Minutes040998
BELLINGHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Bellingham, Washington
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING
OF THE
BELLINGHAM SCHOOL DISTRICT
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
April 9, 1998
The Bellingham School Board of Directors met in regular session at 7:30 p.m., April 9, 1998, in the Board Room of the Administration Building.
Present: Directors, David Blair, Becky Diaz, Mary Stender, and Ann Whitmyer, President Elaine M. Lynch, Superintendent Dale Kinsley, and recorder Shirley Knapp.
At 7:34 p.m. President Elaine Lynch called the meeting to order.
CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS:
Stender moved and Whitmyer seconded approval of the consent agenda as presented. The motion carried unanimously.
Minutes
Action on the minutes of the March 26, 1998 School Board meeting.
Investments
Action on investments in accordance with Resolution 13-88.
GENERAL FUND:
$209,000.00 LGIP, withdrawal, March 23, 1998
$60,000.00 LGIP, investment, April 1, 1998
CAPITAL PROJECTS
$6,600.00 LGIP, withdrawal, March 31, 1998
$10,000.00 LGIP, withdrawal, March 31, 1998
$27,800.00 LGIP, withdrawal, March 31, 1998
$80,700.00 LGIP, withdrawal, March 31, 1998
$29,000.00 LGIP, investment, April 1, 1998
DEBT SERVICE
$90,500.00 LGIP, investment, April 1, 1998
ASB FUND
$900.00 LGIP, withdrawal, March 23, 1998
$1,000.00 LGIP, withdrawal, March 31, 1998
$31,700.00 LGIP, withdrawal, March 31, 1998
$400.00 LGIP, investment, April 1, 1998
$2,900.00 LGIP, investment, April 1, 1998
$2,400.00 LGIP, investment, April 1, 1998
Expenses and Payroll
Action on expenditures and payroll as approved by the Auditing Committee.
GENERAL FUND
ACCTS PAY 3/09/98 $429,373.48
3/16/98 3,526.06
3/23/98 282,769.71
3/31/98 3,326.39
Total General Fund $718,995.64
CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND
ACCTS PAY: 3/16/98 $1,277,696.56
3/31/98 125,363.50
Total Capital Projects Fund $1,403,060.06
ASB FUND
ACCTS PAY: 3/16/98 $57,274.61
3/23/98 907.00
3/31/98 51,060.14
Total ASB Fund $109,241.75
BELLINGHAM $32,769.87
SEHOME $73,099.51
FAIRHAVEN $1,214.93
KULSHAN $215.00
SHUKSAN $1,942.44
EXPENDABLE TRUST FUND
ACCTS PAY: 3/23/98 $571.94
PAYROLL $4,153,993.55
Out-of-State Travel:
- Karll Rusch, Jack Crandall, and Alan Doud to travel to Las Vegas, Nevada, to attend the International Bridge Building Contest, April 30-May 2, 1998.
Personal Services Contract:
- Neelam Sharma Saraswat to serve as a Punjabi/Hindi/Urdu-English interpreter on as-needed basis during the 1997-98 school year.
REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS:
School Board Reports
Diaz reported that she observed the use of Six-Trait writing in Josie Estrada’s 1st grade class at Silver Beach, and received further information about the use of Six-Trait writing from Adrienne Nelson, principal at Alderwood.
Whitmyer asked the Board for proposals for the next legislative session. She attended the last session of the strategic planning committee and assessed Six-Trait writings for Fairhaven Middle School.
Stender reported on the strategic planning session, stating that a draft proposal of Pathways to the 21st Century would be forthcoming. Stender also reported on the site visit to Bellingham High School on Friday, April 3.
Lynch attended a play at Sehome High School. She also attended the “Read Around the Lake” program and a dedication of old archive photos at Geneva Elementary School. She reported on “Energy ‘98” drug awareness program being planned by the City of Bellingham, local health agencies, and several school staff.
Superintendent’s Announcements/Report
Dr. Kinsley announced the next regular Board meeting will be on April 23. Due to the spring break, the materials for that meeting will go out on Monday, April 20. On April 30, at 5:30 p.m. the Board will hold a special study session on the Middle Schools of the Future proposal.
