MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE SCHOOL BOARD CITY OF CHESAPEAKE, VIRGINIA December 11, 2017 A meeting of the School Board of the City of Chesapeake, Virginia, was held on Monday, December 11, 2017, at 4:30 p.m. in the Board Room of the School Administration Building. Mr. C. Jeff Bunn, Chairman, presided. The Call to Order Mr. Bunn called the meeting to order. He welcomed visitors to the meeting and informed them that a printed agenda for the meeting was available. Roll Call Dr. Jean Infantino called the roll and recorded attendance as follows: Present: Mr. Samuel L. Boone, Jr. Mrs. Colleen C. Leary Mr. Thomas L. Mercer, Sr. Mr. Harry A. Murphy Mrs. Christie New Craig (Late arrival @ 4:50 p.m.) Mr. Louis J. Tayon, Jr. Mr. Michael J. Woods Mrs. Victoria L. Proffitt, Vice Chairman Mr. C. Jeff Bunn, Chairman Note: Mrs. New Craig was excused from the meeting at 6:19 p.m. Also present were Dr. James T. Roberts, Superintendent; Dr. Jacqueline C. Miller, Assistant Superintendent for Student Services; Dr. Anita B. James, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction; Ms. J. Paige Stutz, Assistant Superintendent for Operations; Dr. Alan L. Vaughan, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources and School Services; Dr. Jean A. Infantino, Executive Director of Administrative Services/Clerk of the Board; Mr. Robert J. Barry, Attorney; and Mrs. Darlene Gorman, Deputy Clerk of the Board. Ms. Victoria Lucente, Assistant Superintendent for Budget and Finance, was absent from the meeting. Adoption of the Agenda Dr. Roberts had no amendments to the agenda, but said he would need a closed session for three pupil matters, one real estate matter, and four personnel matters. Mrs. Proffitt moved to adopt the agenda as presented. Mr. Murphy seconded the motion, which passed with all members present voting in favor of the motion. 6096
Closed Session Mr. Bunn asked Mr. Barry to prepare the language for the Board to go into closed session. Mr. Barry stated that the motion should read as follows: The Board should convene in closed session pursuant to Section 2.2-3711 of the Code of Virginia, for consideration of three pupil matters, one real estate matter, and four personnel matters. Mr. Murphy moved that the Board go into closed session as provided in the Code of Virginia. The motion was seconded by Mrs. Proffitt and approved, with all Board members present voting yes. Reconvene in Open Meeting The meeting reconvened in open session. Mrs. Proffitt moved that the record show that the only items discussed in the closed meeting were those specifically cited in the motion to convene into closed session. Mr. Murphy seconded the motion, which passed with all Board members present voting in favor of the motion. Items Resulting from Closed Session The Superintendent recommended expulsion of Student #1 under the conditions discussed. Mr. Mercer moved to approve the Superintendent s recommendation. The motion was seconded by Mrs. New Craig and passed with a vote of 6-3, with Mrs. Leary, Mr. Bunn, and Mr. Boone voting in opposition. The Superintendent recommended expulsion of Student #2. Mr. Woods moved to approve the Superintendent s recommendation. The motion was seconded by Mrs. New Craig and passed with all Board members present voting in favor of the motion. The Superintendent recommended expulsion of Student #2 under the conditions discussed. Mrs. Leary moved to approve the Superintendent s recommendation. Mr. Tayon seconded the motion, which passed by a vote of 5-4, with Mrs. Leary, Mr. Mercer, Mr. Murphy, and Mr. Woods voting in opposition. The Superintendent recommended the expulsion of Student #3 under the conditions discussed. A motion was made by Mr. Murphy and seconded by Mrs. New Craig with all Board members present voting in favor of the motion. Regarding the matter of Teacher #1, in following the Board s review of the record, written submissions of respective counsel, and the Board s deliberation, Mr. Murphy moved that the report and the recommendations of the hearing officer be modified as such that the Superintendent s action is sustained and Teacher #1 s employment be terminated by letter dated December 18, 2017. Mrs. New Craig seconded the motion, which passed with all Board members present voting in favor of the motion. Invocation Reverend Carlotta Cochran, St. Thomas Episcopal Church, gave the invocation. 6097
Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag Natalie Lanter, a fifth grader at Butts Road Intermediate School, led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. Clerk s Items A Special Musical Presentation G. A. Treakle Elementary School: A very special holiday musical presentation was performed by the G. A. Treakle Elementary School 5 th Grade Chorus under the direction of Ms. Megan Price. Special Recognitions Chesapeake Middle School Champions: Mr. Wayne Martin introduced 20 students and staff who had distinguished themselves through special achievements or accomplishments. VSBA Capital Conference January 22 and 23, 2018: Dr. Infantino announced that the Virginia School Boards Association (VSBA) will hold its Annual Capital Conference in Richmond on January 22 and 23, 2018, at the Richmond Marriott. This year there is no Board meeting on the date of the conference. For those Board members not wishing to attend both days, there will be a day trip on January 23. She asked for a show of hands of Board members who wish to attend the two-day conference and a motion to approve their attendance. No Board members were available to attend the conference. However, Mr. Murphy moved that if any Board member s schedule opens and they are available to attend the conference, their attendance is approved at this time. The motion was seconded by Mr. Mercer with all Board members present voting in favor of the motion. Hearing of Citizens Ms. Alicia Smith, Director of Chesapeake Education Association (CEA), 392 S. Battlefield Boulevard, Suite #102, Chesapeake, Virginia, thanked the Board, the superintendent and administrative staff, and the school division for their support and partnership over the past ten years. She informed the Board of her resignation as CEA Director. Unfinished Business None. New Business None. 6098
Consent Agenda The chairman requested approval of the consent agenda. Items included the following: A. Approval of the Minutes of the Previous Meeting B. Bids C. Department of Human Resources Personnel Report Mr. Murphy moved to approve the Consent Agenda and the motion was seconded by Mr. Mercer. The motion passed with a vote of 8-0 with all Board members present voting in favor of the motion. Monthly Finance Report Since Ms. Lucente was unable to attend the meeting, Dr. Roberts reviewed the interim financial report for the month of October, 2017. He stated that our revenues and expenditures were tracking normally. The official enrollment count was 39,496 which is 343 students higher than last year and 96 students higher than our budgeted numbers. The division should see additional state funding estimated at about one half million dollars. Since the last meeting, the local composite index for the next two years has been calculated at.3476 which is a small increase and results in a small decrease of funding from the state. The slight increase in the composite index was due to an increase in our value of real estate compared to the value of real estate for the rest of the Virginia. He is looking forward to the release of the proposed Governor s budget and how it will affect our division in the future. Superintendent s Report The superintendent made the following announcements: 1. The Governor s budget announcement will be released on December 18, 2017. A public hearing regarding the Governor s budget will be held on January 3, 2018, at Tidewater Community College campus in Virginia Beach at 12 p.m. Members from the Senate Finance and House Appropriations Committee will be in attendance, and Dr. Roberts intends to speak for three minutes regarding the Governor s proposed budget. 2. Dr. Roberts announced this will be Mrs. Kellie Goral s last Board meeting as she has accepted a new position as Executive Director of Public Relations and Marketing for a neighboring city. He thanked her for all she has done for our division and wished her well in her new position. 4. The superintendent informed the Board that the joint meeting with City Council on January 25 has been canceled. 6099
5. The last day of school for students before the winter holidays is December 20. Winter Holidays will begin for students on December 21, 2017, and all schools and offices will be closed December 25, 2017, through January 1, 2018. All schools and facilities will reopen January 2, 2018. 6. The superintendent wished everyone a very pleasant and safe holiday season. Board Member Items Mrs. Proffitt congratulated the Oscar Smith High School football team as they played in the state championship game. Even though they did not win the state championship, she commended the team for their hard-fought effort. Mr. Boone enjoyed reading to second grade students at Rena B. Wright Primary School on November 14. On December 21, he will be at MacArthur Mall from 5 p.m. until closing with holiday treats and games. He also thanked everyone, including his sponsors, who supported him at his Teen Suicide Prevention Forum in September. He also mentioned an article in the November issue of the Washington Post regarding teen depression and suicide and how it relates to social media and cell phone use. He urged all parents to read this article. He also wished Mrs. Kellie Goral well in her new position with Hampton City Schools. Mr. Mercer thanked Ms. Alicia Smith for her leadership and service throughout the years as director of the Chesapeake Education Association. He extended his congratulations to Mrs. Kellie Goral on her new position and thanked her for her service with Chesapeake Public Schools. Mr. Bunn wished everyone a happy holiday and wished Mrs. Kellie Goral and Ms. Alicia Smith well in their new endeavors. He stated that as this meeting would conclude but the Board would return at 7 p.m. for a Public Hearing. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 6:50 p.m. Jean A. Infantino, Ed.D., Clerk C. Jeff Bunn, Chairman 6100