SCHOOL BOARD OF THE CITY OF VIRGINIA BEACH

MINUTES OF SCHOOL BOARD REGULAR MEETING

AUGUST 7, 2007

The School Board of the City of Virginia Beach held a regular meeting Tuesday, August 7, 2007, at the School Administration Building.

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Mr. Daniel D. “Dan” Edwards, Chairman
Ms. Rita Sweet Bellitto, Vice Chairman
Mr. Todd C. Davidson	Mr. Dan R. Lowe
Ms. Emma L. “Em” Davis	Mr. Lyndon S. Remias
Ms. Patricia G. Edmonson	Ms. Sandra Smith-Jones
Mr. Edward F. Fissinger, Sr.	Mr. Michael W. Stewart

Dr. James G. Merrill, Superintendent

Members ABSENT: Ms. Carolyn D. Weems

1. Convene School Board Informal Meeting:

Chairman Edwards convened the Board in the einstein lab at 5:45 p.m. All Board members were present with the exception of Mr. Remias who arrived at 5:51 p.m., and Ms. Weems who was absent from the meeting.

Workshop: Sign-up Process for School Visits under Board’s Communication Plan FY08:

Chairman Edwards provided a brief on the process and passed around a sign-up sheet for Board members to select schools for visits under the School Board Communication Plan for fiscal year 2007-2008. The process continued at the conclusion of the formal meeting until all schools had been assigned.

Closed Meeting: Personnel Matters:

Motion for Closed Meeting in Accordance with VA Code § 2.2-3711, Part A: Vice Chairman Bellitto made a motion, seconded by Mr. Lowe, that the Board adopt a motion to recess into a closed meeting pursuant to exemptions from open meetings allowed by Section 2.2-3711, Part A, Paragraph 1 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, for the following purposes:

A. Personnel Matters: Discussion of or consideration of interviews of prospective candidates for employment, assignment, appointment, promotion, performance, demotion, salaries, disciplining, or resignation of specific public officers, appointees, or employees, pursuant to Section 2.2-3711, (A) (1); namely to discuss:

1. Hiring of an Internal Auditor;

2. Reassignment of specific personnel; and

3. Performance of specific personnel.

The motion was approved (ayes 9, nays 0, Remias absent for the vote but arrived at 5:51 p.m., and Weems absent from the meeting) and the Board entered into a closed meeting at 5:47 p.m.

Individuals present for discussion:

A. Personnel Matters:

1. Hiring of an Internal Auditor: Board members with the exception of Ms. Weems; Superintendent Merrill; Dr. Sheila S. Magula, Deputy Superintendent; Mr. Kenneth F. Palmer, Chair of the Internal Audit Committee; Dr. Hazel H. Jessee, Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education; Ms. Kamala H. Lannetti, Deputy City Attorney; and Ms. Dianne P. Alexander, Clerk of the Board.

2. Reassignment of specific personnel: Board members with the exception of Ms. Weems; Superintendent Merrill; Dr. Sheila S. Magula, Deputy Superintendent; Dr. Hazel H. Jessee, Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education; Ms. Kamala H. Lannetti, Deputy City Attorney; and Ms. Dianne P. Alexander, Clerk of the Board.

3. Performance of specific personnel: Board members with the exception of Ms. Weems; Superintendent Merrill; Dr. Sheila S. Magula, Deputy Superintendent; Dr. Hazel H. Jessee, Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education; Ms. Kamala H. Lannetti, Deputy City Attorney; and Ms. Dianne P. Alexander, Clerk of the Board.

The Board reconvened in an open meeting at 6:01 p.m.

Certification of Closed Meeting: Vice Chairman Bellitto made a motion, seconded by Mr. Lowe, that the Board certifies that, to the best of each member’s knowledge, only public business matters lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements by Virginia law were discussed; and only such public business matters as were identified in the motion by which the closed meeting was convened were heard, discussed, or considered. The motion was approved (ayes 10, nays 0).

