MINUTES

WEST VIRGINIA BOARD OF EDUCATION

Board Conference Room

Capitol Building 6, Room 353

1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East

Charleston, West Virginia

March 15, 2007

I.  Call to Order

  President Lowell E. Johnson called the meeting of the West Virginia Board of Education (WVBE) to order at 9:00 a.m. on March 15, 2007, in the Board Conference Room, Capitol Building 6, Room 353, 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East, Charleston, West Virginia.

  The following members were present:  President Johnson, Vice President Delores W. Cook, Secretary Priscilla M. Haden, Barbara N. Fish, Robert W. Dunlevy, Burma Hatfield, Gayle C. Manchin, Jenny N. Phillips and Ronald B. Spencer, and ex officio Steven L. Paine, State Superintendent of Schools.  Members absent were ex officios Brian E. Noland, Chancellor, West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, and James L. Skidmore, Chancellor, West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education.

II. Recognitions

  The Board recognized Mr. David Shawn Gibson, Cabell County Schools Bus Operator.  Mr. Gibson kept students out of harms way while defusing a high-jacking attempt.

III.  Approval of Agenda

  Upon motion by Mrs. Cook, seconded by Ms. Hatfield, the Board unanimously approved the agenda.

IV. Consent Agenda

  Upon motion by Ms. Phillips, seconded by Mr. Dunlevy, the Board unanimously approved the Consent Agenda.  (Copies appended to Official Minutes, Attachments A through U.)

· Meeting minutes of February 14 and 15, 2007  (Attachment A)

· Budget supplement and transfer requests for the month of February 2007 as follows:  total supplements = $25,646,741 and total transfers = $23,445,828 (Attachment B)

· Amendment to the Cabell County Comprehensive Educational Facilities Plan (CEFP) to include new windows at Geneva Kent Elementary School

· Amendment to the Gilmer County CEFP to include installation of HVAC equipment, mold remediation and floor repair at Normantown School

· Amendment to the Kanawha County CEFP to include the relocation of a portable from Bridge Elementary to Nitro Elementary due to an increase in enrollment.  The portable will meet federal requirements and WVBE Policy 6200.  The portable will be located as closed as feasible to the doors of the receiving facility in order to maintain a secure campus.  The unit will contain bathroom facilities

· Amendment to the Lincoln County CEFP to include the following school reorganization/reconfiguration effective with the 2007-2008 school year:  Harts Primary PK-4 and Harts Intermediate 5-8 (Harts Intermediate, currently a 4‑8 school, will be reconfigured to be a 5-8 school and Harts Primary, currently a PK-3 school, will be reconfigured to be a PK-4 school)

· Amendment to the Monongalia County CEFP to include the reclassification and reconfiguration of several schools (details are listed in the attachment)  (Attachment C)

· School facility reviews for Braxton County Middle School and Braxton County High School in Braxton County, Cameron High School and Moundsville Junior High School in Marshall County, and Wirt County Primary Center, Wirt County Middle School and Wirt County High School in Wirt County  (Attachment D)

· One request for a waiver of State Board policy and one request for continuation of a waiver of Instructional Materials  (Attachment E)

· Eleven applications for a total of 1,405 applications for Operation Recognition in connection with Policy 4355:  High School Diplomas for Veterans  (Attachment F)

· Policy 2510, Assuring the Quality of Education:  Regulations for Education Programs  (Attachment G)

· Policy 2520.4, 21st Century Social Studies Content Standards and Objectives for West Virginia Schools  (Attachment H)

· Policy 2520.9, 21st Century Dance Content Standards and Objectives for West Virginia Schools  (Attachment I)

· Policy 2520.10, 21st Century Music Education Content Standards and Objectives for West Virginia Schools  (Attachment J)

· Policy 2520.11, 21st Century Theatre Content Standards and Objectives for West Virginia Schools  (Attachment K)

· Policy 2520.12, 21st Century Visual Art Content Standards and Objectives for West Virginia Schools  (Attachment L)

· Policy 2520.18, 21st Century American Sign Language Content Standards and Objectives for West Virginia Schools  (Attachment M)

· Policy 2520.16, Alternate Academic Achievement Standards for West Virginia Schools  (Attachment Mc)

· Policy 2520.5, 21st Century Health Education 5-12 Content Standards and Objectives for West Virginia Schools  (Attachment N)

· Policy 2520.6, 21st Century Physical Education 5-12 Content Standards and Objectives for West Virginia Schools  (Attachment O)

· Policy 2520.8, 21st Century Driver Education Content Standards and Objectives for West Virginia Schools  (Attachment P)

· Policy 2520.55, 21st Century Wellness PreK-4 Content Standards and Objectives for West Virginia Schools  (Attachment Q)

· 2006 Educational Personnel Data Report  (Attachment R)

· Application to Receive the Federal Fiscal Year 2007 Grant Award Under Part B of the Individual with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) as Amended in 2004  (Attachment S)

· Five-Year Strategic Plans Updated for 2006-2007 School Year

· County Plan to Eliminate a Financial Deficit for the Taylor County School System  (Attachment T)

· West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind 2007-2008 School Calendar (Attachment U).

