The Hoover School Board met last night. Mrs. Baker, Mr. Bolt and Mrs. Frazier were present. Mr. Defnall was out of town and Mr. Veitch was sick.
Students and teachers from Spain Park High School spoke to the Board about the new Senior Project Seminar Program. They described the program and its benefits, and two students explained their particular senior projects to the Board.
The 16 National Merit semi-finalists from the two high schools were introduced and recognized with a certificate. Their parents were also recognized. There are 16,000 semi-finalists nationwide, who will compete for 8,200 National Merit Scholarships.
Principals and teachers from Berry Middle School and South Shades Crest Elementary were recognized for receiving cash awards from the State Board of Education. Both schools made achievements last year significantly beyond AYP for certain at-risk groups. They each received $20,000 from the State Dept. of Ed.
The 22 Hoover City Schools employees who have retired since May were recognized with a gift.
Public Participation: Chip Arledge, parent of a son in Hoover schools, spoke to the Board about his desire that the Board work quickly to release the Pointer report. He said that the delay has allowed the issues to fester, and that the Board should be responsive to the taxpayers who paid for it.
Mayor Tony Petelos also addressed the Board and urged them to meet quickly and release the report to the public. He asked the Board to be thorough, but to get through the issues quickly so that the city might put this matter behind us.
Personnel Actions (certified):
New hires:
Deer Valley Elementary .5 and Crossroads .5, Counselor, new position
South Shades Crest Elementary, 1st grade teacher, new position
Transfers:
Counselor at Spain Park to Counselor at Crossroads in a new position
Occupational Therapist from Trace Crossings Elementary to Gwin Elementary
Resignations:
Hoover High Freshman Campus, English teacher, personal reasons
Riverchase Elementary, 5th grade teacher, relocation
There are many "changes of status" due to verification of prior experience or a higher degree. Also, there are many classified appointments, transfers and changes of status. Call or e-mail me if you have a question about those. There are just too many to type here.
The Directors of Bands at both high schools received salary increases.
Business Actions:
The Board approved expenditures of $6,709,017.82 for payroll and $4,686,579.41 in cash disbursements for the month of September.
The Board approved a revised Budget for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008. The revised budget projects revenues of $157,181,598 and expenditures of $163,495,420. The beginning fund balance for the year is $146,885,539.22, and the ending fund balance is projected to be $140,872,680.22. This ending balance includes $82,876,141 in funds designated for debt service (the Jefferson County one-cent tax money) and $170,453.56 in non-public funds (booster club, PTO) run through the school books. Without those funds, the ending fund balance would be $57,826,085, which is around 5-6 months of current operating expenses.
Contracts:
The Board approved contracts with individuals to provide Speech Therapy and Orientation and Mobility therapy.
Information and Reports:
Mr. Craig invited State Representative Paul DeMarco to inform the audience about an Internet Safety Program that he and the Hoover Police Department are presenting at Bumpus Middle School tonight, Tuesday, October 9, at 7:00 p.m. All Hoover parents and interested persons are encouraged to attend.
Mr. Craig told the Board that he has formed a Capital Planning Committee to produce a five-year capital plan as is required by the State Department of Education. Mr. Defnall and Mrs. Baker will serve on the committee, along with 6 individuals from the community. The committee will meet weekly. At some point, there will be an opportunity for public input, and when the plan is complete, it will be brought to the board for a vote. The meetings will not be closed.
Mrs. Barber reported that the professional development day went very well. Teachers trained other teachers on various components of the new technology.
New Business:
Mrs. Frazier reported that she had received a request from the Alabama Association of School Boards for three delegates to the meeting in December at the Wynfrey Hotel. Mr. Bolt, Mrs. Baker, and Mrs. Frazier agreed to make themselves available for that meeting.
School Board Attorney Donald Sweeney recommended that the Board go into executive session for one hour. A motion was made and seconded, and the board retired to closed session. I did not stay until they returned, but I was told they returned at 7:30 and that no actions were taken when they reconvened.
Mr. Bolt did speak with the press, and said that the attorney had given the board three redacted versions of the Pointer report. The details of what was said are in today's Birmingham News.
The Board will meet on Wednesday, October 10, at 6:00 p.m. to discuss the report. It is expected that they will go into closed executive session.
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