Board of Education Meeting Minutes

May 29, 2007

ATTENDENCE: Jody Bishop-Pullen, Chairwoman; Gregory Burnett, Richard

Fuller, Bruce Kimmel, Rosa Murray, Susan Hamilton, Migdalia

Rivas, Robert Polley. Thomas Vetter.

STAFF: Dr. Corda, Superintendent of Schools.

CALL TO ORDER

The meeting was called to order at 7:10 P.M.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

All present rose to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

DISCUSSION OF OPINION OF ATTORNEY PROTESTED UNDER ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE

There was no motion to go into executive session.

ACTIONS

A. Consent

1. Approval of personnel actions.

** MR. POLLEY MOVED FOR APPROVAL OF PERSONNEL ACTIONS.

** MS. HAMILTON SECONDED THE MOTION.

** THE MOTION PASSED WITH EIGHT IN FAVOR (BISHOP-PULLEN, BURNETT, FULLER, KIMMEL, MURRAY, HAMILTON, POLLEY, VETTER.) IN FAVOR AND ONE ABSTENTION (RIVAS).

DISCUSSION OF POLICIES

Policy #1240 - Volunteers in Norwalk Public Schools.

The first policy that was presented was about volunteers in the public schools. It concerned conducting background checks on anyone volunteering to keep watch over the students at school or on field trips when there was no teacher present.

Following the presentation, questions were asked about of a parent driving children to a field trip would qualify as a volunteer. The board responded that a parent would not qualify. There were also favorable comments for the new policy.

Policy #5121 – Progress reports

Mr. Fuller left the room at 8:30 P.M.

A staff member came forwards to review the proposed policy for progress reports for the board. There were various questions asked by board members, all of which were dutifully answered by the presenter of the proposed policy.

Policy #5123 – Promotion/Retention/Acceleration Requirements

The next policy that was presented involved the requirements for the promotion of students, the acceleration of students, and the retention of students as well as the amount of summer school courses that a student would have to pass in order to move on to higher grades.

There was a question about if the proposed changes to the current retention system would be effective. The presenter said yes and outlined his reasons for this for the board.

Grading and Reporting Policy

The following presenter reviewed the proposed policy for Grading and Reporting for the board. The proposed policy includes a proposed change to a new grading system for quarterly tests and proposed retakes of tests with a lowered maximum possible grade as a penalty.

Many concerns were voiced from the public about the proposed changes and the proposed test retakes.

Homework Policy

The final policy presentation involved changes to the amount of homework assigned to students and the overall value of the homework to the student’s final grade.

There was a question from the public about the amount the homework was proposed to be and if it was possibly too low. The presenter said that the value of the homework was at a proper level and that lack of doing homework would also reflect on the student’s tests as well.

ADJOURNMENT

** MR. POLLY MOVED TO ADJOURN. ** MS. HAMILTON SECONDED THE MOTION.

** THE MOTION WAS UNANIMOUS.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:50 P.M.

Sincerely submitted, Ian Soltes Telesco Secretarial Services.

Category: Minutes