The monthly meeting
of the Hope School District Board of Trustees was called to order at 6:15 p.m.
on May 1, 2006, in the Hope District Board Room. All members were present. The
Board adjourned to Closed Session at 6:20 p.m. The Board reconvened in a Public
Session at 7:05 p.m. The following is a
brief outline of the actions and discussions addressed by the Board.
The Meeting Reconvened at 7:05 p.m.
During closed
session the board met with Hope District Teachers’ Association co-presidents,
Kim Geritz and Nancy Lorenzen, regarding negotiations. No action was taken.
The following
unanimous actions were taken in closed session:
Accepted the retirement of Monte Vista teacher. Accepted the resignation of a Monte Vista
teacher currently on a leave of absence and accepted the resignation of the
Hope School Library Technician. Approved
leaves of absence for the 2006-2007 school year for a Hope School teacher and a
Vieja Valley teacher.
Correspondence:
Mr. Underwood
reported that he had received correspondence from Mr. Paul Krieger, a Hope
School parent, contesting the legality of charging for copies of board meeting
documents and audio recordings. The board had reviewed the policy in recent
months and consulted with legal counsel regarding the cost structure for
providing these copies. Mr. Underwood
sent a response to Mr. Krieger and copies to the other board members.
Mr. Underwood reported that board members
had received a number of emails from staff relative to the catastrophic leave
policy that is on the agenda for this meeting.
This subject is important to staff and the board appreciates the
positive correspondence.
Public Comment:
A Vieja Valley parent requested that the board clarify
the policy regarding priority for attendance at the student’s neighborhood
school. Should a family who lives within
the school’s attendance area have priority for attendance at that school over a
continuing interdistrict transfer student or the student of an employee? This policy will be an agenda item for
discussion at the special board meeting on May 16th.
Consent Items:
The following
routine consent items were presented to the Board for approval:
Approve the Minutes of the Regular Board
Meeting of April 10, 2006.
Approve
the Minutes of the Special Board Meeting of April 26, 2006.
Approve submitted
purchase orders and warrant reports. Copies of the Commercial Warrant register
sheets listing the purchase orders and warrants were provided to members of the
Board of Trustees.
The Board of
Trustees unanimously approved the consent agenda with the stipulation that the
audio recording of the April 10th board meeting be reviewed to
verify the wording of the motion regarding families who give false information
regarding their district status. The following portion of the motion was
recorded as stated at the meeting. If the request is not made the enrollment
shall be revoked after 11 school days following the original notice.
Report:
Technology
Committee Update
This report was postponed until the June 5th
board meeting.
Action Items:
Clarify Decision
Concerning Attendance at District Schools for Children of District Employees
The Trustees had requested that the
superintendent prepare guidelines for the enrollment of children of district
employees who do not live within district boundaries. The Superintendent
presented her recommendations and after discussion the Board unanimously
approved the following:
Children of District Employees
All students enrolled as of March 6, 2006,
will be allowed to remain through matriculation from 6th grade as
long as space is available and attendance is uninterrupted.
New students of current employees, or
children of new employees who wish to enroll in district schools, after March
6, 2006, will be subject to space availability and must meet the following
criteria:
Certificated employees may request to
enroll their children on the first day of school following their date of hire
with the district; the employee must be in a position that qualifies them for
benefits; and must remain employed by the district for the children to continue
enrollment.
Classified employees may request to enroll
their children upon satisfactory completion of their six (6) month probationary
period with the district; the employee must be in a position that qualifies
them for benefits; and must remain employed by the district for the children to
continue enrollment.
If for any reason the employee is released
or resigns from Hope School District, students of the employee will be released from Hope School District
within thirty (30) calendar days. The
superintendent has authority to modify the application of this requirement
based on
special
circumstances, as assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the
interests of the child.
By February 1st
of each year, employees must submit to the district office an inter-district
transfer agreement from their resident district for the following year.
Approval of
Establishment of a Catastrophic Leave Bank
At
the April 26th special board meeting, the Board directed the
superintendent to present a proposal to allow certificated personnel to
voluntarily donate sick days to a certificated employee who is currently
experiencing a catastrophic illness. The
superintendent requested that the Board approve the following proposal:
The
Hope School District agrees to create a Catastrophic Leave Bank in accordance
with Education Code section 44043.5
To provide
immediate assistance on a one time basis, the following agreement is submitted:
All
active, permanent, district certificated employees (unit members) may donate
one or two sick day(s) to this catastrophic leave bank, for a specific district
employee identified by HDTA representatives as having qualified to receive such
donations. This donation is voluntary
and in compliance with the provisions of Education Code section 44043.5 and
does not provide or guarantee that the donating employee will have rights to
days from any catastrophic leave bank established by the district in the
future. The district and HDTA will, establish a catastrophic leave bank for
certificated permanent staff by September 2006.
Each
unit member with more than ten (10) days of accrued sick leave may voluntarily
donate one (1) or two (2) day(s) for the benefit of identified employee. Should
the employee receiving these days fail to use all of them during the current
2005-06 school year, the remaining days will roll-over to the succeeding school
year and will be made available for distribution from the District Catastrophic
Leave Bank. Any days rolled over to
2006-07 will be valued at the daily cost of a long-term substitute and the
total value of such days will be specifically identified within the district
unrestricted reserves.
Each unit member
wishing to donate to this Catastrophic Leave Bank must complete an Authorization
to Donate Sick Leave form and submit it to the District Office by the 20th
of May. The days donated under this arrangement are irrevocable.
Donated sick days
may be utilized once identified employee’s personal sick leave is exhausted,
and may be used for any contracted work day. Receiving employees will be paid
at their current rate of pay.
In order to utilize
the days donated, said employee must provide a medical doctor’s note stating
the inability to complete contracted work days.
The Board of Trustees unanimously approved
a temporary mechanism for donating sick leave with the establishment of a
Catastrophic Sick Leave Bank to allow certificated personnel to voluntarily
donate sick days to a certificated employee who is currently experiencing a catastrophic
illness.
The Board of
Trustees unanimously approved a September 2006 deadline for the establishment
of a permanent catastrophic leave bank policy for certificated employees.
Business Manager’s Report
Business Manager Julie Wood presented budget
assumptions for 2006-2007. The report
included the 2005-2006 P2 enrollment and ADA. 2006-2007 projected enrollment
and staffing, revenue limit projections, teacher salary and health insurance
increases, payroll tax costs, and technology costs. The 2006-2007 school year budget will be
presented for adoption at a special board meeting on June 19th.
Superintendent’s
Report
Superintendent
Fausett reported that the items in her report had been discussed during the
meeting: health insurance committee,
district residency and student attendance policies.
Board Members’ Reports
Mike Underwood requested that a notice be put in the
school newsletters reminding district parents of the upcoming board elections.
Information will be available at the June meeting. Mr. Underwood said that
there have been many questions regarding charter schools and he asked if board
members would like to have a presentation from a charter school
specialist. Todd Sosna expressed
interest in a presentation on charter school laws and regulations and the
process to establish a charter school.
Superintendent Fausett reported that she has names of several
consultants who could present information to the board and community and she
will make arrangements for a presentation.
Adjournment of Regular Session
The meeting adjourned at 9:10 p.m.