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News and information for staff members and the Madison community

Vol. I No. 3 - January 19, 2006

Summary of January 17, 2006 Board of Education Meetings

Carol Carstensen, Board President

BUDGET PARTICIPATION REMINDER:
Be sure to participate in the $100 budget exercise (http://www.mmsd.org/budget/100dollar/) this week. The schedule day, time and location are below.

Jan 17th Meetings:

5 p.m. Finance & Operations (Johnny Winston, Jr. chair):
The committee had a report about our annual financial audit of the 2004-05 fiscal year. Overall, the auditor praised the district's financial process and particularly the new technology which makes it much simpler (and more accurate) to track expenditures. There was a recommendation that the district needs better documentation for expenditures from the individual school activity accounts. The committee also discussed a process for placing cell phone towers or antennae on school district buildings. This would be a source of additional funds if the Board decides to pursue it with rent from cell phone companies ranging up to $1000/month for a site such as one of the high schools.

6 p.m. Special Board Meeting:

• The Board gave final approval to the Wright Middle School charter.
• The administration presented its plan to eliminate 4 administrative positions and move 1 other position onto federal funding in 2006-07. The savings to the Operating Budget will be about $450,000. One other administrative position will be eliminated in 2007-08.
• The administration presented its recommendations on a policy dealing with animals in the classroom; there was also a separate recommendation from a number of teachers who did not agree with the administration's recommendation. The Board heard from a number of 4th and 5th grade students from Crestwood who presented reasons to allow animals back into the classroom. The Board voted to adopt a policy that permitted animals in the classroom but asked the administration to come back to the Board with clear guidelines on health issues and cleanliness. For the interim period until these guidelines are presented and adopted the Board voted to allow animals back into the classroom. New guidelines will take affect next fall.
• Lastly, the Board authorized funds to pay for the staff necessary to televise on cable channels 10 & 19 all significant Board and committee meetings.

$100 BUDGET:
Every MMSD resident is invited to participate, but each is limited to participating one time. Length of the sessions will be approximately an hour and 45 minutes.

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Last Updated: Tue Mar 28 12:16:54 2006
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