Summary of Regular Board Meeting Held on July 10, 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

Principals Deb Hoffman Mercier from Franklin, Jennifer Allen from Midvale, and Linda Kailin, coordinator of the Summer Reading Academy at the Learning Center at Allied, described the components of the Summer Reading Academies project and reported on progress. The project focuses on intensive reading instruction for students entering first, second, and third grade in the fall.

Public Appearances

There were 23 speakers on several topics: the exclusive beverage vending contract with Coca Cola, bidding related to a construction contract with Westra, and naming of the new school at Cross Country. There were also written registrations on these topics. There were no speakers nor written statements regarding the proposed school start date.

Board President's Announcements And Reports

Mr. Williams:

• Mendota was the first Wisconsin school to participate in GTECH's After School Advantage Program. They will receive a $20,000 grant for computers, software and ongoing volunteer help.
• other grants awarded: Even Start Family Literacy program (Lapham), Project SMART (Schools, Museums, Art) and the Career Ladder Grant.
• the Board is seeking citizens to serve on the Legislative and Partnerships committees.
• the public is invited to a celebration of the opening of the Learning Center on Allied Drive on July 13.

Superintendent's Announcements And Reports

Mr. Rainwater announced:

• over 1500 teachers and staff attended week-long institutes for math, social studies and literacy. The June institute alone hosted 328 teachers to learn and share best practices.
• Merle Sweet, long time summer school program director, has retired.
• Cherokee teacher Suzanne Folberg is the Wisconsin recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science teaching. Fifty-eight percent of Wisconsin's 12 finalists were from Madison. Madison students also comprised 58% of this year's semifinalists for the Presidenialt Award for Academic Excellence.
• Jenna Canter, East High student, was one of only two college bound students in Wisconsin and 29 in the country to score a perfect 36 points on the ACT test.
• East High principal Milt McPike will join a select group of principals invited from across the country to participate in a U.S. Department of Education Principals' Leadership Summit in Washington DC.
• results of the Wisconsin Student Assessment (WSAS), a test in reading, language arts, math, science, and social studies.

Committee Reports And Action Thereon

Performance & Achievement: Selection of Program Materials Committee adoptions were approved.

Finance and Operations: A bid was approved for HVAC work for the new school at Cross Country, but the bid from Westra for construction was tabled. Bids were approved for temperature controls at Whitehorse/Schenk, for door replacements at Allis, Lowell and East; for cafeteria and LMC renovation at Mendota; for roof replacement work at Hamilton/Van Hise, for floor tile materials for use districtwide; for gymnasium floor replacement at Kennedy; for new playground equipment at Glendale; for districtwide pest control service, and for a new telephone system at Franklin. The committee met and approved a preliminary budget.

Human Resources: The committee heard issues concerning Bilingual Resource Specialist staff and Family Community Liaisons, and received a report on the plan for the recruitment of minorities and the plan for the hiring of a minority staff recruiter.

Long Range Planning: The committee discussed the process for boundary change decisions made throughout the year. Motions were made about soliciting information from parents of children in the Allied Drive areas about the schools they attend. There was discussion of how parents would be informed. A public hearing has been scheduled to hear from Stephens and Crestwood parents. Residents were heard from at a meeting held at the Allied Drive Neighborhood Center. Action taken at this meeting: the administration will send letters to families affected by Allied Drive school boundary changes and parents of students attending Stephens, Crestwood, Thoreau and the school in Cross Country, the timeline was approved for redistricting elementary school boundaries, the process was approved for gathering feedback from the Allied Drive neighborhood with regard to changing boundaries, and a legal analysis will be done to determine whether current case law regarding busing issues and reducing the number of schools for the Allied Drive neighborhood will impact future placement decisions.

Partnerships: The committee is in the process of recruiting citizen members to fill vacancies.

Legislative: Joann Elder reported on year end legislative appointments. The committee is searching for a citizen member to fill a vacancy.

Auditing, Purchasing, Transfers & Other Financial Transactions

Auditing: Interim bills were paid. There were no School Building Fund bills.

Purchasing: The bid was awarded for fluid milk.

Transfers: There were no transfers.

Other Financial Transactions: All donations and grants received since June 5, 2000 were approved. The process was approved for receiving and paying out all educational technology block grant funds.

Human Resources Transactions and Reports:

All transactions and reports were approved.

Reports to the Board:

Board of Education/Common Council Liaison Committee: Joann Elder had no report.

Other Business:

Forty-four students were granted diplomas of graduation. Resolutions were approved to detach annexations from the Verona school district and attach them to the Madison school district. A resolution was approved to set the start date for the 2000-2001 school year as August 28, 2000. Hearing Examiners were appointed for the 2000-2001 school year. Citizens were appointed and re-appointed to the MSCR Advisory Committee.

Old and New Business: Carol Carstensen commented on the opening for the Learning Center on Allied Drive. Juan José López requested a meeting to review district policies covering rental of building space and distribution of materials in schools. Jane Belmore was welcomed as Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education.

(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