FREDERICKSBURG CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS Fredericksburg, Virginia A regular meeting of the Fredericksburg City School Board was held at 6:30 p.m. on September 10, 2007 in the Lecture Room of James Monroe High School, 2300 Washington Avenue. Board members present were: Others Present: Mrs. Barbara A. Miller-Richards, Chairman Mr. Michael J. Gillenwater, Vice-Chairman Rev. Jarvis E. Bailey Mrs. Patricia B. Green Mrs. Malvina R. Kay * Mrs. Janice R. Walsh Dr. David G. Melton, Superintendent Mrs. Deborah B. Wright, Clerk of the Board The meeting was called to order at 6:34 p.m. by the Chairman. * Mrs. Kay arrived during closed session. 07-08-34: BOARD CONVENES INTO CLOSED SESSION: RECONVENES INTO OPEN SESSION. The Superintendent recommended that the Board convene into closed session under FIA 2.2-3711(A), Section 1 - Personnel (discussion regarding employees/credentials). A motion to approve the Superintendent s recommendation was made by Mrs. Green, seconded by Mrs. Walsh, and unanimously approved by a roll call vote. The Board convened in closed session at 6:35 p.m. On a motion by Mrs. Green, seconded by Mrs. Walsh, and unanimously approved by a roll call vote, the Board reconvened in open session at 7:40 p.m. and approved Certificate of Closed Meeting No. 07-08-3 which involves a statement concerning items discussed in closed session. A copy of Certificate of Closed Meeting No. 07-08-3 is attached to the minutes. 07-08-35: APPROVAL OF AGENDA. The Chairman noted the following changes in the agenda: Recognitions Delay the Virginia Health Teacher of the Year Recognition Addition to Action Items Student Matters Additional Information Items Discussion concerning buses to be added to the Report on School Opening The Chairman then called for a motion to approve the agenda as amended. A motion to approve the agenda as amended was made by Mrs. Green, seconded by Rev. Bailey, and unanimously approved by the Board. 07-08-36: APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF AUGUST 6, 2007 SCHOOL BOARD WORK SESSION AND AUGUST 6, 2007 REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. Minutes of the August 6, 2007 School Board Work Session and the August 6, 2007 Regular School Board Meeting were presented for approval. A motion to approve the minutes as presented was made by Mrs. Walsh, seconded by Mrs. Green, and unanimously approved by the Board.
07-08-37: RECOGNITIONS. As part of the school division s character education program, a video prepared by students at Walker-Grant provided a description of the Word of the Month for September Fairness. Mr. Dennis Keffer, Director of Testing, introduced the following individuals who were recognized as Teachers of the Year for 2008: Leslie Joy Sandra Jones Tera Addair Dorsee Rodkey Audrey Rackley Original Walker-Grant School Hugh Mercer Elementary School Lafayette Upper Elementary School Walker-Grant Middle School Fredericksburg City Public Schools and James Monroe High School Each school s Teacher of the Year received a monetary award of $250 with the Fredericksburg Teacher of the Year receiving a $500 award. Mr. Keffer then introduced the following individuals who were recently selected as Employee Incentive Award winners for 2007: Renee Embrey John Byrum Ellen Campbell Patricia Balwanz Robert Dailey II Shirley J. Cordell-Robinson Support Staff Original Walker-Grant School Hugh Mercer Elementary School Lafayette Upper Elementary School Walker-Grant Middle School James Monroe High School 07-08-38: PUBLIC HEARING ON FREDERICKSBURG CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. The Chairman opened the public hearing on the Comprehensive Plan for 2007-2012. The Superintendent commented that changes discussed at the work session on August 6, 2007 had been incorporated into the plan. There were no citizens wishing to speak on the Comprehensive Plan. 07-08-39: CONSENT AGENDA. The following items were included on the consent agenda: Supplemental Appropriations/Revisions VPSA A recommendation was made that the School Board approve the supplemental appropriation of the Spring 2006 Virginia Public School Authority Educational Technology Notes Series VI Grant in the carryover amount of $92,640.45, and request that the Fredericksburg City Council complete the supplemental appropriation process. Supplemental Appropriations/Revisions North Tier Grant A recommendation was made that the School Board approve the supplemental appropriation of 2007 Educational Technology Program Competitive Sub-grant in the carryover amount of $171,816.45, and request that the Fredericksburg City Council complete the supplemental appropriation process. 2007-2008 School Time Schedules A recommendation was made that the School Board approve the school time schedules for 2007-2008. The schedule includes one change from the schedule followed in 2006-2007 in that the Preschool Early Childhood Special Education
program will run from 8:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. A motion to approve the consent agenda was made by Mrs. Green and seconded by Mrs. Walsh. Mrs. Kay asked why the time schedules had not been presented for approval before the school year began. The Chairman noted that the only change was in the timing for the Preschool ECSE program and the change was decided just recently. Only a few students are affected by this change and all families were contacted about the schedule change. Following these comments, the motion was unanimously approved. 07-08-40: STUDENT MATTERS. A motion was made by Mrs. Green that the Board authorize the staff to accept Student #2007-08-1 into Fredericksburg City Public Schools with appropriate placement to be determined by the hearing officer. The motion was seconded by Mrs. Walsh and approved by a 5-0-1 roll call vote. (Mrs. Kay abstained.) 07-08-41: PERSONNEL MATTERS. The Superintendent recommended approval of the personnel list as distributed. A motion to approve the personnel actions as listed was made by Mrs. Green, seconded by Mrs. Walsh, and unanimously approved by a roll call vote. A copy of the personnel list is attached to the minutes. 07-08-42: APPROVAL OF TECHNOLOGY PLAN. The Superintendent recommended approval of the Six-Year Educational Technology Plan for Fredericksburg City Schools 2004-2010 as Revised Summer 2007. A motion to approve the Technology Plan was made by Mrs. Walsh, seconded by Mrs. Green, and unanimously approved by a roll call vote. A copy of the Technology Plan is attached to the minutes. 