THE SCHOOL BOARD OF
ESCAMBIA COUNTY, FLORIDA
MINUTES, JANUARY 16, 2004
The School Board of Escambia County, Florida, convened in Workshop Meeting at 9:00 a.m., in the Board Room, at the Dr. Vernon McDaniel (Administration) Building, 215 West Garden Street, Pensacola, Florida, with the following present:
Chairman: Mrs. Cary Stidham
Vice Chairman: Dr. John DeWitt (was not present)
Board Members: Mrs. Carissa Bergosh (was not present)
Mr. Ronnie L. Clark
Ms. Linda Finkelstein
School Board Attorney: Mr. Francisco M. Negron, Jr.
Superintendent of Schools: Mr. Jim Paul
I. CALL TO ORDER
A. Open Discussion
Mrs. Stidham called the Regular Workshop to order at 9:10 a.m.
a) Pensacola High School Athletic Facilities Equity Issues – Linda Finkelstein
Ms. Sarah Lewis, principal of Pensacola High School (PHS), gave a brief video presentation displaying the inadequacies of the PHS athletic facilities, as identified in the June 2002 Review of Gender Equity in Athletics Facilities Report. Board Members requested whether there was a “master plan” with regard to addressing the inadequacies of the PHS athletic facilities. Mr. Shawn Dennis, Assistant Superintendent for Operations, indicated that there was a plan to address the inadequate athletic facilities at not only PHS, but also at schools throughout the District. He stated that staff was currently in the process of costing out all the equity projects that were identified (June 2002 Review of Gender Equity Athletics Facilities Report) and trying to determine whether there were sufficient half cent sales tax reallocation funds that could be used to address those projects. He hoped to have that information by the February Regular Meeting. Upon inquiry by Ms. Finkelstein, Mr. Dennis stated that the District could certainly explore options with regard to “remedial type things” that could be done to assist PHS in the interim. He noted however, that rather than “putting bandages on the problem,” staff would rather take an approach of “engaging in a wholesale effort to address the entire District.”
Although not an agenda item, the following issue was addressed:
Ms. Beverly Acierno, Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) Subject Area Specialist, stated that the data from the pre and post testing conducted at the schools where the Fast ForWord software had been implemented, would be available in February 2004.
II. COMMENTS FROM SUPERINTENDENT
The Superintendent listed the additions, deletions, corrections and amendments to the agenda.
III. COMMITTEE/DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS
1. Update from Project Challenge Schools – Sheree’ Cagle
(NOTE: The following presentation was based on a request from the July 15, 2002 Regular Workshop, that the “Project Challenge Schools” shall present ‘progress made’ to the Board, a minimum of three (3) times per year at the Regular Workshop.) Representatives of the District’s “Project Challenge” schools gave a brief update of the ‘progress made’ at their particular school.
2. Update on School Choice Office – Sheree’ Cagle
Mrs. Leslie Travis, Office of School Choice Coordinator, reviewed a “timeline” which outlined the upcoming activities of the School Choice Office.
ADD 3. Assistive Technology Awareness Day – Kathy Kattau
Prior to the Regular Workshop, Ms. Kathy Kattau had provided each Board Member a small gift to remind them that February 5, 2004 was Assistive Technology Awareness Day.
Due to time constraints, the following items were moved forward on the agenda:
Request from Blue Angels Elementary School for Sales Tax Funds – Cary Stidham
(Item VII.A.1 on January 20, 2004 Regular Meeting agenda)
Request to lease former Carver Middle School (old Century High School on Hecker Road) to New Life Baptist Church (Item V.E.1.B.4)
In answer to Ms. Finkelstein’s question, Mr. Shawn Dennis, Assistant Superintendent for Operations, stated that request from New Life Baptist Church (as outlined in their proposal) to begin occupying the former Carver Middle School in February 2004, was in fact, a realistic date.
IV. PROPOSED ADDITIONS OR REVISIONS TO SCHOOL DISTRICT RULES
V. CONSENT AGENDA
A. Curriculum and Instruction
7. Public School Volunteer Health Care Practitioner Program Memorandum of Agreement
Ms. Finkelstein referred to the following statement included on “page 2 of 3” under “School Board of Escambia County, FL agrees to”: Fund background screenings, if funding is allocated for screenings. Ms. Karen Thoennes, Coordinator of Health Services, stated that if funding was provided by the State, the District would use those funds to pay for the background screenings, and if was not provided, the volunteer would be required to pay, as also indicated in the agreement.
8. Contract between the School Board of Escambia County, Florida and Bravo for Kids, Inc.
This item was addressed earlier in the meeting.
9. Personnel Allocation Table 2004-2005 School Year
Mrs. Stidham noted that the “Middle Schools Education Personnel Resources Allocation Table”(based on unweighted FTE) for Non/Other Teaching Units ended at a level of 1250+ UFTE and suggested that it be extended by an increment of 250.
The Regular Workshop recessed at 12:25 p.m. and reconvened at 12:45 p.m., with Mrs. Stidham, Ms. Finkelstein, Mr. Clark, Mr. Negron and the Superintendent present.
B. Finance
8. Budget Amendments:
a) Resolution 5: General Operating Fund
Mrs. Stidham referred to “page 2 of 3” which included a budget amendment with the following explanation: “to reallocate funds originally budgeted for teacher’s position to pay for a dean’s position at Ferry Pass Middle.” Dr. Alan Scott, Director of Secondary Education, explained that Ferry Pass Middle had originally budgeted funds to pay for a teacher’s position but later decided that they did not need that position and therefore, reallocated those funds to pay for a dean’s position instead.