V.  Reports

  Board Member/Committee Reports. Ms. Haden provided information regarding recently approved legislation regarding civic literacy and distributed a resolution regarding the same, reported that President Johnson is to be nominated as Southern Regional Director of the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) at the upcoming meeting of the NASBE Nominations Committee, provided follow-up regarding Black History Month activities at West Virginia State University, and indicated that she attended a RESA Project Teach meeting.  Mrs. Fish provided an update regarding IOM Committee on Standards for Foods in Schools activities.  President Johnson attended a Consortium for Policy Research in Education Conference on New Approaches to School Finance, School Improvement and Teacher Compensation, a grievance hearing in Morgan, met (along with Mrs. Cook, Mrs. Fish and Ms. Hatfield) with the Lincoln County Board, read to first graders at Ridgedale Elementary in Monongalia County in connection with Read Across America Day, attended the National Board Certified Teacher ceremony, and attended a Learning First Alliance Summit.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment Y.)

  State Superintendent’s Report.  Superintendent Paine presented Department personnel actions for the Board’s information and provided updates regarding Lincoln, McDowell, and Mingo Counties, 21st century assessments to support the content standards and objectives (CSOs), independent review of CSOs, arts program initiatives (assisted by Ms. Liza Cordeiro, Executive Director, WVDE Office of Communications, who provided an update regarding the Arts Alive performance that is to take place May 2 at the Clay Center and Ms. Carla Williamson, Executive Director, WVDE Office of Instruction, who provided information regarding the integration of the arts into curricula, WVDE professional development activities, and WVDE Safe Harbor activities.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment V.)

  Parent/Community Involvement.  Dr. Pamela S. Cain, Assistant State Superintendent, Division of Student Support Services, provided an update regarding parent/community involvement initiatives.

VI.  Break

  President Johnson called for a break at 10:15 a.m.  Superintendent Paine departed the meeting.

VII.  Call to Order

  President Johnson called the meeting back to order at 10:30 a.m.

VIII. Reports

  Superintendent’s Report (Continued).  Dr. Karen Huffman, Special Assistant, Division of Special Projects, and Dr. Jack McClanahan, Deputy State Superintendent, provided an update regarding legislative matters.

IX.  Proposed Educational Experience for Liberian School

  the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind

  Faculty Members and Students

  Mrs. Jane McBride, Superintendent of the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind presented a proposed educational experience for faculty members and students for the Board’s consideration.  The Director of the School for the Deaf and the Blind in Liberia, in cooperation with Dr. Rudy Bropleh of Shepherdstown, requested that a group of faculty members and students be permitted to visit the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind to learn and study educational techniques and strategies for deaf and/or blind children.  WVSDB will provide room and board for this group for the approximate four week visit which will occur sometime in the early Fall of 2007. 

Upon motion by Mrs. Manchin, seconded by Ms. Haden, the Board unanimously approved the educational experience for the Liberian School to visit the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind.

X.  WVBE Personnel Matters Including Termination of Employment

  of an Employee of the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (WVSDB)

  Upon motion by Mr. Dunlevy, seconded by Ms. Phillips, the Board unanimously approved the Board’s personnel matters including the termination of employment of an employee of the WVSDB and retirement of the Superintendent of the WVSDB effective June 30, 2007. President Johnson requested that members wishing to serve on the WVSDB Superintendent search committee to so notify him.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment W.)

XI. Board Items for Future Consideration

  President Johnson requested items to be considered for placement on the April agenda be provided to him or Dr. Jack McClanahan, Deputy Superintendent of Schools, as soon as possible. Ms. Haden requested another update regarding discipline be presented at a future meeting.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment X.)

XII.  Future Meetings

  The next regular meeting of the Board will be held April 11-12, 2007 in Preston County, West Virginia.

XIII. Adjournment

  Upon motion by Mrs. Cook, seconded by Ms. Phillips and unanimously carried, the meeting adjourned at 11:03 a.m.

    Minutes approved by the Board on April 12, 2007.

    _______________________________________________

  Lowell E. Johnson, President

_______________________________________________

  Priscilla M. Haden, Secretary

Minutes were recorded by

Virginia M. Harris

Executive Secretary to the Board.

wvbeminutes3/15/07