07-08-43: FINANCIAL REPORT. The Board received copies of the June 30, 2007 Budget Status Report. Mr. Baker reported that all entries as of June 30 are included in the report with the exception of a journal entry for repayment of debt service. Work is being done on the Annual School Report which will be sent to the Department of Education. Mr. Baker stated that should any changes be necessary, the Annual School Report can be modified until October 2. Mrs. Miller-Richards congratulated Mr. Baker for the close calculation of the annual budget. 07-08-44: COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. The Superintendent stated that following the work session in August, changes were incorporated into the school division s Comprehensive Plan. The Plan has been made available for public review and comment and will remain available at the School Board Office and in the office of each school principal. The Comprehensive Plan will be presented for School Board approval at the meeting on October 8, 2007. 07-08-45: REPORT ON OPENING OF SCHOOL. The Superintendent commented that student enrollment has increased each day since the start of school. Student enrollment numbers were distributed showing current enrollment at 2,579. Mr. Robert Burch, Director of Operations, noted that with the increasing student enrollment, there have been some crowded school buses. Changes are being made to the bus routes to eliminate these problems. Any students whose bus will be changed will be given a written notice by Friday of this week. School officials will monitor student enrollment and student/teacher ratios using the September 30 enrollment report to make any determination about the possible need for additional teachers. The Superintendent visited each school on opening day and everything went smoothly. Mrs. Miller-Richards expressed the Board s appreciation for the staff s hard work to ensure the smooth opening. 07-08-46: SUMMER PROGRAMS. Mrs. Sylvia Johnson, Director of Special Programs, presented a
summary of the 2007 summer programs. Approximately 375 students attended the various programs. Both remedial and enrichment programs were offered at each of the schools and emphasis was placed on the appropriate grade level Standards of Learning in reading and/or math. Program evaluations were provided covering the summer school programs at each of the schools. Mrs. Kay asked for clarification about the types of courses offered at the high school. High school students may repeat courses which have been failed. Some years ago, students were offered opportunities to take new courses to move ahead before the next school year. This opportunity is no longer offered and the change may have come due to time restraints because credit is awarded for 75 hours of remedial instruction for a subject. A total of 150 hours of instruction is needed to receive credit for a new course. 07-08-47: REPORT ON CHALLENGE DAY PROGRAM. Mr. Harry Thomas, Principal of Walker- Grant Middle School, stated that the Challenge Day Program at the middle school had been very successful. Truancy Officer Jerold Smith coordinated the Challenge Day Program at Walker-Grant. Seventy students and twenty-four teachers and community members participated in the middle school s program. Mr. Smith provided an overview of the powerful program which is based on connections between students and staff and community members. The Challenge Day Program was held one day at Walker-Grant and two days at James Monroe High School. Dr. Charles Ostlund, a teacher at James Monroe and former principal of Oakton High School, was credited with bringing the program to Fredericksburg. Dr. Daryl Chesley, Principal of James Monroe High School, stated that the theme of the Challenge Day Program is to empower students to make school what they want it to be or the school of their dreams. The program was made possible through funding by Mrs. Doris Buffett s Sunshine Lady Foundation. 07-08-48: CAL RIPKEN PROGRAM. Mrs. Marjorie Tankersley, Principal of Hugh Mercer Elementary School, and Mr. John Russ, Principal of Lafayette Upper Elementary School, provided an update on the Cal Ripken program known as Healthy Choices which is being established at Hugh Mercer Elementary School and Lafayette Upper Elementary School. This program is a part of the school division s character education program and the official kick-off will take place at James Monroe High School on September 22. Several hundred students will participate in this kick-off event. The program will be incorporated into the physical education program at Lafayette Upper Elementary School through a game known as quick-ball which focuses on team-building. The program is success-oriented for all students. The program will also be a part of the health education classes. At Hugh Mercer, the program will be implemented through the guidance department, physical education classes, and the school librarian. 07-08-49: OLD BUSINESS. The following items of old business were discussed: VSBA Leadership Conference The VSBA Leadership Conference will be held on October 5 in Charlottesville. Mrs. Green plans to attend the conference. VSBA Annual Conference The VSBA Annual Conference will be held in Williamsburg on November 14-16, 2007. All Board members are planning to attend. 07-08-50: ADJOURNMENT. There being no further business to conduct at this regular meeting of the Fredericksburg City School Board for September 10, 2007, the meeting was adjourned at 8:41 p.m. on a motion by Mrs. Green, seconded by Mrs. Walsh, and unanimously approved.
Barbara A. Miller-Richards, Chairman Fredericksburg City School Board Deborah B. Wright Clerk of the Board
MOTION: Mrs. Green SECOND: Mrs. Walsh CERTIFICATE OF CLOSED MEETING 07-08-3 WHEREAS, the Fredericksburg City School Board has convened a closed meeting on this date pursuant to an affirmative recorded vote and in accordance with the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act; and WHEREAS, Section 2.2-3711(A) of the Code of Virginia requires a certification by this School Board that such closed meeting was conducted in conformity with Virginia law; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Fredericksburg City School Board hereby certifies that, to the best of each member's knowledge, (i) only public business matters lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements by Virginia law were discussed in the closed meeting to which this certification applies, and (ii) only such public business matters as were identified in the motion convening the closed meeting were heard, discussed or considered. VOTE: AYES: 6 NAYS: 0 ABSENT: 0 Clerk of Fredericksburg City School Board September 10, 2007 Meeting Date