Guilford County Board of Education
Board Meeting
September 12, 2006

GUILFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
REGULAR MEETING
GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA

The Guilford County Board of Education met in a regular meeting on Tuesday, August 8, 2006, at 712 North Eugene Street, Greensboro, North Carolina. The following board members were present: Walter Childs, Alan Duncan, Darlene Garrett (arrived at 6:06 p.m.), Deena Hayes, Dot Kearns, Susan Mendenhall, Amos Quick (arrived at 6:46 p.m.), Nancy Routh, Anita Sharpe, and Marti Sykes. Board member Kris Cooke was absent. Also present were Superintendent Terry Grier and Attorney Jill Wilson.

Call to Order

Chairman Alan Duncan called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m.

Pledge of Allegiance and Moment of Silence

Board member Marti Sykes led the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence.

Recognitions

Guilford County Schools’ Employee of the Month for August 2006
The board recognized Thomas Smith, custodian at Allen Middle School, as the district’s August 2006 Employee of the Month. Board member Nancy Routh presented Mr. Smith with a certificate of recognition. In a prior ceremony Mr. Smith received a $50 gift card from Sam’s Club, which has partnered with Guilford County Schools to support the employee recognition program.

Public Comments

Chairman Alan Duncan called on members of the public who requested an opportunity to address the board.

Joe Stafford - 4604 Forrest Village Drive, Greensboro, NC 27406

Approval of Agenda

Chairman Duncan asked board members to review the meeting agenda and called for a motion to approve or amend it. Superintendent Grier requested an addition of the item, “Update on Middle School Projects” under Staff Reports. Motion was made by Darlene Garrett, seconded by Marti Sykes, to approve the agenda as amended. The motion passed upon unanimous show of hands.

Consent Agenda

Superintendent Grier presented the following Consent Agenda items:

A. Meeting Minutes

The minutes of the May 23 Joint Meeting with County Commissioners, July 11 Regular Meeting, July 20 Special Called Meeting and July 27 Regular Meeting were presented for approval. Board Member Nancy Routh stated that the information regarding teacher assistants under the 2006-2007 Budget Update is accurate in the July 11 regular meeting minutes, but that this information may have been updated after that meeting. Chairman Duncan requested that information regarding the revised number of teacher assistants be presented to the board at a future meeting.

B. Personnel Action Reports

The Consent Agenda included personnel actions as noted in the monthly Personnel Action Report and addendum requiring board approval.

Motion was made by Marti Sykes, seconded by Walter Childs, to approve the Consent Agenda as presented. The motion passed upon unanimous roll call vote.

Staff Reports

Updated Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) Report

Dr. Gongshu Zhang, Chief Accountability & Research Officer, presented to the board an update on the 2006 AYP preliminary results. A copy of Dr. Zhang’s complete report is included in the minutes file.

Pandemic Influenza Response Plan

Dr. Terrence Young, chief information officer, presented to the board an update on the Pandemic Influenza Response Plan. In the event of a pandemic influenza, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, the Guilford County Department of Public Health, and Guilford County Schools will enact their Pandemic Influenza Response Plan to help reduce the total number of illnesses and deaths and limit school disruption. The plan will be enacted and coordinated with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, the Guilford County Department of Public Health and other local federal and state agencies as deemed necessary.

Magnet Grant

Dr. Eric Becoats, chief of staff, presented the administration’s recommendation for the themes/schools to be included in the magnet grant application as follows:

The board is in agreement with the administration’s recommendation of the themes as presented. Data will be further analyzed with respect to Johnson Street and Kirkland Park, and a final report will be brought back to the board including any additional suggestions or recommendations.

Update on Middle School Projects

Kevin Lear provided a brief update on the Eastern Guilford, Hairston, and Kernodle Middle School projects including progress on construction, scope of work, and schedule for opening school.

• School construction is scheduled for completion prior to school opening with some finishes and exterior veneer still necessary after school opening.
• Scope of work includes structural enhancements in several areas of the school.
• The administration is communicating with school staff and parents to ensure they are aware of this project and how it affects them.
• It was emphasized that the safety of school staff and students is the first priority.

Board Discussion

Governance Committee Report

Dr. Nancy Routh, convener of the Governance Committee, presented to the board a report from the Governance Committee for review and study in preparation for a more in-depth discussion during the board’s retreat in September.

Reports from the Chairman

Chairman Duncan announced the tentative date of Tuesday, August 22, at 7:00 p.m. for a community meeting to discuss SRO’s and use of tasers.

Chairman Duncan proposed that a community meeting to discuss school climate issues be scheduled for sometime during the fall.

A special called board meeting will be scheduled with respect to student reassignment appeals in order to make a final determination so parents can be notified in advance of the start of school. Thursday, August 17, was proposed as a possible meeting date.

Chairman Duncan received an invitation from the North Carolina School Boards Association to nominate someone for the Raleigh Dingman Award. This award is presented annually to a board member in the state who has distinguished themselves in their board work. Motion was made by Alan Duncan, seconded by Anita Sharpe, to nominate Susan Mendenhall for the Raleigh Dingman Award. The motion passed upon unanimous voice vote.

Closed Session

At 8:58 p.m., motion was made by Deena Hayes, seconded by Darlene Garrett, to go into closed session to protect the attorney client privilege and to discuss student matters protected by State and federal laws. The motion passed upon unanimous voice vote.

The board returned to open session at 10:01 p.m.

Board Comments

Board members were each allowed two minutes to make remarks, as they deemed appropriate.

Adjournment

With no further business, at 10:02 p.m., motion was made by Anita Sharpe, seconded by Dot Kearns, to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed upon unanimous voice vote.