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Guilford County Board of Education
Board Meeting
June 8, 2004

GUILFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
REGULAR MEETING
GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA

The Guilford County Board of Education met in a called budget work session at 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday, May 5, 2004, at 712 North Eugene Street, Greensboro, North Carolina. The following Board members were present: Garry Burnett, Kris Cooke, Alan Duncan, Deena Hayes, Dot Kearns, Susan Mendenhall, Nancy Routh, Anita Sharpe, and Marti Sykes. Board members Darlene Garrett and Johnny Hodge were absent. Also present were Superintendent Terry Grier and Attorney Jill Wilson.

Call to Order

Board Chairman Alan Duncan called the meeting to order at 6:48 p.m.

Pledge of Allegiance and Moment of Silence

Board member Nancy Routh led the Pledge of Allegiance followed by a moment of silence.

Approval of Agenda

Chairman Duncan asked Board members to review the meeting agenda and called for a motion to approve or revise it. Motion was made by Garry Burnett, seconded by Marti Sykes, to approve the agenda as presented. The motion passed upon unanimous voice vote.

Public Comments Concerning 2004-2005 Budget Proposal

Chairman Duncan recognized the following citizens who addressed comments to the Board regarding the 2004-2005 budget proposal:

Minthu Linagh, 2605 Southwick Drive, Greensboro, NC 27455
Robin Cox, 2330 Alamance Church Road, Greensboro, NC 27406
JoCarolyn Wilkins, 1822 Bothwell Street, Greensboro, NC 27401
Rachel Barden, 3100 Sandy Ridge Road, Colfax, NC 27235
Deborah Compton-Holt, 3103 Pinecroft Road, Greensboro, NC 27407
Loretta Jennings, 1810 Woodmere Drive, Greensboro, NC 27405
Joe Stafford, 4604 Forest Village Drive, Greensboro, NC 27406

In response to concerns about the April 20, 2004 Board meeting and the issue of the police arriving at the meeting, Chairman Duncan apologized to the public. He indicated that the matter had been looked into and determined that it was an issue of miscommunication. He also assured the public that steps had been taken to ensure that it does not inadvertently happen again.

Board member Anita Sharpe requested a point of personal privilege and read a letter addressed to the Board written by Peggy Abernathy relating to the 2004-2005 budget.

2004-2005 Budget Presentation

The Board continued its discussion of the Superintendent's 2004-2005 recommended budget as presented during the April 19, 2004 meeting. Superintendent Grier reminded the Board that his 2004-2005 budget message (copy in minutes file) had been delivered to them. He also informed the Board of a correction to page 2 of the budget message. The district's 1.34 central office administrators should read "per 1,000 students" not "per pupil" as stated. He thanked Mr. Joe Stafford for alerting him to the error.

Chief Financial Officer Sharon Ozment reminded the Board that principals had been given their budget allocations and were asked to work with their school leadership teams to identify potential cuts if adequate levels of funding are not provided from state and local sources. The three levels of budget reductions from school-based allocations are as follows:

• Level one cuts would be the school district's share of the state-wide discretionary reduction outlined above. Level one equates to approximately $2.21 million or $33.69 per pupil.
• Level two cuts would be the school district's share of the state-wide discretionary reduction outlined above plus the local budget request (excluding teacher supplement and ISS/DOP program enhancements) less growth for student enrollment. Level two equates to approximately $8.97 million or $136.46 per pupil.
• Level three cuts would be the school district's share of the state-wide discretionary reduction outlined above plus the total local budget request (including teacher supplement and ISS/DOP program enhancements). Level three equates to approximately $14.32 million or $217.83 per pupil.

