Board of Education s16

BOARD OF EDUCATION SPECIAL MEETING JULY 18, 2013

The Board of Trustees held a Special Meeting on Thursday, July 18, 2013 at 12:00 noon at the School Administration Building with Chairwoman Ann Boston presiding. Trustees present: Scott Ferguson, Patti Hepola, Linda Sorini Granger, John Ries, Debbie Shea and Carol Wold. Absent: Trustee O’Brien. Also present were: Judy Jonart, Superintendent, J.R. Richardson, Business Manager and Therese McClafferty, Director of Human Resources.

CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Item 1 – R.O.C.K.I.E.S. Presentation with Recognitions

Jim O’Neill gave recognition to Superintendent Jonart for securing the grant for the R.O.C.K.I.E.S. program and also recognized Tawni Emett for all of the work that goes into running a successful R.O.C.K.I.E.S. program.

Mr. O’Neill shared that the requirements of the 21st CCLC include establishing objectives to meet 3 Performance Goals; which are as follows:

PERFORMANCE GOAL 1:  IMPROVE STUDENT LEARNING-PERFORMANCE, FOR STUDENTS OF ALL AGES, IN ONE OR MORE CORE ACADEMIC AREAS THROUGH CONSISTENT INVOLVEMENT IN 21ST CENTURY CCLC PROGRAMS.

PERFORMANCE GOAL 2  OFFER A BROAD ARRAY OF HIGH QUALITY ACTIVITIES INCLUDING YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, DRUG AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION, CAREER DEVELOPMENT, ART, MUSIC, RECREATION, TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION, AND CHARACTER EDUCATION, WHICH REINFORCE AND COMPLEMENT THE SCHOOL DAY AND POSITIVELY AFFECT SCHOOL ATTENDANCE, ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, AND DECREASE DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS OR ADVERSE BEHAVIORS.

PERFORMANCE GOAL 3  PROVIDE PROGRAMMING TO ENGAGE FAMILIES OF ENROLLED 21ST CENTURY CCLC PARTICIPANTS WITH THE INTENT OF ENHANCING THE HOME/SCHOOL RELATIONSHIP, PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN SCHOOL, AND PROMOTING RESILIENCY THROUGH FAMILY INVOLVEMENT.

Note: A complete copy of the power point presentation is on file in the Clerk’s Office and by this reference is made part of these minutes.

Chairperson Boston thanked Jim O’Neill for all of the hard work he has put into Butte School District #1’s R.O.C.K.I.E.S.’s program.

Item 2 – Approval to Authorize a Letter to Eileen Joyce, Butte Silver-Bow County Attorney Regarding Taxes – J.R. Richardson

JR requested Board approval to send the following letter to Eileen Joyce, Butte Silver- Bow County Attorney regarding the taxes:

Eileen Joyce Butte Silver-Bow County Attorney 155 West Granite Street Butte, Mt. 59701

Dear Eileen, 6

The Butte School District #1 Board of Trustees is requesting a County Attorney Opinion on extending the term of the District’s Building Reserve Levy one year, to accommodate the error that occurred with the 2012-13 tax levy assessment. With this action, the Building Reserve levy would still be at the voter approved term of ten years, however the 10th year of the levy would be 2018-19, rather than 2017-18. The District would still be collecting the voter authorized $7,000,000.00, at $700,000.00 per year, the change would be that there were no tax collections in 2012-13 and those collections would now be deferred to 2018-19. Butte School District #1 met all of the applicable statutory requirements, including the specified timelines, detailed in the Montana State law for forwarding this levy to the Butte-Silver Bow County Superintendent of Schools and the Board does not feel it is appropriate, or in the best interest of the District’s students and staff, for the District to suffer the consequences from this error. The District has been in consultation with the State of Montana Office of Public Instruction and they have concurred in our planned action of requesting a County Attorney’s Opinion to extend the levy term. If the District’s request is approved, we would then forward your Opinion to the Office of Public Instruction and begin working with them on the details to finalize the deferral and the implementation of the accounting changes that would be required. Thank you very much for your prompt attention to this matter and we appreciate your consideration of this request.

Sincerely,

Ann Boston Butte School District #1, Board Chair

Trustee Shea asked if it would behoove us to alert the County Superintendent each year so this error does not happen.

Shea moved to approve sending the above letter to Eileen Joyce, County Attorney and also send a letter to Cathy Maloney, Superintendent of Schools requesting a detailed explanation of how this error occurred and what steps will be taken in the future to prevent such errors; second by Ries, motion carried.

Mr. Richardson stated that we have an obligation to the tax payers and the employees of Butte School District #1 and it would be within the Board’s authority to request the County Superintendent respond to the questions of the Board.

Pollyanna Thurmond stated that she had a concern with the $700,000.00 lack of accountability. Ms. Thurmond stated that the District is losing track of what learning is all about and the parking lots are taking priority over academics.

J.R. Richardson stated that these monies, by State law, have to be spent on infrastructure; not classroom. Richardson also shared that the District has reduced taxes for eight consecutive years.

Item 3 – Approval to Enter Into An Agreement Between Butte School District #1 and Montana Tech, Scott Risser, Ph.D., on a Research Project for Adolescents’ Social Development, called the Genes and Life Project – Superintendent Jonart

Chairperson Boston stated that this item has been brought back to the Trustees for a vote as there were unanswered questions and concern from one or more Trustees.

Superintendent Jonart stated that the study is an Independent National Research Study in which they are hoping to come up with indicators of at-risk students. Dr. Scott Risser has requested that the Butte School District help aide in the science of research.

Nay: Boston, Ferguson, Granger, Hepola, Ries and Shea. Wold could not vote on elementary issue. O’Brien, absent.

Item 8 – Public Comment On Any Public Matter Not On Agenda

Adjournment

There being no further business to come before the Board, Trustee Ries moved to adjourn, second by Trustee Hepola, motion carried. Chairwoman Boston adjourned the meeting at 1:07 p.m. ______Chairwoman of the Board of Trustees

Attest: ______District Clerk pj