The March regular meeting of the Board of Education was called to order by President Dwight P. Mitchell at 6:02 p.m. at the Benton Harbor High School, Student Commons Area.

Present: Mr. Dwight P. Mitchell, Mrs. Annie Robinson, Mr. Anthony A. Henry, Mrs. J. Allene Smith, Dr. Gladys Peeples-Burks, Mr. Ken Woltman and Ms. Michelle Jones

Public Participation on Agenda Items
Mrs. Martha Momany addressed the Board of Education expressing her concerns with the extension of the management team contracts stating that District staff has been working without contract ratification for this school year.

Mrs. Virginia Maxwell addressed the Board of Education questioning the Pipestone Pre-School Resolution and the alleged safety concerns of pre-schoolers being housed in regular school buildings. Mrs. Maxwell also expressed concerns with opening a closed building as a pre-school site when the District is under budget constraints.

Communications
President Mitchell encouraged public participation in the superintendent search by completing the questionnaire and dropping it off in the designated box.

Birthday wishes were extended to President Mitchell.

The Benton Harbor Area Schools has received a letter from Mr. Ken Schneider that suggests the District is lacking in fundraising events. A letter of accuracy will be sent to Mr. Schneider that outlines the numerous ongoing fundraising events conducted throughout the District.

Minutes
A motion was made by Dr. Peeples-Burks and supported by Mr. Woltman that the Minutes of the work session of February 5, 2002 be approved as printed.

A motion was made by Mrs. Robinson and supported by Dr. Peeples-Burks that the Minutes of the special meeting of February 5, 2002 be approved as printed.

A motion was made by Mrs. Robinson and supported by Mr. Woltman that the Minutes of the regular meeting of February 12, 2002 be approved as printed.

A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Dr. Peeples-Burks that the Minutes of the special meeting of February 19, 2002 be approved as printed.

A motion was made by Mr. Henry and supported by Mr. Woltman that the Minutes of the special meeting of February 20, 2002 be approved as printed.

Vendor Payments
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Mrs. Robinson that vendor payments in the amount of $1,543,503.96 be approved for payment.

Recognitions
Recognition and praise was extended to the BHHS Tigers’ basketball team and Coach Ramsey Nichols for an excellent season.

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education approve the resolution designating funds, specifically $25,656.73, from Whirlpool Corporation and one half of the $90,000 ($45,000), received from the sale of the Millburg School property, to the BHAS Endowment Fund.

Staff Report #2
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Mrs. Smith:

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education hereby extends the Management Team employment contracts of the following administrators for the terms specified:

Robert C. Farmer
Group Director for Information Technology
July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2003

Richard F. Garrison
Assistant Superintendent for Instruction
July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2003

Nora Jefferson
Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources/Labor Relations
July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2003

Stephen E. Mitchell
Group Director for Operations and Facilities
July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2003

Sheletha Bobo
Acting Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance
July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2003

The Board of Education further authorizes its President and Secretary to execute the Management Team contracts, which will be reviewed by District labor counsel.

The motion passed by the following vote:

Staff Report #3
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Ms. Jones:

THAT the Board of Education, Benton Harbor Area Schools, meet in closed session on the following dates:

Tuesday, March 12, 2002 before and/or following
the regular meeting of the Board of Education on
that date, and

Tuesday, April 9, 2002 before and/or following
the work session of the Board of Education on that date,

at the Benton Harbor High School, Student Commons Area, 870 Colfax Avenue, Benton Harbor, Michigan, in said District for the purpose of discussing with legal counsel litigations, negotiations and possible expulsions.

Business/Finance
Staff Report #4
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Dr. Peeples-Burks:

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education approve the agreements for reasonable expenses relating to the collection of the 2002 summer school property taxes with the following governing units:

Staff Report #5
A motion was made by Mrs. Smith and supported by Mr. Woltman:

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education adopt the resolution to Call the Regular School Election for Monday, June 10, 2002, as prepared by Thrun, Maatsch and Nordberg.

Staff Report #6
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Mrs. Smith:

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education appoint Sheletha Bobo as the District’s designated Trustee representative to the Middle Cities Risk Management Trust’s Board of Trustees and is authorized to cast the District’s vote on all matters which come before the Board. She shall serve as Trustee until replaced by this Board in its absolute discretion.

Furthermore, Perla Tolentino be appointed as Risk Management Coordinator for the District as provided in paragraph 8, of the Interlocal Agreement. She shall serve as Coordinator until replaced by this Board in its absolute discretion.

