GUILFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION REGULAR MEETING GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA. Thursday, March 24, 2011

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1 GUILFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION REGULAR MEETING GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA Thursday, March 24, 2011 The Guilford County Board of Education met in a regular meeting on Thursday, March 24, 2011 at 712 North Eugene Street, Greensboro, North Carolina. The following board members were present: Sandra Alexander (arrived 7:26 p.m.), Jeff Belton, Kris Cooke, Alan Duncan, Carlvena Foster, Darlene Garrett, Ed Price, Amos Quick and Nancy Routh. Board members Paul Daniels and Deena Hayes were absent. Also present were Superintendent Maurice Green and Attorney John Duberstein. Call to Order Chairman Duncan called the meeting to order at 6:08 p.m. Pledge of Allegiance and Moment of Silence Chairman Duncan called on board member Kris Cooke to lead the Pledge of Allegiance. Recognitions A. GCS Student Wins National Teen Kids News Reporter Contest The board recognized Tyler Hardin, a freshman at Weaver Academy, as the first-place winner of the national teen kids news reporter contest. Tyler was one of 10 finalists in the contest, and the public voted for its favorite student-produced video. He wrote, filmed, anchored, edited and created the graphics for his one-minute winning video about the outdoor ice skating rink in downtown Greensboro. Teen Kids News is an educational news show that airs on news stations and in more than 8,000 schools nationwide. As a winner, Tyler will be featured on the show s website at and will receive a Flip Slide high-definition video camera. He also has been invited to produce a story about reading for Teen Kids News. He is no stranger to the broadcast news business. He first reported school news as a student at Southeast Middle, where he produced his own show Falcon Monthly with Tyler Hardin. He currently produces, films, anchors and edits Student Reports with Tyler Hardin for GCSTV 2. The show airs daily and covers student activities and achievements from across the district. Board member Ed Price presented Tyler with a certificate of recognition. B. Shelley Nixon-Greene Recognized for Contributions to Feb. 11 Association The board recognized Shelley Nixon-Greene, principal of Penn-Griffin School for the Arts, for her contributions to the February 11 Association. The February 11 Association celebrated the 51st anniversary of the High Point Sit-in, the first sit-in organized and carried out by high school students. In 1960, students from William Penn High School (now Penn-Griffin School for the Arts) staged the sit-in at the nearby Woolworths. Ms. Nixon-Greene helped bring the celebration back to the school, and hosted the annual banquet on March 11 in the school s gymnasium. Board member Carlvena Foster presented Ms. Nixon-Greene with a certificate of recognition. C. GCSTV 2 Camera Operators for Board Meetings Recognized The board recognized Janice Butler and Jennifer Klason, camera operators for GCSTV 2 at Guilford County Board meetings. Both Ms. Butler and Ms. Klason work at Sedgefield Elementary, where Ms. Klason is a reading and math intervention specialist and Ms. Butler is a technology teacher. For more than five years, the pair has played an integral role in the live tapings of the Board of Education meetings every year. With approximately 23 meetings per year, the pair has worked at least 115 board meetings. Board member Kris Cooke presented them with a certificate of recognition. Final Minutes, March 24, 2011 Page 1 of 6

2 Public Comments Chairman Duncan called on members of the public who requested an opportunity to address the board. Dale Metz, 5318 Monte Vista Drive, Greensboro, NC Kim Venable, 2536 Kivett Drive, Greensboro, NC Dustin Edmondson, 204 Jupiter Drive, Greensboro, NC Ashley Thomas, 2106 Greenich Place, Durham, NC Elizabeth Foster, 1141-B Bridford Lake Circle, Greensboro, NC Stoney Hunemann, 8017 Linville Road, Oak Ridge, NC DeShaun Adams, 1502 Pichard Street, Greensboro, NC Joe Stafford, 4604 Forest Village Drive, Greensboro, NC Approval of Agenda Chairman Duncan asked board members to review the meeting agenda and called for a motion to approve or amend it. The personnel report will be voted on following a closed session. Motion was made by Darlene Garrett, seconded by Kris Cooke, to approve the agenda as presented. The motion passed upon unanimous voice vote. Consent Agenda Superintendent Maurice Green presented the following consent agenda items: A. Meeting Minutes The minutes of the February 24, 2011 regular meeting and the March 4, 2011 special called meeting were presented for approval. B. Personnel Reports The consent agenda included personnel actions as noted in the monthly personnel action report requiring board approval. C Budget Amendments and Transfers The consent agenda included a recommendation that the board approve the State, Local, Federal, Capital Outlay, After School Care Enrichment Services (ACES) and Special Revenue budget amendments/transfers as follows: State Public School Fund Amendment #6 reflects: the receipt of: o Interest for School Technology Fund for December 2010 ($674) o Special transportation allotment adjustment for fuel ($408,320) Local Current Expense Fund Amendment #6 reflects: Federal Grant Fund Amendment #6 reflects: the transfers for school allotments and due to site-based requests and year-to-date expenditures Capital Outlay Fund Amendment #5: Audit adjustments to prior year ( ) carry-over amount ($822,622) reflect transfers due to site-based requests and year-to-date expenditures After School Care Enrichment Services (ACES) Fund Amendment #4 reflects: Final Minutes, March 24, 2011 Page 2 of 6

