BELLINGHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Bellingham, Washington

MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING

OF THE

BELLINGHAM SCHOOL DISTRICT

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

April 26, 2001

The Bellingham School Board of Directors met in regular session at 7:30 p.m.,

April 26, 2001, in the Board Room of the Administration Building.

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

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 April 3, 2001 School Board meeting.

Investments

Action on investments in accordance with Resolution 13-88.

                                    GENERAL FUND

                                          $220,000.00                      LGIP, withdrawal, April 6, 2001.

                                          $43,000.00                        LGIP, investment, April 12, 2001.

                                          $250,000.00                      LGIP, investment, April 23, 2001.

                                    CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND

                                          $116,900.00                       LGIP, withdrawal, April 12, 2001.

                                          $217,100.00                       LGIP, investment, April 23, 2001.

                                     DEBT SERVICE FUND

                                          $59,000.00                        LGIP, investment, April 6, 2001.

                                          $108,000.00                      LGIP, investment, April 12, 2001.

                                          $298,000.00                      LGIP, investment, April 23, 2001.

                                  ASB FUND

                                          $42,100.00                       LGIP, withdrawal, April 4, 2001.

                                          $35,800.00                       LGIP, withdrawal, April 12, 2001.

                                          $21,500.00                       LGIP, investment, April 23, 2001.

Personal Services Contracts:

• Janet Oakley to work on third grade curriculum development between March 16 and August 30, 2001.
• Angela Park to serve as a Korean-English interpreter on an as-needed basis during the 2000-01 school year.
  

Out-of-State Travel:

• Jim Stevens to attend the National Educational Computing Conference, June 22-June 27, 2001, in Chicago, Illinois.
• Pat Buhl to attend the Annual Reading Recovery Teacher Leader Institute, June 6-9, 2001, in San Diego, California.

Contract

Agreement for Interdistrict Services with the Nooksack School District to provide services for a visually impaired Nooksack student.

REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS:

School Board Reports

Leu attended a meeting of the District Budget Advisory Committee and a meeting of the WSSDA GAP Committee.  He shared a position paper from AERA on state testing.

Gass attended a high school scholarship program and was impressed that all three District high school principals were in attendance.

Lynch spoke at a meeting of AAUW.  The focus of the meeting was on changes in education in Washington State.  Lynch gave a legislative report.  She highlighted the House budget proposal and the educational items of interest.  The 30-day Special Session began on April 25.  If the work of the legislature is not completed in that time, another special session may be called.

Superintendent’s Announcements/Reports

Dr. Kinsley congratulated and personally recognized Birchwood teacher Carolyn Hinshaw, who was named Outstanding Technology Educator of the Year by the Northwest Council for Computer Education.

Kinsley also announced that the “Bring Joy to a Child” program at Sehome had been named as a recipient of a 2001 WEA Human & Civil Rights Award.

Kinsley reminded the Board of the following upcoming events:

• Tuesday, May 1, Celebrate Achievement event at the Lakeway Inn, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
• Thursday, May 3, dedication of the Whatcom Boys and Girls Club in the Roosevelt neighborhood at 5 p.m.
• Thursday May 3, at 5:30 p.m. “Fund Schools Now” community rally of teachers, PTA’s administrators and staff from Whatcom, Skagit, and Island counties at Maritime Heritage Park.
• Thursday, May 3, at 6:45 p.m. the District will receive a Mayor’s Arts Award for the Bellingham High School renovation.  The event will be held at the Whatcom Museum of History and Art.
• Friday, May 4, the Board will visit Sehome High School at 7:15 a.m.

Public Hearing on (Student Achievement Fund) I-728 Proposal

Dr. Kinsley read and explained the proposal in detail to the Board and the audience.  There were no public comments on the I-728 proposal.

REPORTS:

Salmon Enhancement Project at Parkview

Principal Teresa Van Haalen and three Parkview Elementary students reported on the school’s salmon enhancement project at Squalicum Creek.  Van Haalen provided background on the process and the proposal for the project, and the students spoke about the hands-on learning experiences they had while studying the salmon, monitoring the creek, and releasing almost 200 new fry into the creek.  The school worked in partnership with the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association. Over 100 students participated.  Heather Caruso, Analisa Ficklin and John Livesey, the three lead teachers for the project, are being nominated for the Chevron Conservation Awards.

ACTION ITEMS:

Student Achievement Funds Proposal

Blair moved and Gass seconded the motion to approve the Student Achievement Funds

(I-728) Proposal.  The motion carried unanimously.

First Reading of Names for the 13th Elementary School

Director of School Information and Communication Lavelle Freudenberg reported on the selection process for naming the new elementary school.  A committee of 14 members met twice to consider the 106 suggested nominations from schools and the community.  At the first meeting they narrowed the names to a list of 23 based on the criteria established in Board Policy #9250.  The group met a second time after receiving feedback from their constituents and narrowed the list to the five following names, which are being recommended – Creekside Elementary School, Emerald Lake Elementary School, Hillside Elementary School, Northern Heights Elementary School, and Northridge Elementary School.  The Board will take final action to select the name at the May 10 meeting.

Baseline Classified Staff Approved

Gass moved and Lynch seconded the motion to approve baseline classified staff for the 2001-2002 school year.  The motion carried unanimously.  Executive Director Nora Klewiada gave an overview of the proposed staffing and answered questions.

Early Release/Late Arrival for 2001-2002

Gass moved and Lynch seconded approval of early release/late arrival plans for 2001-2002.  The motion carried unanimously.  Schools have reviewed their strategic plans and professional development needs and have adopted a plan for the use of the eight early release/late arrival days for next year.  The elementary and middle schools are divided into northside and southside-schools in order to facilitate transportation needs for their early release dates.  Elementary and Middle School early release dates alternate each month from Wednesdays or Thursdays.  The high school late arrival sessions are all on the same day (Thursdays).

Contract

Blair moved and Gass seconded the motion to approve a contract with Timber Ridge Center to provide special education services for a Bellingham School District student.  The motion carried unanimously.  Blair requested some additional cost information, which will be provided.

Call for Bids

Leu moved and Blair seconded approval for permission to call for bids for the new elementary school.  The motion carried unanimously.  The bidding period is scheduled to last about one month.  After bid review, a recommendation for the bid award is expected to be presented at the June 28 Board meeting.  Assistant Superintendent Greg Cowan gave an update on the permitting process and the construction schedule for the new school.

Call for Bids

Blair moved and Lynch seconded approval for the following call for bids:

• window replacement at Carl Cozier Elementary School.
• custodial supplies for the 2001-2002 school year.

The motion carried unanimously.

Personnel Recommendations

Blair moved and Gass seconded the motion for approval of the personnel recommendations as presented.  The motion carried unanimously.  Dr. Kinsley recognized the upcoming retirements of Bob Austin, principal at Geneva; Roger Alexander, middle school orchestra teacher; Bev Belka, core teacher a Shuksan, and Fran Jepperson, reading teacher at Larrabee.  He also noted the resignation of Sharon Camblin, principal at Birchwood.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 8:46 p.m.