coen Posted July 15, 2009 Report Share Posted July 15, 2009 Proceedings of the Board of Trustees District No. 2, Yellowstone County High School District No. 2, Yellowstone County Billings, Montana July 13, 2009 Call to Order The Special Board Meeting of the Board of Trustees of School District No. 2, Yellowstone County, Montana, and the High School District, Yellowstone County, Montana was duly held at The Lincoln Center, 415 North 30th Street, Billings, Montana on Monday, July 13, 2009. The meeting was called to order at 5:30 p.m. by Vice-Chair Joel Guthals. Pledge of Allegiance was said. Roll Call Those attending were: Trustees Barb Bryan, Teresa Stroebe, Joel Guthals, Mary Jo Fox, Peter Gesuale, Dawn Achten, Joyce Weber; Clerk Leo Hudetz, Superintendent Jack Copps, Kathy Olson, Dave Williams, Scott Anderson, Thomas Harper, Gail Surwill, David Munson and Rich Whitney. Trustee Malcolm Goodrich attended by telephone as he was out of town. Jeff Greenfield was in attendance as well. Trustee Kathy Aragon was excused. Registered guests included Jerry Hansen, Julie Whitworth, Sue Baker and Becky Shay. Welcome and Orientation to the Meeting Acting Chair Guthals welcomed those present to the meeting. He gave a special welcome to new Trustee Joyce Weber and thanked her for agreeing to serve on the Board of Trustees. Communication from the Public Jerry Hansen handed out a six-year analysis of revenues and expenditures for School District 2. He urged the board to increase the class sizes to the maximum for accreditation standards and to cut costs while providing for a basic education for students. He also mentioned that he is retiring and will be traveling, so he will no longer be presenting regularly to the board. Preliminary General Fund Budgets FY2009-10 and Continued Review of Options Trustee Guthals asked the board to approve Item C as amended. Trustee Fox moved to approve the amended agenda with a second by Dawn Achten. A vote was called with Trustees Bryan, Stroebe, Guthals, Fox, Gesuale, Achten and Weber voting in favor of the motion. Transmission was lost with Trustee Goodrich, so connection was remade. He also voted in favor of the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Trustee Guthals stated that this is a continuation of budget discussions from previous agendas. He also stated that the board cannot adopt or approve the budgets at this time because by state law that has to occur in August. However, the board can pass a resolution of intent to adopt or defer to next meeting. Superintendent Copps directed those present to refer to page 4 of the agenda which contains recommenda-tions from the Central Office Leadership Team (COLT) and the recommended changes from the Budgeting For Results Committee (BFR). He reviewed the recommendations to make up the shortfall of $1,958,641 elementary and $1,542,482 high school. In the elementary budget, BFR recommends eliminating eight of COLT recommended ten proposed new teachers and adding $200,000 to cover deferred maintenance. With the BFR recommendations, there will be a $73 thousand surplus in elementary. It was mentioned that amount could be used to restore middle school activities which were reduced last year. Trustee Guthals called for any questions. Trustee Gesuale questioned the federal stimulus savings (ARRA). Thomas Harper explained that by cutting eight teachers, it will free up dollars to further reduce the deficit. COLT had recommended hiring ten new instructors but the BFR recommends cutting that to two new instructors. Superintendent Copps reminded the Board that this is elementary only. Trustee Fox stated that she is concerned about cutting positions with a direct impact to children. She is concerned about overcrowding and asked about the possibility of reducing the TOSA (Teachers on Special Assignments) because they are not working directly with kids. Superintendent Copps stated that there are only three such positions now. He urged the board not to cut those positions. He stated that the Music Coordinator position is necessary to coordinate all of the music activities within the district. The TILT or technology person is also necessary to help teachers to utilize the tools provided. He stated that high schools are losing enrollment. There will need to be further cuts at the high school level for at least two years. Trustee Guthals asked whether the Music Coordinator position would have to be a certified position or if it could be more clerical. Superintendent Copps stated that it needs to be someone who has good understanding of music activities K-12. He also mentioned that we provide services statewide for activities. Trustee Gesuale asked about positions in the high school. Scott Anderson, Executive Director of Secondary Education, stated that positions were reduced last year. Mr. Gesuale asked if there were any changes in the curriculum as a result of these reductions. Mr. Anderson said there was not, but they are looking at that possibility for the future. Trustee Bryan asked the board to look at the title programs and special education. Kathy Olson, Executive Director of Elementary Education, stated that a large part of the Title II grant is for staff development. It used to be a class size reduction grant but it was combined. She said it was decided to keep class size reduction at 15.5 FTE. There is a very limited amount of money for staff development because of salary increases. Ms. Olson explained that we need to be careful not to transfer too much to title programs in order to keep from “supplanting.” Title schools need to have the same or more than non-title schools. Ms. Olson mentioned that Indian Education for All funds are now being used to fund some librarians and counselors. Trustee Gesuale asked for an explanation of how Title II funds in-service training. Kathy Olson explained that the district has to spend 20 percent of title II funds at district level on staff development. Gail Surwill commented that Title II dollars cannot be used for funding conferences at will. They have to be embedded or ongoing staff development, cannot be a one-time thing. Trustee Gesuale asked about the 5.0 FTE for Early Literacy Intervention. Kathy Olson stated that we feel very strongly about early literacy. Every school has a .5 early literacy person for at-risk readers. Mr. Gesuale stated that we need to test the value of those programs against class size. Kathy Olson stated that the best way to spend training dollars is to embed staff development. Trustee Gesuale referred to page 157, class sizes for other AA districts in Montana. Superintendent Copps stated that he was unsure of