3 Special Revenue Fund Amendment #6 reflects: the receipt of: o Guilford County Schools All Stars - Supplemental Educational Services allotment adjustment ($267,236) o Clearwire Distance Learning Spectrum lease payment for January 2011 ($800) D. Approval to Submit McKinney-Vento Subgrant Application The consent agenda included a recommendation that the board grant approval to submit the McKinney-Vento Subgrant application to the SERVE Center, acting on behalf of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, in the amount of $225,000 over a three-year period to facilitate the enrollment, attendance, and success in schools of homeless children and youth. E. NCDOT Right-of-Way Encroachment Agreements affecting Ronald E. McNair Elementary School Campus The consent agenda included a recommendation that the board approve the execution and delivery of the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) right-of-way encroachment agreements affecting the Ronald E. McNair Elementary School campus and any necessary future NCDOT right of way encroachment agreements. Motion was made by Kris Cooke, seconded by Jeff Belton, to approve the consent agenda as presented. Items A, C and E passed unanimously. Item D passed by majority voice vote of 7-1 as follows: Ayes: Jeff Belton, Kris Cooke, Alan Duncan, Carlvena Foster, Darlene Garrett, Ed Price and Amos Quick; Nays Nancy Routh. Staff Reports A. Multi-tier Transportation Update Andy LaRowe, chief operations officer, and Jeff Harris, director of transportation, led the board in a discussion regarding the multi-tier transportation proposal. The initial multi-tier scheduling concept Option 1 was introduced to the board during the winter retreat on January 22, Option 1 provides a significant budget reduction and focuses on the resolution of several concerns, including extending the instructional day for elementary schools, completely decoupling middle and high school students who ride the bus together, limiting the occasions that high school athletes would miss time during class in order to travel to athletic events, and putting all grade levels together in three individual tiers. Two community forums were held to seek input. The foremost concerns expressed by the internal and external communities to Option 1 include the earlier start times for elementary schools and the placement of middle schools in the third tier. As a result of concerns expressed by the community and after further analysis of Option 1, staff presented a second scenario Option 2, to the board on February 24, While recognizing that Option 2 doesn t resolve as many concerns as Option 1, it is a viable alternative that still accomplishes many objectives. In addition, Option 2 is potentially less disruptive to the community because the instructional day for most schools would change 15 minutes or less from the current schedules while providing similar budgetary savings. Option 2 does not increase the elementary instructional day by 15 minutes; however, staff recommends that planning continue in regards to the implementation of an extended instructional day for elementary school students within the next two years. At its February 24, 2011, the board requested that two additional community forums be held. Concerns expressed by the internal and external communities include the alignment of Final Minutes, March 24, 2011 Page 3 of 6

4 Break 7:47 p.m. Resume 8:40 p.m. schedules for middle and high schools located on a single campus, particularly in High Point, along with supervision of children arriving at school. Based on the concerns expressed from the community meetings, Option 2a was developed. This option moves Ferndale and Welborn to Tier III, where in Option 2 Ferndale and Welborn were placed in Tier II as a means to relieving buses that were near capacity. Moving these schools to Tier III would not facilitate this concept, thus requiring resources to be utilized instead of being taken out of service. A cost savings reduction is noted in Options 2a with 23 to 43 buses estimated being taken out of service. Budgetary impacts equate to a savings of $706,000 to $1.3 million. In terms of the other five middle schools assigned to Tier II in Option 2, the recommendation stands as presented for Option 2a. Since 2004, Kiser and Jackson Middle have been in Tier 1 of the current instructional day schedule. Parents, staff and students are accustomed to a split schedule. Historically, the students assigned to Allen, Kiser, Jackson, Guilford, and Mendenhall Middle schools have not been transported together on the same set of buses with high school students. Impacts of implementing either of the two options in the multi-tier scheduling concept include: Realizes potential savings for implementation for all traditional schools ranging from approximately $700,000 to approximately $1.8 million and increases in the transportation efficiency rating. Enables the district to discontinue the use of buses which will become credits for future expansion. Enables distribution of buses currently in the fleet to needed areas experiencing overcrowding or lengthy ride times. Minimizes projected cost increase in the event the district were to continue the existing transportation plan. Board discussion followed. Motion was made by Ed Price, seconded by Carlvena Foster, to approve to implement the Option 2a multi-tier scheduling proposal, beginning August The motion passed by majority electronic vote of 7-2 as follows: Ayes Jeff Belton, Ed Price, Nancy Routh, Kris Cooke, Alan Duncan, Carlvena Foster and Darlene Garrett; Nays Amos Quick and Sandra Alexander. At 7:47 p.m., motion was made by Darlene Garrett, seconded by Amos Quick, to go into closed session to preserve the attorney-client privilege and to discuss personnel matters protected by state law. The motion passed by unanimous voice vote. B. Construction Update Andy LaRowe, chief operations officer, will present to the board an update on the district s construction projects including the following: At Ragsdale High, the contractor continues with road widening activities along Vickrey Chapel Road, and fire protection installation at the former Jamestown Middle campus. A pre-bid was held on March 21 for contractors interested in bidding Phase 2 trade packages. Bids for Phase 2 will be received April 13 and 14. Final Minutes, March 24, 2011 Page 4 of 6

