Background material for each agenda item is available online under the Board Meeting Materials link

Recognitions

Guilford County Schools’ Employee of the Month

The Board recognized Kimberly Hilton, treasurer at Ferndale Middle School, as the district’s January 2006 Employee of the Month.

Consent Agenda

The Board approved the following items on the consent agenda:

1. December 2005 Meeting Minutes
2. Personnel Action Reports
3. 2005-2006 Budget Amendments and Transfers
4. Use of Yellow School Buses for the 2006 ACC School Game Day
5. First Reading – Policy AEA, School Calendar
6. 2006-2007 Middle College Calendar Waiver Requests

Staff Reports

2006-2007 District Calendar

The Board voted to approve Calendar Option 1 as the 2006-2007 school year calendar. The motion was to approve Option 1 with the revision that January 2 not be designated as an inclement weather make-up day, so as to guarantee that January 2 would be a non-student day.

Construction Update

The Board approved the following contracts:

1. Contracts for the Construction of Guilford Elementary School
2. Contracts for the Construction of Oak View Elementary School
3. Contracts for the Construction of Ferndale Middle School

The following construction change orders were approved by the Board:

1. Change Order to Contract for Construction at Northern High School
2. Change Order to Contract for Construction at Northern Area Middle School

The Board approved options 2 and 4 (see below) for the opening of the Northern area Middle School and Northern High School, but noted that should the schools be completed earlier than expected, the Administration was authorized to move students at that time and update the Board on any changes.

Option 2:
At the beginning of the 2006-2007 school year, establish “schools-within-schools” at Northwest and Northeast Middle Schools for students planning to move to the new Northern Middle School.  These middle school students and their teachers would “pick-up” and move to the new Northern Middle School when it opens in January 2007 - - the same model we used at Gibsonville and Sedalia Elementary prior to the McLeansville opening this year.

Option 4:
If Northern High opens in September 2007, establish a “within-a-school” at Northwest and Northeast High for ninth and tenth grade students who will attend the new Northern High.  Move the students to Northern High following the end of the first grading period.

Board Discussion

Bus Idling Second Reading

The Board approved Policy EBD, Energy and Natural Resource Conservation and Management, which was necessary for state funding.

Magnet and Option Schools and Programs

Chairman Duncan led the Board in a discussion of magnet and option schools and programs. The Board voted to approve:

1. Staff to move forward with developing a proposal for using Craven as a future Guilford County Schools SCALE site
2. English Road facility to be converted for a High Point SCALE site
3. Pisgah Church Road to be used as a possible magnet school
4. Extending the Triangle Lake Montessori program through 6th grade

At the next meeting, the Board will discuss and consider the following changes:

1. Weaver Academy
2. Early College/Academy programs at the High Point High Schools
3. Hampton Academy
4. Brown Summit Middle School
5. Providing transportation to students who move during the school year at high impact schools
6. Extending the school year at some high impact middle and high schools

Proposed Redistricting Plans

The Board voted that maps A,B,C,D be presented for public comment during forums to be held at Page High School on January 17 and Providence Place in High Point on January 19. The public forums will take place from 7 to 9 p.m.