Instruction
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Mr. Henry:

THAT staff report #7, be divided into two reports for voting purposes, 1) the closing of Pipestone Pre-School building, and 2) tabling re-opening of Fair Plain Northwest building.

Staff Report #7
A motion was made by Mrs. Robinson and supported by Ms. Jones:

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education close the Pipestone Pre-School building for the 2002-2003 school year.

Staff Report #7A
A motion was made by Mrs. Robinson and supported by Ms. Jones:

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education table the proposal to re-open the Fair Plain Northwest building to be used for operating the District’s pre-school program.

Staff Report #8
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Mrs. Robinson:

THAT the Board of Education officially approve the fourth and fifth grade Sorter Elementary School trip to Mackinac Island scheduled for May 6-8, 2002.

Staff Report #9
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Dr. Peeples-Burks:

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education officially accept and acknowledge the generosity of a compact refrigerator, microwave oven and a KitchenAid hand mixer to Fair Plain East Elementary School from the Whirlpool Corporation, valued at $333.00.

Staff Report #10
A motion was made by Mrs. Robinson and supported by Mr. Woltman:

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education officially accept and acknowledge the generosity of a grant in the amount of $6,500.00 from the Fredrick S. Upton Foundation to the Creative Arts Academy.

Staff Report #11
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Dr. Peeples-Burks:

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education officially approve the Black College Tour sponsored by the BHHS Sisters Organization scheduled for March 21-24, 2002.

Staff Report #12
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Ms. Jones:

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education officially approve the Black College Tour sponsored by the BHHS SALA Academy scheduled for April 18-21, 2002.

A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Ms. Jones:

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education add the Key Club convention approval to attend to the agenda.

Staff Report #13
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Mrs. Robinson:

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education officially approve the BHHS student attendance at the Key Club convention scheduled for April 5-7, 2002.

Human Resources/Labor Relations
Staff Report #14
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Mrs. Smith:

THAT Audrey Brinkley’s retirement be acknowledged and accepted and a letter be sent to her thanking her for the services she provided to the students of the Benton Harbor Area Schools.

Staff Report #15
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Ms. Jones:

THAT Cynthia Dukes’ resignation be accepted and a letter be sent to her thanking her for the services she provided to the students of the Benton Harbor Area Schools.

Superintendent's Update
One of the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education goals for the 2001-2002 school year is to improve District communications both internally and externally. BHAS is creating a vision for the District with input from employees, parents, students and the community. Separate sessions will be held for each group starting with the employees. A three-step process will be used in this effort, 1) identify District issues, 2) create the vision and, 3) formulate the steps needed to achieve the vision. Four outside facilitators are conducting Phase I visioning sessions for employees where issues are being identified and prioritized. Those issues will then be added to those determined in meetings with parents, students and community members to shape the final vision to guide the Benton Harbor Area Schools. Employees have already received two issues of the newly created BHAS employee newsletter, VISION.

Public Participation II
Ms. Carolyn Graves addressed the Board of Education encouraging the purchase finalization of the farmland located in Benton Township. Ms. Graves also stated that approximately three years ago Mr. Ken Schneider purchased a key chain and button during a District fundraiser.

Ms. Marion Carouthers addressed the Board of Education expressing her concerns with the closing of Pipestone Pre-School Center.

Mr. Darwin Watson addressed the Board of Education commending the District for seeking to establish an alternative educational plan and questioned when the pre-school issue will be resolved.

Mrs. Vicki Robinson-Brown addressed the Board of Education questioning the non-transportation of preschoolers.

Mr. Michael Blanks addressed the Board of Education questioning why February 22 was not declared a District snow day and stated that the BHHS student parking lot was not plowed. He asked why the BHHS Reality Check sells the same food items as sold in the vending machines and questioned why some teachers are late to class.

Ms. Barbara Evans addressed the Board of Education questioning the transportation issue for pre-schoolers.

Board Comments
Trustee Woltman commented that the Paw Paw Public School system recently passed a community bond to build a new school building and field house.

Trustee Peeples-Burks reiterated the importance of public and staff input needed for the superintendent search process.

Trustee Jones thanked the public participants for their input concerning the pre-school issue and questioned if the management team contracts were all worded the same.

Trustee Henry expressed his concerns regarding the Fair Plain Northwest building being designated as the District’s preschool site stating that the location is great but this proposal is not supportive of the operating budget.

Trustee Mitchell stated that budget restraint does not always equal the bottomline. The proposal to designate the Fair Plain Northwest building as the District’s Pre-School Center is an alternative solution, as the welfare of children should be foremost.