THE
SCHOOL BOARD OF ALACHUA COUNTY, FLORIDA
APPROVED MINUTES OF REGULAR BOARD MEETING
March 23, 1999
The School Board of Alachua County, Florida, met in regular session duly called at 7 p.m. in the Boardroom, 620 East University Avenue, Gainesville, Florida. Present were: Bill Cake, chairman; Barbara Sharpe, vice-chairman; Judy Brashear, Bev Carroll, and Chester Leathers, members; Lawrence Marazza, superintendent; and James F. Lang, attorney for the Board.
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Cake, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
| APPROVAL OF MINUTES | Motion by Mrs.
Sharpe
Seconded by Mrs. Brashear Moved to approve the minutes of March 2, 1999, as presented. The question was called. Upon Vote: Motion passed 5-0 |
| ADOPTION OF AGENDA | Motion by Dr.
Leathers
Seconded by Mrs. Carroll Moved to adopt the agenda for the meeting of March 23, 1999, as presented. Add Action Item B.2.d., Proclamation proclaiming March 27-April 2, 1999, Hazardous Materials Spill Prevention Week. Add the following to Consent Agenda item 1: Attachment B, Page 3, Resignation of Jacqueline M. Johnson, Supervisor, Public Information, effective April 2, 1999; and Attachment B, Page 1, Appointment of Frances G. White as Interim Supervisor, Public Information, effective March 29, 1999. Add as a Discussion Item B.2.e., Constitutional Revision--Nonpartisan Election. The question was called on the agenda as amended. Upon Vote: Motion passed 5-0 |
| BOARD
MEMBERS/ SUPERINTENDENT ANNOUNCEMENTS |
Board members announced the
activities and events they attended. Mrs. Brashear referred to the application deadline of March 26 for students living in the Pepper Mill area to make their choice to attend Elementary School "E" or continue at Idylwild and requested information on the number of students choosing "E" from that area. |
| RECOGNITION—ALACHUA COUNTY BELL RINGER AWARD | Mrs. Jackie Johnson, Public Information Officer, presented the first Alachua County Bell Ringer Award to the following two recipients: Roosevelt Hutchinson, Head Custodian, Shell Elementary School; and Carol Haile, BRT, Glen Springs Elementary School. |
| CITIZEN INPUT | An educational consultant commended the Board for hiring an effective legislative lobbyist and also provided comparison information on House and Senate bills currently being considered in the Legislature. |
| SUPERINTENDENT REPORT SCIENCE PRESENTATION | Superintendent Marazza
announced the upcoming schedule for the strategic
planning community meetings: March 29 -- 7 p.m.
Buchholz High School Mrs. Elaine Taylor, Curriculum Specialist, began a presentation related to science and the collaboration between the School Board, University of Florida, Santa Fe Community College and Shands Hospital. |
| ********************** | Due to an advertised public hearing, the regular Board meeting was recessed and a Public Hearing convened. |
| PUBLIC
HEARING— REVISIONS TO SCHOOL BOARD POLICY BCFC, SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCILS |
A parent and School Advisory
Council member presented the Board with several
suggestions on proposed revisions to Policy BCFC for
Board consideration:
Mrs. Brashear stated that the Board’s policies are currently being revised and brought into compliance with state law. She pointed out that Policy BCFC does not prohibit SACs from allowing upcoming parents to vote. The proposed changes will now allow the principal and the School Board to decide on the size of the SACs. She referred to the SACNET policy and noted that SACs are required to provide the district’s school improvement contact with annual information such as bylaws, financial reports, membership, and minutes and feels the district contact can be used as a facilitator to provide and share information with SACs without members having to attend SACNET meetings. She will support the Superintendent’s recommendation to eliminate the two-year term limit, which has been burdensome in some cases. She requested the Superintendent provide an annual report on recruitment efforts to ensure communication has increased and citizens are informed and aware that they have an opportunity to serve. Mrs. Carroll stated she supports the following changes:
Dr. Leathers voiced his support for strong parent and community involvement in schools. Mrs. Brashear requested an end-of-the-year report on the time of SAC meetings, the number of members present; and how many members constitute a quorum in their bylaws. Mrs. Sharpe stated that there is sufficient data currently available and noted that what works at some sites does not work at all sites. She does not believe that all sites are having the same problems and requested information on what problems each individual SAC is having. |
| NEW/REVISED
JOB DESCRIPTIONS |
Mrs. Faye Cake, assistant
superintendent, Human Resources, reported that the
district recommends adding two new job descriptions and
revising one job description. The new job descriptions
are for Dispatcher and Coordinator of Library Information
Systems. The revised job description is the Supervisor of
Media and Instructional Materials. There was no public input. |
| ********************** | The Public Hearing was adjourned and the regular board meeting reconvened. |
| PRESENTATION—SCIENCE | Mrs. Taylor resumed her
presentation on the recent Regional Science and
Engineering Fair, which is held in conjunction with the
College of Engineering at the University of Florida. She
introduced the three state winners to present a brief
review of their winning science projects: Galen Kaufman,
Newberry High School, Artificially Contaminated
Strawberries; Gregory Oelfke, Santa Fe High, Zoology; and
Swati Nylavarapu, Eastside High School, Diabetes
Research. Representatives from Shands, the University of Florida College of Medicine and Center for Cooperative Learning provided information on the many collaborative efforts to improve health in the community. The Board commended Mrs. Taylor on her presentation and thanked the student and business partners for their efforts. |
| ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENT—WILLIAMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL | Motion by Mrs.
