BELLINGHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Bellingham, Washington

MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING

OF THE

BELLINGHAM SCHOOL DISTRICT

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

March 11, 1999

The Bellingham School Board of Directors met in regular session at 7:30 p.m., March 11, 1999, in the Board Room of the Administration Building. Prior to the regular meeting there was an Executive Session at 7:00 p.m. Purpose of the Executive Session – negotiations.

Present: Directors Ken Gass, Elaine M. Lynch, and Ann Whitmyer, President David Blair, Superintendent Dale Kinsley, and recorder Shirley Knapp

At 6:59 p.m. Lynch moved to begin Executive Session; Whitmyer seconded. At 7:40 p.m. Lynch made the motion to move to regular session; Whitmyer seconded.

At 7:45 p.m. President David Blair called the meeting to order.

CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS:

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

Minutes

Action on the minutes of the February 25, 1999 School Board meeting.

Investments

Action on investments in accordance with Resolution 13-88.

                  GENERAL FUND:

                                        $307,100.00               LGIP, withdrawal, February 23, 1999

                                        $111,500.00               LGIP, investment, March 1, 1999

                 CAPITAL PROJECTS

                                  $12,243,000.00                LGIP, investment, February 19, 1999

                                           $2,300.00                LGIP, investment, March 1, 1999

                                         $21,500.00                LGIP, withdrawal, March 1, 1999

                                       $475,000.00                LGIP, withdrawal, March 1, 1999

                  DEBT SERVICE

                                         $50,800.00                LGIP, investment, February 23, 1999

                                         $27,000.00                LGIP, investment, March 1, 1999

                  ASB FUND

                                           $1,500.00                LGIP, investment, March 1, 1999

                                           $4,200.00                LGIP, withdrawal, March 1, 1999

                                              $900.00                LGIP, withdrawal, March 1, 1999

Expenses and Payroll

Action on expenditures and payroll as approved by the Auditing Committee.

                   GENERAL FUND

                        ACCTS PAY:            2/08/99                  $625,713.69

                                                            2/16/99                      37,443.36

                                                            2/23/99                     308,494.67

                                       Total General Fund                  $971,651.72

                  CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND

                        ACCTS PAY:            2/16/99                     300,970.75

                          Total Capital Projects Fund                  $300,970.75

                  ASB FUND

                       ACCTS PAY:              2/12/99                       31,324.81

                                             Total ASB Fund                     $31,324.81

                                                          SEHOME                   $18,474.83

                                                   SQUALICUM                  $11,917.44

                                                    FAIRHAVEN                        $278.28

                                                        KULSHAN                        $204.16

                                                     WHATCOM                        $450.00

                  EXPENDABLE TRUST FUND

                       ACCTS PAY:                2/08/99                        $462.18

                                     Total Exp. Trust Fund                         $462.18

                  PAYROLL                                                      $4,186,222.99

Out-of-State Travel:

• Elizabeth Martindale to attend the International Reading Association Convention, May 2-7, 1999, in San Diego, California.
• Laura Horan-Spatz, Yvette Casto, Marnie Roberts, Brian Hoelzen, and Alexandra Paige to attend the National Association of School Psychologists’ Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, April 6-10, 1999.
• Claudia Jorissen and Sunshine Walker to attend the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Annual Conference in San Francisco, California, April 22-24, 1999.
• John Livezey, Chris Johnsen, Mary Marie Taylor, and Diann Ojikutu to attend the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Annual Conference in San Francisco, California, April 22-24, 1999.

• Pam Pottle to attend the International Reading Association Convention in San Diego, May 2-6, 1999.

• Anne Madsen-Boydstun to attend the Computer Using Educator’s Conference in Palm Springs, California, May 6-7, 1999.
• Elizabeth Martindale, Sherrie Brown, Joan Logghe, and Judy Barton to attend the National Association of School Psychologists’ Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, April 6-10, 1999.

• Teresa Fitzgerald to attend the National Association of School Psychologists’ Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, April 6-10, 1999.

Personal Services Contract:

• Amelia Martinez to serve as a Spanish-English interpreter on as-needed basis during the remainder of the 1998-99 school year.

REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS:

School Board Reports

Lynch attended the Superintendent’s Parent Advisory meeting last Thursday. She reported on the Board’s visit to Parkview on Friday, March 5. Lynch also reported on the Legislative Convention, which she attended with Blair, Whitmyer, and Superintendent Kinsley.

Gass reported on the Board visit to Parkview Elementary, highlighting the special programs offered to students with behavioral problems.

Whitmyer also commented on the Parkview visit and the information that was presented about the school’s violence prevention program and the individual tracking of students who did not meet the standard on the State assessment. Whitmyer reported on the Legislative Conference in Olympia, February 28-March 1. She gave a legislative update on the status of several educational bills.

President David Blair announced that he had received a letter of resignation from Director Becky Diaz. He expressed regret at her resignation and “appreciation of her service to the students of the Bellingham School District.”

Superintendent’s Announcements/Reports

Dr. Kinsley reported on the Legislative Conference that he attended with several Board members and emphasized the importance of tracking education legislation at this time. Kinsley announced a meeting on March 20, from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Bellingham Public Library with 42nd District legislators, Erickson, Linville, and Gardner. He also announced that Kulshan Middle School had received an $80,000 Improving Special Education Outcomes Competitive Grant. The state grant money will be used for efforts to increase access of general education curriculum for special education students. Finally, Dr. Kinsley announced that nominations will be accepted in April for the “Teacher of the Year Award.” Applications are due to ESD 189 by April 25.

Audience

David Smith, parent of a deaf child at Sunnyland, addressed the Board regarding his concerns about the District’s inability to provide an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter for his daughter.

REPORTS:

Proposed Changes in Teacher Certification

Assistant Superintendent Ted Czajkowski and former District Director Susan Trimingham updated the Board on the proposed new guidelines for State teacher certification. Trimingham is the Chair for the Washington Advisory Council on Professional Teaching Standards (WACPTS). That group has been working since 1995 to develop a “performance-based certification system” aligned with the State’s school reform efforts. In January 1997 the State Board of Education adopted rules to begin implementation of the professional certificate program. After graduating from a performance-based teacher preparation program, a student will receive a Residency Certificate. The teacher will then teach for two years on provisional status. In the third year, the teacher enrolls in a professional certificate program through a college or university to develop an individual plan and undergoes an assessment process. If the standards are met the teacher will be awarded a Professional Certificate. As part of the new certification process, six pilot field test groups were established throughout the State. The District participated in one of the pilot groups, the Northwest Consortium for Teachers’ Professional Certification. Ted Czajkowski and Donna Ringwald, Parkview Principal are on the steering committee for that group. The targeted date for implementation of the new certification standards is August 31, 2000.

Technology Upgrades and Replacements

Business Director Jim Stevens reported on the computer and technology upgrade and replacement project and explained the E-rate process and the status of the District’s E-rate applications. In February 1994 voters approved a bond that authorized $6 million of technology purchases, which included the computer infrastructure, telephone system, desktop computers, and file servers. A plan was developed to set aside funds within the operating budget for computer upgrades and replacements. In May 1997, the Board approved a schedule that would allow upgrading or replacing computers every four years.

In November 1997 the FCC established a program and procedures for schools and libraries to receive discounts for telecommunications services and assistant. The discounts are known as the E-Rate, which stand for educational rate. The funding is dependent on the economic status of the school or district and is based on free and reduced lunch programs. The District has received notice of funding for several programs, amounting to $115,385, but has not yet received any money.

ACTION ITEMS:

First Reading of Policy/Procedures #2185

The Board heard a first reading of Policy/Procedures #2185 – Use of Volunteers and Interns with Regularly Scheduled Student Contact. The Board suggested some minor editing corrections.

Personnel Recommendations Approved

Gass moved and Whitmyer seconded the motion for approval of the personnel recommendations as presented. The motion carried unanimously. Dr. Kinsley announced the upcoming retirements of elementary teachers Susan Belben and Karen Follis from Sunnyland, and Carol Calhoun from Parkview.

Adjournment

The regular meeting was adjourned at 9:17 p.m.