison will put a list together of superintendent and board member cell phone numbers for everyone.

 

7.07 – Starting time for board study sessions:

The board has study sessions scheduled for October 30, November 5 and November 19 with principals on their School Improvement Plans.  The October 30 study session must start at 5:30 p.m. due to principal’s commitments back in their buildings.  After some discussion amongst the board, it was agreed that all three study sessions would begin at 5:30 p.m.

 

CONSENT AGENDA

Holly Sharpe made a motion to approve the consent agenda with a correction to the October 9 minutes reflecting that the board meeting start time change to 6:00 p.m. is on a trial basis and with the addition of the supplemental personnel report as a new Item 8.05.  Peter Boome seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously.  The Board:

·        Approved the corrected minutes of the October 9, 2007 regular board meeting.

·        Approved out-of-state travel to Kansas City, Missouri on November 7-11, 2007 for one Shelton High School SADD Club student to help plan the National Student Safety Program Conference being held next summer.

·        Approved General Fund Voucher No. 108936 in the amount of $1,470.00.

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

 

SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT

9.01 – Update on the Capital Projects Fund:

Jackie McGuire reported that she is projecting an ending cash balance of $199,724.51 in the Capital Projects Fund.  Marty Crow asked why projects listed in the bond measure for Mt. View were not done.  Superintendent Zook explained to Marty that all the projects spelled out in the original bond measure for Mt. View were done.  Mt. View was never intended to be fully remodeled with the original bond measure, just upgrades to electrical, technology, etc.  But because of the good stewardship by Mark Weston and Jackie, there was almost $2 million of the original bond money left over when the other projects were complete.  At that point the board decided to put that money into remodeling Mt. View, but the bids came back too high due to higher construction costs and we did not have enough to acquire state matching funds.  This topic of how to use the remaining $199,724.51 of Capital Projects Funds will be back on the agenda in the near future.

 

BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS

·        Marty Crow will not be present at the October 30th board study session.  He also encouraged better headlines in the Journal this week.

 

·        Peter Boome thanked the students in the audience for sitting through the board meeting.  He also said he will not be present at the December 11th board meeting.

 

·        Holly Sharpe said her surgery went all and thanked everyone for their well-wishes.  She also said she was accepted into the WSSDA Leadership Class of 2008 and has received a $700 scholarship to pay for half the cost.

 

·        Julianna Miljour will not be present for the November 5 study session or the November 13 regular board meeting, but will be back from vacation in time for the November 19 study session.  She also said she has a new granddaughter due in March of next year.

 

·        Sue McCausland attended the candidate forum last week.  She also said tickets are on sale for the Shelton High School band’s Medieval Feast on November 10-11.  One of the band students is writing a play for the Feast as her senior project.  Sue also traveled to Spokane last weekend to watch her son play soccer.

 

ADJOURN

Chairman Miljour declared the meeting adjourned at 8:08 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                           

                                                                                    Chairman, Board of Directors

 

 

 

                                                                       

Secretary to the Board