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Guilford County Board of Education |
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GUILFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION |
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Saturday, September 22, 2007 |
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The Guilford County Board of Education held a retreat on Saturday, September 22, 2007, at 712 North Eugene Street, Greensboro, North Carolina. The following board members were present: Jeff Belton, Walter Childs, Kris Cooke, Alan Duncan, Darlene Garrett, Deena Hayes (arrived at 12:42 p.m.), Garth Hébert, Dot Kearns, Amos Quick (arrived at 9:40 a.m.), Nancy Routh and Anita Sharpe. Also present was Superintendent Terry Grier. Chairman Duncan called the meeting to order at 8:12 a.m. on Saturday, September 22, 2007. SAT Improvement Plan Chief Academic Officer Mack McCary, Executive Accountability and Research Officer Gongshu Zhang and Executive Director of Advanced Learning Jane Fleming presented information to the board on the foundations of a district-wide approach to support SAT. While GCS is to be commended for its 2007 AYP results, average GCS SAT scores fell in 2007. Individual schools reported the use of a wide variety of strategies to increase SAT scores. While many of these strategies show promise, no data showed significant results. A plan was presented for a consistent, district-wide approach for improving SAT averages to close the gap between GCS and Charlotte Mecklenburg within two years, to close the gap between GCS and the state within four years and to close the gap between GCS and Wake County by 2013-14. Additionally, these strategies will assist each GCS school to meet the North Carolina state average participation rate of 71 percent. For schools with participation rates that currently exceed 71 percent, school participation will be maintained or increased. The plan includes both short- and long-term procedures that provide focused system-wide attention on the SAT. SpringBoard Chief Curriculum and Organizational Development Officer Beth Folger presented information to the board on the 2007-08 SpringBoard Plan. SpringBoard takes advantage of years of research to support an instructional program in English language arts that successfully engages all students in challenging learning experiences. It includes rigorous content using engaging and interactive instructional materials and a standardized formative assessment with scoring rubrics. Expected results of completing the program include: increased percentage of middle schools making AYP including student subgroups, higher level thinking skills for students, increased academic rigor in middle school English language arts classrooms, increased number of students participating in advanced placement (AP) courses, students better prepared for college success and teachers trained in use of strategies to motivate and engage students. Dr. Folger called on teachers, Linsey McCarthy of Brown Summit Middle and Sharon Swanson of Mendenhall Middle, to give a brief synopsis of their results using SpringBoard with their students. Curriculum Coach Andrea Hesman discussed differentiation and spoke of her strong personal support and success in using SpringBoard. Pre-K Update Chief Curriculum and Organizational Development Officer Beth Folger presented a pre-kindergarten program report to the board. The North Carolina Office of School Readiness reports that pre-k is a research-proven strategy that is beneficial for those children most at risk for school failure. The National Institute for Early Education Research reports that North Carolina is one of the top two states nationally for state pre-k quality standards, including standards such as teacher education and training, class size, staff-child ratio and early learning standards. The number of pre-k classrooms in GCS has steadily grown since 1999 serving 682 children identified at risk in 1999-2000 to 1161 in 2007-08. To project the effect of the pre-k classroom experience on kindergarten readiness, a developmental assessment was administered prior to entry to pre-k for eligibility and at the end of the preschool year to measure individual child growth and development. Comparison scores for 1996 through 2007 were shared with the board. Dr. Folger discussed some pre-k changes made in GCS for 2007-08:
