Date: Tue, 9 Feb 2016 17:44:29 -0500
From: Mia Munn
Subject: School board meeting 2/16/2016 at Jordan-Matthews
Agenda
https://eboard.eboardsolutions.com/Meetings/ViewMeetingOrder.aspx?S=190&MID=2273
A number of families were at the meeting until the Spotlight on schools was over. After that, only John Hunter (Chatham News), a Chatham Park representative, and myself were in the audience.
My public comment:
There is a lot of concern in the eastern part of the county about the effect of the sinkholes on Lystra and Jones Ferry roads on schools and schoolchildren. I was surprised that I could find no mention of the road closures or their effect on bus routes and transportation on the district homepage, on the district transportation or Public Information pages, or on the websites of three of the four affected schools, Northwood, Pollard, and Perry Harrison. North Chatham did have some information about the changes to several bus routes under Announcements, but nothing on the timeframe for a fix, information for parents other than bus impact, or even a link to the DOT site with the detail of the issue. I think this lack of information on a major disruption to several schools is less than helpful to the school communities affected. Jones Ferry is scheduled to be closed more than a month and Lystra at least three months. I hope that the administration has reached out to the Department of Transportation to quantify the impact of the road closures on school transportation, including the longer bus rides for many children and the impact on the district budget due to the cost of fuel and the state reimbursement because of effect on our transportation rating. If those conversations have not occurred, I urge the board to direct that to happen.
8 teachers were recognized for earning National Board Certification.
For the Spotlight on Schools, two students from SAGE spoke briefly about how SAGE has helped them (another missed it because he was sick), and they gave the board members some SAGE swag. Then the Jordan-Matthews principal had Jets from the classes of 2030 (pre-k) to 2016 (from JM, Chatham Middle, Silk Hope, Virginia Cross, and Siler City Elementary) introduce themselves and say how what they are learning will help them – each wearing an “I am a Jet” t-shirt. Several of the students at Chatham Middle and JM spoke about the dual language program in both English and Spanish.
At the January retreat, board members asked Chatham Park to have a representative at every school board meeting. They didn’t have anything to present. The board okayed a letter to Chatham Park confirming that the board is working with Chatham Park on school sites. https://eboard.eboardsolutions.com/Meetings/Attachment.aspx?S=190&AID=50998&MID=2273 There were a few questions. CP confirmed that the first building, a medical office, should get its certificate of occupancy this week and will start seeing patients March 15. They anticipate having housing lots available in late 2017/2018, with the first houses occupied in 2018. CP will provide the letter (see link) to Pittsboro Town Council as evidence that they are working with the school board.
The draft 2016/17 calendar was discussed. It will be voted on at the March meeting (has to be publicly available for 30 days).
https://eboard.eboardsolutions.com/Meetings/Attachment.aspx?S=190&AID=51005&MID=2273
The calendar committee (parents, teachers, non-teaching staff, administrators from all 17 schools and central office) had very little flexibility given the parameters in law. Christmas break is shorter this year (and will be next year) because of how the holiday falls (Saturday this year, Sunday next). Spring break is before Easter to avoid bumping up against AP and other testing. The semester end does not coincide with MLK holiday (again, because of the legal parameters). Next year’s (2017/18) calendar will likely have the same issues. There was some discussion about how to explain the priority of snow days. CCS uses the mandatory number of hours (1025 minimum) method not number of mandatory student days (185) method. The hours are spread over 180 student days with some excess hours available to cover delays/school cancellations. If needed, then as this year, time will be made up by adding minutes to the school day, and if needed, holding school on the days listed.
Though the student calendar can be based on hours, the employee year is based on days. The board okayed flexibility for 11 and 12 month employees to make up cancelled days under policy 7550. The board also okayed flexibilty for 10 month employees to make up cancelled days under policy 7550. Melissa Hlavic asked why this flexibility had to be approved each year (also done last year), and Ms. Frazier responded that they were working on modifying the language in the policy so authorization wouldn’t be needed each year, but it wasn’t done yet.
Mr. Messer submitted the Dec 31, 2015 quarterly financial statements – everything is on track. There were a couple of questions – some funds aren’t recieved till later in the year, so it looks like categories are overspent, but they aren’t.
Mr. Messer also submitted the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) for 2014/15. I have got a hard copy of the 84 page report but I haven’t gone through it is detail. Mr. Messer called out that the 2014/2015 per pupil expenditure was the highest since 2008/2009 (page 62 of the report). I did check this, that is based on instructional services. (If you total everything, including debt and capital, this was the highest since 2011). There is a lot of info in this report if anyone who likes to dig into numbers wants to look at it.
https://eboard.eboardsolutions.com/Meetings/Attachment.aspx?S=190&AID=50729&MID=2273
The district’s Innovative High School (STEM focused early college high school) application has passed all but the funding approval. Since there is no planning year, the district is working with CCCC on marketing materials now, so that they will be ready to share with families of 8th graders as soon as the final approval is received. The board saw samples of a logo using the same colors as SAGE, since the Chatham County School of Science and Technology will share the SAGE campus (two schools, one campus).