Diane Blevins Posted August 25, 2005 Report Share Posted August 25, 2005 Proceedings of the Board of Trustees High School District No. 2, Yellowstone County Billings, Montana Wednesday, July 6, 2005 Call to Order A Special Meeting of the Board of Trustees of High School District No. 2, Yellowstone County, Montana, was held at the Lincoln Center, 415 North 30th Street, Billings, Montana, on Wednesday, July 6, 2005, at 5:30 p.m. Chair Katharin Kelker presided. Roll Call The following trustees were present: Katharin Kelker, Joel Guthals, Dawn Achten, Sandra Mossman, Mary Jo Fox, and Malcolm Goodrich. Trustees Moses and Stroebe were absent and excused. Also present were: Superintendent Rod Svee, Secondary Education Director Carol Wicker, West High Principal Dennis Sulser, West High Assistant Principal Gordon Klasna, Career Center Principal Stan Barr, and Jeff Weldon, legal counsel.. 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. The Board will take no action until the scheduled agenda time. There were no public comments. Work Session Jeff Weldon led the Board in a work session focusing on Montana expulsion and suspension law. The discussion included considerations of substantive and procedural due process, expulsion hearing protocol, and Billings Public Schools policies. Director Carol Wicker introduced Michelle Smith who is the Hearing Officer for the District. Mrs. Wicker also reviewed the process for the student when the student is found to be in violation of a District policy, including investigation and consequence. Expulsion Hearings 1. BPS Case No. Exp-2004-05-03. Chair Kelker stated that the Board would now consider a student disciplinary proceeding. She determined that the discussion related to a matter of individual privacy that clearly exceeds the merits of public disclosure and she closed the meeting. She asked all persons present other than the student, parents of the student, or legal representatives of the student and representatives of the District’s administration to leave the room. The Trustees, Superintendent Svee, Director Wicker, Principal Barr, and Counsel Weldon remained in the room. The student and the student’s parents were not present. After the hearing on this matter, the Board reconvened in open session. Trustee Goodrich moved to accept the Superintendent’s recommendation to expel permanently the student in case number Exp-2004-05-03. Trustee Achten seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. 2. BPS Case No. Exp-2004-05-02. Chair Kelker stated that the Board would now consider another student disciplinary proceeding. She determined that the discussion related to a matter of individual privacy that clearly exceeds the merits of public disclosure and she closed the meeting. She asked all persons present other than the student, parents of the student, or legal representatives of the student and representatives of the District’s administration to leave the room. The Trustees, Superintendent Svee, Director Wicker, Principal Sulser, Assistant Principal Klasna, and Counsel Weldon remained in the room. The student and the student’s parents were not present. After the hearing on this matter, the Board reconvened in open session. Trustee Goodrich moved to accept the Superintendent’s recommendation to expel permanently the student in case number Exp-2004-05-02. Trustee Achten seconded the motion. Trustee Fox wondered if the student should be referred to a treatment center. Chair Kelker commented that such a referral could be recommended to the parents but that it might not be taken. Trustee Fox noted that she knew the Board could not force such a recommendation. Chair Kelker stated that the Board could put restrictions on the student’s re-entry to the District. The Board discussed generally how to serve students while protecting students and the limitations budgets and other variables place on the District in this kind of matter. The motion passed with Trustees Kelker, Guthals, Achten, Mossman, and Goodrich voting in favor and Trustee Fox voting against. Trustee Goodrich moved that the Superintendent may at some future date consider a petition from the student for readmission to the District. Trustee Goodrich moved further that the Superintendent, in considering such a petition, should take into account any appropriate counseling completed by the student and the Board’s hope that the student be given access to public education. Trustee Guthals stated that in this instance a second chance is not warranted. The motion passed with Trustees Fox, Achten, Mossman, and Goodrich voting in favor and Trustees Kelker and Guthals voting against. Adjournment As there was no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:32 p.m. Katharin Kelker, Chair Jeff Weldon, Recorder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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