BELLINGHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Bellingham, Washington

MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING

OF THE

BELLINGHAM SCHOOL DISTRICT

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

February 22, 2001

The Bellingham School Board of Directors met in regular session at 7:30 p.m., February 22, 2001, in the Board Room of the Administration Building.

Present:  Directors Ken Gass, Don Leu, and Elaine Lynch, President Ann Whitmyer, Superintendent Dale Kinsley, and recorder Shirley Knapp. Director David Blair was excused.

At 7:30 p.m. President Ann Whitmyer called the meeting to order.

CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS:

Gass moved and Lynch seconded approval of the consent agenda as presented.  The motion carried unanimously.

Minutes

Action on the minutes of the February 8, 2001 School Board meeting.

Investments

Action on investments in accordance with Resolution 13-88.

                    GENERAL FUND

                                          $476,000.00                  LGIP, withdrawal, February 8, 2001.

                                          $150,000.00                  LGIP, investment, February 15, 2001.

                   CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND

                                          $443,500.00                   LGIP, withdrawal, February 15, 2001.

                   ASB FUND

                                          $   6,600.00                    LGIP, withdrawal, February 8, 2001.

                                          $ 16,900.00                    LGIP, investment, February 15, 2001.

                   DEBT SERVCE FUND

                                          $  8,500.00                     LGIP, investment, February 8, 2001.

Personal Services Contract:

• Sherri Hall to provide a staff inservice at Roosevelt on March 7, 2001.

Out-of-State Travel:

• Penny Sherwood to travel to Australia, March 21 – 30, 2001.
• John Getchell to travel to Claremont, California, March 5, 2001, to attend a meeting of the Zangle National Users Group board of directors.
• Jason King to attend Microsoft training in San Diego, California, February 23 – March 12, 2001.
  

REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS:

School Board Reports

Several Board members reported on the February 8 Board retreat.

Lynch spoke this afternoon at a meeting of the Bellingham Central Lions, which was also attended by Superintendent Kinsley.  The topic of her presentation was “Ask for the Transcript,” a program sponsored by the Partnership for Learning that encourages business to ask for high school transcripts as part of their hiring process.

Leu reported that he would be attending a meeting this Sunday of the WSSDA Achievement Gap Task Force. He also shared information about achievement test scores in Texas and Tacoma, Washington.

Whitmyer shared an editorial from the February 17 Seattle PI about Initiative 728.

Superintendent’s Announcements/Reports

Dr. Kinsley shared information about new courses that are being considered at the high schools for next fall.  He also shared class size averages for this spring.  The K-2 average is 20.9, K-5 is 22.7, Grades 6-8 is 26.3, Grade 9-12 is 25.1, and the K-12 average is 25.2.

Kinsley provided an update on the middle school and high school transfer process for next year.  He shared copies of the new high school transfer form for next year.  The District will begin accepting transfers on March 1.  Those requests will be reviewed in May.  Middle school students who wish to attend a school other than their neighborhood school must request to do so through the regular transfer process.  This is the last year that extended bus service will be provided for middle school students in the change areas.

Superintendent Kinsley recognized the Bellingham School District staff and the coordinators for each building that participated in the Jingle Bell Run for the Arthritis Foundation. Kathy Kullas and Tass Galley organized the overall effort.  The District was the second largest participant – with 253 people – and raised $7,643.00.

Kinsley shared a copy of Inside Schools, the District’s community newsletter.  He recognized Lavelle Freudenberg for her efforts and the new layout design of the publication.

Dr. Kinsley complimented the District staff, particularly Greg Cowan and Susan Zoller for the way they responded to the explosion of the District’s heating boiler on February 15 while he was attending the AASA conference in Florida.

REPORTS:

Facilities Master Plan/Study and Survey

Assistant Superintendent Greg Cowan reported on the District’s plans to review and update the Long-Range Facilities Master Plan.  Northwest Architectural Company (NAC) has been selected to update the plan.  NAC will build on the elementary long-range plan that was adopted in November 1998 to determine projections and timelines for new facilities needing to be constructed and recommendations for future site acquisitions based on demographic data.  They will also update the District’s State Study and Survey.  A draft of the long-range plan will be shared with a review committee prior to presentation to the Board in May.

High School AP/Honors Courses

Deputy Superintendent Susan Zoller provided information on changes in high school Advanced Placement (AP) and Honors courses this school year.  Last year, the Board adopted Policy 2320, which clarified expectations for the honors program and provided direction for high schools to create a balance in AP offerings at each school.  Zoller provided data on numbers of students enrolled in AP/Honors courses at each of the schools.  This year, AP offerings have increased and more students are able to take advantage of the courses.  Curriculum teams and departments have been reviewing existing Honors courses and creating new courses that meet the expectations defined in the Board policy.

ACTION ITEMS:

Policy 3416 Revisions Approved

Gass moved and Lynch seconded the motion to adopt revised Policy 3416 – Oral Medication at School.  The motion carried unanimously.  The revisions were in response to changes in the wording in the state laws.  There were no changes since the first reading at the February 8 Board meeting.  Gass requested updated information on students who are taking medication.

First Reading of Revised Policy 5258

The Board heard a first reading of revisions to Policy 5258 – Drug-Free Workplace.  The changes were in response to changes in WAC language regarding mandatory standards.

District Technology Plan Approved

Gass moved and Leu seconded the motion to approve the District Technology Plan.  The motion carried unanimously.  The plan was presented for a first reading at the February 8 Board meeting.  No changes have been made since the first reading.

Memorandum of Understanding

Lynch moved and Gass seconded the motion to approve the Memorandum of Understanding for Bellingham Education Association – Better Schools Professional Development.  The motion carried unanimously.  The BEA membership has voted to accept the agreement, which states that participating certificated staff will be paid at the per diem rate.

New Courses Approved

Lynch moved and Gass seconded approval of two new Life Skills courses -- one class at Carl Cozier Elementary to begin next school year and one class at Shuksan, beginning next month.  The motion carried unanimously.  Deputy Superintendent Susan Zoller provided an overview of the District’s Life Skills program and the basis for recommending the new courses.

Student Trips

Leu moved and Gass seconded the motion to approve the following student trips:

• Roosevelt fifth grade classrooms to go to the Game Farm in Aldergrove, B.C., on May 17, 2001.
• Happy Valley classes to go to the Vancouver B.C. Aquarium on May 10, 2001.
• Squalicum High School Band to perform in Ocean Shores and Olympia on March 30-April 1, 2001.

• Squalicum and Bellingham High students to attend DECA state conference in Bellevue, March 8-10, 2001 and the national DECA conference in Anaheim, California, April 23-28, 2001.
• Squalicum Key Club students to travel to Portland, Oregon for the Pacific Northwest Key Club Convention on April 6-8, 2001.

The motion carried unanimously.

Bid Award

Lynch moved and Gass seconded the motion to award the bid for track resurfacing at Sehome High School to Atlas Tracks, Inc. at a bid price of $41,200.  The motion carried unanimously.

Personnel Recommendations

Gass moved and Leu seconded the motion for approval of the personnel recommendations as presented.  The motion carried unanimously.  Dr. Kinsley recognized Barb Campbell, library media specialist at Birchwood Elementary, who will be retiring at the end of the school year.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 8:25 p.m.