Acton Agua Dulce Unified School District

School Board Meeting Minutes 9-28-00

PLACE AND DATE OF MEETING

Meadowlark School, 3015 W. Sacramento St., Acton, California, September 28, 2000

CALL TO ORDER

Mr. Duzick called the meeting to order at 6:35 p.m.

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT

James Duzick, President

Mark Nielsen, Vice President

John Sisco, Clerk

Martin Barofsky, Member

Steve Harbeson, Member

ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION

The Board adjourned to Closed Session to discuss Personnel and Negotiations at 6:36 p.m.

RETURN TO OPEN SESSION

The Board returned to Open Session at 7:40 p.m.

(Martin Barofsky, who had been present at the Closed

Session, returned to the Open Session at 7:45 p.m.)

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag led by Mr. Duzick

ADMINISTRATION PRESENT

Dr. Don Banderas, Superintendent

Margaret Gonder, Meadowlark Principal

Steve Lorenze, Agua Dulce School Principal

Steve Pinkston, Vasquez Principal

Jerry Watkins, High Desert Principal

Tracey Wegmann, Acton Principal

OTHER DISTRICT PERSONNEL

Paulette Buechner

VISITORS

Charlie Felan; Gregory, Greg, and Chris Landis; Sheila Cook, Kathy Wilmarth, Maggie Leavitt, Sarah Circhirillo

ADOPT AGENDA

110. Motion that the September 28, 2000 agenda be approved as amended:

Move Item 4.1 to after the Adoption of the Agenda (Item 1.7)

Moved by Mr. Harbeson

Seconded by Mr. Sisco

Motion carried (4/0/1)

CONSENT MOTION

111. Motion that the following items be approved by consent motion.

1. Approve the Minutes of the Regular Meeting held on September 14, 2000.

2. Approve Purchase Order Report #00-01.6.

3. Accept Warrant Register Report.

4. Approve Payment of Stipends.

5. that the Board approve the following assistant coaching positions at Vasquez High School:

Gene Ubelhardt Chris Saucke

Marc Ubelhardt Mike Lamb

Ric Rivas Daniel Williford

6. that the Board approve the following classified personnel:

Armando Alonso Utility/Maintenance/Grounds Vasquez

Jayme Fryer Instructional Aide Meadowlark

Ludy Ramos Bilingual Instructional Aide Meadowlark

7. that the Board approve the assignments of the personnel listed below for the After School Detention Program and Saturday School at Vasquez High School:

Mark Costahaude George Durr

Frank Nelson Elaine Sullivan

Moved by Mr. Barofsky

Seconded by Mr. Sisco

Motion carried (5/0)

CORRESPONDENCE/PROPOSALS/REPORTS

SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT

112. Report by the Superintendent

Dr. Banderas announced that both the Acton-Agua Dulce Teachers Association and Acton-Agua Dulce Chapter #473 of the California School Employees Association have ratified their respective Collective Bargaining agreements with the District. The teachers’ agreement extends from July 1, 1999, through June 30, 2002. The CSEA agreement extends from July 1, 2000 through June 30, 2003. He thanked the bargaining teams from each association for their dedication to the process and he thanked Carl Lange, a Labor Negotiator from Schools Legal Services, for his assistance to the District.

Dr. Banderas reported that the Vasquez Temporary Campus project is nearing completion. Mostly we are awaiting the delivery of equipment to complete the gym, food services building and the science labs.

In reporting on the status of the District’s Hardship Appeal in the State Facilities Program, Dr. Banderas informed the Board all the eligibility documents are complete. The documentation phase required a considerable amount of detail work and he expressed his appreciation to School Facilities Consultants for their work in completing all the formal paperwork. The next phase is to submit our actual Hardship Appeal documentation. Preliminary reviews indicate that the District does qualify for a Hardship Appeal based on debt accumulation. That’s the good news. The not so good news is that the political side of the allocation of Prop 1A School Construction money has heated up considerably. The State Allocation Board met yesterday to determine the methodology for the allocation of money. A process was established, but on the key issue of the formula for the calculation of priority points, the SAB directed the staff of OPSC (Office of Public School Construction) to return soon with a proposal that is equitable for districts of all sizes in the state. It is difficult to determine the impact on our project without a better understanding of the priority point system.

PRINCIPAL AND STAFF REPORTS

113. Reports by Principals and Staff

Mr. Watkins said he is pleased with the students and staff at High Desert, and that the students are being very respectful. He said Back-to-School Night was well attended.

Mr. Pinkston said that Vasquez High School also had a well attended Back-to-School Night. He said that the teachers did an outstanding job and that parental participation was exceptional. Mr. Pinkston spoke about the science teacher, Mr. Nelson, working with his students in the computer lab on actual science experiments.

A parent asked Mr. Pinkston a question about the $10,000 donation to Vasquez. It was explained that the site and PTO agreed to buy chairs and tables for the school.

STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE REPORT

114. Report by Student Representative

Damian Arms, VHS student representative, also reported on a successful Back-to-School Night. He announced that the football team will play Mojave on September 29. Other upcoming games will be a football game at home on October 7, and a volleyball game at home on October 3.

CORRESPONDENCE TO BOARD

115. Correspondence to the Board

Correspondence was received from Sutro regarding a luncheon at the Ritz Carlton on November 28 from 10:00 until 2:00. A letter was received from a student. The Board agreed to discuss the topic during closed session.

BOARD MEMBER REPORTS

116. Reports by Board Members

Mr. Sisco, Mr. Duzick, and Mr. Harbeson attended a Antelope Valley School Boards Association dinner and reported on a presentation they heard on a program called "Bridges" that features multiple approaches to learning.

COMMENTS FROM PUBLIC

117. Comments from the Public

A student addressed the Board. The student was informed that the Board would address the student’s issue in closed session.

BOEARD DISCUSSION

118. Discussion by Board Members

The Board discussed traffic and road issues. Concerns were raised about the need for a stop sign at Sierra Highway and Red Rover. Dr. Banderas indicated that the country continues to monitor the traffic in that area, and that by county standards the intersection does not qualify for a stop sign at this time.

The Board requested that the churches be included on the agenda and invited to the next meeting in order to discuss the use of facilities fees.

DISTRICT ORGANIZATION AND BOARD OPERATIONS

PRESENTATION ON TMC

119. Representatives from the City of Santa Clarita made a presentation to the Board regarding the city’s opposition to the proposed mining project in Soledad Canyon. Community members were encouraged to attend an awareness breakfast scheduled for September 30 at Vasquez Rocks.

DIRECTION FOR CASTING BALLOT

120. Motion that the Board give direction to Mr. Sisco for whom the Board’s votes should be cast for the Los Angeles County Committee on School District Organization.

Moved by Mr. Harbeson

Seconded by Mr. Nielsen

Motion carried (5/0)

INSTRUCTION PROGRAM AND STUDENT ACTIVITIES

FIELD TRIP REQUEST

121. Motion that the Board approve a field trip for Vasquez High School seniors to attend "College Information Day" at Antelope Valley College on October 4, 2000.

Moved by Mr. Barofsky

Seconded by Mr. Sisco

Motion carried (5/0)

PERSONNEL

AATA SALARY SCHEDULE

122. Motion that the Board ratify the 2000-2001 Salary Schedule for Certificated staff members represented by the Acton-Agua Dulce Teachers Association.

Moved by Mr. Harbeson

Seconded by Mr. Barofsky

Motion carried (5/0)

EXTRA DUTY PAY SCHEDULE

123. Motion that the Board approve the Extra Duty Pay Schedule for 2000-2001.

Moved by Mr. Harbeson

Seconded by Mr. Sisco

Motion carried (5/0)

CSEA SALARY SCHEDULE

124. Motion that the Board approve the 2000-2001 Salary Schedule for Classified staff members represented by the California School Employees Association Chapter #473.

Moved by Mr. Harbeson

Seconded by Mr. Sisco

Motion carried (5/0)

BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

RESOLUTION #00-01.6: GANN LIMIT

125. That the Board approve the adoption of Resolution #00-01.6 establishing the appropriation limit of $10,001,486 for 1999-2000 and the estimated limit $10,445,835 for 2000-2001.

Moved by Mr. Nielsen

Seconded by Mr. Sisco

Motion carried (5/0)

ACCEPT DONATIONS

126. Motion that the Board approve the acceptance of the following donations.

Moved by Mr. Harbeson

Seconded by Mr. Nielsen

Motion carried (5/0)

BUS REPLACEMENT PROGRAM

127. The Board received information on the status of the school bus replacement program. Money is available in the Governor’s budget to replace pre-1987 buses that lack safe emissions devices. The District owns six buses that fall into that category. While the program is at a standstill because the state is trying to determine what kind of fuel the replacement buses must use, Dr. Banderas reminded the Board that we need to monitor this program because of the possible benefit of the plan to our district.

TRANSFER OF FUNDS

128. Motion that the Board approve the transfer of $73,445.08 from Fund 74 to Fund 15.

Moved by Mr. Harbeson

Seconded by Mr. Barofsky

Motion carried (5/0)

CALENDAR

129. CALENDAR

CLOSED SESSION

130. Motion that the Board adjourn to Closed Session at 9:14 p.m. to discuss:

1. Personnel Matters

Moved by Mr. Harbeson

Seconded by Mr. Sisco

Motion carried (5/0)

RECONVENE

131. Motion that the Board reconvene to Regular Session at 9:59 p.m.

Moved by Mr. Harbeson

Seconded by Mr. Barofsky

Motion carried (5/0)

ADJOURNMENT

132. Motion that the Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees adjourn at 10:00 p.m., Thursday, September 28, 2000

Moved by Mr. Harbeson

Seconded by Mr. Barofsky

Motion carried (5/0)

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