the information on this page. He said it was important to know how the class sizes were calculated and that each district used the same method. Trustee Goodrich made a motion of intent for preliminary approval of the elementary budget based on the BFR recommendations. The motion was seconded by Mr. Gesuale. The question was asked if this was for approval of the eight teachers or the BFR recommendation without eight teachers. Mr. Goodrich clarified that his motion refers to the BFR recommendation. Dawn Achten raised a question about middle school activities. Superintendent Copps stated the $73,000 budget surplus under the BFR recommendation would be almost enough to restore middle school activities. With another $7,000 it would restore middle school activities to 100 percent. Mr. Gesuale stated that this amounts to a 25 percent increase in middle school activities while at the same time when increasing class size and deferring maintenance. COLT has not recommended restoring middle school activities to 100 percent. Mr. Gesuale stated that we should keep middle school activities at 80 percent of the FY08 levels. Trustee Fox agreed. Mr. Copps said that because of use of one time funds and predicted future shortfalls, we are looking at a two to three year period of time when we will have to be making cuts. This is only the beginning. The cuts will be most painful at the elementary level. Trustee Guthals stated that with the discussion of middle school activities we need a motion to amend the main motion. Peter Gesuale moved to amend the main motion to provide middle school activities as in the current year. Trustee Fox seconded the amended motion. Trustee Guthals called for discussion on the amended motion. Trustee Achten asked if the BEA won’t make adjustments, what will happen. Superintendent Copps said that we would enter into a discussion with the BEA to allow four days a week or start to cut activities. The decision of which activities to cut has not been made. The activities costing the most with the least involvement of students at the middle schools are softball and wrestling. Mr. Copps said the district would need to decide whether or not to just cut sports activities or whether to cut clubs and other activities as well, such as music. Trustee Bryan asked about the possibility of increasing fees for activities. Superintendent Copps stated that would be possible. Trustee Achten made a motion of intent to approve the elementary budget per BFR recommendations with the middle school activities at 80 percent, or same level as current year. Mr. Guthals suggested that this be changed to “middle school activities shall not be increased.” Trustee Guthals stated that the elementary board would now vote on the amended motion that middle school activities shall not be increased to 100 percent. Trustees Achten, Fox, Bryan, Gesuale, Goodrich and Weber voted in favor of the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Trustees Guthals and Stroebe were not eligible to vote on elementary issues. Mr. Guthals called for discussion on the main motion of intent to approve the budget recommendation as revised by BFR, with middle school activities remaining at current level. Mr. Gesuale stated that we are taking an all or nothing position on eight teachers. Kathy Olson stated that all of the programs are important for kids. Superintendent Copps stated that the K-2 level class size makes a big difference. We need to intervene early and often for the best results. Ms. Fox again commented on TOSA and particularly the Music Coordinator, and asked if the three TOSAs listed were a complete list of teachers on special assignment. Mary Jo Fox stated that the definition of TOSA in the agenda may have excluded other teachers who are not spending their time in the classroom. Gail Surwill explained that the classroom coaches are funded completely from the title programs. She said that we could not find someone else to do the music coordinator job for $75,000. Ms. Fox suggested asking the music teachers for team work. Trustee Bryan called attention to the K-6 FTE reduction at Orchard in particular and is concerned with the number of students in the classes. She called attention to the COLT core values of keeping class sizes small. She asked about special programs such as music and art. Kathy Olson said these specialists are provided for in the collective bargaining contract. Ms. Bryan said we may need to look at it in contract negotiations. Trustee Guthals called for a vote on the main motion for intent of preliminary approval of elementary budget according to BFR recommendations with no additional expenses for activities. Trustees voting in favor of the motion were Achten, Bryan, Fox, Gesuale, Goodrich, and Weber. The motion passed unanimously. Trustees Guthals and Stroebe were not eligible to vote on elementary issues. Trustee Goodrich made a motion for preliminary approval of the high school budget as presented in the board packet. Trustee Gesuale seconded the motion. Trustee Achten asked about the extra $117,961. Superintendent Copps stated that it could re-fund Career Center supplies or increase textbook allowances. Ms. Achten stated that it would be her preference to increase the textbooks. Ms. Bryan asked for an explanation of reduction of Career Center supplies and equipment. Scott Anderson explained that this money was left from Career Center expansion. He explained that there is still money there, just not as much. Trustee Guthals asked for further discussion. He feels we should look at putting dollars in reserves. We need to look at ways to save because he is concerned about projects in upcoming years. Trustee Goodrich seconded that opinion. Trustee Goodrich further stated that BFR had looked at all these issues from January through May. He said we need to take care of reserves and deferred maintenance. He stated that the economy is getting worse and we should be putting dollars in reserves. Trustee Stroebe stated that dollars in reserves make the community think we don’t need money. It gives the perception we don’t need money. A vote was called on the motion of intent to approve the preliminary high school budget as recommended by the BFR. Trustees voting in favor of the motion were Achten, Bryan, Fox, Gesuale, Goodrich, Guthals, Stroebe and Weber. The motion carried unanimously. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:10 p.m. _________________________________ Joel Guthals, Acting Chair _______________________________ Nancy Coe, Recorder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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