Ms. Ozment then provided the Board information based on questions asked during the April 19 budget work session.

a. Salary Calculations for School Based Administrators - outlines the process by which salaries are determined for principals.
b. The principal of Summerfield Elementary has agreed to reduce the school's teacher assistant allotment by one to allow Laughlin Primary to have one more teacher assistant for grades K-1.
c. The savings from the Sodexho custodial contract are projected to be $399,761 for the 2004-2005 school year. Ms. Ozment noted that should the Board decide not to continue the contract, the district would have to purchase the inventory from Sodexho at an estimated cost of $150,000. These costs equate to $8.36 per pupil that would be added to the per pupil expenditure reductions at each school.
d. Teacher Assistants as Teacher Substitutes for the 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 school years as well as the 2003-2004 school year through March 31, 2004.
e. Proposed Allocations for Level I and II students at non-equity plus schools. Ms. Ozment recommended that the $200,000 in local funds allocated for media collections at high school equity plus schools in the 2003-2004 school year be reallocated to assist Level I and II students in non-equity plus schools. She also noted that this column would be a "shaded red" column to denote that schools could not make adjustments to the allocation. Superintendent Grier reminded the Board that the equity plus high schools were told that the funds were one-time allocations.
f. Recap of Administrative Position Cuts/Adds Since Merger - noting that 39.5 administrative positions had been cut since merger including adjustments such as positions generated from the conversion of technology and Exceptional Children contracted services dollars.
g. Guilford County Schools Budget Information 1993-1994 through 2003-2004.
h. 2004-2005 Line Item Detail - in preparation for the line-item review scheduled for May 7.
i. 2004-2005 Site-Based Budgeting Allocations for administrative departments - in preparation for the line-item review scheduled for May 7.
j. 2004-2005 Site-Based Budgeting Allocations for elementary, middle, and high schools.

Elementary Principals Esther Coble, Mary Hamlin, Ed Herring, Paul Masem, and Judy Robbins spoke to the Board regarding budget reductions the leadership teams at their schools had chosen. Middle School Principals Sam Foust, Phyllis Martin, Loretta Rowland, and Gayland Welborn as well as High School Principals Wanda Legrand and Randy Shaver spoke to the Board regarding budget reductions that their leadership teams had chosen.

Superintendent Grier reported to the Board that the administration reduced central office budgets by $1.4 million to fund 25 teacher positions needed due to the increased number of leave of absence requests and additional student growth after the 10th day of school allotment adjustments. Those reductions have been rolled over into the 2004-2005 budget.

Superintendent Grier noted that his budget recommendation does not include an additional position for the Student Assignment Department, an additional School Resource Officer (SRO) supervisor position as requested by Sheriff Barnes, or a position for a Foreign Language Coordinator that has been requested of the Board by the community.

Board members were given the opportunity to ask questions relating to the budget and requested additional information prior to the next meeting.

Renewal of Contracts for Early and Middle Colleges

Superintendent Grier reminded the Board that in the past it has asked for more formal agreements for the middle and early college schools which outlined the responsibilities of both the school system and the college. Attorney Wilson then reviewed the uniform contracts she prepared. She noted that the contracts were renewable every year and that any specific information relating to the individual school that does not fit into a uniform contract is included in an addendum. Ms. Wilson also noted that the college representatives had not yet reviewed the details of the contracts, but she would ensure they do so by July 1. Should any material terms of the contracts be revised by the college, Ms. Wilson would inform the Board.

Motion was made by Marti Sykes, seconded by Kris Cooke, to authorize the Superintendent, staff, and Attorney to enter into contracts along the general lines as presented with any material changes to be brought to the attention of the Board. The motion passed upon majority roll call vote as follows: Ayes - Garry Burnett, Nancy Routh, Marti Sykes, Deena Hayes, Susan Mendenhall, Johnny Hodge, Dot Kearns, Alan Duncan (Abstain on contracts for Early College at Guilford and GTCC Middle College), and Kris Cooke; Noes - Anita Sharpe.

Closed Session

At 9:54 p.m., motion was made by Kris Cooke, seconded by Dot Kearns, to go into closed session to preserve the attorney client privilege, to discuss personnel matters protected by N.C.G.S. 115C-321, and to give instruction to staff and attorneys with regard price or other material terms of a proposed contract for the purchase of real property pursuant to N.C.G.S. 143-318.11. The motion passed upon unanimous voice vote.

The Board returned to open session at 10:29 p.m.

Adjournment

With no further business, at 10:30 p.m., motion was made by Johnny Hodge, seconded by Kris Cooke, to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed upon unanimous voice vote.