MINUTES - Traverse City Area Public Schools Meeting of the Board of Education Monday, March 12, 2018 @ 6:00 PM Tompkins Boardman Administration Center, Conference Room C 2 nd Floor 412 Webster Street, Traverse City, MI 49686 Proposed minutes scheduled to be approved at the board s next meeting on April 9, 2018. A Business Meeting of the Board of Education of the Traverse City Area Public Schools, Counties of Grand Traverse, Leelanau and Benzie, Michigan, was held at the Tompkins Boardman Administration Center, 412 Webster Street, Traverse City, Michigan, on Monday, March 12, 2018. Board President Falconer called the meeting to order at 6:02 p.m. BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: ADMINISTRATORS PRESENT: GUESTS PRESENT: Clark, Ellery, Falconer, Geht, Hardy, Kelly, Klegman None Berck, Guitar, McCall, Soma, Thomas-Hill Board Attorney Kevin Harty PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Board President Falconer invited those in attendance to rise and join him in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. REVIEW/APPROVAL OF AGENDA The Board reviewed the agenda and Board President Falconer requested the following changes: Public Comment (Item H) be moved to after the Discussion/Motion Closed Session will become Item H Discussion/Motion will become Item I Public Comment will become Item J MOVED BY ELLERY SUPPORTED BY KLEGMAN to approve the agenda as amended. PUBLIC COMMENT (Agenda Items Only) Board President Falconer solicited public comment and the following was volunteered: Barb Willing Bond Election/Student Walk-out Francis Cullen, 3162 English Woods Drive Superintendent Contract Trey Harding, 1114 Lindale Drive - Superintendent Contract Jacquie Harding, 1114 Lindale Drive - Superintendent Contract Andrew Shotwell, TCAA Attorney Superintendent Evaluation MOVED BY GEHT SUPPORTED BY KELLY to extend the time allotted to Mr. Shotwell to extend his remarks. YES: Clark, Geht, Hardy NO: Ellery, Falconer, Klegman Note: Vice-President Kelly was not present at the time of the vote. Ryan Schrock, 8589 Center Road Superintendent Evaluation and Contract Kirsten Morgan, 10608 Shrewbury Street Leadership Allison O Keefe, 11556 Snowfield Court Superintendent Soma
Michelle Keith, Tompkins Road - Superintendent Evaluation and Contract Melissa Hogan, 2852 Glen Drive Superintendent Soma Gerry Morris, 2876 Ridge Run Road Superintendent Evaluation Collen Smith, 132 Fairway Hills Drive Administration/TCAA Angel Elsenheimer, 623 Eastwood Avenue Superintendent Soma Sarah Kroupa, 903 N. Marion Drive Superintendent Contract Patricia Henkel, 8830 Dawn Circle Superintendent Soma Kristel R. Peacock Superintendent Soma Jenny Walter, 1402 N. Orchard Drive Moving Forward Fred Arnold, 16217 Arbor Trail Superintendent Soma Pam Alfieri, 4774 Lakeshore Drive Superintendent Soma Pam Kaiser, 1309 Old Long Lake Road Healing for our Community Ken Petterson, TCAA Attorney Superintendent Evaluation BOARD MISCELLANEOUS DISCUSSION Board members discussed miscellaneous topics. Board Communications Committee (March 6) Report Out by Kelly Board Curriculum Committee (February 15) Report Out by Ellery Board Finance & Operations Committee (March 7) Report Out by Geht Board Member Geht clarified that TCAA members will be given time to consult with their counsel before being interviewed by the investigator. Attorney Harty advised that a memo was sent to the TCAA from Dr. Berck affirming this information. Coffee Conversations @ Horizon Books 6:00pm 7:00pm March 22, 2018 - CANCELLED DISCUSSION/MOTION Adoption of Bond Authorizing Resolution The Board was asked to discuss and consider adoption of a Bond Authorizing Resolution authorizing actions necessary to facilitate the bond sale and the delivery of bonds. MOVED BY GEHT AND SECONDED BY HARDY to adopt the Bond Authorizing Resolution. President Falconer solicited further discussion Associate Superintendent Thomas-Hill explained this was from prior authorization with about 25 million left from 2007. This sale would be approximately 12.4 million leaving about 12.5 million left over. Funds are used for capital needs. President Falconer solicited public comment regarding this item none was volunteered.. CONSENT The purpose of the Consent Calendar is to expedite business by grouping items together to be dealt with by one board member motion without discussion. Any member of the board may ask that any item on the consent calendar be removed and placed elsewhere on the agenda for full discussion. Such requests will be automatically respected.
