April 13th School Board notes

Notes from the 4/13 School Board meeting:

Recognition
The Board recognized students who made all-state band as well as students and volunteers for Destination Imagination.

Public Comment
GEPA Chair Jo D Hosken re-presented the school board with the GEPA petition. She commented that the parents, the public, and the BOS have all asked them to cut administration instead of teachers where possible. She noted that she understood the SB wished additional VRS funds to be released to the schools, and wished them luck in that endeavor.

School Calendar
The 2010-2011 proposed calendar was presented. Details are posted online here: http://www.glnd.k12.va.us/index/news/proposed_calendar_for_2010_11/

The board, at Mr. Haskell’s suggestion, requested to wait until the next meeting (the Workshop on 4/27) before they take action so that public has more opportunity to review and provide feedback.

Budget Update
Dr. Underwood reviewed the BOS budget actions. The BOS left the school budget categories as proposed, but added a contingency of -$317,099. This means that this additional amount must be cut from the SB budget. Dr. Underwood noted that to do so, they were re-evaluating positions, including some being vacated due to attrition (retirement, resignation, leave of absence). She also indicated that they were going back and looking at consolidated services and consultations on efficiencies, including energy efficiency studies by Dominion Power.

At the May 11th SB meeting, Dr. Underwood will make the proposal for the additional cuts.

Special Education Audit
The schools recently had an audit of the special education program conducted. This audit was paid for with stimulus funds. The results of the audit were that some aspects of our program worked well and some did not. The audit provided recommendations for improving the areas that didn’t work as well, including:
• Work with staff and the state to articulate and teach entrance and exit criteria for services
• Work to improve and support the GIST program, which does act as a pre-referral for Special Education services.
• Re-organize the co-taught model
• Consolidate some services


Clarification for the board
Dr. Underwood clarified that when the decision was made at the last meeting to move forward with fixing the electrical at the existing bus garage, some board members seemed to understand that the $1500 would come from the $600,000 CIP appropriation. It was intended was that this money would come from existing operating budget. The board acknowledged this clarification.


New Business
Regarding Budget Process

Mr. Miller noted that at the last BOS meeting, a concern had been expressed by the BOS that the SB should present a budget of the amount requested by the BOS via the County Administrator. The SB chose not to do this, but rather presented was they felt was needed for the schools. Mr. Miller and the board were criticized in the BOS meeting for this.


Mr. Miller read a portion of the Virginia Code (Virginia Code § 22.1-92 - Estimate of moneys needed for public schools; notice of costs to be distributed). He read the following: “It shall be the duty of each division superintendent to prepare, with the approval of the school board, and submit to the governing body or bodies appropriating funds for the school division, by the date specified in 15.2-2503, the estimate of the amount of money deemed to be needed during the next fiscal year for the support of the public schools of the school division.” (See this code here: http://law.justia.com/virginia/codes/toc2201000/22.1-92.html)


Mr. Miller noted that this statement seemed to preclude the SB from presenting multiple options for budgets. He asked that the board consider their response on this matter so that it is clear how they will handle in future years.


Regarding Chairmenship

As indicated at the beginning of the year, Mr. Miller had stayed on as Chairman to see the board through the budget process. As that is winding down, they agreed to turn over chairmanship. Mr. Cisne was elected the new board Chair, and Mr. Mattox as vice chair.