Additional information was provided on identifying children at risk, classroom locations and size, the GCS Pre-K classroom, literacy priority, classroom literacy initiatives, teacher education and professional development for pre-k teachers. Board members requested information on the pre-k budget including costs for setting up a new classroom and the amount allotted per pupil for instructional materials, etc. Discussion of Spanish, Art, Music, Physical Education Programs Chief Human Resources Officer Peggy Thompson presented information to the board on Spanish, art, music and physical education programs. Available to provide additional information and to answer questions were: Chief Curriculum and Organizational Development Officer Beth Folger, Elementary Curriculum Officer Lee Ann Segalla, Irving Park Elementary Principal Melissa Nixon, Wiley Elementary Principal LaToy Kennedy, General Greene Elementary Principal George Boschini, Instructional Improvement Officers Bill Hurt and Sandy Culmer and Director of Health Services Robin Bergeron. State requirements that impact the implementation of specials in the elementary schools, the state statute for planning time and the project team’s recommendations were discussed. State Curriculum Requirements
Planning Time and the Legislation
Project Team
Current Status:
Information was presented regarding Spanish classes. In 2006-07 nine Spanish teachers were allocated to the following schools: Cone, Fairview, Falkener, Irving Park, Triangle Lake and Wiley. Ten additional Spanish teachers were hired in 2007-08 to accommodate the increase of Spanish to a total of 23 schools. The 17 elementary IB schools include the following: Cone, Fairview, Foust, Gillespie Park, General Greene, Hunter, Irving Park, Jesse Wharton, Joyner, Lindley, Oak Hill, Oak View, Peck, Shadybrook, Sternberger, Vandalia and Wiley. Six schools choosing to have Spanish as a special include: Archer, Falkener, Northern, Oak Ridge, Pearce and Sedgefield. Dr. Thompson reviewed information which was provided to the board on art, music, PE and Spanish allotments for 2006-07 and 2007-08. Board discussion followed. The possibility of adding extra minutes to the instructional day was discussed as a way to help with scheduling more of these classes. Home Field Advantage Executive Accountability and Research Officer Gongshu Zhang presented information to the board on the Home Field Advantage program in regard to the following elementary schools: Bessemer, Brightwood, Foust, Gillespie Park, Jamestown, Johnson Street, Lindley, Sedgefield, Washington and Wiley. Chief of Staff Eric Becoats stated that Jackson was added to the list this school year, but no students have moved as of this date. 2007-08 District Improvement Strategies Chief of Staff Eric Becoats, Chief Curriculum and Organizational Development Officer Beth Folger and Chief Academic Officer Mack McCary presented a report to the board on the 2007-08 District Improvement Strategies for elementary, middle and high schools. Information regarding the Improved Student Achievement Plans as well as the Above and Beyond Services for Priority Schools for 2007-08 was presented and discussed. Going forward, staff will provide monthly updates to the board regarding academic improvement efforts. Magnet Program Update and Evaluation of Programs Chief Curriculum and Organizational Development Officer Beth Folger and Director of Magnet Schools Tony Burks presented to the board an update on magnet schools and an evaluation of programs. Governance Committee Update Chairman Duncan called on board member Dr. Nancy Routh, convenor of the governance review committee, to lead the board in a governance committee update. Naming of Schools Dr. Routh asked board members to review the board policy FDCA, Naming Facilities, and administrative procedure FDCA-P, Naming of Schools and School Facilities. She distributed a list of questions related to this policy and asked that board members complete and return the list no later than October 2, which is the next meeting date of the Governance Review Committee. Guilford County Board of Education Bylaws The board discussed including additional wording in the bylaws concerning duration of committees, participation by electronic means and abstention voting. After discussion by the board, it was decided that this item would be included on the agenda for the September 25 regular board meeting to allow Attorney Jill Wilson to provide input on proper wording. Change Order to Contract for Construction at Southern High School Chief Operations Officer Leo Bobadilla reported that he has received additional information regarding this item. As a result, Chairman Duncan asked that it be deferred for a vote until the September 25 regular board meeting. Bond Referendum Update Leo Bobadilla, chief operations officer, and Joe Hill, facilities, presented information to the board on the proposed bond referendum. Provided at the meeting was the list of projects previously approved by the board on June 12, 2007 for the November 2007 bond issue including new project totals based on added inflation figures for a May 2008 bond. The inflation adjustment adds $14,812,500 to the scope of work for a new total of $454,812,500. Mr. Hill explained that inflation was calculated by assuming an average of two years on the previous inflation number using 15 percent, which is 7.5 percent a year. Delay of the bond until May of 2008 will extend projects by six months. Therefore, the inflation factor used to calculate this new total was 3.75 percent. Board member Kris Cooke inquired about project options which were presented at the September 