Last week Susan Zoller, Peggy Zehnder, and Superintendent Kinsley took part in a day-and-a-half State strategic planning process. A group of approximately 120 people, made up of teacher leaders, administrators, and parents, worked on a 10-year plan for implementing the State goals set forth in SB 1209. A draft will be distributed for review before the end of the summer in order to receive feedback and have some consensus by early fall.
The District held parent information nights for the 4th, 7th, and 10th grade State assessments on March 31, and April 7.
Dr. Kinsley will be involved in the interview process for Elementary Principal and High School Principal during the week after spring break.
Kinsley recognized Nancy Messmer for providing media presentations to the District strategic planning committee.
REPORTS:
Three High School in the Year 2000 Celebration
Director of Information/Communications Lavelle Freudenberg and Bellingham High teacher Mark Patterson reported on the celebrations that are underway as the District moves to three high schools. A committee of District and high school staff and students are meeting to plan the celebration for the upcoming renovation of Bellingham High School, the opening of Squalicum, the re-opening of Bellingham in two years, and the overall connection to Sehome High School and the community. The focus is to honor the rich tradition of the past and celebrate the future by focusing on the total picture of three high schools by the year 2000.
Prior to the Ski to Sea Parade on May 23, there will be a program at Bellingham High School beginning at 12:30 p.m. There will be speakers, performances by Bellingham, Sehome, and BHS Alumni Bands. Following the program, the building will be open for tours. The Yearbook Staff has created a special supplement that will be on sale. A historical video that was created by two Bellingham High School seniors will be shown in the auditorium.
There will be community tours of Squalicum High School on Thursday, August 13, from 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. The official dedication is scheduled for Saturday, September 12. There will be another opportunity for community tours on September 12.
Selection of Mascot for Whatcom Middle School
Principal Kenn Robinson reported on the selection process for a new mascot and logo for Whatcom Middle School. During the 1996-97 school year, the Whatcom Site Council decided that the Whatcom "Warriors” name and the Indian Head logo should be changed. The Council then determined that during the 1997-98 school year the principal would facilitate a process, based on Board Policy 9251, to select a new name and logo. The principal met with the Student Council and put together a mascot team. The team developed criteria for the mascot, explained the criteria to other students, and took student suggestions for a new mascot. Out of the thirty suggested names, the Student Council chose the following four finalists: Gators, Twisters, Wildcats, and Wolverines. Whatcom Wildcats was selected by 84% of the student vote, which included fifth graders from Roosevelt, Parkview, Sunnyland, and Silver Beach.
ACTION ITEMS:
Bellingham High School Design Development –Phase II
Architect Roger Axelson explained the process and presented in detail the responses of ARA Architects to Phase II of the Value Engineering report for the renovation of Bellingham High. Axelson also answered the Boards’ questions about the impacts of the recommendations. Blair moved and Stender seconded the motion to approve Phase II of the Design Development for Bellingham High School. The motion carried unanimously.
1998-99 Calendar Schedules Approved
Stender moved and Blair seconded the motion to approve the 1998-99 program calendar, which includes late arrival/early release days, teacher workdays and teacher/parent conference days. The motion carried unanimously. (The 1998-99 school calendar itself was adopted in the fall of 1996.)
Attendance at Indian Youth Conference Approved
Blair moved and Whitmyer seconded the motion for approval for Bellingham High and Whatcom Middle School students to participate in the Northwest Indian Youth Conference in Billings, Montana, May 5-8, 1998. The motion carried unanimously.
Approval for Sehome Cheerleaders to Perform at Disneyland
Stender moved and Blair seconded the motion for approval for the Sehome Cheerleading squad to travel to Anaheim, California, May 14-17, 1998, to perform at the Disneyland Magic Music Days. The motion carried unanimously.
Call for Bids:
Stender moved and Whitmyer seconded the motion for approval to call for bids for Squalicum and Sehome High Schools’ yearbooks. The motion carried unanimously.
Personnel Recommendations Approved
Stender moved and Diaz seconded the motion for approval of the personnel recommendations as presented. The motion carried unanimously. Dr. Kinsley introduced Steven Clarke, who was recently selected as Planning Principal for Bellingham High School. Kinsley also recognized Anita Pierce, Instructional Assistant at Whatcom Middle School. Pierce is retiring after 25 years with the District.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 8:50 p.m.
