RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
JOINT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 365
BOARD OF TRUSTEES

February 11, 2010
                                                                                 
 I.         WELCOME AND CALL TO ORDER
A.  The Board of Trustees, Joint School District No. 365, met for the regular meeting at Grand View Elementary on Thursday, February 11, 2010.  Chairman Dixie Black called the meeting to order at 1 p.m. then led the Pledge of Allegiance and welcomed everyone to the meeting. 

B.  Roll Call – Chairman Dixie Black, Vice Chairman Ray Meyers, Marie Robertson, Joe Merrick, Howard Field, Superintendent Vickie L. Chandler and Clerk Cathy Sellman were present.  Also attending were Principal Phil McCluskey, Principal Gerald Chouinard, Julie Bodily, Jacqueline Bodily, Sierra Lawrence, Hailey Sharek, Clayton Bollinger, students and staff from Grand View Elementary.

II.        APPROVE AGENDA
Superintendent Vickie Chandler announced there would not be any student attendance appeals, Item D and no action on the Border Contract, just a report under Item C.
 Joe Merrick made the motion and Ray Meyers seconded to approve the agenda as corrected for the February 11, 2010 meeting.   Motion carried.

III.       CONSENT AGENDA
A.  Approve minutes of the January 11, 2010 Special Board Meeting
B.  Approve minutes of the January 14, 2010 Regular Meeting
C.  Accounts Payable
D.  Bruneau Elementary Activity Accounts
E.  Grand View Elementary Activity Accounts
F.  Rimrock Activity Accounts
Discussion was held on the improvement of the student accounts.
Howard Field made the motion and Marie Robertson seconded to approve the Consent Agenda.  Motion carried.
                                                           
IV.       REPORTS TO THE BOARD
A.  Student Presentations
Principal Gerald Chouinard introduced 4th grade students from Mrs. Patty Dalrymple’s classroom and Mrs. Julie Bodily.  Julie Bodily, gifted and talented instructor, and the four students shared their shadow boxes and scenes with a story. 

Principal Chouinard reported on February Happenings in the elementary schools.  Idaho Coordinated School Health Team will continue and the funding for the garden program will be from a US Ecology Grant and a donation from Idaho Power via Josh Pearson for the 2010-2011 school year.   Jump Rope for Heart is taking place during the P.E. classes.  Mr. Chouinard congratulated Analeise Mills from Bruneau and Rosie Herrera from Grand View for representing our schools at the District Elks Hoop Shoot in Boise.  Students of the Month for January were Sami Jewett, Ian Burank and Bailey Lindquist from Bruneau Elementary and Pedro Varela, Kaden Gilbert, Erick Flores, Allison Hall, Mark Lopez, Jessica Riley and Joey Jones from Grand View Elementary and Xochitl Flores and Donnie Thomas from Grand View Library.  Upcoming events for February will be Student of the Month Assemblies at Grand View on February 26th at 9 a.m. and Bruneau at 2:30 p.m.  Science Fairs will be judged on March 16th in Bruneau and March 10th at Grand View.  Public viewing will be March 17th and 18th in Bruneau and March 15 through March 18 in Grand View.  Parent-Teacher Conferences for both schools will be on March 17th & 18th from 4 – 8 p.m.  Board members were given a copy of the February newsletters.

The board commended the students for their presentations.

Mrs. Marilyn Dean’s first grade class gave a presentation on George Washington and Abraham Lincoln with facts about the presidents.   Ms. Jessica Sonnen’s 3rd grade class shared their food chains they made with the board by explaining each level of their food chains.  Mrs. Carleen Best’s kindergarten class counted to 50 by 2’s, by 5’s and by 10’s.  They also sang a song about a penny, nickel, and a dime and gave some facts about pennies, nickels and dimes.  Board members held up numbers and the students spelled the numbers.  Mrs. Tanya Goodman’s second grade students sang a song about site words.  Two 5th grade students from Mrs. McCluskey’s class explained the books they are writing and their science fair projects.  Five 6th grade students from Mrs. Lawrence’s class talked about their books they are publishing on April 1st. 

B.   Principal Reports-Phil McCluskey, Gerald Chouinard 
Principal Phil McCluskey gave board members the preliminary class schedule for Rimrock for the 2010-2011 school year.  He is working with IDLA for a more blended curriculum. Principal McCluskey attended a PowerSchool training in Mountain Home for several days which will help with some of the issues he has had with PowerSchool.  He is considering moving the 16 minutes currently at the beginning of the day used for meetings, etc. to the end of the day next year.  A four-day school week was discussed.  The district has a committee investigating the possibility of a four-day school week.  Seven or eight period days was discussed.    All day every day kindergarten attending a four day school week was discussed.  According to some of the research, the average daily attendance improves and substitute teacher’s salary goes down with a four day week.  Block schedule versus traditional schedule and sports schedules were discussed.  The board asked the calendar committee to consider the loss of education hours and to keep track of academic achievement.  School counselor, Wade Harper, is organizing a FAFSA, (Financial Aid Forms for College Students), on Saturday February 20th at Rimrock for students in this area, including Mountain Home and Glenns Ferry.  Rimrock was randomly selected for NAEP, National Assessment of Educational Progress on February 5th.  The results of the assessment scores compare Idaho students to other states. Rimrock was complimented on the conduct of our students during the tests.   Miss Whiteside has organized a Shakespeare Play on February 24th.   FCCLA sponsored Blood Drive will be held on March 4th.  The IDFY Ski Trip will be on March 1st.   Principal McCluskey is meeting with Greg Munson on March 5th to discuss a Benchmark Grant, which would provide a Prevention Program similar to the Virtues Program being conducted in the elementary schools.   He is looking into getting a staff member to service our schools.  Students of the quarter were Cruz Rodriguez, Jackie Prow, Jackie Thurman and Brian Simper.
 
C.   Superintendent Report—Vickie L. Chandler          
Superintendent Vickie L. Chandler explained the information in the board packets regarding the staff evaluations from the Special Services In-Service, the calendar of events for February and March and the enrollment and student lists from each school.   Board members will attend Day on the Hill to meet and visit with their legislators and attend Education Committee meetings in Boise on Thursday and Friday, February 18th & 19th.  The bus will leave the Doubletree Riverside at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday to go to the Capitol.  A thank you note was signed for Tammy Payne for completing the 21st Century Learning Community Center Grant for over one million dollars over 5 years to be used for after school programs and mentoring.  Grant results will be announced after April 1st.  The school district attorney, Amy White is creating a volunteer policy for the school district.  The sample discussed at the last board meeting was too involved for our school district but the district does need a parental involvement policy that meets state and federal laws but does not discourage parents from participating in the school programs because of a background check.   Superintendent Chandler attended the State Superintendent Association Conference in Boise for three days last week and one day at the Idaho Superintendent Network meeting.  She attended multiple meetings with Education Lobbyist Phil Homer and Harold Ott on updates from JFAC and legislators regarding cutbacks in next year’s budget.    IHSAA (Idaho High School Activities Association) District 3 and 4 won an emergency vote for general 1A classification instead of small school, large school which would save money in athletics for travel.  Senator Dean Cameron spoke to the group and said his goal was to not have a holdback for this year but that would mean an 8-10% reduction for 2010-2011.  He thought the legislature would look at the education budget first this year.  They may give money in a lump sum instead of having strings attached as to how the money is spent, will probably freeze the index on salaries and are looking to change the “Rule of 90” to “85” for one year.  The bottom right hand corner on our salary schedule costs our district $3,000 above what the state currently allows for salary.  The legislature may also put some intent language in the budget.  Amy White did a workshop on emergency declarations; the legislature may declare every district in a state of emergency.  Superintendent Luna plans to request some of the land board money, funding for IDLA and non-funded mandates set aside.    Blue Cross premiums will increase by .08% next year because of a new Mental Health Federal mandate plus the regular increases.   A Congratulations Card was signed for Penny Jones for receiving the Regional Patricia Kempthorne Award for Prevention.  Sympathy cards were signed for Janilee Macleod in the loss of her grandfather, Mariana Juarez for the loss of her mom, and Gary McDaniel for the loss of his mom.  Discussion was held on the “Hire the Retired” teaching contracts.  Block schedule and prep time were discussed. 