13 board meeting. She requested that the board discuss the small elementary school proposed for north Greensboro in regard to increasing the size from a 532-student school to a standard 700-student elementary school. Including inflation, the amount required to accomplish this would be $2,502,699. Should this be added, the revised total of the proposed May 2008 bond referendum would be $457,315,199. Board member Amos Quick asked for clarification on why the cost of the southeast area elementary school included on the project list is approximately $10 million higher than the proposed small elementary school proposed for north Greensboro. Mr. Hill stated that part of the additional cost for the southeast school is because this proposed school is larger and also includes an autism wing. The approximate cost for the autism wing is $7 million. Chairman Duncan stated that he received a call from State Senator Stan Bingham’s office asking him to be present for a meeting at Simeon Stadium. Upon his inquiry regarding the purpose of the meeting and who would be attending, he was advised that it was a meeting to discuss the condition of Simeon Stadium and the attendees were said to be Senator Bingham and Latimer Alexander, member of the High Point City Council. Board members have also received a letter from Rebecca R. Smothers, Mayor of the City of High Point, suggesting that the board remove Simeon Stadium from consideration for the 2008 bond projects and agree to transfer ownership to the City of High Point stating that the stadium would continue to be the home field for High Point Central and High Point Andrews and those schools would have priority for scheduling. After presenting this information, Chairman Duncan stated that since he has a conflict of interest regarding this issue, he would be stepping aside to allow board discussion. Simeon Stadium is presently included in the bond project list. Superintendent Grier stated that according to Attorney Jill Wilson, for the board to give the stadium to High Point, the stadium would have to be declared surplus property by law and the board would need to state clearly that GCS has no further use for it. The property would then have to be offered first to the Guilford County Commissioners. Attorney Wilson has stated clearly that this is what the law dictates. As a result, staff does not recommend that the board transfer ownership to the City of High Point. Chairman Duncan asked that staff prepare a letter of response to Mayor Smothers from the board for Vice-Chairman Quick’s signature declining the suggested transfer of ownership. Funding to improve athletic facilities at Simeon Stadium will remain on the proposed bond list. Board member Garth Hébert suggested modification to the list of projects by breaking down the airport area high school, the southeast area elementary school and the Ragsdale High School projects into individual projects showing the autism wings as separate from the land and high school costs for these schools. This would create a clearer perception when comparing building costs for new facilities. Chairman Duncan asked for staff to take a look at possible cost savings by building the airport area high school at more than two levels, the cost of land for the airport area middle school and the possibility of putting an autism wing at some other location which GCS already owns in order to save money on land costs in that area. Motion was made by Kris Cooke, seconded by Darlene Garrett, to add approximately $2.5 million to the small elementary school (north GSO) project to increase the size to a standard 700-student elementary school. The motion passed majority show of hands of 7-to-4 as follows: Ayes – Jeff Belton, Kris Cooke, Alan Duncan, Darlene Garrett, Garth Hébert, Dot Kearns and Nancy Routh; Nays – Walter Childs, Deena Hayes, Amos Quick and Anita Sharpe. Finalize FY08 Capital Outlay Budget Chief Finance Officer Sharon Ozment presented information on the FY08 Capital Outlay Budget. At the Board of Education meeting of August 30, 2007, staff presented a revised 2007-08 capital outlay budget for the board’s review and approval consideration. Staff was directed to make additional revisions and budget the $2,472,982 in red light camera monies as seed money for securing a single GCS administrative office site/building. The adjustments/changes and the impact of those changes on the respective line items on the revised FY08 capital outlay budget are as follows: 26 GCS Administrative Office Site/Bldg (seed $) $2,472,982 $2,472,982 In the process of making the changes cited above, staff also had to revisit the exercise of assigning revenue sources to expenditure line-items. There was discussion at the August 30 board meeting that the capital expenditures eligible for funding from PSBCF (Public School Building Capital Fund) dollars and state lottery distributions are essentially bricks and mortar construction of school buildings and equipment which is an integral part of the buildings (i.e., excludes administrative and maintenance facilities, mobile/modular classrooms, and movable equipment such as computers). As a result of that exercise, staff is recommending that $1,364,657 in 2006-07 expenditures be reclassified from county appropriation to lottery funds. This is an increase of $289,877 and consists of the following additional items/expenditures:
