Mon May 9 2016, 5:30pm
District Meeting Room
Regular Meeting

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Minutes Regular Meeting April 25, 2016

WOODLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 404
DIRECTOR'S MEETING
MINUTES

April 25, 2016, 5:30 p.m.
Regular Meeting-Woodland Primary School

MEMBERS
PRESENT

 

 Janice Watts, Sarah Stuart, Lesa Beucher, Matt Donald, Steve Madsen, Michael Green-Board Secretary and Vicky Barnes-Recording Secretary

OTHERS PRESENT

 

Ashley Kleinschmidt, Andrea Edwards, Cyndee Peabody, Scott Peabody, Ingrid Colvard, Asha Riley, Lynnell Tsugawa-Murray, Scott Landrigan, Malinda Huddleston, Juliann McCarthy, Stacy Brown, Katie Barragan, Kylie Barragan

CALL TO ORDER

 

 President Janice Watts called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.

CITIZEN’S COMMENTS
ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS

 

 There were no requests for citizen’s comments on non-agenda items.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

 

 Director Donald moved to approve the minutes from April 11, 2016, board meeting.
Director Watts – yes
Director Stuart – yes
Director Beuscher – yes
Director Donald – yes
Director Madsen - yes

EXECUTIVE SESSION

 

 President Watts called for an executive session under RCW 42.30.110(1)(g) at 5:32 p.m. with no action to be taken. At 5:39 p.m. the meeting resumed.

REPORTS TO THE BOARD

 

 Director Donald asked Business Manager Stacy Brown if the utilities for the high school were higher than expected. Manager Brown said utilities were considerably higher but she was hoping they will be less as we move forward. Facilities and Safety Director Scott Landrigan said they had discovered systems weren’t being turned down at night and that has been corrected. Superintendent Michael Green said the estimate for the cost was undershot by the building commissioning contractor, CSG.  Green added that with newer buildings the codes require more recycling of air, which decreases heating and cooling efficiency. Director Donald also asked Director Landrigan what his plans were for summer work at the district. Landrigan said the focus in the summer would be a lot of small projects, including security fencing, carpeting, etc.  In response to a follow-up question, Landrigan stated that the new fencing would move the greenhouse inside the fence to help protect the investment and to protect vehicles since it will create 15 (fifteen) additional parking spacing within the fenced area. He said he was getting competitive quotes to begin the process.

CORRESPONDENCE

 

 Draft Audit Report - Superintendent Michael Green commended Business Manager Stacy Brown and her staff on the quality of their work that has led to another commendable State Audit. 

BOARD REPORTS, REQUESTS, AND COMMENTS

 

Director Steve Madsen spoke of seeing that the State School Board had received a grant to work on career-readiness efforts. He asked Green to follow up with the State Board to see if there was opportunity for local school board member participation in their work.

Director Matt Donald spoke of seeing AT&T offering low-income Internet connections. Superintendent Green will investigate options that may be available to Woodland community members.

SPECIAL PRESENTATION

 

 Woodland Primary School Principal Juliann McCarthy presented a slideshow, including videos covering the current work of the primary school which included first-grade students offering a virtual tour of the school, as well as several teachers discussing the value of collaboration, and how collaborating permits teachers to create standards-based goals and interventions for students. McCarthy talked about how three fundamental questions guide teaching at the primary school: (1) How do teachers know when students have learned a concept? (2) What do teachers do if students don’t understand? and (3) What do teachers do once students fully understand a concept? She discussed how students were taught to be good citizens, “The Woodland Way” and students tracked their own progress. It also seeks restorative justice, meaning that students need to make it right if they have done wrong to somebody. Dr. McCarthy also discussed the success of the Playworks recess program resulting in a 57% reduction in recess behavior incidents as well as benefits seen for in-classroom behavior as students use conflict-resolution techniques from Playworks throughout the school day.  Director Watts asked if students could choose what games to play during recess. Dr. McCarthy said students could choose and some games were more of a draw than others. She described how the tools taught through Playworks, such as using Rock, Paper, Scissors to settle disagreements are being used at other times in the day. Director Stuart asked if the numbers of incidents in the presentation referred to a day or a week, Dr. McCarthy said it reflected one week. She said the presentation was a team effort and thanked Malinda Huddleston for her part in videoing the students.  She also commended the staff of Woodland Primary School, saying they pursued excellence and a very high commitment to the students.  In addition, McCarthy mentioned the recent Washington State Achievement Award received by Woodland Primary for English Language Acquisition in 2014-15.  Director Donald asked how the facility and the students were doing with the shift from K-3 to K-1. Dr. McCarthy said the facility does very well and that the grade breakdown is a principal’s dream, adding that it was a great opportunity for 1st graders to be leaders.  Director Donald asked what could be done to foster more collaboration within the schools.  Dr. McCarthy said more time, saying teachers already give more time than the time set aside on Mondays. Director Stuart asked if there was time set aside for collaboration with Woodland Intermediate School.  Dr. McCarthy said at the end of the year, the teachers between the two schools collaborate which helps with the transition of students. The board discussed late start versus early release to allow for more open-ended collaboration with staff.  Superintendent Green said decisions have to be made strategically because each choice has tradeoffs. He also thanked Dr. McCarthy for her time as interim principal, saying she has been a gift to the school.