5 At Southeast High, the contractor continues masonry wall rough-ins on the new main gymnasium. Setting of roof steel trusses is underway. Demolition of interior walls including removal of associated mechanical and electrical infrastructure is underway. At Southeast Middle, the contractor has completed installation of roof membrane at the media center addition. Overhead mechanical, electrical and plumbing rough-ins continue. Drywall and masonry wall finishing is underway. Glass installation at windows and storefronts continues. At Alamance Elementary, mechanical systems rough-ins continue. The contractor has begun installation of ceiling grid in the classroom wing. Painting and ceramic tile installations are underway. At Summerfield Elementary, masonry and insulated concrete form wall installation continues. Mechanical systems rough-ins are underway. Steel erection continues. At Southwest High, roof membrane installation continues at the classroom building addition. Mechanical systems rough-ins continue at both the classroom and auxiliary gym additions. Installation of steel joists at the auxiliary gym continue. The contractor continues brick exterior and block interior wall installations. At Allen Middle, soil test results indicate that soil in the area of the new addition is not suitable as structural fill. Unsuitable soil remediation in the building pad area has been completed. The undercutting and transporting of soil will result in a delay to the construction schedule. The current substantial completion date is July 15, Staff is working with the contractor and structural engineer to mitigate cost and schedule delays. Consent Agenda Motion was made by Darlene Garrett, seconded by Jeff Belton, to approve the personnel report. The motion passed by majority electronic vote of 6-3 as follows: Ayes Jeff Belton, Ed Price, Nancy Routh, Kris Cooke, Alan Duncan and Darlene Garrett; Nays Amos Quick, Sandra Alexander and Carlvena Foster. Personnel Matter Motion was made by Darlene Garrett, seconded by Nancy Routh, to amend Superintendent Green s contract to allow him to forgo the salary increase to which he is currently entitled. Under the contract as it currently exists, Superintendent Green is entitled to an annual pay increase. At his request, his salary will remain at its current level and the board authorizes our attorney to amend his contract to reflect that fact. The motion passed by unanimous electronic vote of 9-0. Board Discussion Governance Committee Update Chairman Duncan called on board member Nancy Routh, chairperson for the governance committee, to lead the board in a discussion regarding Policy BH, Guilford County Board of Education Code of Ethics. The policy had been reviewed by the board at its last two meetings. Motion was made by Kris Cooke, seconded by Darlene Garrett, to approve Policy BH-Guilford County Board of Education Code of Ethics. The motion passed by unanimous vote of 9-0. Dr. Routh then called on Terrence Young, chief information officer, to provide and update to the board regarding the guidelines for employees who use social media networks. The guidelines were developed in response to requests from principals and other GCS employees. They will not replace current board policies regarding acceptable use of technology for students or staff, but are designed to provide additional information and direction to staff regarding these new technologies. Final Minutes, March 24, 2011 Page 5 of 6

6 Reports from the Superintendent The Guilford County Board of Education announces the settlement of the claims of Tanya Tyler, Brian Tyler and Kasharahca Hach in the amount of $20, Reports from the Chairman None Board Comments Board members were each allowed two minutes to make remarks, as they deemed appropriate. Closed Session At 9:13 p.m., motion was made by Darlene Garrett, seconded by Amos Quick, to go into closed session to preserve the attorney-client privilege and to discuss personnel matters protected by state law. The motion passed by unanimous voice vote. The board returned to open session at 10:20 p.m. Adjournment With no further business, at 10:20 p.m., motion was made by Amos Quick, seconded by Kris Cooke, to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed upon unanimous voice vote. Final Minutes, March 24, 2011 Page 6 of 6