County Finance Director Brenda Jones Fox has contacted Ms. Ozment and advised that she is of the opinion that GCS cannot reclassify expenditures after year-end because the county did not budget the additional lottery funds in fiscal year 2006-07. GCS finance staff is of a different opinion. GCS staff met with Randy Brodd of the district’s external audit firm regarding the proposed reclassifications of expenditures and the logic supporting the reclassifications. Randy’s initial opinion is that GCS can reclassify the expenditures. Randy has contacted the Local Government Commission (LGC) and is also seeking their guidance/opinion. As of the date of the retreat, he does not have a final answer from the LGC; however, staff is moving forward with its recommendation. If the LGC opines that GCS cannot make this change, the capital outlay budget must be revised again because (a) the budget as it currently stands includes items totaling $1,364,657 (the amount of the reclassification request) that cannot be funded with PSBCF or lottery dollars and (b) GCS does not have an additional $1.4 million in county funds or some other revenue source from which these items can be funded. If this reclassification of expenditures is denied, options would include deleting the items totaling $1,364,657, a very unpopular option since our capital outlay budget has been reduced by $3 million per year for two consecutive fiscal years, or funding the items with red light camera monies and thus reducing the funds available for securing one GCS administrative office/site from $2.5 million to $1.1 million. Ms. Ozment will request an opinion from our audit firm in writing regarding the reclassification question and continue discussions with Brenda Fox on this issue. Superintendent Grier stated that when the letter from our audit firm is received, it is his intent to share a copy of that letter, not only with the County Manager, but with individual County Commissioners. He also stated that the opinion of the LGC needs to be shared with the County Manager and County Commissioners. Motion was made by Dot Kearns, seconded by Walter Childs, to approve the recommendation of Chief Finance Officer Sharon Ozment to adopt the revised 2007-08 Capital Outlay Budget as presented with the contingency that in the event $1.4M reclassification request is denied by the LGC or the County Commissioners, the $1.4M will be funded from the $2.5M in red light camera monies and the funds available for securing one GCS administrative office/site will be reduced from $2.5M to $1.1M. The motion failed upon majority show of hands of 6-to-5 as follows: Nays: Darlene Garrett, Deena Hayes, Garth Hébert, Amos Quick, Nancy Routh and Anita Sharpe; Ayes: Jeff Belton, Walter Childs, Kris Cooke, Alan Duncan and Dot Kearns. Following further discussion, an amended motion was made by Nancy Routh, seconded by Garth Hébert to go back to the original motion and add the caveat that, if the $1.4M reclassification request is approved by the LGC and the County Commissioners, the board would revisit the $2.5M in red light camera monies earmarked for securing one GCS administrative office/site to determine if some of these dollars should be used to address additional capital outlay/maintenance of facility needs that are not currently being addressed/funded. The motion passed upon majority show of hands of 8-to-3 as follows: Ayes: Jeff Belton, Walter Childs, Kris Cooke, Alan Duncan, Garth Hébert, Dot Kearns, Nancy Routh and Anita Sharpe; Nays – Darlene Garrett, Deena Hayes and Amos Quick. Superintendent’s Goals and Review of Data Related to the Goals Superintendent Grier provided information regarding the Superintendent’s Goals for 2006-07 and answered questions from board members. The board will conduct the superintendent’s evaluation at the September 25 board meeting. Adjourn The meeting adjourned at 5:42 p.m. |
In compliance with federal laws, Guilford County Schools administers all educational programs, employment activities and admissions without discrimination because of race, religion, national or ethnic origin, color, age, military service, disability or gender, except where exemption is appropriate and allowed by law. Refer to the Board of Education's Discrimination Free Environment Policy AC for a complete statement. Inquiries or complaints should be directed to the Guilford County Schools Compliance Officer, 120 Franklin Boulevard, Greensboro, NC 27401; 336.370.2323. All Guilford County Schools facilities, both educational and athletic, are tobacco-free learning environments. © 2008 Guilford County Schools, 712 North Eugene Street, Greensboro, NC 27401 336.370.8100 |
