Fayetteville Board of Education

Minutes of the August 25, 2005 Regular Meeting

 

The meeting convened at 5:00 PM in the Adams Leadership Center with President Steve Percival presiding.  The Pledge of Allegiance was led by students from Fayetteville High School.

 

Roll Call

The roll was called and board members Tim Kring, Howard Hamilton, Laura Underwood, Steve Percival, Susan Heil, Christine Bell and Tim Hudson were present. 

 

Recognition

The Fayetteville High School Odyssey of the Mind team was recognized for placing 14th at the world competition.  Janas Ward was inducted into the Superintendent’s Honor Roll for her many years of work with the district Odyssey of the Mind teams. 

 

Alan Wilbourn, director of school & community relations, reported that the 2004-05 Annual Report is on the district website.  A public meeting will be held in the future to give district patrons the opportunity to make comments and ask questions.

 

Consent Agenda

Board member Tim Hudson excused himself from the discussion and vote on the consent agenda due to a conflict of interest.  Tim Kring made a motion to approve the consent agenda.  Howard Hamilton seconded the motion, which passed by a 6-0 vote.

 

Northwest Arkansas Community College Presentation

Dr. Beck Paneitz, president of Northwest Arkansas Community College, presented information regarding the progress made since the college was started in 1989 and its vision for the future.  Dr. Paneitz noted that the Regional Technical Center, formerly West Campus Technical Center, is running smoothly.  She further noted that the community college has plans to grow in Northwest Arkansas. 

 

Special Request for Agenda Items

Board president Steve Percival addressed the Board regarding the district Instructional Materials Selection Policy.  Mr. Percival’s first recommendation was to hold a special board meeting to decide how to address the issues regarding the policy.  He also recommended addressing each agenda item request and handling the appropriate ones at the special board meeting.  An additional component of the recommendation was to conduct a Town Hall meeting prior to the special board meeting to allow patrons to present their positions.  After discussion, the Board agreed to proceed with the Patron’s Request for Reconsideration of a Work for the book entitled Push. 

 

Mr. Percival asked the Board to review each agenda item request and decide if it should be considered at the special board meeting.  The first request was the violation of Arkansas State Codes.  Tim Hudson made a motion that this item be placed on the special board meeting agenda.  Tim Kring seconded the motion, which passed by a 7-0 vote.  The second request was the failure to adhere to the time frames identified in Policy 6163 regarding the book review process.  No vote was taken on this request.  The third request was the choice to not address the second Patron’s Request for Reconsideration of a Work.  Tim Kring made a motion that this item be placed on the special board meeting agenda.  Laura Underwood seconded the motion, which passed by a 7-0 vote.  The fourth request was the acceptance of only written correspondence rather than email.  Tim Kring made a motion that this item be placed on the special board meeting agenda.  Christine Bell seconded the motion.  After discussion, Tim Kring withdrew his motion and no vote was taken on this request.  The fifth request was to reconsider the Board’s decision on the first three challenged books and return them to general circulation.  Tim Kring made a motion to have two agenda items placed on the special board meeting agenda—the request for the Board to reconsider its decision on the first three challenged books and return those books to general circulation and the request regarding the validity of the Board’s decision on the first three challenged books.  Tim Kring withdrew his original motion and made a motion that the request for the Board to rescind its original decision and return the first three challenged books to general circulation be placed on the special board meeting agenda.  Tim Hudson seconded the motion.  The motion failed by a vote of 5-2.  Tim Kring made a motion that the request by Dr. Paulson questioning the validity of the Board decision regarding the three challenged books be placed on the special board meeting agenda.  Susan Heil seconded the motion.  The motion passed by a vote of 5-2. 

 

Banking and Audit Services Bid

The Board voted 7-0 to allow the district to initiate the Request for Proposal process for banking and audit services.  Dr. Lisa Morstad, chief financial officer, noted that these are professional services contracts and the district is not required to take bids for these services, but, due to ethics concerns, it is best to review the services every few years.  Susan Heil made the motion, which was seconded by Laura Underwood.

 

Bond Resolution

The Board voted 7-0 to approve the issuance and delivery of $4,000,000 in construction bonds.  Dr. Lisa Morstad noted that the best bid was received from Duncan-Williams, Inc. with an interest rate of 3.967710%.  Howard Hamilton made the motion, which was seconded by Tim Kring.

 

Jefferson Project

The Board voted 7-0 to accept the following guidelines for the committee working on the future use of the Jefferson Elementary School building and property:

  • Recommendation(s) will be considerate of a use providing an appropriate and suitable benefit to the existing neighborhood,
  • Recommendation(s) will presume low or no net continuing maintenance and operations costs to the Fayetteville School District, and
  • Recommendation of the use of the facility as a public school will not be considered as within the purview of this task force.

Board member Tim Kring, committee chairman, noted that two public meetings will be held regarding the use of Jefferson Elementary.  Christine Bell made the motion, which was seconded by Susan Heil.

 

Achievement Scores

Lester Long, director of assessment and accountability, gave a report on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills and the End of Course tests.  Fayetteville students have made significant progress over the last five years and have consistently outperformed the national average. 

 

Elementary Enrollment Distribution

Mike Gray, associate superintendent, outlined the scope and criteria of the enrollment distribution project.  He noted that these criteria will guide the stakeholders group in their work toward enrollment distribution.  The Board will be asked to approve the recommendations at the September board meeting.  Ginny Wiseman, associate superintendent, reported that the subcommittee for elementary efficiencies has been working to obtain data regarding building capacities, projected student enrollment, and site data for elementary schools. 

 

A subcommittee looking into efficiencies that might be gained by reducing the number of small elementary schools reported that while there could be savings, the Board would need to have a plan to immediately begin adding classrooms.  If the district retired the smallest elementary building, enrollment projections indicate we would be out of space in 2007.  The subcommittee recommended that every effort be made to ensure that all elementary schools are equally efficient in cost per student.   

 

2005 Budget

Dr. Lisa Morstad, chief financial officer, presented the final FY2004-05 budget.  Dr. Morstad noted that the high cost of fuel impacted the budget and will probably impact the 2005-06 budget also.

 

Adjournment

Tim Kring made a motion to adjourn.  Laura Underwood seconded the motion, which passed by a 7-0 vote.

 

 

 

 

 

 

_______________________________________                  __________________________________

Stephen M. Percival, President                                                 Christine Bell, Secretary