BELLINGHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Bellingham, Washington

MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING

OF THE

BELLINGHAM SCHOOL DISTRICT

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

November 17, 1999

The Bellingham School Board of Directors met in regular session at 7:30 p.m., November 17, 1999, in the Board Room of the Administration Building. Prior to the regular meeting, the Board met in Executive Session at 6:30 p.m. Purpose of the Executive Session – negotiations.

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

At 6:36 p.m. Lynch moved to begin Executive Session; Whitmyer seconded. At 7:45 p.m. Vice President Ann Whitmyer called for the move to regular session.

At 7:50 p.m. Vice President Ann Whitmyer 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 October 28, 1999 School Board meeting.

Investments

Action on investments in accordance with Resolution 13-88.

                  GENERAL FUND:

                                 $481,000.00               LGIP, investment, October 15, 1999

                                   $88,000.00               LGIP, investment, October 22, 1999

                                 $611,500.00               LGIP, investment, October 29. 1999

                              $2,630,000.00               LGIP, investment, November 8, 1999

                  CAPITAL PROJECTS

                                    $23,000.00                  LGIP, withdrawal, October 15, 1999

                               $1,987,800.00                  LGIP, withdrawal, October 15, 1999

                                      $2,300.00                  LGIP, withdrawal, October 29, 1999

                                      $2,800.00                  LGIP, withdrawal, October 29, 1999

                                    $15,000.00                  LGIP, withdrawal, October 29, 1999

                                         $600.00                  LGIP, withdrawal, November 8, 1999

                                    $10,000.00                  LGIP, withdrawal, November 10, 1999

                  DEBT SERVICE

                                    $240,000.00                  LGIP, investment, October 15, 1999

                                    $209,000.00                  LGIP, investment, October 22, 1999

                                    $452,500.00                  LGIP, investment, October 29, 1999

                                 $1,627,000.00                  LGIP, investment, November 8, 1999

                  ASB FUND

                                           $500.00                   LGIP, withdrawal, October 15, 1999

                                      $25,300.00                   LGIP, investment, October 15, 1999

                                      $86,400.00                   LGIP, investment, October 15, 1999

                                        $1,100.00                   LGIP, withdrawal, October 29, 1999

                                           $100.00                   LGIP, withdrawal, October 29, 1999

                                      $12,700.00                   LGIP, withdrawal, October 29, 1999

Expenses and Payroll

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

           GENERAL FUND

                  ACCTS PAY:    10/08/99                  $337,431.21

                                              10/15/99                      36,704.61

                                              10/22/99                    284,533.30

                                              10/29/99                    122,993.19

                          Total General Fund                   $781,662.42

            CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND

                  ACCTS PAY:    10/15/99                $2,010,848.04

                                              10/29/99                        20,108.48

                       Total Cap. Proj. Fund                 $2,030,956.50

            ASB FUND

                  ACCTS PAY:    10/08/99                      $19,843.90

                                              10/15/99                        23,834.00

                                              10/29/99                        43,443.81

                                Total ASB Fund                      $87,121.71

                                                    SHS                       $39,948.80

                                                 SQHS                       $45,753.10

                                                   FMS                         $1,742.17

                                                  KMS                            $677.64

            EXPENDABLE TRUST FUND

                  ACCTS PAY:    10/08/99                       $1,130.54

                                              10/15/99                             261.57

                      Total Exp. Trust Fund                        $1,392.11

            PAYROLL                                               $4,448,294.58

Personal Services Contracts:

• Spanish-English interpreters to serve on as-needed basis during the 1999-2000 school year.
• Mark Kelly to direct the middle school jazz band workshop series during the 1999-2000 school year.
• Susan Lingbloom to provide support for implementation of the new elementary report card on an as needed basis during the 1999-2000 school year.
• Thomas Glenn to provide technical assistance to students who are deaf/blind and/or multiply disabled on an as-needed basis during the 1999-2000 school year.
• Joanne Peterson to provide interim placement tutoring for special education students on an as-needed basis during the 1999-2000 school year.

Eisenhower Professional Development Program

Approval of Eisenhower Professional Development Program for 1999-2000.

REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS:

School Board Reports

Leu went on a student-led tour at Silver Beach Elementary and attended a music festival at Sehome High School.

Gass reported on the Board visit to Happy Valley on November 5, highlighting information that was presented on behavior issues and playground safety.

Lynch attended a Veteran’s Day celebration at Geneva Elementary. She also attended the bond/levy meetings, a student-led tour of Parkview Elementary and the Board’s visit to Happy Valley.

Whitmyer reported on the November 4 Superintendent Parent Advisory meeting, the levy/bond committee meetings, and the Happy Valley visit.

Superintendent’s Announcements/Reports

Dr. Kinsley read a proclamation from Mayor Asmundson proclaiming November 14-20 as American Education Week in the City of Bellingham. Kinsley outlined the District activities that were planned in honor of this week, which included a day of “job shadowing” principals by business leaders, student-led tours at elementary, middle, and high schools, and staff recognition visits by District administrators.

Superintendent Kinsley noted an article in a weekly publication, eSchool News, that featured the Bellingham School District library media centers and Director of Library, Media, and Technology, Nancy Messmer. Dr. Kinsley also had an article published on service learning in the State Education Leader magazine.

Yesterday, 20-25 teachers participated in a statewide videoconference with high school math teachers. Brian Rick, a teacher on special assignment in the Curriculum Department, coordinated the conference.

Kinsley announced that elementary parent conferences are being held this week and next week.

Award Presentation

Scott Walker, Port Commission Chair, and Jim Darling, Executive Director of the Port of Bellingham, presented the District with a Gold Medal certificate from Expansion Management Magazine. School districts throughout the United States were evaluated and ranked. The Gold medal award was given to the top scoring districts. Only three gold medal awards were given to the 10 school districts that were surveyed in Washington.

REPORTS:

Student Projects

In recognition of the theme for American Education Week – The Students of Today are the Leaders of Tomorrow, three groups of students gave presentations to the Board:.

• Six students from the TATU (Teens Against Tobacco Use) group at Fairhaven Middle School gave a presentation on the health risks associated with smoking. The group of 7th and 8th graders has given presentations to 17 different elementary classrooms.
• A group of five students from the Kulshan Middle School CREW (Connections, Responsibility, Encouraging, Welcoming) presented a computer slide show outlining their program. The CREW mentors welcome and support incoming 6th graders as well provide conflict resolution and problem solving assistance to their peers.
• Zach Muljat and Ben Berres, Squalicum High School juniors, explained the Science Buddies program. The program links a high school biology or chemistry honors student with an elementary student (grade 1-5) buddy in a science partnership.

Citizen’s Advisory Committee Recommendations

Co-Chair Robb Dale presented the recommendations for levy/bond from the Citizen’s Advisory Committee for submission to voters on March 14, 2000. The Committee recommended a $10 million bond - $7.5 million for building a new elementary school and $2.5 million for districtwide capital improvements. The group suggested that the District use the current capital funds balance resulting from good fiscal management to purchase real estate to accommodate future growth needs and for the District’s technology needs. The Committee recommended that four (4) one-year special levies be placed on the ballot to maintain general School District operations and support basic education – $13,775,000 in 2001, $14,650,000 in 2002, $15,150,000 in 2003, and $16,240,000 in 2004. A resolution for the Board’s approval will be presented at the December 9 meeting.

High School Planning Timeline

Deputy Superintendent Susan Zoller provided a flow chart with information on the preparations for the move to three high schools in the fall of 2000. She highlighted the areas of schedule, staffing, and curriculum. Currently two proposals are being considered for a common schedule at all three schools – a two-day block with three six-period days, or a four-day block with one six-period day. The scheduling committee will make a decision in December and report to the Board. A policy on the Honors Program and on AP offerings will be presented to the Board for approval in January. A common core of subjects will be offered at all schools for 9th and 10th grade students in preparation for the Certificate of Mastery assessment. Enhanced offerings will be available for juniors and seniors. Teacher assignments for the three buildings were completed in the spring of 1999. Classified staff and extra-curricular recommendations will be presented to the Board in January.

Final Budget Report for 1998-1999 Fiscal Year

Jim Stevens, Executive Director of Finance and Operations, presented a summary of year-end budget for the 1998-1999 fiscal year. Revenues for the year were $61,199,812 and expenditures were $61,171,718. Funds of $1,140,000 were transferred to the Transportation Fund to purchase 14 new school buses in accordance with the Board-adopted bus replacement plan. The District continued to show an increase in the percentage of expenditures used for teaching.

ACTION ITEMS:

Approval of Policy #2280

Leu moved and Lynch seconded approval of Policy #2280 – Late Arrival Early Release of Students and Site-Based Program Improvement Planning. The motion carried unanimously. There were no changes since the first reading at the October 28 Board meeting.

Final Purchase of Elementary Site

Lynch moved and Gass seconded the motion to authorize the Superintendent to finalize the purchase of 15.6 acres at the end of Magrath Road for an elementary school site. The motion carried unanimously. Larry Willman of Intergroup Development Corporation gave a detailed report on the results of the feasibility studies of the property. The findings indicated that this is a feasible site on which to locate an elementary school. The purchase price of the property is

$1.1 million.

Approval to Purchase Property Adjacent to Bellingham High School

Gass moved and Lynch seconded the motion to purchase a 40,000 square foot piece of property on Ohio Street located adjacent to Bellingham High School. The motion carried unanimously. The purchase price of $175,000 will come from the Capital Projects Fund.

Interlocal Agreement

Lynch moved and Gass seconded the motion for approval of an Interlocal Agreement with the City of Bellingham for collection of school impact fees. The motion carried unanimously. Once the City has adopted an Ordinance, the City will collect the scheduled fees on all new residential development. In the past, these fees have been used for costs associated with portable classrooms.

Field Trips

Lynch moved and Gass seconded approval in concept of the Sehome Choir tour to Seattle, Tacoma, Portland, and Seaside, Oregon. The motion carried unanimously.

Leu moved and Gass seconded the motion to approve in concept a cultural exchange for Squalicum High School students to Tateyama, Japan. The motion carried unanimously.

Call for Bids

Leu moved and Gass seconded the motion to call for bids for furniture and equipment for Bellingham High School. The motion carried unanimously.

Personnel Recommendations Approved

Lynch moved and Gass seconded the motion for approval of the personnel recommendations as presented. The motion carried unanimously. Kinsley announced the retirement of Blythe Cole Busch, teacher at Lowell Elementary School, who is retiring after 18 years with the District.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 10:00 p.m.