School Board Meeting - Thursday, December 13, 2007

1. Call to Order, Regular Meeting 7 pm – Vice-President, Russ Pfeiffer-Hoyt called the meeting to order at 7:02 pm and led the Pledge to the Flag.  The meeting was held at the District Office.

Attendance:            Board Members – Jim Freeman; Trish Hart, Russ Pfeiffer-Hoyt, David Smith.

                                                                  Ellen Dodson was absent and excused

Certificated Administrators –Rick Gantman; Charlie Burleigh; Jim Frey

a.       Oath of Office for Re-elected Board Members – Dr. Gantman administered the Oath of Office to Trish Hart and to Russ Pfeiffer-Hoyt.  Ms. Dodson was absent, but also was re-elected.

b.       Annual Procedures:

                                                               i.      Call for Nominations for President of the Board – Ms. Hart nominated Ellen Dodson, Mr. Freeman Seconded.

                                                             ii.      Election of the President – Motion to elect Ellen Dodson as President passed.

                                                            iii.      Call for Nominations for Vice President – Mr. Smith nominated Russ Pfeiffer-Hoyt, Mr. Freeman seconded.

                                                           iv.      Election of the Vice President – Motion to elect Russ Pfeiffer-Hoyt passed.

c.       Good of the Order –

                                                               i.      Jim Frey & Kent Roger’s work on the Mt Baker Academy

                                                             ii.      ELT (Educational Leadership Team) work on Professional Development

2.       Approval of Minutes – November 8^th & 29^th.   Mr. Smith moved and Ms. Hart seconded the motion to approve the Minutes.  Motion passed

3.       Consent Agenda – Mr. Freeman moved and Mr. Smith seconded the motion to approve the Consent Agenda. Motion passed. 

a.       Personnel Actions

b.       Surplus Personal Property – Resolution #07/08:7

c.       Overnight Trips –

                                                               i.      Girls Wrestling @ Kelso, January 4

                                                             ii.      Girls Wrestling @ Spokane, January 18

d.       Approval of Accounts Payable for December 07 and Payroll for November 07

Vouchers audited and certified by the auditing officer as required by RCW 42.24.080, and those expense claims certified as required by RCW 42.24.090, have been recorded on a listing, which has been made available to the Board.  As of this day, December 13, 2007 the Board by a unanimous vote does approve the payment of those vouchers included in the above list and further described as follows:  ASB Fund vouchers #127 through #148 in the total amount of $14,434.16; and General Fund vouchers #18045 through #18,188 in the total amount of $190,306.57.

4.       Information from Board Members

Report on School Board Goals – School Board Portfolio – The portfolio provides accountability for progress the board is making in achieving its goals.  School Board members attended and/or took part in:

o        WSSDA (Washington State School Director’s Association) Annual Conference

o        Whatcom County School Boards Legislative Priorities Meeting

o        Levy Task Force

o        Scholarship Foundation Meeting

o        Veteran’s Day Assembly at High School

5.       Information from the Audience – Letter from Concerned Parent

6.       Presentations –  None

7.       Action Items –

a.       Board Appointments

                                                               i.      Designation of WIAA Representative – Mr. Smith nominated Jim Freeman, Ms Hart seconded. Motion passed.

                                                             ii.      Designation of a Representative to the Scholarship Foundation – Mr. Freeman nominated David Smith, Ms. Hart seconded.  Motion passed.

                                                            iii.      Legislative Representative – Mr. Freeman nominated Russ Pfeiffer-Hoyt, Mr. Smith seconded. Motion passed.

b.       Appointment of Legal Counsel – Dr. Gantman recommended the District retain Tim Slater as Legal Counsel.  Mr. Freeman moved and Mr. Smith seconded to approve the recommendation.  Motion passed.

c.       Appointment of Representative for Federal Programs – Dr. Gantman recommend the board name him by name as Representative for Federal Programs.  Mr. Freeman moved to appoint Richard Gantman as Representative for Federal Programs, Mr. Smith seconded. Motion passed.

d.       Appointment of Real Estate Appraiser – Dr. Gantman recommended the board approve Follis & Berg as District Real Estate Appraisers.  Mr. Smith moved and Ms. Hart seconded the motion to accept the recommendation.  Motion passed.

e.       Agent to Receive Insurance Claims – Dr. Gantman recommended the board appoint the superintendent to receive claims.  Mr. Smith moved and Mr. Freeman seconded the motion to appoint the superintendent to receive insurance claims.  Motion passed.