Ms. Finkelstein referred to “page 1 of 3” which included a budget amendment with the following explanation: “to appropriate funds from School Improvement project reserves for salaries, computer, supplies and charter bus rentals, and to appropriate prior year Florida Teacher Lead funds returned to the District from Brentwood Elementary internal funds to School Improvement project reserves.” Mrs. Laura Shaud, Director of Budgeting, explained that this was a “cleaning up item” to appropriate Florida Teacher Lead funds returned to the District from Brentwood Elementary internal funds “where they had been sitting for years” and “back into School Improvement funds, where the Statutes say they need to go.”
d) Resolution 4: Capital Projects Fund
CARRYOVER BUDGET
3. Local Capital Improvement Fund 3910, (Page 19)
a. Reallocate funds ($60,000.00) from reserve project to Information Technology computer equipment project. Information Technology initiated this budget amendment to facilitate funding for the purchase of computers for Information Technology application support, Information Technology computer lab at the Hall Center, and Information Technology End User Support.
Mrs. Barbara Linker, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Business Services, confirmed that this budget amendment was associated with Item V.E.6.A.1, “Computer Replacement Cycle for District Departments.”
NEW REVENUE
5. 2003/04 PECO Maintenance Fund 3424, (Page 31)
a. Reallocate funds ($80,000.00) from reserve project to Walnut Hill Garage Facility general renovations project. Facilities Planning initiated this budget amendment to facilitate funding for the emergency purchase of services and replacement equipment for the garage hydraulic lift.
Mrs. Barbara Linker, Assistant Superintendent confirmed that this budget amendment was associated with Item V.E.3.A.1, “Emergency Purchase – Walnut Hill North End Transportation Garage Lift (Workshop Information Item).”
C. Human Resource Services
f. Special Requests
11. Request approval to establish a position of Medicaid Administrative Clerk II and amend the Personnel Planning Document to reflect this change.
Upon inquiry by Mrs. Stidham, Dr. Doug Garber, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resource Services, explained that there was no job description specifically for the position of Medicaid Administrative Clerk II, just a general job description of Administrative Clerk II with the position being assigned to Medicaid Services.
D. Purchasing
24. Bratt Elementary School Bus Ramp Drainage Improvements
Upon inquiry by Ms. Finkelstein, Mr. Ron Peacock, Director of Facilities Planning, explained that the bus ramp drainage improvements would include removal of existing asphalt, re-grade of sub-base and paving to eliminate standing water in the bus loading area.
E. Operations
1. Facilities Planning
B. Miscellaneous
2. Memorandum of Agreement between Escambia County, Florida; Escambia County School Board; and the West Florida Regional Planning Council
In response to Mrs. Stidham’s concerns, Mr. Shawn Dennis, Assistant Superintendent for Operations, stated that the projected compensation to the Council of 3,040 was based on 76 hours of staff assistance at an hourly rate of $40. He noted that the agreement also stated that “in no instance shall the School Board be liable for total compensation exceeding $4,000 under this agreement.”
3. Property Purchase 520 E. Hecker Road
Ms. Finkelstein questioned whether this contract had been reviewed and approved by Mr. Negron, as the backup documentation did not indicate that it had been. Mr. Negron stated that the contract came from and was approved by the District’s real estate attorney.
4. Request to lease former Carver Middle School (old Century High School on Hecker Road) to New Life Baptist Church
Mr. Negron stated that he would need to review this item to ensure that leasing the former Carver Middle School to New Life Baptist Church did not conflict with School Board Rule 5.06 “Non-School Use of Educational Facilities,” Section (7) “Use of Educational Facilities by Religious Groups.”
3. Transportation
A. Miscellaneous
1. Emergency Purchase – Walnut Hill North End Transportation Garage Lift (Workshop Information Item)
(NOTE: This item was presented for informational purposes only. According to the backup documentation, the emergency declaration would enable the Purchasing Department to move forward with an established vendor for services and replacement equipment in order to meet Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) remediation timeline.) Mrs. Stidham advised that the Superintendent would need to provide a written statement indicating that this particular purchase met the criteria of an emergency purchase, as defined in School Board Rule 5.02(7)(d).
5.02 (7)(d): Purchases will be exempt from the competitive solicitation procurement process when such purchase complies with the following: (1) The purchase is to address an emergency as declared by the Superintendent of Schools and where the situation involves the health and safety of the students or employees of the district, the public is at risk, or an interruption in the delivery of educational services is contrary to the Board and/or public interests. Such emergency declarations must be submitted to the School Board at the next regularly scheduled meeting.
F. Student Transfers
No discussion was held.
G. Internal Auditing
No discussion was held.
VI. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
No items were submitted.
VII. NEW BUSINESS
A. Items from the Board
1. Request from Blue Angels Elementary School for Sales Tax Funds – Cary Stidham
This item was addressed earlier in the meeting.
B. Items from the Superintendent
2. Carver/Century School Recognition Money
Mrs. Stidham believed that this item should specify that Carver/Century would adhere to the Florida School Recognition Program guidelines (as outlined in Section 1008.36, Florida Statutes), in determining usage of funds.
C. Items from the General Counsel
No discussion was held.
VIII. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, the Regular Workshop adjourned at 1:45 p.m.
Attest: Approved:
________________________________ ________________________________
Superintendent Chair