2. Hearing of Citizens and Delegations on Non-Agenda Items:

The Board heard comments from Joanna Dion regarding concerns with the gifted identification process for acceptance into Kemps Landing Magnet School.

3. Formal Meeting Call to Order and Electronic Roll Call:

Chairman Edwards called the formal meeting to order in the School Board Room at 6:22 p.m. All Board members were present with the exception of Ms. Weems who Chairman Edwards announced was out of the area on family business.

4. Student, Employee and Public Awards and Recognition:

A. 2007 VHSL Hall of Fame Recipients: The School Board recognized Dr. Carol Chory, student activities coordinator at Kempsville High School, and Mr. Jerry F. Deviney, retired school administrator, for having been selected 2007 Virginia High School League (VHSL) Hall of Fame recipients for their exceptional contributions to high school activity programs.

B. 2007 VHSL State AAA Gymnastics Champion: The School Board recognized Kirsten Strausbaugh, rising junior at Kellam High School, as a 2007 VHSL State AAA Gymnastics Champion after scoring 9.750 on the balance beam.

C. FBLA National Leadership Conference Champions: The School Board recognized Shannon Escue and Skye Clark of Salem High School as the 2007 Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) National Leadership Conference Champions for taking first place in Spreadsheet Applications and second place in Computer Applications, respectively.

D. 2007 Virginia Educational Administrator of the Year: The School Board recognized Dr. Maynard Massey, Assistant Superintendent for Middle School Education, for having been selected as the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Educational Administrator of the Year after being selected Educational Administrator of the Year for Virginia Beach in May 2006.

E. VATFACS Outstanding Administrator of the Year: The School Board recognized Linda Spruill, Coordinator of Work and Family Studies in the Office of Technical and Career Education, as the 2007 Virginia Association for Teachers of Family and Consumer Sciences (VATFACS) Outstanding Administrator of the Year.

F. 2007 Media & Communications Development NSPRA Awards: The School Board recognized the Department of Media and Communications Development for having been awarded a total of 20 awards by the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) for a variety of print, mixed media, and electronic media projects, including the highly acclaimed Gold Medallion Award for the district’s Military Child Initiative, and the Golden Achievement Award for the district’s bus safety public relations campaign.

5. Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance: Pastor Fred W. Devan, Jr. of Grace Community Church gave the invocation followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

6. Hearing of Citizens and Delegations on Agenda Items: None.

7. Approval of Minutes:

A. July 24, 2007 Regular Meeting: Mr. Davidson made a motion, seconded by Ms. Smith-Jones, that the Board approve the minutes of their July 24, 2007 regular meeting as presented. The motion was approved (ayes 9, nays 0, 1 abstention – Stewart). Chairman Edwards noted Mr. Stewart’s abstention was due to his absence at the July 24 meeting.

8. Adoption of the Agenda: Prior to a motion, Chairman Edwards announced changes to the published agenda to add Consent Agenda Item 9C – FY2007-08 Cooperative Agreement for Legal Services, and the carry-over of the afternoon workshop for the continuation of the sign-up process for school visits under the Board Communication Plan for FY08 as Item 13 renumbering the remainder of the agenda accordingly. Mr. Stewart then made a motion, seconded by Ms. Smith-Jones, that the Board adopt the agenda as amended. The motion was approved (ayes 10, nays 0).

9. Consent Agenda: Ms. Smith-Jones made a motion, seconded by Mr. Remias, that the Board approve the Consent Agenda. The motion was approved (ayes 10, nays 0) and the following items adopted as part of the Consent Agenda:

A. Appointments to the Community Advisory Committee for Gifted Education of Danniele Bond to represent the Bayside High School attendance zone, Pam Faber to represent the Cox High School attendance zone, Holly Wilson to represent the First Colonial High School zone, Alfonso Encarnacion to represent the Green Run High School zone, and Kim Curry to represent the Ocean Lakes High School attendance zone.

