Special-February 28, 2005 at 5:30pm

[Guest sullinss]

Proceedings of the Board of Trustees

Billings Elementary District 2 and Billings High School District 2,

Yellowstone County, Montana

 

February 28, 2005

 

Call to Order. The Special Meeting of the Board of Trustees of Billings Elementary School District 2 and Billings High School District 2 was duly held in the Board Room at the Lincoln Center, 415 North 30th Street, Billings, Montana, on Monday, February 28, 2005, at 5:30 p.m. Chair Katharin Kelker presided.

 

Roll Call. The following Trustees were present: Trustees Kelker, Jarussi, Moses, Stroebe, Herzog, and Getz. The following executive staff was present: Superintendent Svee and Human Resource Director Martin.

 

Communication from the Public. The Chair stated that anyone wishing to address an item listed on the agenda, but not wanting to wait for the scheduled time, may do so now. There were no public comments.

 

Discussion of the Non-renewal of Non-tenure Teacher Contracts. The purpose of the special meeting was to discuss the topic of renewal and non-renewal of non-tenure teacher contracts. Superintendent Svee sought guidance from the Board on how best to approach this issue. Counsel Weldon outlined the statutes governing the topic. In particular, MCA §20-4-206(3) provides that the Board “may nonrenew the employment of a nontenure teacher at the conclusion of the school fiscal year with or without cause.” Chair Kelker offered historical background of renewal and non-renewal of non-tenure teacher contracts and stated that the Board exercised the authority granted in section 206 to non-renew without cause. The Board also discussed the history and value of “pink slipping” all non-tenure teachers for budget-related purposes.

 

The consensus expressed by the Board was (1) the Superintendent may bring to the Board recommendations for non-renewal without cause under section 206 with the understanding that the District’s evaluation system and process is in place and is used so that the subject teacher is placed on notice that non-renewal may occur; (2) the practice of “blanket pink slipping” in the spring for budget-purposes in not a preferred means of operation the District, and (3) if for budgetary reasons a number of teachers’ contracts must be non-renewed, then the better practice is to non-renew for performance-related reasons first and then others thereafter.

 

Adjournment. As there was no further business, the meeting adjourned at 6:30 p.m.

 

 

 

Katharin Kelker, Chair

 

 

 

Jeff Weldon, Recorder