DISCUSSION ITEMS

 

The Board reviewed and continued to fine tune the Vision Statement, removing “Our Vision” and changing nimbleness to adaptability.  Director Donald moved to approve to adopt a new Vision Statement: “Woodland Public Schools, in partnership with families and the community, will create a PreK-12 system that serves and supports ALL children and ensures that EACH child has FULL access to, is engaged in, and obtains an excellent education that prepares them for responsible citizenship and a future of adaptability and success in life and their chosen endeavors.”
Director Watts – yes
Director Stuart – yes
Director Beuscher – yes
Director Donald – yes
Director Madsen - yes

The Board of Directors continues to read a book entitled “Effective School Boards: Strategies for Improving Board Performance” to help unify board members. The Board discussed Chapter 3 regarding exercising appropriate authority.  Director Madsen said he had spoken to Jim Bays and the board doesn’t have a history of using committees, either ad hoc or continuing, and would like to look as an aggressive committee model to look into things like teacher wellness or graduation readiness. President Watts said in the past, committees have been used, for example with the new building. She cautioned that the board needed to be careful to not step into the role of an administrator in deciding how to implement something. Superintendent Green said the board does have a history of using ad hoc committees fairly often and referred to when budget cuts were needing to be made. Director Madsen said he would like to see more structure in committees, that there is an advantage to be able to talk to other board members and not only as a group. President Watts said the board can send Michael to get more information about issues, saying the board needs to be informed. Director Donald said in the last two years, there has been a lot of change to deal with and he wants to know more of the basics of how the schools are doing.  Director Beuscher said as a new member she needs to learn more about the district and what tools are available before moving into heading up a committee.  President Watts said in moving forward the board can look for these opportunities.

CONSENT AGENDA

 

 Director Donald spoke about Tim Brown, WMS Science Teacher, who is retiring at the end of the school year, and hopes that the excellent LEGO Robotics program will continue into the future. Director Madsen moved to approve the consent agenda.
Director Watts – yes
Director Stuart – yes
Director Beuscher – yes
Director Donald – yes
Director Madsen - yes

ACTION ITEMS

 

Resolution 16-02 -  Superintendent Green said the district maintains a system of bank accounts as defined in Board Policy No. 6020 with Columbia Bank that include depository accounts and petty cash accounts associated with the ASB Fund and General Fund income and expenses. He said due to staff changes it has become necessary to update the account signers on the District Depository Account, the Food Service Depository Account and the District Revolving Fund.
Director Donald moved to adopt resolution 16-02.
Director Watts – yes
Director Stuart – yes
Director Beuscher – yes
Director Donald – yes
Director Madsen – yes

Resolution 16-03 – Superintendent Green said by action of the 1976 Legislature, each School District Board of Directors may delegate control, supervision, and regulation of any extracurricular activity to the WIAA and compensate such entity for services provided. The approval of this resolution form indicates that the School Board has approved the Woodland Public School District’s membership with the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) and as members, our schools will follow the WIAA Rules and Regulations. 
Director Stuart moved to adopt Resolution 16-03.
Director Watts – yes
Director Stuart – yes
Director Beuscher – yes
Director Donald – yes
Director Madsen – yes

Approval of 2017-2018 School Year Calendar – Superintendent Green said that on Monday, April 18, a committee convened to develop the calendar for the 2017-2018 school year.  The board asked clarifying questions about the holidays and the start and end times. Superintendent Green said the calendar has to have 180 days and for that year, 2 (two) snow days are built in; if they go over the allocated days, it would extend the last day of school.
Director Donald moved to approve the 2017-2018 School Year Calendar as presented.
Director Watts – yes
Director Stuart – yes
Director Beuscher – no
Director Donald – yes
Director Madsen – yes

ADJOURNMENT

 

President Watts adjourned the meeting at 7:11 p.m.

 

 

ATTEST:

_______________________________
Secretary to the Board

WOODLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT #404
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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President

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Director

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Director

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Director

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Director

 

 
Attached Files:
Consent 16-4-25.pdf application/pdf 98K