ICCSD School Board Minutes

---

Regular Board meetings are held at the Central Administration Office

509 S. Dubuque Street, Iowa City, on second and fourth Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m.

MEMBERS PRESENT: Don Jackson, Nick Johnson, Al Leff and Dale Shultz.

MEMBERS ABSENT: Matt Goodlaxson, Lauren Reece and Peter Wallace.

Board Secretary Jerry Palmer called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM. Mr. Palmer stated that President Goodlaxson and Vice-President Wallace were not at the meeting this evening and therefore the Board would need to appoint a temporary chairperson.

MOTION BY SHULTZ, SECOND BY JOHNSON THAT DIRECTOR LEFF SERVE AS TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON.

MOTION CARRIED 4 TO 0. ABSENT: Goodlaxson, Wallace and Reece.

Temporary chairperson Leff welcomed everyone to the meeting.

ICEA Update

Chris Shope, president of ICEA, shared with the Board concerns teachers have regarding the issue of time as the Board develops its Ends Policies. Ms. Shope stated it is the responsibility of the teachers to teach the students and any assessment needs to be relevant and not take too much time. Ms. Shope also stated the teachers' association is very pleased that the district has approved a new phone system which will make access more available for staff. Ms. Shope stated the new system will allow more parental communication and increase safety in the schools.

Director Johnson asked Ms. Shope if the teachers were concerned that new testing was going to be mandated as a result of the passage of the Ends Policy.

Ms. Shope stated she is not aware of new testing that will be required but did state some of the language arts assessments already take a considerable amount of time.

Director Leff stated the Board needs to keep an open dialogue with the staff regarding impact of the Ends Policies.

Director Shultz asked if the reading program he has been studying which adds additional reading support would help alleviate the concerns regarding assessment.

Ms. Shope stated perhaps this could alleviate some of the concerns.

Mr. Palmer stated the district has been progressing on the implementation of the new phone system and that although all installation will not be done by August 15 the district will proceed as rapidly as possible with the installation.

Open Discussion

None.

District Business &endash; Consent Items

MOTION BY JOHNSON, SECOND BY JACKSON TO APPROVE THE FOLLOWING CONSENT AGENDA:

1. 2000-2001 IASB MEMBERSHIP DUES
2. COOPERATIVE TEACHING AGREEMENTS BETWEEN ICCSD AND UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
3. OPEN ENROLLMENT FOR 2000-2001 INTO THE IOWA CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR SARA ANDERSON AND TREVOR ANDERSON AND OUT OF THE DISTRICT FOR ABRAM BROOKS, MAYA BROOKS, ISHMAEL BROOKS, JAMAICA BROOKS AND BROOKELYN KLEMESRUD AND ADDENDUM OUT OF THE DISTRICT FOR ZACHARY KNOOP
4. ACCOUNTS PAYABLE IN THE AMOUNT OF $635,894.67 GENERAL FUND AND $31,397.20 SCHOOLHOUSE FUND
5. MINTUES OF THE JUNE 13 BOARD MEETING AND JUNE 19 SPECIAL MEETING
6. CERTIFICATED STAFF A(-4), B(1-3), D(1-12), D(1-6), AND ADDENDUM A(1-2), B(1-3) AND C(1) (Attachment A)

MOTION CARRIED 4 TO 0. ABSENT: Goodlaxson, Wallace and Reece.

Board Meeting

Educational News

Temporary Chairperson Leff stated that Educational News will be deleted from the agenda as Director Reece is absent.

Report on the Empowerment Board

Temporary Chairperson Leff stated Report on the Empowerment Board will be deleted from the agenda because of Director Wallace's absence.

Report from Parent Involvement Subcommittee

Director Jackson shared with the Board a Power Point presentation which covered the work completed thus far by a committee working on "Parental Involvement". Attachment B is a copy of the overheads used in Director Jackson's Power Point presentation. Director Jackson asked Board members for input regarding issues related to corporate involvement.

Director Leff stated he feels corporate involvement is important but the district should not be a springboard for advertising.

Director Shultz and Director Johnson agreed.

Director Jackson stated the committee would appreciate ideas on how to get meaningful involvement in grades 7-12.

Director Johnson suggested for students in grades 7-12 attendance of students be stressed as well as parents encouraging students to take academically challenging courses.

Director Jackson concluded by saying the next steps will be to:

1. Finalize and present theme
2. Finalize survey and develop deployment plan
3. Develop marketing plan
4. Review status at July 25 Board meeting

Director Leff asked Director Jackson what would be the longevity of the committee.

Director Jackson stated the actual longevity of the committee has not been discussed. However, after the initial implementation follow-up will need to be made to determine that the objectives are being met.

Review and Discuss Academic Ends Policies: Literacy &endash; Writing (Attachment C)

Temporary Chairperson Leff stated if there are not changes in this policy this could constitute the first reading of the policy and the policy could be brought back at the next Board meeting for a second reading.

It was the consensus of the Board that this would constitute the first reading of this policy.

Prioritizing Ends Policies (Attachment D)

Temporary Chairperson Leff suggested to leave reviewing the prioritization of Ends Policies until the next meeting when more Board members are in attendance.

Director Johnson stated he is in support of delaying discussion of this until the next meeting but wanted to know if this would be a useful document to begin discussions.

Director Jackson stated he feels the Board does a better job when they start with something in writing.

Communication Passport Brochure

Dr. Plugge shared with the Board suggested changes that Board members had made to the Passport Brochure. Dr. Plugge stated he will bring back the revised brochure at the next Board meeting.

Review of Pending Projects/Long Range Planning

Temporary Chairperson Leff asked if there were any items that needed to be addressed this evening on the pending projects list.

Director Johnson asked on the "annual schedule of Board meetings" what would be the schedule for regular Board meetings.

It was agreed that the Board will continue with the 2nd and 4th Tuesday for regular Board meetings.

Director Jackson suggested that on the July 25th Board meeting the Board address whether or not they want to continue meeting at the schools on the 1st Tuesday of each month.

Director Johnson asked if there was any interest on the part of the Board of considering an "Ombudsperson".

Director Leff stated he would need to know what the cost of this position would be.

Director Johnson stated the district could contract with somebody on an individual basis or perhaps the services could even be provided at no cost.

Director Leff stated he felt he would need to determine what role an Ombudsperson would play.

Director Johnson stated it would provide parents and members of the community who have a grievance that their grievance be heard by someone.

Director Shultz stated he feels the process the district has in place presently is working.

Director Jackson stated he doesn't currently see a need for this position and would rather spend time on other issues.

It was the consensus of the Board to take this off the pending projects list.

Agenda Setting for July 11th Board Meeting

1. Educational News
2. Report on Empowerment Board
3. Report from Parent Involvement Subcommittee
4. Second Reading Academic Ends Policy: Literacy &endash; Writing
5. Prioritizing Ends Policies
6. Communications Passport Brochure
7. Review of Pending Project/Long Range Planning
8. Budget
9. Board Attendance at Events
10. Management Information System
11. Annual Schedule of Board Meeting to Incorporate Various Aspects of the Management Information System
12. Parental Involvement
13. Staffing Ratio Involvement
14. Superintendent Evaluation Process

Meeting adjourned 8:30 PM.