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| Madison Metropolitan School District Madison, Wisconsin Art Rainwater, Superintendent | ||
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| BOARD OF EDUCATION Minutes for Special Meeting - Open Session May 13, 2004 |
Doyle Administration Building 545 West Dayton Street, Room 103 Madison, Wisconsin |
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The Special Meeting of the Board of Education was called to order by Bill Keys at 5:16 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Bill Keys, Carol Carstensen, Bill Clingan, Juan José López (arrived at 6:30 p.m.), Ruth Robarts, Shwaw Vang (arrived at 5:25 p.m.), Johnny Winston, Jr.
MEMBERS ABSENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: Mary Gulbrandsen, Roger Price, Art Rainwater, Jake Staudt, Ken Syke, Ann Wilson-Recording Secretary
Bill Keys turned the chair over to Carol Carstensen, chair of the Finance and Operations Committee.
1. Public Hearing regarding Board Amendments to the Superintendent's 2004-05 Amended Proposed Budget
Denita Smith Minority Services Coordinator at La Follette helped her make her dreams a reality. Pushed and helped her to know she could succeed; makes things happen. Support the Minority Services Coordinators positions.
Maisee Thao Talked about the affect the Minority Services Coordinator had on her. Will come back every year; will continue to fight to keep the position. MSCs help guide students to a brighter future; have great affect on many students.
Robert Fyrst Unintended consequences he talked about last year (with respect to special education reductions) have played out; seeing multiple problems with his son. District is making cuts, but the cuts are not saving money; ending up spending more. Need to fund and make sure special education students can be successful.
Pahoua Xiong Can't rest until she is sure all Minority Services Coordinator positions are secure. Is the only position that minority students have. Hope the Board understands it is an important matter and will come back every year to fight for this position.
Phil Hubble Most counselors are masters degree trained. Discussed developmental guidance program and how it links to the Educational Framework. Disputes statement by administration that recommended reductions will have minimal impact. Referenced ways that guidance counselors impact minority student achievement.
Doug Green Reductions in guidance staff bring the student/teacher ratio to 1/450 students; professional organizations suggest 1/250. Examples of services that would be cut. Who would do them? What will happen to kids who don't get services?
Don Severson Presented a lesson plan the Board can use to reflect on the budget development process includes suggested exercises and a resolution.
Pete Nelson Music must receive its deserved priority as a core subject; it is an activity that needs to be defended. Look at the curriculum as a whole and balance music as something that can't be replaced.
Pam Gallagher No cuts to instruction; do not cut services to students. Have concern about fees. Do not penalize or discriminate among families. Challenge Board and administration to find non-instructional areas to cut.
James Schneider Questioned why counselors are included as discretionary allocation rather than as protected supplementary allocation. Principals are scrambling to meet their budgets; need to look at needs as a whole.
Kyle Maichle Presented a study (written) of athletic participation fees. If proposed fees are imposed, would put Madison above other districts and price out middle class students and families. Negative impact on state tournament which may be moved to Green Bay.
Sara Bringman Greatest cut is from special education. This change will affect all children. Adding special needs children to general education classroom will affect everyone and does not focus on needs of children. Where is discussion about needs of children? Will be decreased quality of instruction. Presented written petition.
Lucy Mathiak Why replace school staff (Minority Services Coordinator) for higher paid downtown administrators? Why is it acceptable that there be fine arts and athletic fees, but no parking fees for administrators? Why are administrative areas of the budget held harmless?
Davin Khath Minority Services Coordinators help students achieve. Who can students go to? Students have skills and abilities because of their work.
Eileen Regan Supports freshman sports Students need a way to fit into the school population. Also need exercise. Cut larger items instead. Parents may be willing to pay more fees.
Janet Morrow Administration and Board members are not enemies. Should not be subject to criticism and accusations because it is their job and they care about kids and public education; deserve fair pay for a day's job. Administrators deserve respect. Doyle should have open house meet your administrators.
