Summary of Regular Board Meeting Held on February 7, 2000

Regular monthly meetings of the Board of Education are close captioned. They are shown again on Tuesday evenings with captions for those unable to watch on Monday evenings.

Recognition

Multico, West High School's multicultural theater company led by Rebecca Jallings, researches and writes sketches about issues of race, sexuality, gender, culture and conflict. Sixteen of the students performed three skits. They have shared these skits with over 7000 children in 40 performances at elementary and middle schools across the district, some inservices, a university class, and at a PTO meeting.

Public Appearances

One person spoke of concerns about flexibility and space for the SAGE program at Huegel.

Board President's Announcements And Reports

Mrs. Carstensen announced:

• the annual Urban League award and scholarship breakfast recognized the work of Madison middle and high school students who have maintained high grade point averages and have been involved in community service activities. Seven of the nine Dane County youth who received the Presidential Award for community service were from Madison middle and high schools.
• the annual Souper Bowl fund raiser for Habitat for Humanity raised $5000 this year. Students from Madison high schools make and sell ceramic bowls filled with soup on the same weekend as the Super Bowl.
• there are two seats open on the Board of Education. The primary election for Seat 1 is on February 15. The Student Senate will hold a candidate forum.
• the most recent evaluation of SAGE schools shows that students continue to perform at a higher level than students in regular size classes and the achievement gap between white students and students of color is reduced in SAGE schools.

Superintendent's Announcements And Reports

Mr. Rainwater announced:

• TAG staff are ready to begin a new program, Jet Stream Math, designed to help students who are beyond their current grade level in the math curriculum.
• Mendota Elementary School's School Improvement Process was highlighted in the January Journal of Staff Development. Mendota has accomplished remarkable success in its academic program.
• the quilts from Franklin Elementary School's Fabric Storyscapes Quilt Project last year are now on display at the Naitonal Quilt Museum in Paduca, Kentucky. Parents lead by Nancy Daly and Cinda Dalebroux coordinated the project with the help of professional artists-in-residence who worked with the children.
• Lowell School held a talent show February 1 at the Barrymore Theater. Lowell was one of only two Wisconsin schools nominated this year by the State Superintendent for a Distinguished Title I School Award.
• Sherman Middle School teacher Barb Brodhagen has been selected as a Carnegie Scholar for the Advancement of Teaching.
• Van Hise Elementary teacher Alan Ginsberg won an Alumni Award for Science Teacher of the Year through the UW Department of Agricultural and Life Sciences.
• Midvale Elementary teacher Judy Ballweg has become a twice-published author. Her two books are collections of lessons to introduce the computer and digital imaging tools to primary students.
• Teachers Terry Allbaugh (Falk), Rita Kehl (Mendota), Karen Holschuh (Van Hise); Muir Principal David Bray, Lapham Principal Barbara Thompson and district Mathematics Coordinator Pat Reisdorf each travelled to Japan on Fulbright Scholarships.

Committee Reports And Action Thereon

Performance & Achievement: Selection of Program Materials Committee adoptions were approved. Ruth Robarts reported the committee will use the rest of the semester to look at the ways schools are making progress on the three academic goals.

Finance and Operations: A bid was approved for auditorium sound system replacement at Memorial High School. Juan José López had no committee report.

Human Resources: The Board received a report of the Joint Committee on Educational Assistant Career Advancement, will take it under advisement, and share it with appropriate administrative staff. Ray Allen had no committee report.

Long Range Planning: Deborah Lawson reported the committee will begin discussion of the implementation of the SAGE recommendations, special boundary changes, and a timeline.

Partnerships: Calvin Williams reported the committee will meet on February 21.

Legislative: Joann Elder reported about the status of special education legislation and efforts to raise awareness about special education issues.

Auditing, Purchasing, Transfers & Other Financial Transactions

Auditing: Interim and Building Fund bills were paid.

Purchasing: Scoring services for the Research and Evaluation Department were awarded.

Transfers: Funds were transferred from the Contract Compliance Officer salary account to the Consultant Services account to pay present and future expenses for the consultant who is and has been providing contract compliance services.

Other Financial Transactions: All donations and grants received since January 3, 2000 were approved. The 1999-00 budget was increased to support the Lilith Computer Project with funding from a grant from the Madison Community Foundation.

Human Resources Transactions and Reports:

All transactions and reports were approved.

Reports to the Board:

Board of Education/Common Council Liaison Committee: Deborah Lawson reported the committee has not met recently but that staff from both the city and school district are working on the city's housing grant. Art Rainwater added that the Mayor was instrumental in securing a $100,000 grant to improve communications which resulted in two high schools having telephones in the classrooms.

Joann Elder reported on her attendance at the Wisconsin Association of School Boards Delegate Assembly meeting.

Other Business:

Fourteen students were granted diplomas of graduation. Twenty-five students were excused from school attendance for the purpose of allowing them to enroll in programs for high school equivalency diplomas. A claim received by the district was referred to Legal Counsel and the district's insurer for investigation and recommendations. The 2000-2001 elementary staffing recommendations under Plan D for implementation of the Student Achievement Guarantee in Education (SAGE) funding were approved.

Old and New Business: Joann Elder invited everyone to attend the presentation of Distinguished Service, Kohl and Joe Thomas awards at the March 20 meeting.

(A complete copy of these minutes is available from the Board of Education Office, 261-9000. This summary may have been published before the minutes were approved by the Board of Education. Please call to check on any changes.)

Regular Meeting Summaries