Approval of Personnel Recommendations The Board was asked to approve Personnel Recommendations. RETIREMENT (Acknowledgement): Name Assignment Effective Date Kathleen Blazejewski School Social Worker July 1, 2018 East Middle School Joy Byington Special Education Teacher July 1, 2018 Montessori at Glen Loomis Cindy McMellen Elementary Education Teacher July 1, 2018 Cherry Knoll Elementary School Mary Preston English Teacher July 1, 2018 Traverse City High School Colleen Smith Middle School Principal August 1, 2018 East Middle School RESIGNATION (Acknowledgement): Name Assignment Effective Date Julie Adams Elementary Education Teacher June 30, 2018 Cherry Knoll Elementary School Brittany Ball Elementary Physical Education Teacher March 23, 2018 Traverse Heights Elementary School (0.80 FTE) Erin Banton Elementary Education Teacher June 30, 2018 Old Mission Peninsula School Jessica Holton Elementary Education Teacher June 30, 2018 Central Grade School Rachel Linsmeier Band Director/Music Education Teacher June 30, 2018 West Middle School West Senior High School Kimberly Prisk Business Education Teacher June 30, 2018 West Senior High School One-Year Unpaid Leave of Absence (Approval) Tyler Eising Physical Education Teacher June 30, 2018 Traverse City High School
Approval of Bids, Purchases, Services The Board was asked to approve the following: Operations: East Middle School Tennis Court Renovation o Award to Star Trac Enterprise $58,300 Includes a 10% contingency; funded from the capital funds allocated to athletics Technology Network Infrastructure Update Phase I o Award to Presidio Alternate 1 $813,000.00 funded from the capital funds allocated to technology Eastern Elementary Technology Video Recording/Storage Services o Award to Feyen Zelstra $102,000.00 includes a 5% contingency; funded from the capital funds allocated to technology Acceptance of Grants/Donations The Board was asked to accept the second half of the 2% allocation from the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians in the amount of $25,000. $20,000 grant will support the Learning, Enrichment and Athletics Program. $5,000 grant is allocated to support FIRST Robotics programming. Adoption of Board Policy Language The Board was asked to adopt the following board policy language: Policy 8462 Student Abuse and Neglect (REVISED) The following Guidelines are provided for informational purposes and do not require board approval. Guideline 5460B Testing-Out of a Course (REVISED) Adoption of Social Host Responsibility Proclamation Resolution The Board was asked to adopt the resolution proclaiming April 2018 as Social Host Responsibility Month. Approval of Field Trip The Board was asked to approve the following field trip: TC West Senior High School VEX Titan Robotic students to travel to Louisville, Kentucky Kentucky Exposition Center April 25-29, 2018 to compete in VEX Worlds Robotics Competition. Approval of Minutes The Board was asked to approve the minutes from their meeting held February 26, 2018, their Special Meeting held March 6, 2018 and their Closed Session meeting held on March 6, 2018. MOVED BY KELLY SUPPORTED BY ELLERY to approve the Consent Calendar as presented and without discussion. The following vote was taken: YES: Clark, Ellery, Falconer, Hardy, Geht, Kelly, Klegman CLOSED SESSION The Board considered Closed Session for the purpose of conducting a periodic personnel evaluation, as allowed by the Open Meetings Act, P.A. 267 of 1976, Section 8(a). Closed session requested by employee.