V.        PUBLIC INPUT     
            None

VI.        ACTION ITEMS

A.   Resignations and Applications
Superintendent Chandler had received resignation letters from Janilee and Connor Macleod. 
Ray Meyers made the motion and Joe Merrick seconded to accept the resignations of Janilee and Connor Macleod.  Motion carried. 

Howard Field stated he wanted to vote “No” because he hates to lose the music program and music teacher.

Superintendent Chandler asked to clarify the fact that Ashley Merrick did not resign from the assistant softball coach position.  If there are more than 15 students she will have a supplemental contract, if there are less than 15 students she may volunteer to help with softball.

B.  Open Enrollment Applications
Open Enrollment Applications were submitted from Robert Cavanaugh for Jesse Cavanaugh and from Steve and Anita Landis for Alexis, Austin, Lorenzo and Patricia Lewis.
Marie Robertson made the motion and Joe Merrick seconded to approve the open enrollment applications for the students.  Motion carried.

C.  Approve Elko County Border Contract
Superintendent Chandler sent an email to Elko County regarding the border contract and the concerns with the special education issues in the contract.  Jeff Zander, Elko County business manager, has recently assumed the role of superintendent along with the business manager job.  He will revise the border contract to conform to last year’s contract and present the contract to his board at the February 23rd meeting for approval.   Elko County Border Contract will be on the March board meeting agenda.

D.  Student Attendance Appeals
None

E.  Principal Evaluations and Contracts
      Superintendent Chandler had reviewed the principal evaluations with them before the board meeting.
      Item tabled until Executive Session

F.  Personnel Issue
            Item tabled until Executive Session

VII.     EXECUTIVE SESSION
Marie Robertson made the motion and Joe Merrick seconded to adjourn into Executive Session for personnel issues.  Motion carried.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of School District No. 365, recess from an open meeting into Executive Session pursuant to Section 67-2345, Idaho Code, to discuss personnel issues.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that following the Executive Session, the Board will reconvene in public session to conduct further business or for adjournment of the meeting.

            The board recessed into Executive Session at 3:00 p.m.
            The board reconvened in Open Session at 3:40 p.m.

Howard Field made the motion and Joe Merrick seconded to approve Principal A with the current administrative contract.  Motion carried.

Marie Robertson made the motion and Joe Merrick seconded that due to the funding limitations of the district for the 2010-2011 school year as well as the limitations on the administrative apportionment from the State of Idaho, I hereby move that the board implement and reduce the number of administrative personnel employed by the district for the 2010-2011 school year, specifically reducing the administration by a single full time principal position based upon the least seniority held by the district’s administrative staff serving in the position of principal.  Motion carried.

      Marie Robertson made the motion and Joe Merrick seconded to approve and adopt the recommendation of the district’s superintendent and hereby reassign “Administrative Employee B” due to financial and staffing limitations from a position as a district elementary principal to a non-administrative position at the district, with the corresponding reduction in compensation for his placement on the district’s salary schedule for education and experience.

      I further hereby move that the board adopt and incorporate the consent and waiver submitted by “Employee B” for such reassignment to a non-administrative position, with corresponding reduction in compensation with waiver of any and all informal reviews and/or due process proceedings which may be applicable to this reassignment.

      Last, I move that the board direct the district’s superintendent to investigate and return to the board a recommendation for the operation of the district’s elementary schools utilizing a dual superintendent/principal position as well as lead teachers, including delineation of roles, responsibility and compensation issues for such a recommendation.  Motion carried.

Discussion of a music teacher will be held at a later date.   The board expressed a desire to continue the music program if funding is available.

VIII.    ADJOURNMENT
Howard Field made the motion and Joe Merrick seconded to adjourn.  Motion carried.

            The meeting was adjourned at 3:45 p.m.

___________________________________________
                        (Catherine R. Sellman, Clerk)