Alexandria City School Board

Thursday, April 14, 2011

(7:30 PM)

Draft Meeting Minutes

1. Call to Order

Chairman Folkerts called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. All Board members were present except Ms. Gorsuch and Mr. Peabody. Mr. Williams arrived at 8:00 p.m.

2. Pledge of Allegiance

George Washington Middle School 1 students Curtis Jordan, Bianca Brown, Jay Seline, and Karen Galeas led the Pledge of Allegiance.

3. Moment of Silence

The Board observed a moment of silence in honor of Rev. John O. Peterson, Jr.

4. Adoption of Meeting Agenda

Ms. Maness moved adoption of the meeting agenda. Ms. Morris seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

5. Communications & Addresses to the Board

The Board and Superintendent Sherman congratulated the members of the TC Williams Odyssey of the Mind Team and boys and girls Basketball Teams.

Four members of the community addressed the Board.

6. Chairman's Report

Chairman Folkerts reported on the remaining City Council budget dates.

7. Superintendent's Report

Superintendent Sherman:

Reported on the incident at John Adams and the information from federal and local agencies. He noted a letter from the John Adams staff will be sent to parents with information on two community meetings scheduled for April 27 and May 18. He noted that information on FLE curriculum, available resources for students and parents, information on background checks for staff and volunteers, and a communications plan are part of the outreach to the families. He thanked the Grace Taylor, Andreia Searcy John Adams staff, central office staff, and City agencies for their work with the students and parents.

Updated the Board on the modified open enrollments numbers.

Announced that there will be a joint meeting of the Minority Achievement Committees, Monday, April 25, 7:00 p.m., at Minnie Howard.

Board members discussed the information coming from Federal agencies about the John Adams teacher and their responsibility to inform ACPS, timing and handling of the John Adams administrator leaving, and procedures for investigating parent allegations of inappropriate behavior.

Board members also discussed the procedures for students to return to their home school under modified open enrollment if vacancies become available for students who were placed at other schools because of enrollment issues.

Board members requested information on the ACPS classroom activities for the 150th anniversary of the Civil war.

8. Approval of Minutes

Ms. Carter moved approval of the February 10, 2011 meeting minutes. Ms. Maness seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

Ms. Maness moved approval of the March 3, 2011 Called meeting minutes. Mr. Wilson seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

Ms. Campbell moved approval of the March 10, 2011 meeting minutes. Ms. Morris seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

9. Consent Calendar

Ms. Maness moved approval of the consent calendar. Ms. Carter seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. The consent calendar consisted of the following items.

Human Resources Report February 2011 Financial Report Scholarship Fund of Alexandria 2010 Audit Appoint Peg Pankowski to the Career and Technical Education Advisory Committee Revised 2010-11 School Board meeting schedule

Items Pulled from Consent

Old Business and Action Items

16. Preparations for Opening of School 2011-2012

Superintendent Sherman updated the Board on the status of the early start waiver. He noted that additional information was submitted to the Board of Education to further explain the innovations in the waiver request submitted by ACPS. The Superintendent of Instruction, Dr. Wright indicated that the proposal will be forwarded to the Board of Education for the April 28 meeting but her recommendation is to not approve the waiver request.

Board members requested information on the specifics of Dr. Wright’s recommendation to not approve the waiver, gauge the support from the community to go forward, different types of available waivers, have direct communication with Dr. Wright about the ACPS request and any additional information, submission of an alternate proposal for just the secondary schools, the difficulty of having more than one calendar, and submit additional information and/or endorsement from National partners.

Board members asked the Superintendent to move forward with the early start waiver request for the April 28 State Board of Education meeting.

Superintendent Sherman reported on summer planning including middle school prep, noted that there will be no change in summer school dates regardless of the waiver outcome, and that draft calendars starting after Labor Day have been created pending the outcome of the early start waiver.

New Business

17. Career and Technical Education Carl Perkins Grant for 2011-12

Sherri Chapman, Coordinator of Career, Technical and Adult Education presented the program and services descriptions on how the $236,977 in grant funds would be used to enhance programs:  $25,000 for professional development  $12,000 to modernize and improve photography labs  $10,000 to expand, improve, and modernize TV production  $70,000 to equip the biotechnology and forensics lab  $60,000 to improve and modernize middle school technology labs  $6,000 to update and modernize kitchen equipment in the family and consumer science labs  $15,000 to provide support for students and one advisor per program to attend local, state and national conferences  $11,000 to purchase documents, cameras, SmartBoards, printers, scanners, flip cameras, and other computer technology  $17,299 for support of grant operations through indirect costs  $10,678 to purchase anatomical and interactive simulation models and other equipment for health and medical sciences program.

Chairman Folkerts noted that the CTE Federal Funds application would be on the April 28 agenda for approval.

18. Board member announcements

Ms. Maness reported on the NSBA conference sessions she attended.

Ms Campbell reported on the TC Williams band performances and awards at the competition in Florida.

19. Future meeting dates

April 25, 2011, 5:00 p.m., City/School Committee meeting, City Hall April 28, 2011, 7:30 p.m., School Board Meeting April 30, 2011, 6:00 p.m., Scholarship Fund Gala, Hilton Mark Center May 4, 2011, 7:00 p.m., School Board Work Session on Inclusion & Autism May 9, 2011, 7:00 p.m., School Board Work Session on FY 2012 Budget Adjustments May 12, 2011, 7:30 p.m., School Board meeting May 19, 2011, 6:30 p.m., School Board Work session with Superintendent's Student Leadership Committee May 23, 2011, 5:00 p.m., City/Schools, George Washington Middle School ALL Center May 26, 2011, 7:30 p.m., School Board meeting June 9, 2011, 7:30 p.m., School Board meeting June 16, 2011, 7:00 p.m., VASS Work Session June 23, 2011, 7:30 p.m., School Board meeting July 1, 2011, 8:00 a.m., School Board Organizational meeting

20. Closed meeting & Certification of Closed meeting (if needed)

The clerk read the motion to discuss nine personnel items and consult with legal counsel pursuant to VA. Code 2.2-3711 A(1). Mr. Wilson moved approval of the motion. Mr. Williams seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

Mr. Wilson moved to certify the closed meeting. Ms. Campbell seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

21. Adjourn meeting

Mr. Wilson moved to adjourn the meeting. Ms. Morris seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 12:15 a.m.