Sharpe
Seconded by Mrs. Carroll Moved the superintendent’s recommendation to appoint Katherine V. Dixon as principal of Williams Elementary School, effective April 19, 1999. The question was called. Upon Vote: Motion passed 5-0 |
| SCHEDULE WORKSHOP | Motion by Dr.
Leathers
Seconded by Mrs. Sharpe Moved to schedule a workshop to discuss charter school information and a strategic planning update on April 6, 1999, 9 a.m. The question was called. Upon Vote: Motion passed 5-0 |
| STUDENT
CASE NO. 99-14-NP |
Mr. Tom Wittmer, staff
attorney, reported that the student was assigned to the
alternative center based on a Level IV violation as well
as a history of disruptive behavior. A hearing was held
February 12, 1999. Motion by Mrs. Sharpe Seconded by Dr. Leathers Moved the hearing agent’s recommendation to reassign the student effective February 16, 1999, on probation. The question was called. Upon Vote: Motion passed 5-0 |
| STUDENT
CASE NO. 99-15-NP |
Mr. Wittmer reported that
the student was reassigned to the alternative center as a
result of a history of disruptive behavior. A hearing was
held February 17, 1999. Motion by Mrs. Sharpe Seconded by Mrs. Brashear Moved the hearing agent’s recommendation that the Board confirm the student’s assignment to the alternative center. Mr. Wittmer noted that this is not an expulsion case. The question was called. Upon Vote: Motion passed 5-0 |
| STUDENT
CASE NO. 99-17-X |
Mr. Wittmer reported that
the student was reassigned to the alternative center as a
result of a history of disruptive behavior. A hearing was
held February 17, 1999. Motion by Mrs. Brashear Seconded by Mrs. Sharpe Moved the hearing agent’s recommendation to confirm the assignment of the student to the alternative center. The question was called. Upon Vote: Motion passed 5-0 |
| STUDENT
CASE NO. 99-20-X |
Mr. Wittmer requested this case be removed based on no recommendation for any action at this time. |
| STUDENT
CASE NO. 98-52-X |
Mr. Wittmer reported that
the Board had earlier expelled this student through the
1998-99 school year, but provided a conditional re-entry
in January 1999, but the student has violated the
probation. Motion by Mrs. Sharpe Seconded by Mrs. Brashear Moved the superintendent’s recommendation to revoke the student’s probation and the student complete expulsion term through the end of the 1998-99 school year. The question was called. Upon Vote: Motion passed 5-0 |
| PROCLAMATION | Motion by Mrs.
Sharpe
Seconded by Dr. Leathers Moved to approve the Proclamation proclaiming March 27 – April 2, 1999, as Hazardous Materials Spill Prevention Week. The question was called. Upon Vote: Motion passed 5-0 |
| DISCUSSION
ITEM— CONSTITUTIONAL REVISION— NON-PARTISAN ELECTION |
Chairman Cake informed the
Board that the new constitutional revision, which now
mandates nonpartisan elections is not as prohibitive as
the Board’s law, which was passed by the Legislature
a few years ago, and the Board does not come under the
new law, but its own. Based on a recommendation from the Supervisor of Elections, Board Attorney Lang has agreed to research this issue and receive input from each Board member. He will provide the Board with the pros and cons of the Board’s special act in comparison to new law and place this item on a future agenda. Board Attorney Lang informed the Board that the new law applies to everyone and if that law is more lenient and the Board wishes, the legislative delegation could repeal the special act and the Board would come under umbrella of the new constitutional revision. |
| CONSENT AGENDA | Superintendent Marazza
informed the Board that Jackie Johnson, the
district’s Public Information Officer, will be
resigning her position April 2, 1999. He recommends the
appointment of Mrs. Frances G. White, currently serving
as Coordinator of the School Volunteer Program, to serve
as Interim Supervisor for Public Information, effective
March 29, 1999. Mrs. White will be compensated in
accordance with provisions included in the 1998-99 Salary
Schedule and on a pro-rata basis until such time as the
new Supervisor for Public Information is appointed. At
that time, she will return to her duties as Coordinator
of the School volunteer Program. Motion by Mrs. Brashear Seconded by Mrs. Sharpe Moved to approve the consent agenda as described in item 1. (See Supplementary Minutes Book.) The question was called. Upon Vote: Motion passed 5-0 |
| ADJOURNMENT | The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m. |