8.       Policy – #6570 Property, Data and Records Management – Dr. Gantman recommended the board accept the policy for 1^st reading.  Mr. Smith moved and Mr. Freeman seconded the motion to approve for 1^st reading.  Motion passed.

9.       Reports –

a.       Superintendent’s Report – Dr. Gantman presented a verbal Superintendent’s Report; items include:

o        Lake Whatcom Watershed Lawsuit

o        Letter to Whatcom County regarding dike work behind bus garage.

b.       Business Manager’s Report –

§         Denise Ellis, Business Manager, provided the monthly report

10.   Meeting(s) Schedule – All meetings begin at 7 pm in the District Office unless otherwise noted

a.       Work sessions & Special Meetings –

§         Thursday, January 24

b.       Regular Meetings

§         Thursday, January 10 @ Nooksack Tribal Offices

11.   Executive Session – There was no Executive Session.

Adjourn – At 8:26 pm Mr. Pfeiffer-Hoyt adjourned the meeting.

Respectfully Submitted:

                                                                      ATTEST:                                            

Russ Pfeiffer-Hoyt, Vice-President                        Richard Gantman, Superintendent

CLASSIFIED EMPLOYMENT

LEAVES OF ABSENCE

RESIGNATIONS

SUPPLEMENTAL EMPLOYMENT

2007-08 COMMITTEES

School Leadership HS

Reading Action Team Kendall

Math Study Team Kendall

Kendall Leadership

Attachment “A”

Good of the Order

December 13, 2007

As many of you know, a choir of 5^th and 6^th grade students meet to rehearse on Wednesday mornings here at Harmony. Students who are on their 2^nd year of membership are eligible to audition for the Washington Music Educators Association All-State Youth Honor Choir.  This audition process involves making an individual recording of specific singing exercises.  A choir of 150 singers is then selected from recordings from the entire state.  They will rehearse and perform a concert at the WMEA state conference in Yakima on February 16^th in the Capitol Theater. This is the first year that Harmony students have gone through this process.  (I was hoping that we would get 1 or if we were really fortunate - possibly 2 students into the choir this year.)  The results just came back and I told the singers yesterday.  Harmony has 4 SINGERS accepted into the WMEA All-State Youth Honor Choir! 

Congratulations to Nicole Boardman, Abigail Dodson, Brittany Fedenuik and Aubrieta Roos!

In August, twenty year old Stuart Johnson went on a weekend motorcycle ride with some friends around the Cascade Loop.  Heading onto Lost River Road to a cabin Stuart realized his best friend, twenty-five year old Matt Roosa, had missed the turn.  Stuart went back and found Matt lying on his back with his motorcycle nearby off the shoulder of the highway.  Unresponsive and unable to arouse him Stuart began performing CPR on his best friend.  Stuart had been trained and certified in his Mt Baker High School health class by a teacher who is a Red Cross certified instructor and the Mt Baker High Red Cross club advisor.  Although Stuart’s certification had expired he retained enough skill and knowledge to successfully perform CPR on Matt.  During this time another rider went door-to-door in search of a telephone.  The area was remote enough that cell phones did not work.  Several cars stopped and an unknown woman stepped up to assist Stuart with CPR>  When the ambulance arrived Matt had stable vital signs and was transported to Omak and later to Sacred Heart Medical Center.

Unfortunately, Matt Roosa did not survive the accident and passed away the following day, August 27^th, 2007 of a cerebral hemorrhage.  Stuart Johnson was the youngest person there; he and Matt had been lifelong friends.  His actions were nothing short of extraordinary and key in the efforts made to sustain Matt’s life.

Without regard for their own safety, four Bellingham residents, Kyle Sorenson, Beverly Larsen, Timothy Probst and Tim Hart (husband of Mt Baker school board member, Trish Hart) responded at the scene of an accident on Guide Meridian on February 1^st, 2007.  Two cars were racing down the street out of control early in the morning and collided with a truck.

Tim Hart witnessed the initial racing and was calling 911 when he came upon one of the cars on fire and an overturned truck.  Tim pulled over and ran to the car to assist the young occupant.  The door was stuck and flames were everywhere.  He grabbed his fire extinguisher and started to put the fire out in the car and on the occupant.  The extinguisher depleted and as the flames increased Tim tried several way to get into the car, pieces coming off in his bare hands.  At this time the other three community members arrived to assist.  The four worked together to help all those involved in the accident.  The heroic actions of these four people speak to their character and extraordinary courage.

Attachment “B”

Board Meeting Summary Page

MBSD Administration
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