Summary of Regular Board Meeting Held on October 1, 2001

Regular monthly meetings of the Board of Education are telecast live at 7:15 p.m. on the Charter cable TV system in the Madison area on channel 10 with closed-captioning for the hearing impaired. The meeting is replayed on cable channel 10 on the Tuesday evening immediately following the meeting at 9:00 p.m. with closed-captioning.

Recognition

West High School Art Teacher Don Hunt explained the latest stage of the Path of Voices Project. The dedication for the first sculpture will be October 15 at East High School and coincides with the YWCA Week Without Violence celebration.

Public Appearances

Nine persons spoke in opposition to reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in schools, one spoke to enrollment projections for Stephens School. One written registrant opposed reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and one opposed using the school public address system to say the Pledge each day.

Board President's Announcements And Reports

Mr. Williams announced:

• The State Superintendent has been pushing Congress for movement on two major education bills - the Elementary and Secondary Education Act reauthorization and the final appropriations bills that will determine the levels of federal education spending.
• Marquette Elementary School was invited to be part of an historic experiment in interactive digital television arranged through the district's membership in SWECS, the Southern Wisconsin Educational Communications Service.
• Effective today, Madison students will recite the Pledge of Allegiance daily as called for by a new state law. According to the new statute, "every public school shall offer the Pledge of Allegiance or the National Anthem in grades 1 to 12 each school day." The new law further states, "No pupil may be compelled, against the pupil's objection or those of the pupil's parents or guardian, to recite the Pledge or sing the Anthem." The Board will be discussing this in the near future.

Superintendent's Announcements And Reports

Mr. Rainwater announced:

• Each school, in its own way, has helped students comprehend the meaning of the September 11 tragedy. Together, all schools and district offices observed a moment of silence on Friday, September 14. Educators and parent groups are working together to reassure children. Many schools are engaged in service projects to benefit the victims of the terrorist attacks, including the Kids for Kids Coin Drive campaign.
• Examples of community building and celebrations - Falk Elementary is celebrating solid improvement in literacy scores with significant progress on the 3rd grade reading scores, Crestwood Centennial celebration, and the Emerson Open House picnic.
• Jefferson staff members participated in a professional development program, Mad City Challenge.
• The 2001 Reach Out to Kids book drive distributed nearly 30,000 new and nearly new books to MMSD schools, staff and non-profit agency programs with the help of U.S. postal carriers who picked up books on their routes.
• The eighth Annual Countrywide Volunteer Training Program welcomed over 200 volunteer trainees who will serve in our schools as tutors and mentors.
• For the second consecutive year, the district topped its record for the number of Madison school district students to qualify as Semifinalists for the 2002 National Merit Scholarship Awards. Fifty-eight students have qualified this year.
• The district has received some important grants - one for math education, another to increase the number of bilingual/ESL certified teachers in the district, and a three-year grant through the Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program.

Committee Reports And Action Thereon

Performance & Achievement: Recommendations from the Evaluation of Learning Materials Committee were approved. Ruth Robarts reported meetings are scheduled to hear a presentation by the Superintendent on a Five-Year Student Achievement Plan, an update on the requirements for graduation and promotion of students, and to hear the Superintendent's annual report on the district's three priorities.

Finance and Operations: Juan José López reported the committee discussed a proposed contract and process to conduct a functional analysis, will continue that discussion at another meeting, and will review budget adjustments.

Human Resources: Bill Keys reported the committee discussed the process for the Superintendent's evaluation. There will be further discussion in closed session with Legal Counsel to assure the evaluation operates within the parameters set by the Superintendent's contract.

Long Range Planning: Carol Carstensen reported the committee heard a presentation by administration regarding the way in which the district tries to be consistent in determining the capacity of elementary schools across the district. Another meeting is scheduled at Leopold School to look at their enrollment and begin to develop options that deal with their continued special needs.

Partnerships: Shwaw Vang reported the committee will meet and will discuss suggested goals for the school year.

Legislative: Ray Allen reported the committee will meet to hear a review and analysis of the recently approved state budget.

Auditing, Purchasing, Transfers & Other Financial Transactions

Auditing: Interim and School Building Fund Bills were approved.

Purchasing: A bid was approved for Security Officer services.

Transfers: Funds were allocated from the Reserve for Contingencies to fund 8.8 ESL and Bilingual Education teachers for the 2001-02 school year.

Other Financial Transactions: All donations and grants received since September 10, 2001 were approved.

Human Resources Transactions and Reports:

All transactions and reports were approved.

Reports to the Board:

Common Council/Board of Education Liaison Committee: Ray Allen reported a committee of the City Council is in the process of assessing whether this committee will continue to meet in its current form.

Comprehensive School Reform Grants: Hawthorne and Mendota Elementary Schools are applying for grants. Franklin and Lowell have completed their three years of funding. Lowell has since gained national recognition as a model site. Both schools applying for the October competition are also involved in the school-wide Title I improvement process. Other district schools are interested in participating in another round of competition in March.

Other Business:

-- School Food Nutrition Program applications required by the State Department of Public Instruction for the 2001-02 school year were approved: National School Lunch, School Breakfast, Elderly Nutrition Improvement, and USDA After-School Snack Program. - The Quit Claim Deed for the Maintenance and Food Service Building on Pflaum Road was accepted; the Notice of Contamination to such property will be recorded with the Register of Deeds. - The list of graduates granted diplomas from the start date of the 2000-01 school year through the start date of the 2001-02 school year was approved. - Fifteen students were granted diplomas of graduation based on completed requirements.

Old and New Business: Juan José López commented about Walk Our Children to School Week and the Chavez Elementary dedication program. Carol Carstensen and Bill Keys commented about the messages adults give to children about violence and solving disputes.

(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