WOODLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 404
DIRECTOR'S MEETING MINUTES
May 12, 2014 5:00PM Regular Meeting-District Meeting Room
MEMBERS PRESENT
Janice Watts, Jim Bays, Tina Cayton, Matt Donald, Michael Green-Board Secretary and Tegan Steen-Recording Secretary
OTHERS PRESENT
Deb Kernen, Chris Wiseman, Dan Uhlenkott, John Shoup, Stacy Brown, Buzz Porter, Cari Thomson and Todd Dinehart.
MINUTES
Tina asked that the minutes be revised to reflect that she had said, that the Board needs to understand the total cost of the (cabling and telephone) project prior to final approval. She thought the cost may be well over $250K and could be more like $500K and that the Superintendent should bring this back to the Board to discuss, once the cost estimates were complete.
Tina Cayton moved to approve the April 28, 2014 regular meeting minutes, as revised.
Matt Donald yesTina Cayton yesJim Bays yes carried
MEMBERS
ABSENT
Matt Donald moved to approve Jeremy Stuart’s absence from the meeting.
Janice Watts yesJim Bays yesTina Cayton yesMatt Donald yes carried
REPORTS TO THE BOARD
Student ReportTayler Summers was absent from the meeting.
Other Reports Matt noted that Asha had been disappointed with the testing process. Asha explained that the technology issues that occurred at the state level will cause her to file an irregularity report. Chris Wiseman said every day they had issues. Asha said she’s not sure why the DRC was so ill-prepared, as they had the same issues last year. She has proposed to the State, that they allow students to retest. The State agreed to this.
SUPERINTENDENT REPORT
Michael Green told the Board that the Department of Health has approved the Yale water system. The water project was required as a condition of the Yale Gym remodel. The health department allowed us to proceed with the project with a commitment to follow through on this project. Now the District can move forward on this last piece of the Yale upgrades. The Board will need to approve bids for this, when they come in. The south wing of the new high school is rising. Postcards were sent out for another community meeting on May 19th regarding reconfiguration. The meeting will be at the WIS Library at 6:30pm. Michael is working with Shannon from KWRL about the transportation information for the meeting. His presentation should be complete by Wednesday. Jim wants to leave the May 19th meeting knowing what people think, and which model they prefer.
CORRESPONDENCE
None.
CITIZENS REQUESTS
Todd Dinehart asked the Board how to get something into someone’s personnel file. He said that he brought issues to the previous superintendent in 2004 and more in 2007. He said that the District should be making every effort to investigate problems. . Michael Green said that when a complaint is made, it is the Administration’s job to investigate. Sometimes it’s founded; other times it’s not. If it is founded, then something goes into the employee’s file. If not, it can go into a working file that the Superintendent keeps. Todd said he was disappointed.
Mr. Dinehart also asked the Board not to be passive in supervising the Superintendent. In particular, with regard to an apology for comments that the Superintendent made at a prior community forum that were insensitive and may have caused offense. Mr. Dinehart felt a public apology at a Board meeting and documented in meeting minutes, was insufficient.
BOARD REPORTS & REQUESTS
Matt Donald asked for Board members to get a District email account and have email addresses changed on the website to District addresses. After learning about this at the Open & Transparent Government meeting last week, he thinks it would be appropriate. The Board discussed this. Attorney, Buzz Porter, was present and said that personal computers were not subject to seizure when a document is in the Cloud (though he indicated a court order could be sought and granted for just about anything). Matt said that the document can be captured through the District’s email system, if they are cc’d or forwarded through our email system. Michael said that this will be more convenient for the Board, in that it will store District emails in the right place, to be easily found. The Board will complete the District’s Acceptable Use form and receive email addresses. Michael will talk to Steve Rippl about forwarding the Board’s emails from their District account to their home email accounts.
Tina Cayton asked when the Board could discuss personnel practices. Michael said that the Board can add an item to any agenda as a policy topic. Tina said she’d like to review the policy regarding personnel files. Jim said he’d like to see this added to a future agenda or special meeting. He said he’d like to review: policies that speak to inappropriate treatment of a student by a staff member; the protocol for reporting such treatment from a staff member or someone else; what needs to be formal and what doesn’t; the protocol followed for investigation of the incident; what, of the investigation, is recorded, and what is not (Where does that record go?); and, the depth of training on this issue, provided to staff, including substitutes. He said these questions always come up in the community. Tina wants to know when things get moved from a working file to an employee file. Michael said, sometimes, they never get moved. Generally speaking, only disciplinary action is placed in the personnel file. He said there’s also a grievance file. These, by law, are not kept with an employee’s file. He said the practice is that if an issue is unfounded, it does not go into an employee file. Janice asked about the retention of information. Michael said that policy states, that after “X” number of years (he did not have the exact number of years available), a person can request to have something removed from their file. We have, during his tenure, respectfully declined, as it’s not in the best interest of the District to remove items from employee’s files.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
Review and Discussion of Policy No. 2020The Board adopted Policy No. 2020 in 2002, regarding curriculum development and adoption of instructional materials. With advances in technology, dramatic changes in the way textbooks and other instructional materials and resources have been developed, and used elements of the policy are out of date. As the Board is legally responsible for the approval of materials, Asha and Michael wanted to get direction on updating this policy to reflect how the District will continue to follow advancements in curriculum and instructional resources. They thought if they could get the Board’s values and priorities regarding this, they could re-draft the policy and procedure. The Board discussed this and agreed to have Michael and Asha re-draft the policy and return with what they create. Asha said that she’s moved the math nights from this spring to the fall so that more people will attend.
CONSENT AGENDA
See attached consent agenda.
Matt Donald moved to approve the consent agenda.
ACTION ITEMS
New High School Gym StripingThe Board was asked to pick from 3 pictures, which striping in the new WHS gym they would prefer. Michael said that the beaver logo would be smaller to fit within the lines on the volleyball court. The Board discussed their preferences.
Tina Cayton moved to approve Option 3.
Matt Donald yesTina Cayton yesJim Bays yes (but said it was not his first choice)Janice Watts yes carried.
KWRL Cooperative AgreementMichael said that this agreement will be presented to all four KWRL boards. The language comes straight out of last fall’s letter of agreement.
Jim Bays moved to approve the amended KWRL Agreement.
Matt Donald yesTina Cayton yesJim Bays yesJanice Watts yes carried
EXECUTVE SESSION
President, Janice Watts, recessed the meeting into an executive session under RCW 42.30.110(1)(i) and then RCW 42.30.110(1)(g) at 6:16pm, with no action to be taken upon return.
President, Janice Watts, closed the executive session and the regular meeting was called back to order at 7:35pm.
ADJOURNMENT
President, Janice Watts, adjourned the meeting of the Board of Directors at 7:35pm.
ATTEST:
_______________________________ Secretary to the Board
WOODLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT #404 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
____________________________________ President
____________________________________ Director