MOVED BY ELLERY, SUPPORTED BY KELLY to go into Closed Session for the purpose of conducting a periodic personnel evaluation as allowed by the Open Meetings Act, P.A. 267 of 1976, Section 8(a). Closed Session was requested by employee. The following Roll Call vote was taken: YES: Ellery, Falconer, Kelly, Klegman NO: Clark, Geht, Hardy MOTION FAILED. Superintendent Soma s evaluation was discussed in open session. The highlights of the discussion were as follows: Manage Fiscal Resources Acknowledge Successes Recognized as a Leader Clear Goals for a District Model of Instruction Clear Measurable Goals Focused on Student Achievement MOVED BY GEHT, SUPPORTED BY CLARK to take a short recess. The Board took a break from 8:20 pm 8:31 pm. The following vote was taken: MOVED BY GEHT, SUPPORTED BY KLEGMAN to take a short recess. The Board took a break from 9:36 pm 9:42 pm. The following vote was taken: DISCUSSION/MOTION Approval of Superintendent Evaluation The Board discussed and considered approval of Superintendent Paul A. Soma s evaluation. Board Member Kelly made the motion as follows: The things going right in TCAPS do carry the day, but the Board does recognize that the relationship between the Superintendent and the Traverse City Administrators Association needs to improve for the betterment of the organization. The Board will work with Mr. Soma in the coming year to manage this reconciliation process. In light of recent district turmoil, the Board is reconsidering the Superintendent evaluation methodology. We believe we can improve upon this process and upon the job we do to establish goals for and provide feedback to the Superintendent. The current evaluation process utilizes the Marzano evaluation system the rationale being that the rest of the district is on this system, and it could provide for efficiencies. Going forward, we are looking at adoption of the Michigan Association of School Boards Superintendent Evaluation process. Confirmation of this evaluation process and the specific goals for the Superintendent for 2018 will be established at our Board retreat schedule for April 23. In conclusion, the Board of Education is pleased with Mr. Soma s leadership and awards him an Effective rating for 2017/2018. We believe that the state of TCAPS is strong, and we will work with Mr. Soma going forward to make it even stronger, and to continue to create exceptional education experiences for our children. MOVED BY KELLY AND SECONDED BY GEHT to adopt the performance evaluation of the Superintendent as presented. President Falconer solicited further discussion and the board discussed the evaluation and the process.
President Falconer solicited public comment regarding this item and the following was volunteered:. Melissa Hogan, 2852 Glen Drive Superintendent Soma evaluation Jason Tank Superintendent Soma evaluation Pam Kaiser Superintendent Soma evaluation Karyn Hertel Superintendent Soma evaluation Ken Petterson, TCAA Attorney Superintendent Soma evaluation Jame McCall, Associate Superintendent Superintendent Soma evaluation MOVED BY GEHT SUPPORTED BY KLEGMAN to extend the time allotted to Ms. McCall to complete her remarks. YES: Clark, Geht, Hardy, Kelly, Klegman, NO: Ellery, Falconer Approval of Superintendent Contract Renewal The Board discussed and considered approval of Superintendent Paul A. Soma s contract renewal. MOVED BY ELLERY AND SECONDED BY KLEGMAN that the Board of Education approve the Superintendent s contract renewal. President Falconer solicited further discussion and the board discussed the Superintendent s contract renewal. Superintendent Soma excused himself at 11:28 pm. MOVED BY KELLY, AND SECONDED BY KLEGMAN, to substitute the motion as follows: to extend the current employment contract of the Superintendent for a term of 3 years, with said extension to commence on July 1, 2018 and to expire on June 30, 2021. Compensation base salary in year one is $158,000, year two is $165,000 and year three is $168,000, plus the annuity, travel and perks to be discussed with the present Superintendent to achieve mutual agreement on the contract. President Falconer solicited public comment regarding this item and the following was volunteered: Tamie Rosenberg, 1951 North Carmean Road Superintendent Contract Jason Tank Superintendent Contract. PUBLIC COMMENT President Falconer solicited public comment and none was volunteered. ADJOURNMENT MOVED BY KLEGMAN SUPPORTED BY ELLERY to adjourn the meeting at 12:00 am. NO: None Respectfully submitted, Stacey Hozak Board Recording Secretary Next Board Meeting April 9, 2018 (6:00 p.m.) Tompkins Boardman Administration Center 412 Webster Street Traverse City, MI