Board Meeting Regular February07 - Bibb County Schools

MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING
BIBB COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
Thursday, February 15, 2007
6:00 p.m. (Announced)
The Board of Public Education for Bibb County met in regular session on Thursday,
February 15, 2007, at 6:00 p.m. at Miller Middle School, 751 Hendley Street.
Board Members present Lynn Farmer -President, presiding; Albert Abrams, Tommy
Barnes, Gary Bechtel, Tom Hudson, Susan Middleton and Terry Tripp. Bob Nickels was
not present due to recent surgery. Staff members present included: Sharon Patterson,
Ron Collier, Sylvia McGee, Diana Rodgers, Val Cordy, Bob Flowers, Mike Van Wyck and
Lisa Herring. Julie Hubbard, Telegraph Reporter was also present.
Mr. Hudson called the meeting to order at 6:11 p.m.
Dwana Johnson, 6 th grade student and Miguel Carmona an 8 th grade student at
Miller Middle School led in the Pledge of Allegiance. Carmen Reid, Rice Elementary
School student sang the National Anthem.
Mr. Bechtel gave the invocation.
II. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES: A motion to approve the Board Minutes of
January 18, 2007, was made by Mr. Bechtel;
seconded by Mr. Hudson and approved 7-0. Mr.
Nickels was not present.
III. REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT:
1. RECOGNITIONS
Awarding of Plaque to Retiring Employee(s) with 25 or More Years Bibb Service to
the Bibb County Public School System.
Name Position Years School/Department
Thelma T. Thompson Accounting Clerk II 26 Central Office Accounting
Bibb County Spelling Bee Winners
Miller Middle School - Cassidy Hatcher
Appling Middle School – Shayla Bright, Runner Up

Bibb County Board of Education
Minutes –February 15, 2007
Page 2
Extra Mile Award
Sylvester Marcus is employed by the Macon Water Authority and serves as
the Grease Management Inspector. He is responsible for the inspection of
grease systems for the entire city of Macon and Bibb County.
Class of 2007 Youth Leadership Bibb County, Inc.
Name School Grade
Quinterrance Bell Northeast High School 11
Matthew Bright Northeast High School 11
Samantha Brown Rutland High School 12
Nichelle'Le Carrington Northeast High School 11
Allison Fennel Westside High School 11
Danyelle Gar Southwest High School 11
Alicia Harrell Central High School 12
Tanteneya Horne Southwest High School 11
Ashley Long Rutland High School 12
Akeem McMichael Central High School 12
Eric Newcomer Central High School 12
Charles Pham Westside High School 11
Lindsay Spinner Westside High School 11
National Achievement Finalists
Alexandria Byas and Sasha Hutchings, Central High School
2. CALENDAR OF MEETINGS AND EVENTS:
February 19, 2007 President’s Day School and System
Closed
February 20, 2007 Star Student Banquet 6:00 p.m.
March 1- 4, 2007 AASA Convention – Superintendent
March 1, 2007 Taste of Macon - Atlanta
Regular Board Meeting 02-15-07
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Bibb County Board of Education
Minutes –February 15, 2007
Page 3
3. OTHER REMARKS:
Regular Board Meeting 02-15-07
PRESIDENT – INVITATION TO VISITORS TO ADDRESS THE BOARD
Ms. Farmer invited individuals who would like to address the Board regarding
their concerns.
Ralph Williams, President SEIU Local 1985. We are a public sector union that represents
public sector workers all across this country 1.8 million members. We are the largest
union in the country. I am here tonight to discuss a very serious matter that has been
brought to our attention about safety. We have been contacted by a number of parent
groups in the Bibb County area, NAACP, Southern Christian Leadership Conference,
headed by President Charles Steel, in hopes of having discussion with the Board about the
safety of our kids, employees and parents as it applies to the bus system here, the school
bus system. We have tried on a number of attempts to have this discussion with the
Board, management and we are a little frustrated as to where we go from this point. We
are here tonight to say that we have tried every particular avenue that we can possibly try.
In listening to your comments about the chain of command we have tried that. But we still
cannot get any response from the Board or anyone in the administration about the
process, or if there is a process that exists to address safety issues as it applies to
students, parents and employees. And so the first thing that we would like to know is: is
there a process; secondly, if that process exists, we would like to be a part of that process;
and finally, we would like to know tonight, and when I say “we”, I’m speaking on behalf of
parents in the Bibb County area, members of the NAACP, members of the SEIU, members
of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which I am a national board member of,
we want to know what the school system is going to do about the safety of it’s employees,
the safety of the kids and the concerns that the parents have. And finally, I will say this
that we have tried publicly, we have tried privately, and we have not gotten anywhere. And
I think this is probably going to be not the last attempt to discuss this with the Board, but
certainly I think that we’ll have to try some more unconventional methods to get our
message across, because we keep seeing incidents happen where the safety of kids and
employees are in jeopardy. So we came here tonight as a show of respect, in a disciplined
manner to voice these concerns, but I have to say that the patience of parents, employees
and quiet honestly kids is really wearing thin. We are getting to wonder, where do we go
from this point to address these issues. So I’d like to have a response under what protocol
calls for.
Ms Farmer: Unfortunately, protocol does not allow us to give you a response. This is not a
forum in which you can ask questions. You bring those concerns, we have noted those
concerns, I took notes on those. We appreciate your coming forward to express those
concerns.
