BELLINGHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Bellingham, Washington

MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING

OF THE

BELLINGHAM SCHOOL DISTRICT

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

December 9, 1999

The Bellingham School Board of Directors met in regular session at 7:30 p.m., December 9, 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, President David Blair, Superintendent Dale Kinsley, and recorder Shirley Knapp.

At 6:33 p.m. Whitmyer moved to begin Executive Session; Lynch seconded. At 7:10 p.m. Whitmyer made the motion to move to regular session; Leu seconded.

At 7:32 p.m. President David Blair called the meeting to order.

Swearing in Newly-Elected Directors

Superintendent Kinsley administered the oath of office to newly-elected Directors Ken Gass, Don Leu, Elaine Lynch, and Ann Whitmyer.

Board Reorganization

Lynch made the motion to retain David Blair as President and Ann Whitmyer as Vice-President for the next year. The motion carried unanimously.

CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS:

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

Minutes

Action on the minutes of the November 17, 1999 School Board meeting.

Investments

Action on investments in accordance with Resolution 13-88.

                  GENERAL FUND:

                               $433,000.00               LGIP, investment, November 15, 1999

                                 $80,500.00               LGIP, withdrawal, November 23, 1999

                               $174,400.00               LGIP, withdrawal, November 23, 1999

                            $1,537,000.00               LGIP, withdrawal, November 30, 1999

                  CAPITAL PROJECTS

                                   $2,200.00                LGIP, withdrawal, November 15, 1999

                                 $20,500.00                LGIP, withdrawal, November 15, 1999

                            $1,868,000.00                LGIP, withdrawal, November 15, 1999

                                   $2,300.00                LGIP, withdrawal, November 30, 1999

                                   $5,400.00                LGIP, withdrawal, November 30, 1999

                                 $34,400.00                LGIP, withdrawal, November 30, 1999

                  DEBT SERVICE

                                $232,000.00               LGIP, investment, November 15, 1999

                                  $69,000.00               LGIP, investment, November 23, 1999

                             $4,769,100.00               LGIP, withdrawal, December 1, 1999

                  ASB FUND

                                       $100.00               LGIP, withdrawal, November 15, 1999

                                       $200.00               LGIP, withdrawal, November 15, 1999

                                  $29,000.00               LGIP, investment, November 15, 1999

                                  $18,000.00               LGIP, investment, November 15, 1999

                                    $1,600.00               LGIP, withdrawal, November 30, 1999

Expenses and Payroll

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

                 GENERAL FUND

                      ACCTS PAY:  11/08/99                  $281,186.48

                                                11/15/99                      41,347.70

                                                11/23/99                    388,866.28

                                                11/30/99                      11,363.57

                            Total General Fund                   $722,764.03

                 CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND

                       ACCTS PAY:  11/08/99                        $616.00

                                                 11/10/99                     10,000.00

                                                 11/15/99                1,890,647.91

                                                 11/23/99                     74,376.52

                                                 11/30/99                     43,101.67

                          Total Cap. Proj. Fund              $2,118,742.10

                ASB FUND

                      ACCTS PAY:  11/15/99                     $17,856.31

                                                11/30/99                      41,852.15

                                 Total ASB Fund                     $57,708.46

                                                      SHS                     $35,337.20

                                                   SQHS                     $23,829.65

                                                     FMS                          $165.00

                                                    KMS                          $170.74

                                                     SMS                          $205.87

               EXPENDABLE TRUST FUND

                    ACCTS PAY:   11/08/99                           $34.46

                                               10/15/99                           188.67

                       Total Exp. Trust Fund                         $223.13

              PAYROLL                                             $4,462,208.06

Personal Services Contracts:

• Gavin Grant to serve as a sign language interpreter on an as-needed basis during the 1999-2000 school year.

Contracts:

• Agreement for Services between Skagit Deaf/Hard of Hearing Cooperative Program and the Bellingham School District for the 1999-2000 school year.
• Approval of amendments to the Articles of Agreement of the King County Directors’ Association Purchasing Department (KCDA).

REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS:

School Board Reports

Lynch reported on the Superintendent Parent Advisory Committee meeting that was held today at 9 a.m.

Whitmyer reported on the WSSDA conference in Bellevue on November 18-20, the Board visit to Options High School, a meeting with legislators on Monday evening, the Red Cross Real Heroes event, a meeting of the levy/bond committee, and a meeting in Mount Vernon on graduation requirements.

Gass also reported on the WSSDA conference in Bellevue and the meeting with Whatcom County Board members, superintendents, and local legislators that was held in the Board Room on Monday evening.

Leu attended the Sehome PTSO meeting, a meeting with legislators on Monday, December 6, and the meeting in Mount Vernon on graduation requirements. He also went on the Board visit to Options High School on December 3. Leu commended the District on the 1998-99 Annual Progress Report.

Superintendent’s Announcements/Reports

Dr. Kinsley shared the District’s Annual Report and recognized Lavelle Freudenberg and other District staff for their contributions to the publication.

Kinsley reported that the Tech Tutor program, which was so successful last year at Silver Beach, has been expanded to three other elementary schools this school year. Fourth and fifth grade students from Columbia, Happy Valley, Roosevelt, and Silver Beach will instruct older adults in basic computer skills.

Dr. Kinsley reported on the State Board of Education’s forum on graduation requirements held Wednesday, December 8, in Mount Vernon.

Kinsley announced that Kulshan Middle School was one of seven secondary schools in Washington State that were nominated for the national Blue Ribbon School Award. He commended Principal Sherrie Brown and her staff for their efforts in the application process.

Winter break will be December 20-31. The District administration office will be closed December 22, 23, 24, 30 and 31.

Audience

Cindy Brinn addressed the Board regarding high school schedules for the 2000-2001 school year.

REPORTS:

Selection of BHS Mascot/Logo

Principal Steve Clark, Activities Coordinator Ken Crawford, and several future Bellingham High students reported on the selection process of a new mascot/logo for the school. In April 1999, the joint site councils of Sehome and Squalicum met and decided to keep the schools colors and Red Raider name, but to replace the Native American logo. A committee of future BHS students followed the District’s policy on school mascots to select the new Raider Raider mascot, the red-tailed hawk. Several students displayed t-shirts with the new logo, which was designed by Scott Wilmot.

ACTION ITEMS:

Resolution #14-99 – Maintenance and Operations Levy

Gass moved and Lynch seconded the motion to approve Resolution 14-99 – Maintenance and Operations Levy for four (4) one-year levies to support regular operations and replace the current levy. The motion carried unanimously.

Resolution #15-99 – General Obligation Bond

Whitmyer moved and Gass seconded approval of Resolution 15-99 – General Obligation Bond. The motion carried unanimously. The $10 million bond would provide funds for building a new elementary school in the northeast portion of town and various capital improvement projects at several buildings. The levies and the bond will be on the March 14 special election ballot.

Approval of the VEBA III Plan

Lynch moved and Whitmyer seconded the motion to approve Resolution 16-99 –VEBA III Plan for the 1999-2000 school year. The plan allows sick leave conversion for retirees. The motion carried unanimously.

Field Trips

Whitmyer moved and Leu seconded approval for the Squalicum High School exchange trip to Punta Arenas, Chile for April 2000. The motion carried unanimously.

Lynch moved and Whitmyer seconded approval for Squalicum High School students to participate in a cultural exchange trip to Tateyama, Japan, February 12-26, 2000. The motion carried unanimously.

Call for Bids

Gass moved and Whitmyer seconded the motion for permission to call for bids for telephone system maintenance. The motion carried unanimously.

Personnel Recommendations Approved

Lynch moved and Whitmyer seconded the motion for approval of the personnel recommendations as presented. The motion carried unanimously. Kinsley announced the upcoming retirement of Ann Caldwell, Secretary to the Principal at Whatcom Middle School.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 8:14 p.m.