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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 15, 2006 |
Doyle Administration Building 545 West Dayton Street, McDaniels Auditorium Madison, Wisconsin |
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Special Meeting of the Board of Education was called to order by President Johnny Winston, Jr. at 5:05 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Carol Carstensen, Lawrie Kobza, Lucy Mathiak, Ruth Robarts, Arlene Silveira Shwaw Vang, Johnny Winston, Jr.
MEMBERS ABSENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: Barbara Lehman-Recording Secretary
This meeting started out in executive session then continued in open session:
The following staff members joined the seven board members at this time: Sue Abplanalp, Bonnie Augusta, Mary Gulbrandsen, Doug Johnson, Pam Nash, Roger Price, Art Rainwater, Clarence Sherrod, Mary Teppo, Donna Williams.
OPEN SESSION - WORKSHOP in McDaniels Auditorium
The Special Meeting-Workshop of the Board of Education was called to order by President Johnny Winston, Jr. at 5:46 p.m.
3. Announcements
There were no announcements.
4. It was moved by Lawrie Kobza and seconded by Shwaw Vang that the Board approve bus transportation services for the 2006 MMSD Summer School program by awarding: 1) $127,829 to Durham to provide such bus transportation services for Hawthorne and Cherokee; 2) $117,128 to First Student to provide such bus transportation services to Leopold and Huegel; and 3) $115,845 to Badger Bus to provide such bus transportation services to Gompers/Black Hawk and Schenk/Whitehorse. Motion unanimously carried.
5. Proposed Food Policy
(Packets included Appendix G - a chart showing the recommendations by the Student Work Group, Student Senate, and Management Team. A copy is attached to the original of these minutes.)
There was no formal presentation. The board members were asked for their feedback.
Subject: Nutrition
Discussion: Perception is that foods from Food Service do not meet the same standards; too much sugar and fat. Administration will evaluate this. Increased time for lunch would have to be negotiated. Administration will come back with cost.
Subject: Sales
Discussion: Break down vending and other sales. Federal Government has helped with this one. No vending in elementary or middle schools. There is still some ice cream. Sports beverages guidelines are less than 100 calories for 12 ounces. All beverages had to be 12 ounces or less. Federal guidelines take affect gradually over the next 2-3 years. Alternatives for vending machines. Retain the policy for no vending in elementary schools, drinks only for middle schools, then just the issue at high schools. Support the limitations in 2A2 for middle and high schools. Some concern about the size of the drinks that are served; keep it at 12 ounces. Probably controlled by machine size. Administration is assuming the board is supporting the recommendations coming down and may want to be more restrictive. Go with recommendations at the high school. Can sell diet soda but this policy would not allow that. Shabazz does not have a school store; all other high schools do. Vending food should comply with safety issues around allergies. Emphasize healthier snacks. Would like a transition period using marketing classes at highs schools to do some research on what other things these organizations can sell. Other schools have been more stringent about what could be sold during the school day. Could phase out current fund raising items. Administration would work with each high school principal and make it a class project; think they all have DECCA. Student Senate can play a role too; they can pick the winner. Could provide funds for the winner's organizations. They can get what they want but should limit it. Have to change food and the culture. Study in Appleton alternative school that offers only healthy food. Still split on the fund raising issue.
Two issues: vending machines and what are in them and when they are available. If Food Service is taken to higher standard, they would lose sales to the alternative if offered during the school day. Refrigeration is required for healthier food. Giving flexibility to those who want to raise funds to help out the schools. Waivers for PTOs, annual events, other local organizations. Being more accommodating for home-generated items.
Subject: Food Safety
Discussion: Food safety should be separate from nutrition policy.
3A1: okay
3A2: okay
3A3: Concerns with having to list the ingredients for each dish and contact information; easier to not participate, especially for people who do not speak English. Could have a list to check off. People who bring the items in are responsible. Way to draw in the community; should not be hard.
3A4: Having one designated person at each school who has completed food safety training is good but how can they be responsible for all the food served in the school? Needs clarification.
3A5: School kitchen use (not included on secretary's list) - need to seek more comment on it. Training people to use equipment. Does not have to do with equipment but with cleanliness and everything Food Service does at the end of the day to be prepared for the next day. Would have to pay Food Service employee their hourly rates. Much bigger issue and should be dealt with separately. There was a request that if this comes back, 6411 G be appended somewhere.
3B: Peanut butter has been eliminated from elementary schools. Food Service is trying to come up with alternatives for those who need a lunch. People are not taking the peanuts or nut products issue seriously. Not only talking about children.
3C: Cooking in the classrooms - would revise to say that food be related to the curriculum or what is happening in the classroom. Should be specific. Food has an educational value vs. just giving something out. This is preparing the food, not brining something in. Food opportunities have become quite extensive. Think it is defined well enough. Take out "express purpose of teaching cooking." One person asked for the curriculum to be broken-down.
3D: okay
3E: Many pediatric organizations advise that you not make non-nutritional foods a reward for conduct or achievement at school. Same as Pizza Hut coupons; economic status of the family. One major issue is tying food to positive experiences. Principals can discuss. Ongoing nutrition sessions vs. not just eating for nutrition's sake. Alternatives other than food can be used. Treat day, child's birthday, Halloween parties, Valentine's Day, etc. Would be nice to hear from PTOs. Complicated area.
Subject: Environment
4A: They do it at a table or desk, not on the floor.
4B: Seems general in terms of school staff; whose consumption is being restricted? Whether to make teachers be part of the culture change.
Subject: Consumption
5A: Statement makes sense.
5B: People are looking at how long kids eat. Move to nutrition. Eating while teachers are teaching; elementary kids come in and sit down. Do not want to stop children from eating in class if teachers are okay with that.
FOLLOW UP: Administration will make revisions and bring back to the board.
6. Creating a Three-Member Food Policy Ad Hoc Committee
Discussion: Have a good working document. Does not have to go back to food committee; they did their work and it is now up to the board. There are some questions. Most of it is finding out what is staff driven and bringing that back. It was confirmed that staff will make changes and bring it back.
It was moved by Carol Carstensen and seconded by Lucy Mathiak to table item 6 - creating a three-member Food Policy Ad Hoc Committee with Lawrie Kobza serving as the chairperson and Lucy Mathiak and Arlene Silveira serving as the other two members with a final committee report on May 22, 2006 and final board action on June 5, 2006. Motion unanimously carried.
Recessed at 7:16 p.m.
Reconvened at 7:26 p.m.
7. Funding for the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network
(Packets included a background memorandum from the Superintendent (5/11/06) and the GLSEN proposal (5/8/06). Copies are attached to the original of these minutes.)
The Superintendent noted that all four organizations came before the board. Two were funded out of unallocated money in Fund 80 that is one-time money. The board said to bring them back during the budget process.
Discussion: If a motion fails, these programs would not be placed in the budget. Options are to put them in the budget, or not, or table and discuss them with everything else. Can be added in as an amendment to the budget.
It was moved by Ruth Robarts and seconded by Lawrie Kobza to table funding for The Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network programs.
Discussion: Whether all four proposals belong in the budget discussion. Why these four proposals are being singled out; board asked that they be brought forward. Four votes required for funding for next year. Budget timeline was given, including amendments from the board members.
Motion carried 4-3 with Arlene Silveira, Shwaw Vang, and Johnny Winston, Jr. voting no.
Discussion continued: Role of the Partnerships Committee in the oversight of all Fund 80 programs. Staff would work on evaluations, reporting, site visits, etc. and report back to the board. June 19 meeting for committees to discuss their goals for the year is long after the budget process. Using the same process when teachers are looking for funding with goals and evaluation processes. Suggestion to use the common application process used by the Dane County Coordinating Council. Board needs to discuss how these resources are managed. Next year the Special Assistant to the Superintendent will be monitoring these programs. Tabling puts these programs in a different category. Charles Hamilton Houston Institute and Wisconsin Center for Academically Talented Youth have invoiced the district and they have signed contracts.
FOLLOW UP: Administration will bring forward as four amendments to the budget out of unallocated reserve from Fund 80.
8. Funding for the WisconsinCenterfor Academically Talented Youth
(Packets included the WCATY proposal (5/9/06). A copy is attached to the original of these minutes.)
It was moved by Ruth Robarts and seconded by Lucy Mathiak to table the proposal from the Wisconsin Center for Academically Talented Youth. Motion carried 6-1 with Johnny Winston, Jr. voting no.
Shwaw Vang recused himself.
9. Funding for The Kajsiab House Project
(Packets included the Kajsiab House and Freedom, Inc.'s proposal (5/10/06). Copies are attached to the original of these minutes.)
It was moved by Ruth Robarts and seconded by Lucy Mathiak to table the proposal from The Kajsiab House Project and Freedom Inc. Motion carried 4-2 with Arlene Silveira and Johnny Winston, Jr. voting no and Shwaw Vang recused.
10. Funding for The YouthEmpowermentAcademy
(Packets included the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute proposal (5/9/06). A copy is attached to the original of these minutes.)
It was moved by Ruth Robarts and seconded by Lawrie Kobza to table the proposal from the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute. Motion carried 5-2 with Shwaw Vang and Johnny Winston, Jr. voting no.
11. Proposed 2006-07 MMSD Budget
(Board received an e-mail from the Superintendent regarding a possible process for budget decision making (5/15/06). A copy is attached to the original of these minutes.)
Discussion: A request was made to move the amendment deadline from Friday, May 19, to Thursday, May 25. Still in the process of renegotiating the lay-off date with the Union. Staff will need to respond; they will have to make a best guess based on questions posed so far. Union is asking to bind the board to starting the budget process soon enough that this is all done by the contractual lay-off date. Superintendent did not have the authority to bind the board but could say the administration will work on that for the 2007-08 budget. Administration could develop the language for a resolution based on what is known at the time. It is a state biennial budget next year. This item is not on the agenda for discussion. There was some discussion about giving the public the chance to address the amendments and moving things on the calendar to accommodate a public hearing.
Budget
Process: Superintendent noted that the interim process was tested with Management Team. Many changes were made. The process seeks to get things off the table that people are not willing to consider then to prioritize any additions. Proposed cuts and adds would be known ahead of time with no new ones added that night. Has to be balanced at the end. Any adds or cuts may be combined or modified in discussion to create a new idea. There may be four people who put something back but no agreement on the cuts.
Discussion: Whether or not people should be able to create something that night. Having a lot of discussion beforehand so people understand why board members are making the proposals they are making. Could be the way to introduce the amendments to the public. Why the proposed process is better than the normal parliamentary process. Just an idea to give everyone the same chance; everyone will have the same number of dots. Helps the board members know where they agree. People can think it over.
Budget: Cuts to ESL and projected enrollment of bilingual students. Impact of cuts to special education. Explanation of the Connect program. When advertising revenues stay at the schools or go into the general fund. Increasing the athletic budget and fees for students. Cutting the discretionary allocations at Spring Harbor and Wright Middle schools to fund strings. Cost of strings now vs. recalculation based on proposal submitted to only offer 5th grade strings two times per week. Why the Special Assistant to the Superintendent position is being replaced. Concern about taking up class size at Lincoln's 4-5 grades. Looking at the overall issue of class sizes at the elementary level relative to income level and SAGE funding. Looking at issues of equity when the task force reports out in September. Impact of cuts to EAs, pages, and librarians. Pulling in all the variables for potential referenda. Concern with going in the direction of manipulating class sizes based on data alone; encourage visits to the schools. Explanation of the differences between the 2005-06 and 2004-05 balanced budgets—growth of business services and how to account for that. Changes in human resources budget and planned changes to the way contractual substitutes are budgeted.
FOLLOW UP: Change due date for board amendments to August 23. No public appearances on the 31st. Schedule a meeting to hold a public hearing on Tuesday, May 30 at 6:30 p.m. at Doyle.
Break out library pages and educational assistants by level. Provide current class size at 4/5 grades for Mendota, Glendale, and Lindbergh and Title 1 information. Provide the student-teacher ratios for Work and Learn, Shabazz, Wright, and Spring Harbor. Provide information on what is available in the operating budget and what is encumbered by the referendum.
12. Other Business
There was no other business.
13. Adjournment
It was moved by Ruth Robarts and seconded by Carol Carstensen to adjourn the meeting at 9:50 p.m. Motion unanimously carried.
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