B. Appointments, Resignations and Retirements - Personnel Report dated August 7, 2007. In addition, on behalf of the Internal Audit Committee, Ms. Davis presented the committee’s recommendation, and the Board affirmed, the appointment of Carroll “Lee” Acors as the Director of Internal Audit.

C. Cooperative Agreement for Legal Services between the City Council and the School Board and the School Administration by the Office of the City Attorney for the period July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2008 providing 4,125 (or 2.5 attorney’s time) and one secretarial position at an annual cost of $300,581.07

10. Action: None

11. Information:

A. Bylaw Revisions Related to Changes in General Elections from May to November:

1. Bylaw 1-8: Composition/Election/Term of Office: Due to amendments made in the City Code and City Charter as a result of the general election of School Board members being changed from May until November beginning in 2008, Ms. Kamala H. Lannetti, Deputy City Attorney, presented proposed amendments to Bylaw 1-8 providing School Board members serve a four year term beginning January 1 following the general election and ending December 31 four years thereafter. She noted School Board members whose terms will conclude on June 30, 2008 or June 30, 2010 will have such terms extended until December 31, 2008 or December 31, 2010.

2. Bylaw 1-18: Officers: Election and Term of Office: Ms. Kamala H. Lannetti, Deputy City Attorney, presented proposed amendments to Bylaw 1-18 changing the election of the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the School Board from the July annual organizational meeting to the January organizational meeting beginning in 2009. She explained the chairman and vice chairman elected, along with the clerk and deputy clerk appointed at the July 2007 annual organizational meeting will continue in office until the January 2009 organizational meeting.

B. New Policy Proposal 6-45: Theme-Based Academies: Mr. Freddie P. Alarcon, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent, presented and Ms. Kelly A. Hedrick, Director of Academy Programs, responded to Board members’ questions regarding the proposed new Policy 6-45 – Theme Based Academies setting forth guiding principles for new and continuing academies, and establishing processes for Board approval of new academy themes, proposal development, implementation, evaluation, continuation, and expansion or phasing out of an existing academy. Additionally, the policy provides for the Superintendent to develop internal guidelines for implementation of processes outlined in the policy.

C. School Board Annual Goals: Chairman Edwards reported the Board held their annual retreat August 3-5, 2007, to establish goals setting forth academic and operational foundations for the new school year. Superintendent Merrill presented a brief overview of the major goal areas assigned to administration to include development of a new strategic plan, and a review of the budget development process and timelines to include visitation of the funding formula, and determine ways to keep all stakeholders involved. Additionally, in the area of teaching and learning, he reported Administration will respond to findings and recommendations which emerge from the Special Education audit; review the elementary teachers’ work day with the intent to address demands on their time; and develop strategies to address the under-achievement of African-American male students. And in the area of communications, he announced a joint Board and Administration committee will look at ways to keep stakeholders informed and involved as well as examine internal processes to improve communications. Chairman Edwards presented an overview of the Boardsmanship goal to be worked by the Chairman and Vice-Chairman to develop curriculum for new Board member orientation and ongoing Board member development; establish a protocol for committee reports; plan the rotation and succession of leaders in different positions on the Board; delegate additional duties to the Vice-Chairman; implement quarterly meetings by the Board to look at the long-range agenda; establish a self-evaluation process; and provide for the Board to socialize. Additionally, he reported the Board’s desire to bring back more of the materials and discussion processed through workshops to the formal meetings to keep the public informed, and explained the need to adjust the Board’s next retreat to accommodate the extension of Board members’ terms by six months due to the change in the general election from May to November.

12. Committee Reports: None

The Board recessed at 6:55 p.m. at which time they moved to Room 113 to reconvene in workshop format.

13. Workshop: Sign-up Process for School Visits under Board’s Communication Plan FY08 (continued): The process for Board members to sign-up for school visits under the Communication Plan for the 2007-08 school year continued until all schools were assigned.

14. Vote on Remaining Action Items: None

15. Adjournment:

There being no further business before the Board, Chairman Edwards adjourned the meeting at 7:27 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Dianne P. Alexander, Clerk of the Board Approved: