BELLINGHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Bellingham, Washington

MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING

OF THE

BELLINGHAM SCHOOL DISTRICT

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

May 14, 1998

The Bellingham School Board of Directors met in regular session at 7:30 p.m., May 14, 1998, in the Board Room of the Administration Building. Prior to the regular meeting, there was an Executive Session at 6:30 p.m. Purpose of the Executive Session—personnel matters.

Present: Directors Becky Diaz, Mary Stender, and Ann Whitmyer, President Elaine M. Lynch, Superintendent Dale Kinsley, and recorder Shirley Knapp. Excused: Director David Blair

At 6:37 Stender made a motion to begin Executive Session; Whitmyer seconded. At7:30 p.m. Stender made a motion to moved into regular session; Whitmyer seconded.

At 7:40 p.m. President Elaine Lynch called the meeting to order.

CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS:

Whitmyer moved and Diaz seconded approval of the consent agenda as presented. The motion carried unanimously.

Minutes

Action on the minutes of the April 23, 1998 School Board meeting.

Investments

                  GENERAL FUND:

                                     $727,000.00               LGIP, investment, April 30, 1998

                  CAPITAL PROJECTS

                                     $650,000.00               LGIP, investment, April 24, 1998

                                     $116,400.00               LGIP, withdrawal, April 30, 1998

                                     $101,100.00               LGIP, withdrawal, April 30, 1998

                                       $90,700.00               LGIP, withdrawal, April 30, 1998

                                       $24,100.00               LGIP, withdrawal, April 30, 1998

                  DEBT SERVICE

                                         $1,900.00                LGIP, withdrawal, April 15, 1998

                                       $48,800.00                LGIP, withdrawal, April 15, 1998

                                  $1,209,200.00                LGIP, withdrawal, April 15, 1998

                                       $53,400.00                LGIP, withdrawal, April 15, 1998

                                     $618,000.00                LGIP, investment, April 24, 1998

                                     $407,000.00                LGIP, investment, April 30, 1998

                 ASB FUND

                                           $100.00                 LGIP, withdrawal, April 30, 1998

                                        $1,000.00                 LGIP, withdrawal, April 30, 1998

                                        $4,100.00                 LGIP, withdrawal, April 30, 1998

Expenses and Payroll

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

                  GENERAL FUND

                                  ACCTS PAY           4/08/98                  $648,266.52

                                                                    4/15/98                           450.00

                                                                    4/23/98                    348,517.27

                                              Total General Fund                  $997,233.79

                  CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND

                                 ACCTS PAY:            4/3/98                     $24,199.64

                                                                   4/15/98                  1,316,177.40

                                                                   4/30/98                      332,318.41

                               Total Capital Projects Fund                 $1,672,635.45

                  ASB FUND

                              ACCTS PAY:               4/8/98                        $7,954.74

                                                                   4/15/98                        32,652.15

                                                                   4/30/98                        24,306.88

                                                   Total ASB Fund                      $64,913.77

                                                     BELLINGHAM                     $14,353.12

                                                               SEHOME                     $41,711.36

                                                            KULSHAN                       $2,950.00

                                                            SHUKSAN                       $1,812.95

                                                         WHATCOM                       $4,085.83

                  EXPENDABLE TRUST FUND

                           ACCTS PAY:                 4/30/98                         $133.02

                  PAYROLL                                                           $4,162,906.95

Out-of-State Travel:

• Adrienne Nelson, Carol Allen, Ruby Salisbury and Chris Hoyos to travel to Lakewood Colorado for Learning Network Conference, June 27-July 1, 1998.

Personal Services Contracts:

• Diane Atwood, Debra Coldiron, and Adrienne Guay to serve as sign language interpreters on as-needed basis beginning March 1998 and continuing through the remainder of the 1997-98 school year.
• Rachelle Kiesser to serve as sign language interpreter for Sehome teacher during the 1998-99 school year.
• Ed Harri to develop and implement Connections class for Sixth Grade Math Olympiad at Fairhaven Middle School between January and March 1998.

Resolution 3-98

Approval of Resolution 3-98 – WIAA enrollment for District high schools.

Committee Appointments

Approval of Instructional Materials Committee appointments.

REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS:

School Board Reports

Diaz attended a fundraiser at Sehome for the Science Olympiad team.

Whitmyer went for a trip on the “Snow Goose” last Friday with a 6th grade class from Fairhaven Middle School. She also attended the principal’s coffee at Fairhaven to discuss flexible use of time. Lynch and Whitmyer attended an open house for Roosevelt’s Family Information Center. Whitmyer reported on the first hearing for high school boundaries that was held at Sehome High School on May 11. She was at the Superintendent’s Parent Advisory meeting on May 5. Whitmyer also reviewed the revised District math materials.

Stender attended a band concert at Bellingham High School. She announced that the BHS band and the Sehome band would be performing with the Bellingham High School Alumni Band at the BHS celebration on Saturday, May 23, beginning at 12:30 p.m. Stender also attended a community breakfast at the Port of Bellingham.

Lynch reported that she attended a series of one-act plays at Sehome High School. She announced that the Sehome Science Olympiad Team left this morning for the national competition in Michigan.

Superintendent’s Announcements/Report

Dr. Kinsley reported that he would be attending a technology conference on May 19, at Sea-Tac. The governor and the State superintendent will be present. There will be discussion about legislative proposals to address the needs for technology in schools.

On May 13-14, students from Birchwood and Larrabee 5th grade classes participated in a teleconference with Sacramento, California technology conference attendees using the new equipment in the Board room. Kinsley recognized the work of Nancy Messmer and Ed Scott in coordinating the program.

Superintendent Kinsley reported on two technology grant applications. One is in consortia with 8 other school districts, 4 museums, and Pacific Lutheran University, to make the study of local and state history more exciting for students by creating a K-20 destination that contains virtual exhibits, and curricular materials to assist teachers.  The other application is through Northwest ESD 189 in partnership with Marysville School District, Lummi Education and WWU. Two Native American schools – Lummi Education and Tulalip Elementary would join three Bellingham schools – Larrabee, Alderwood, and Sunnyland to share stories about themselves, their communities, and their culture on the Internet.

Kinsley was part of a group of 125 people who worked on a draft of a ten-year State strategic plan and proposals for the next biennium budget. The committee will meet again the end of May to refine the plan and it will then be shared with various groups of the education community. The four main proposals are:

• Increase work year from 180 to 200 days.
• All day kindergarten.Provide incentives for before/after school programs.
• Provide revenues for dealing with high impact, disruptive students, particularly at the middle school level.

Kinsley announced the following upcoming events:

• District retirement dinner -Thursday, May 21.
• 2nd hearing for high school boundaries – Monday, May 18, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Bellingham High School music room.
• BHS celebration on Saturday, May 23, at 12:30 p.m.

REPORTS:

Professional Development Course Offerings and Clock Hours

Curriculum Director Wendy Barrett reported on professional development courses and clock hour opportunities offered through the Curriculum Department during the 1997-98 school year. Staff members are encouraged to register for professional development “strands” offered as a series related to their specific jobs or interests.  The offerings support District priorities and successful implementation of approved curricula. While some of the training is provided by outside consultants, District employees also instruct many of the courses.

ACTION ITEMS:

First Reading of Pathway for the 21st Century

Dr. Kinsley gave a first reading of the proposed strategic plan for 1998-2003. A planning team of staff, students, and community members developed the new plan. Pathway for the 21st Century is an extension of the current District strategic plan Pathway 2000. The visionary goals went from eleven in the previous plan to seven in the proposed plan. Kinsley outlined each of the visionary goals and objectives for the new plan. A slide show illustrating the past accomplishments over the last five years was presented. Kinsley recognized members of the planning team who were in the audience.

Middle Schools of the Future Proposal Approved

Stender moved and Diaz seconded the motion to approve the Middle Schools of the Future proposal with the following two conditions:

• The primary focus for implementing the recommendations needs to connect to higher standards and student achievement in core academic areas.
•  Annual assessments of progress, revisions/refinements of recommendations and a report to the Board will be expected.

The motion carried unanimously. The Board reviewed the proposal at a study session on April 30.

District Participation in the 1998 Best SELF Program

Diaz moved and Whitmyer seconded the motion to approve District participation in the Best SELF program this summer. The motion carried unanimously. This year the program will have an added component focusing on academic assistance for reading, designed to improve student performance on State and District assessments. The targeted group will be Sunnyland school; however, the program will serve all students.

Transportation Bus Replacement Plan Approved

Stender moved and Diaz seconded the motion to approved the plan to replace eighteen District buses over the next year-and-a-half. The motion carried unanimously. Funding for bus replacement was approved in last February’s levy. The replacement program will be done in three stages beginning in the fall of 1999.

Cruise on Zodiac Approved

Stender moved and Diaz seconded the motion for approval for seven faculty members, one parent and twenty-four students to take a supervised cruise on the “Zodiac” from May 15-17, 1998. The motion carried unanimously.

Out-of-State Trip

Diaz moved and Whitmyer seconded the motion for approval for Judy Wagner, HCLP Facilitator, and eight middle school students to participate in the National History Day Competition, June 13-18, 1998, in Washington D.C. The motion carried unanimously.

Call for Bids

Stender moved and Whitmyer seconded the motion to call for bids for Sehome High School traffic and parking lot improvements. The motion carried unanimously.

Personnel Recommendations Approved

Diaz moved and Stender seconded the motion for approval of the personnel recommendations as presented. The motion carried unanimously. Dr. Kinsley introduced Jeannie Hayden and Becky Elmendorf, the newly selected assistant principals for Squalicum High School. Kinsley also recognized the retirements of the following District employees: Matthew Kok, teacher at Fairhaven Middle School; Nancy Wagar, teacher at Happy Valley; Harriet Olson, instructional assistant at Alderwood; Carol Oster, instructional assistant at Sehome; and Nick Wizinsky, bus driver.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 p.m.