Absent: Ms. Michelle Jones and Mrs. J. Allene Smith

Recognitions
Staff and students are recording positive messages promoting BHAS on WSJM radio AM 1400. New messages will be recorded each month by selected staff and students that will be broadcasted each morning M-F between 6-9 a.m. November's broadcast was recorded by: 1) BHHS senior Tracy Cleveland, 2) Sterne Brunson 5^th grader Stacy Looper, 3) CAA teacher Anita Burton, 4) secretary Loretta Hansen, 5) Fair Plain West parent Ruth Lloyd and, 6) Superintendent Renee' Williams.

Trustees received a calendar of BHAS holiday programs scheduled for elementary and junior high schools.

Central Administration
Superintendent Williams reported that Board action would be requested at the regular meeting to approve the establishment of a Bond Issue Steering Committee. BHAS is contemplating a future bond issue to upgrade our schools. A recommendation has been made by EVEREN Securities to the Board of Education to establish a Benton Harbor Area Schools Bond Issue Steering Committee. The purpose of a Steering Committee is to monitor, coordinate and communicate the activities to be addressed. Membership is broad-based that includes representation of the school district and community.

Business and Finance
Assistant Superintendent Mark Giffels introduced Certified Public Accountant Jeff Dorn, representative of the accounting firm Plante & Moran, who presented the BHAS Audit report for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 1999. Items of discussion were the General Fund Equity, General Fund Revenue, and General Fund Expenditures. Future uncertainties for state school funding include "caps" in the state aid formula, dependence upon state economy, retirement plan funding status and future contribution changes, federal funding changes and uncertainty, prolonged state aid payment schedule, Charter Schools, Schools of Choice and student enrollment.

Assistant Superintendent Mark Giffels reported that Board action would be requested at the regular meeting to approve the annual replacement/purchase of school buses. It is necessary for the district to purchase eight (8) 78-passenger Genesis buses from Woodland International Trucks, Inc. a cost of $587,272.00. The buses will be purchased through the 2000 Michigan School Business Officials-Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation Aggregated Bus Purchasing Program.

Mr. Giffels reported that Board action would be requested at the regular meeting to approve the summer tax resolution as prepared by Thrun, Maatsch and Nordberg. In 1983, the BHAS Board of Education determined to impose a summer property tax levy to collect all school property taxes that included debt services upon property located within the district. The resolution acknowledges the Board's decision to impose summer taxes on an ongoing basis and specifically invokes that resolution and requests the levy of summer taxes in the following year.

Instruction
Educational Consultant Dr. John Champlin, Institute for Quality Learning, presented an update on the Continuous Progress program that is piloted at Morton, Calvin Britain, Fair Plain West, Sterne Brunson and Hull Elementary Schools. Continuous Progress is organizing around how we know pupils learn best and how the staff functions most productively. Continuous Progress is a performance-based process - gaps are not accepted. It is imperative that school districts identify where a pupil's last significant success is and place the student there to move on successfully through a carefully designed, sequential curriculum. Continuous Progress encourages staff to no longer 1) accept failure as terminal, 2) accept students performing below standards, 3) maintain a practice because we've always done it that way and 4) accept and retain any staff person who is not an active, positive contributor.

Mr. Emmerson Payne, Group Director for Secondary Education, and BHHS teachers Mary Ealy and Carolyn Walton presented the Close Up program. The Close Up program is a government studies adventure for high school students to visit Washington, D.C. Students and chaperones will have a weeklong study visit at the nation's capital and an opportunity to experience government and the political process firsthand. To date, ten BHHS students have signed up to participate. The cost is $1,168 per student with partial funding provided by the Berrien County Intermediate School District. To help defray student costs, the Close Up program requested assistance from the Board of Education in the amount of $300.00 per student.

Assistant Superintendent Richard Garrison reported that Board action would be requested at the regular meeting to approve the BHHS Close Up Program/Trip.

Assistant Superintendent Richard Garrison reported that Board action would be requested at the regular meeting to approve and accept a donation of World Book Encyclopedias and Yearbooks to Fair Plain West Elementary from Ms. Delores Gunn.

Mr. Garrison reported that Board action would be requested at the regular meeting to approve and accept a donation of a refrigerator and stove to Calvin Britain Elementary from the Whirlpool Foundation.

Assistant Superintendent Garrison reported that Board action would be requested at the regular meeting to approve and accept a donation of a 15-ft. hydrocraft jet boat to the Inner City Sail Club from Sinbad.

Assistant Superintendent Richard Garrison reported that Board action would be requested at the regular meeting to approve and accept a donation of $100.00 to the BHHS Swim Program from Mr. and Mrs. Alan Messinger.

Human Resources/Labor Relations
Assistant Superintendent Nora Jefferson reported that Board action would be requested at the regular meeting to approve the following action items:

• Employment of Professional Teaching Staff
• Professional Staff Requesting Leave of Absence
• Professional Teaching Staff Resigning
• Professional Teaching Staff Retiring

Superintendent's Update
January is Board of Education Appreciation Month.

The Management Team is currently working with architects to explore ways to upgrade our school buildings and they are looking forward to escorting teachers, parents and community members around to visit and tour new school buildings.

BHAS is examining the middle school concept. To successfully implement, additional input and decisions are needed for this transition because of space limitations.

Public Participation
Ms. Sonja Johnson addressed the Board with her concerns regarding security at King Junior High School and questioned the safety of students during the exchange between McCord Renaissance and King Junior High.

Ms. Mary Bullocks addressed the Board regarding the need for additional security at King Junior High and students receiving hands-on learning.

Mr. James Bell addressed the Board of Education questioning the Board policy whereby building principals supervise and evaluate custodians.

Mr. Arthur Bullocks addressed the Board stating that there is a communication problem among BHAS custodians and their supervisors.

Board Comments
Trustee Peeples-Burks announced that the Instruction/Curriculum Committee is scheduled to meet on Monday, December 13 at 12:00 noon. She also commented on the impressive open house she attended at Countryside Charter School. "Public schools is a choice and it is imperative that BHAS promote good, positive, educational opportunities so parents can make the best choice in educating their children."

Trustee Hodges commented that the community has a perception of King Junior High being a school for low achieving students. Superintendent Williams stated that the perception is inaccurate and school building placement is based on the student's home address. Trustee Woltman added that if the community has that perception, it is important to find out why.