Joan Eggert Have administrators that are experts highly qualified. Good education for every child benefits all of us; cuts hurt children. Don't believe in fees; is a public responsibility to fund schools. Will pay more in fees than if there was another referendum, only parents will be the only ones paying. More powerful to write to legislators.
David Lovell On behalf of the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra, spoke (and written statement) on positive affect of music on academic achievement and benefits to broader education.
Steven Schmitt Strings program is a good way to sustain school community. Not educational progress if a program he took 35 years ago can't continue. Too much discussion about amounts of money, not enough about what the money does. May be time to starting saying "yes" again to paying.
Matt Schaefer If federal/state government had funded special education as they had promised, we wouldn't be in this predicament. Tell legislators to get over their differences, cut out pork barrel thinking and pay for what they promised. Are all on the same side.
Anita Koasno Look at administrative rather than instructional cuts. Supports funding for reading. Son can keep up because he received the help he needed when he needed it. Every school should be able to use the reading curriculum that is successful for them.
Sharon Cooper Bring reading resources back to Lapham. Title I resources were critical to the success of her son; the lessons and program worked. Capitalize on success of what works.
Josh Day Keep team together at Lapham. If lose resources, may not be able to reassemble them. Lapham comparable to any school in the world. Education costs money and it is well worth it.
Pat Smith Thanked Board for reinstating three custodial positions. Working together on ways to avoid alternate day cleaning. Call legislators and register opposition to TABOR. Appreciate support of in-house workers.
Mary McAulif Simplistic to say that services of counselors will be covered by social workers. Huge amount that will not be done because staff will not have time. Students are the ones who will lose.
DuWayne Hoffman Strong community support remains for strings. Concerned about fees. Consider alternatives. Start of a slide back how will Madison be judged as a place to live? Look for funding partnerships.
Michelle Reynolds No matter what is cut, there is an affect on kids and their classmates. Has been steady deterioration over the years to physical plants affecting basic needs for learning. Schools need to be friendlier to the community; see community as a positive asset.
Jeff Henriques Research shows the importance of strings performance, skills, scores; has lasting consequences. Keep the program affordable and accessible. Support TAG training for staff to provide differentiation for students. Provide for the success of students.
Barb Shrank Public education should be paid for by taxes. Be more actively involved in examining funding options. Examine activities and responsibilities. Look for mechanisms of targeted funds. Does not support fees for strings. Need the support of the arts community if the district goes to referendum.
Maureen Rickman Oppose fee for strings. More than anything, value equitable opportunity. Fee will price out number of students and not save money. Evaluate programs; strings will be most cost effective minority student achievement program in the district.
Paula Parrish What may look good on paper is not so good when it affects people. Have diminished resources, increased requirements. Reminder that elections are coming up; have an opportunity for change.
Bruce Kahn Get most "bang for the buck" out of educational assistant staff. Budget process becomes a circus forced into this position by mistakes. Recommend major effort to redirect public relations and lobbying to state-wide coalition to lobby legislature. Cuts around the fringes are gone will have to have a major referendum or a major push, like a task force. Will lose talented educational resources.
Sean Storch Support for high school journalism. Need conscientious, ethical journalists, dedicated to bridging gaps.
Marie Stangel Cuts affect her as a teacher, her son as a special education student, and her daughter as a regular education student. Has a child who needs help now. If he gets it, will not need help later. Do not cut from children who need it most; cutting most important staff.
There were written registrations: 1 opposing budget cuts to Minority Services Coordinators; 2 opposing budget cuts to the strings program; 18 opposing cuts to special education; 3 opposing cuts to middle school counselors; 1 opposing cuts to LMC EAs; 2 opposing cuts to Lapham reading; and 1 in general opposition to all budget cuts.
2. Other Business
There was no other business.
3. Adjournment
It was moved by Juan José López and seconded by Ruth Robarts to adjourn the meeting at 8:23 p.m. Motion unanimously carried.
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