BOARD OF EDUCATION

REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING

Monday, September 10, 2007

7:00 p.m.

Administration Office

 

 

The regular school board meeting of the Fremont Board of Education was called to order by President Anita Osterman at 7:00 p.m.

 

Present:  Anita Osterman, Karla Gilliland, Matt Hendrie, Jim Featherstone, Phil Harmon and Ed Wosinski

 

Absent:  Linda Blais

 

People Who Addressed the Board: Ed Cook, John Kingsnorth and Bing Hanson Lake

 

Anita Osterman, President, led the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

 

#4787– Motion by Jim Featherstone and seconded by Ed Wosinski to approve the minutes of the Board meeting of August 27, 2007.  Ayes – 6; Nays – 0.  Motion carried.

 

#4788– Motion by Phil Harmon and seconded by Jim Featherstone to approve the agenda for tonight’s meeting.  Ayes – 6; Nays – 0.  Motion carried.

 

John Kingsnorth, Superintendent, introduced Dawn Tubs, new Special Education Supervisor at NC RESA and Ed Cook, Telephone System Technician at NC RESA.  Dawn came as part of a college class she is taking.  Ed Cook gave an update and review of the problems and progress on the telephone equipment at Daisy Brook and Pathfinder.  He currently has 16 phones working at Daisy Brook and the rest, hopefully, will be September 12.

 

There is a possible insurance claim from SET/SEG to deal with lightning damage to phones, cables, etc.  Bing Hanson Lake is working on that.

 

The energy presentation by Rose Stariha (FPS Energy Manager) and Rod Bunker from Energy Management, Inc. was tabled to a future date.

 

Dr. Kingsnorth reported on the consolidation efforts of a meeting at the FACF with superintendents and local bargaining teacher reps; they have come up with a three-year “common ground” calendar for Newaygo County schools.  “Common ground” means that it is a basis on which to negotiate.

 

Dr. Kingsnorth also informed the Board that we would be sharing the services of Sharon Folkema, RN as school nurse with White Cloud Public Schools.  We would each share her cost.

 

Superintendent Kingsnorth requested that three board members each attend the Strategies for Student Success S3  with Dr. Olga Holden (Michigan Association of School Boards)  September 19 noon luncheon at NC RESA and the evening presentation (6:30 p.m.) at Fremont High School.

 

 

The drawings of proposed Fremont Public Schools traffic plan (Plan J) were distributed and discussed.  The proposed turnaround will be coming from Sinking Funds.  Phil Harmon from Finance reported on the plan as well.  The consensus of the Board was to place this item as an action agenda for the September 24 Board meeting.

 

Also discussed was Board member attendance at the MASB Fall Conference November 1-4, 2007.  Board approval for Linda Blais and Matt Hendrie or anyone else planning to attend one or more of this conference’s activities will be on the September 24 board action agenda if possible to meet registration deadlines for the conference.

 

President Anita Osterman described some of the last Policy Committee agenda (moving to October 3 meeting).  The Board also discussed the consideration of a policy service (MASB or NEOLA) at a special policy committee meeting and then a recommendation to the FULL board.  Board member Phil Harmon requested any Board action to wait until after student count day, Wednesday, September 26.  Board consensus was for Policy Committee to consider which policy service to recommend and bring to Board for action.

 

Jim Hieftje, Director of Curriculum and Instruction/Quest Principal,   was absent (ill) from the Board meeting.

 

Bing Hanson Lake, Director of Financial Services, informed the Board that the Workman’s Comp audit will produce over $20,000 refund (per White Agency).

 

She informed the Board that Wednesday, September 26 is student count day and we still have not heard from the State regarding school funding.

 

#4789 – Motion by Jim Featherstone and seconded by Phil Harmon to approve the consent agenda item (disbursements for August) in the amount of $3,505,499.94.  Ayes – 6; Nays – 0.  Motion carried.

 

#4790– Motion by Phil Harmon and seconded by Jim Featherstone  to approve the resolution to borrow money for school operations from the state school aid fund in the amount of $1,500,000. Ayes – 6; Nays – 0.  Motion carried.

 

 

#4791– Motion by Jim Featherstone and seconded by Phil Harmon to approve the recall of Kathy Korstange, Kindergarten teacher, to Pine Street.  Ayes – 6; Nays – 0.  Motion carried.

 

This is a formality as Kathy is already teaching at Pine Street this year.  This agenda item produced some discussion on class size throughout Fremont Public Schools (e.g. Kindergarten numbers are down at Pine Street-- now at approximately 158).  There is concern at 3rd grade with class sizes at 29 and at the middle school with some classes over 30.

 

BOARD COMMUNICATION:

·         Memo from Denise McDaniel regarding changes in Food Service

·         Updated 2007-08 Goals for John Kingsnorth with no

 

changes from Board members at the table

 

 

·         Distributed to Board members:

1.       2007-08 Internal Phone directory sheet (summary of current staff)

2.       Revised 2007 Staff School Calendar

3.       Revised 2007-08 Board Committee Assignment sheet

4.       2007 Fall Sports Schedules

 

#4792– Motion by Jim Featherstone and seconded by Phil Harmon to adjourn the meeting at 8:00 p.m.  Ayes – 6; Nays – 0.  Motion carried.                                              

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

 

 

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

 

 

LEADERSHIP REPORTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LEADERSHIP

REPORTS (CONT’D.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA ITEM

 

APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION TO BORROW MONEY FOR SCHOOL OPERATIONS

 

APPROVAL OF THE RECALL OF KATHY KORSTANGE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BOARD COMMUNICATION

 

 

BOARD COMMUNICATION (CONT’D.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ADJOURNMENT