FOREST HILLS PUBLIC SCHOOLS GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN ...

FOREST HILLS PUBLIC SCHOOLS
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
Minutes of Regular Meeting of the Board of Education
Held on October 17, 2011
The Forest Hills Board of Education met in regular session on Monday,
October 17, 2011, at Orchard View Elementary School. President Fahner
called the regular meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
Members Present: Atwater, Fahner, Fischer, Josephson, Lenhardt,
Perschbacher, Vonck
Members Absent: None
CALL TO ORDER
ATTENDANCE
Boy Scout Troop 3015 led the Pledge of Allegiance. PLEDGE OF
ALLEGIANCE
Matthew Hanichen, Orchard View Elementary School Principal, welcomed
everyone back to the Board’s biannual visit. He thanked the Board for their
continued support and especially for the wonderful “Kickoff” that started the
2011-2012 school year. Matt introduced Orchard View’s PTO officers.
Matt Hanichen, principal of Orchard View Elementary, introduced Robert
Penning, art teacher at Orchard View Elementary, who gave a presentation
regarding the “7000 Loves” exhibit that Forest Hills community members,
students, and staff participated in at ArtPrize 2011. Members Fischer and
Vonck presented certificates to the teachers.
WELCOME
ARTPRIZE 2011
There were no public comments. PUBLIC COMMENTS
Member Lenhardt, Finance Committee Member, and Member Vonck,
Curriculum Committee Chair, presented their respective committee reports.
Motion by Member Fischer, second by Member Josephson, that the Forest
Hills Board of Education approve consent grouping items VI, A-C. Motion
carried 7-0.
AYES: Fischer, Perschbacher, Fahner, Josephson, Lenhardt, Atwater,
Vonck
NAYS: None
Accepted the 52 hours (Verizon Employee Incentive Program-$750)
donated toward the Early Literacy for Ada Elementary from Kim Blount;
$500 donation for cross country needs at Northern High School from Mr.
and Mrs. David Nystie; $500 donation toward the Eric Telman
Scholarship Fund at Forest Hills Public Schools from Scott Brundage;
wish list items (registration fees, substitute fees) for staff professional
development at Northern Trails from the Northern Trails PTO; and five
netbooks and cases for students to checkout at Northern Trails from the
Northern Trails PTO.
APPROVAL OF
CONSENT
GROUPING ITEMS
GIFTS TO THE
DISTRICT
Approved the minutes of the September 19, 2011 regular meeting, and
the September 30, 2011 special meeting, as presented.
APPROVAL OF
MINUTES
Approved revised Board Policy 6220.01 (General Operations Budget FINAL READING

MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING: 10/17/11 - PAGE 2
Fund Balance), as presented. POLICY 6220.01
Approved expenditures for the payment of bills for August 2011, as
presented.
GENERAL FUND $ 7,719,452.99
DEBT FUND 21,015.30
CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND 2007 30,545.00
CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND 2010 526,263.55
SCHOOL SERVICES FUND
1. Food Service Fund 24,500.05
2. Child Care Fund 12,776.42
TRUST AND AGENCY FUND
1. Activity Fund 93,168.49
TOTAL EXPENDITURES $ 8,427,721.80
Authorized reimbursement of refunded property taxes in the amount of
$24.35 to Kent County
Accepted the 2010-2011 Audit Report, as prepared by BDO Seidman,
LLP.
Approved probationary contract for the following professional staff:
Daniel Dunn Central Middle School
Approved unpaid leave of absence per Article XII of the Master
Agreement for:
Christine Feutz, teacher at Thornapple Elementary, has requested a
leave of absence from November 7, 2011 through February 6, 2012.
The following educational trip requests have been approved by
Superintendent Behm:
6 students from Northern High School will attend cultural activities in
Chicago, Illinois, on October 27, 2011.
54 students from Northern High School will attend a Broadway show
in Chicago, Illinois, on November 2, 2011.
85 students from Eastern High School will visit the Museum of
Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois, on November 10, 2011.
88 students from Central, Eastern, and Northern High Schools will
visit The Art Institute of Chicago and attend an architectural tour in
Chicago, Illinois, on November 17, 2011.
48 students from Northern Hills Middle School will visit the Chicago
PAYMENT OF BILLS
TAX
REIMBURSEMENT
ACCEPTANCE OF
ANNUAL FINANCIAL
AUDIT
EMPLOYMENT OF
NEW
PROFESSIONAL
STAFF
LEAVE OF ABSENCE
REQUEST
STUDENT TRIP
REQUESTS

MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING: 10/17/11 - PAGE 3
Symphony Orchestra in Chicago, Illinois, on March 10, 2012.
281 students from Northern Hills Middle School will visit Mackinaw
City and Mackinac Island, Michigan, on May 21-22, 2012.
Kim Hayes, Ruth Inman, Lindsey Nicholson, and Stephanie Thornton, the
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) team, presented an overview of the Loving,
Interested, Nurturing, Kind, Students (LINKS) Program. The LINKS Program
is a partnering program, which provides peer support, role models, and
friends to the students in the ASD classrooms and assists them in developing
their social skills.
Superintendent Behm thanked the Orchard View PTO and the entire Orchard
View team for hosting students and teachers in the LINK program. He also
thanked all the art teachers for sharing their gifts and bringing alive creativity
with the students and community through 2011 ArtPrize.
Superintendent Behm thanked Tim Raymer, Assistant Superintendent for
Finance and Operations; Dennis Baine, Comptroller; and the entire Business
Department for all their hard work on completing another successful audit.
Superintendent Behm extended his deepest sympathy to Officer Trevor Slot’s
family and friends. Officer Slot’s sister is Erika Ten Eyck, teacher at Central
Woodlands.
President Fahner congratulated and thanked Tim Raymer, Assistant
Superintendent for Finance and Operations, and his staff for the excellent
audit.
Member Josephson stated that the High School Graduation Requirements
Committee will have recommendations to the Board of Education in a couple
of months regarding strategic changes to the graduation requirements.
Motion by Member Fischer, supported by Member Josephson, to adjourn the
regular meeting at 8:25 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Mary Vonck, Secretary
Forest Hills Board of Education
(MINUTES APPROVED BY THE FOREST HILLS BOARD OF EDUCATION ON 11/21/11.)
INSTRUCTIONAL
HIGHLIGHT
SUPERINTENDENT’S
REPORT
BOARD COMMENTS
ADJOURNMENT