MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
BENTON HARBOR AREA SCHOOLS
OCTOBER 10, 2006

The October regular meeting of the Board of Education was called to order by President Dan McGinnis at 6:04 p.m. in the Benton Harbor High School, Student Commons.

Present:  Mr. Dan McGinnis, Mrs. J. Allene Smith, Mr. Ken Woltman, Mr. Anthony Henry, Ms. Lue Buchana and Mrs. Iris Watts

Absent:  Mrs. Carolyn Fort

The Benton Harbor Area Schools Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps JROTC offered the Presentation of Colors and the Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

Communications
A moment of silence was conducted in the death of Willie Bowman, the brother of former Board trustee Robert Bowman and in the death of Roderick Roseburgh, the nephew of Assistant Superintendent Nora Jefferson.

Trustee Smith read a letter from Attorney Gary Chamberlin that congratulated Assistant Superintendents’ Virginia Maxwell and J. Leonard Wright for the Drive For Success Program, as acknowledged by the Michigan Association of School Boards 2006 Michigan’s Best Award.

The Michigan Association of School Boards will be offering CBA classes at the Berrien County Intermediate School District Board for board members.

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

THAT the Minutes of the work session of September 5, 2006 be approved as printed;

THAT the Minutes of the regular meeting of September 12, 2006 be approved as printed;

THAT the Minutes of the special meeting of September 30, 2006 be approved as printed.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Vendor Payments
A motion was made by Mr. Henry and supported by Mr. Woltman that vendor payments in the amount of $1,348,409.37 be approved for payment.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Activity of the General Fund was reviewed and accepted as presented.

Central Administration
Staff Report #1
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Ms. Buchana:

THAT effective immediately 11-05-10-HMS be allowed to return as a student in the Benton Harbor Area Schools.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

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

THAT Board policies:

• JCDAE - Bullying Prohibited
• JCDAF – Hazing Prohibited
• EBBC (also JGFA) – Emergency Drills
• EBBC-E  (also JGFA-E) – Fire/Tornado/Lockdown Drill Record
• EBBC-R (also JGFA-R) - Emergency Drills Rules and Regulations
• JGFA (also EBBC) - Emergency Drills
• JGFA-E (also EBBC-E) – Fire/Tornado/Lockdown Drill Record
• JGFA-R (also EBBC-R) – Emergency Drills Rules and Regulations
• JCDB-R - Students Rights and Responsibilities/Conduct Behavior Code/Dress Code Rules & Regulations

be hereby adopted as policy of the School District and that any previous policy as listed be hereby rescinded.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Staff Report #3
A motion was made by Mrs. Smith and supported by Mr. Woltman:

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education officially adopt the resolution that supports the K-16 School Funding Proposal 5 for the benefit of the public education community and all public education students in the State of Michigan.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Staff Report #4
Staff report #4 was pulled from the agenda and will be voted upon at the November meeting.

Staff Report #5
A motion was made by Mr. Henry and supported by Mrs. Watts:

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education officially adopt the Michigan State Board of Education resolution that recognizes October 9-13, 2006, as National School Lunch Week.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

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

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

Tuesday, October 10, 2006 before, during or following
the regular meeting of the Board of Education on
that date, and

Tuesday, November 7, 2006 before, during or following
the work session of the Board of Education on that date,

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

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Business/Finance
Staff Report #7
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Mrs. Smith:

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education approve Transamerica Life & Annuity Company as a 403 (b) Plan Provider for the District.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Staff Report #8
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Ms. Buchana:

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education approve a one-year agreement with Careful Transit to provide special transportation services.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Staff Report #9
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Mrs. Smith:

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education approve a lease agreement between Benton Harbor Area Schools and Northshore Space Group.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Staff Report #10
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Ms. Buchana:

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education approve the purchase of the Accuscan Point of Sale (POS) system for the elementary schools at a cost of $42,734.00.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Human Resources/Labor Relations
Staff Report #11
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Mrs. Smith:

THAT Mr. Larry Featherstone be placed on layoff status effective, October 14, 2006.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Staff Report #12
A motion was made by Mrs. Smith and supported by Mr. Woltman:

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools employ the following teachers, effective date as referenced:

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Staff Report #13
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Ms. Buchana:

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education employ Ms. Yvonne Davis as Assistant Principal of Fair Plain Renaissance Middle School for the 2006-2007 school year, effective October 2, 2006.  Her salary will be in accordance with the Benton Harbor Area Schools Administrators’ Master Labor Agreement.

The motion passed on the following vote:

Staff Report #14
Staff report #14 was pulled from the agenda.

Staff Report #15
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Mrs. Smith:

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education accept the resignation notices from Mrs. Kelly Oaks and Ms. Evangeline Prosper and that a letter is sent thanking them for their years of service to the students of the District.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Staff Report #15A
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Mrs. Watts:

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education contract with Soliant Health for two speech therapists effective October 2, 2006, in the amount of $120,000.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

President Dan McGinnis publicly announced his apology to the Human Resources Department for his past unfair judgment of that department.

Consent
Staff Report #16
A motion was made by Mrs. Watts and supported by Mr. Woltman:

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education gratefully acknowledges and accepts the following grants and donations to the District for the 2006-2007 school year:

• $15,000 Wallace Foundation Grant to the Benton Harbor Area Schools
• $5,000 Scholarship from GLP Investment Services to the Benton Harbor Area Schools

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Other
Following the regular meeting the Board of Education will recess into closed session for the purpose of discussing with legal counsel personnel issues.

Superintendent’s Update
The Benton Harbor Area Schools has enrolled 75 additional students since the official count day, but the District still faces over a million dollar budget shortfall.

The State of Michigan Special Education Focused Monitoring group will be at Fair Plain Northwest Learning Academy on Wednesday, October 11, 2006.

Governor Granholm’s Cabinet members will visit the Benton Harbor High School on October 18, 2006, during their “Cities of Promise” tour.

Public Participation
Ms. Yuolanda Pullian addressed the Board of Education expressing her concerns with student uniforms.  Ms. Pullian stated that uniforms are costly to parents and are not helping District scores, as the schools are still disruptive.  She asked how to go about having the uniform policy recalled.

Ms. Danielle Crump addressed the Board of Education with concerns of non-certified teachers teaching core classes at the secondary level and questioned the special assistance for the schools that did not make adequate yearly progress.  She asked for justification on the re-opening Fair Plain Northwest Learning and Stump Academies with approximately 50 students in each building, when the District is facing a budget shortfall and student enrollment is down.  Ms. Crump also asked why the BHHS marching band could not attend the event in Indianapolis last Friday.

Mrs. Lisa Peeples-Hurst addressed the Board of Education asking if there are any portable buildings that the District is not utilizing.

Mrs. Nicole Garrett addressed the Board of Education with her concerns of the BHHS marching band not attending the Circle City Classic in Indianapolis last Friday.  She stated her disquiet with the Benton Harbor Area Schools being referred to as a corporation, as it is a public school system paid for by taxpayers.  Mrs. Garrett also questioned the support and security at Stump Academy.

Board Comments
Trustee Smith discussed her attendance at the Jamie Vollmer Presentation at Lake Michigan College, sponsored by the Berrien County Intermediate School District.

Trustee McGinnis encouraged the Board Instruction & Curriculum Committee to update/revise the 2003-2007 District Strategic Plan.

The Board recessed to closed session at 7:30 p.m. to discuss with legal council personnel issues.

Present:  Mr. Dan McGinnis, Mrs. J. Allene Smith, Mr. Ken Woltman, Mr. Anthony Henry, Ms. Lue Buchana and Mrs. Iris Watts

Also Present:  Dr. Paula Dawning and Attorney K. Morris Gavin

The Board of Education reconvened to open session at 8:15 p.m.

 A motion was made by Mrs. Smith and supported by Mr. Henry:

THAT Superintendent Paula Dawning’s 2006-2007 Performance Objectives are synonymous with the Board of Education District Goals & Objectives, as established at a special meeting held on September 30, 2006.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

There being no further business, the October regular meeting of the Board of Education was adjourned at 8:25 p.m.