Mr. Williams: And who do the parents, children or any concerned organization- who do
they direct those kinds of concerns to, since we can’t address those to the Board
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Bibb County Board of Education
Minutes –February 15, 2007
Page 4
Ms. Farmer: The current Director of Transportation is Dr. Jerri Hall and that would go to
her.
Mr. Williams: We tried that and that didn’t work. Refused to even set up an appointment,
and so I’m wondering…you see where the frustration lies. So I’m just wondering.
Ms. Farmer: My suggestion would be to try again.
Mr. Williams: To try with the Mr.
Ms. Farmer: Dr. Hall
Mr. Williams: Dr. Hall or Mr. Jones?
Ms. Farmer: Dr. Hall.
Mr. Williams: Dr. Hall. We’ll send another certified letter as we did the last time, to see if
there is a response. Thanks you.
Ms. Rhoda Batieste addressed the Board regarding the issue of ½ day for students. As a
working parent, it is difficult for parents to leave their jobs and go pick up their children at
10:45 a.m. when school is dismissed. Children are only in school a few hours. This is a
hardship on working parents. Would the BOE take a serious look at this issue? It would be
better to give the teachers a full day instead of the half day for planning. Several parents
have expressed concerns. This could be a safety issue for children who go home alone.
Please consider giving the teachers a full day planning.
IV. Report of Standing Committees:
1. Instructional Services Committee
IS-4 Georgia Class Size Waivers for 2006-2007 School\
Year was presented for approval by Mr. Abrams; seconded by
Mr. Hudson and approved 7-0. Mr. Nickels was not present.
Ms. Middleton noted that the three classes are over by one
student.
Regular Board Meeting 02-15-07
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Bibb County Board of Education
Minutes –February 15, 2007
Page 5
2. Fiscal/Support Services Committee
FSS-9 Construction Manager for High School #4 was presented for
approval by Mr. Barnes; seconded by Ms. Tripp and approved
7-0. Mr. Nickels was not present.
FSS-10 Budget Amendment for 2005 Capital Improvement
Program was presented for approval by Mr. Barnes; seconded
by Mr. Hudson and approved 7-0. Mr. Nickels was not present.
FSS-11 Resolution –Application for Federal Funds – Section 8003,
Impact Aid was presented for approval by Mr. Barnes;
seconded by Ms. Tripp and approved 7-0. Mr. Nickels was not
present.
FSS-12 Superintendent Recommended Budget Amendment No. 1 was
presented for approval by Mr. Barnes; seconded by Mr. Abrams
and approved 7-0. Mr. Nickels was not present.
FSS-13 FY 2008 Budget Calendar was presented for approval by Mr.
Barnes; seconded by Ms. Tripp and approved 7-0. Mr. Nickels
was not present.
FSS-14 Timeline of School Maintenance and Operation Tax Levy for FY
2007 and 2008 was presented for approval by Mr. Barnes;
seconded by Mr. Hudson and approved 7-0. Mr. Nickels was
not present.
FSS-16 Change in Grade Configuration for Selected Elementary and
Middle Schools was presented for approval by Mr. Barnes;
seconded by Ms. Middleton and approved 6-1. Mr. Nickels was
not present and Mr. Bechtel voted no.
FSS-17 Consideration of the Closing of McEvoy Middle School was
presented for approval by Mr. Barnes; seconded by Mr. Hudson
and approved 7-0. Mr. Nickels was not present.
Regular Board Meeting 02-15-07
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Bibb County Board of Education
Minutes –February 15, 2007
Page 6
FSS-18 Consideration of the Closing of Hamilton Elementary School
was presented for approval by Mr. Barnes; seconded by Mr.
Hudson and approved 6-1. Mr. Nickels was not present and
Ms. Tripp voted no.
FSS-19 Modification of Attendance Zones for Bruce Elementary School
and Rice Elementary School – motion to table was made by Mr.
Barnes seconded by Mr. Hudson and approved to table for
Superintendent to meet with faculties 7-0.
FSS-20 Temporary Relocation of Ingram-Pye Elementary School
Students was presented for approval by Mr. Barnes; seconded
by Ms. Tripp and approved 7-0. Mr. Nickels was not present.
3. Policies and Rules Committee
4. Personnel Services
V. Unfinished Business:
Regular Board Meeting 02-15-07
PS-1 Appointments and Transfers – Certified/Classified
Personnel - including Mr. Larry Jones as Director of
Transportation for Bibb County School District was presented
for approval by Mr. Bechtel; seconded by Mr. Hudson and
approved 7-0. Mr. Nickels was not present.
PS-2 Separations from Employment was presented for approval by
Mr. Bechtel; seconded by Ms. Middleton and approved 7-0. Mr.
Nickels was not present.
Mr. Abrams asked about the calendar.
Ms. Tripp stated that we need to look at Family Life
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Bibb County Board of Education
Minutes –February 15, 2007
Page 7
VI. New Business:
VII. Adjourn
A motion to adjourn was made by Mr. Bechtel; seconded by
Mr. Barnes and approved 7-0. Mr. Nickels was not present.
Meeting adjourned 7:15 p.m.
Regular Board Meeting 02-15-07
Lynn Farmer, President
Sharon Patterson, Superintendent
These minutes were approved at the Board meeting on: March 15, 2007
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