Minutes of the Governing Board

Minutes of the Arvin Union School District Board of Trustees Regular Meeting held on April 15, 2008.

The meeting was called to order by Mr. Stoner at 6:35 p.m.		Call to Order

Members Present: Mr. Bill Stoner, President Mr. Tim Owens Mrs. Joycene Tarver, Clerk		Members Present

Members Absent: none		Member Absent

Mrs. Jerelle Kavanagh, Superintendent Mrs. Marilyn Thompson, Assistant Superintendent Mr. David Bowling, HD Principal Ms. Aurora Moran, BME Principal Mrs. Georgia Rhett, ECR Principal Mrs. Debbie L. Hearron, District Secretary Ms. Leticia Vaca, District Receptionist Mr. Ryan Culberson, HD Teacher Ms. Michelle Davidson, ECR Teacher Mr. Jose Garcia, Warehouse Assistant Mrs. Amanda Torres, HD Instructional Aide Mr. Rey Ramos, ECR Custodian/Driver		Staff Present

Others Present: Pat Alexander, KCSOS Instructional Services; Pete Carton, KCSOS Schools Legal Services; Linda Leary; Anabel Rubio; Fernando Torres; Micelas Gonzalez; Maria Ortiz; Maria Hernandez; Rosalba Lopez; Yullu Lopez; Justina Bautista; Leonor Lopez; Isabel Jimenez; Maria Renoso; Timoteo Prado; Kati Ramirez; Veronica Montelongo; Maria Gaina.		Others

Mr. Owens led the pledge of allegiance.		Pledge of Allegiance

Mrs. Kavanagh asked the board to adopt the agenda with the following changes: Move item 7.1.1 – “Consider approval of the re-employment of certificated staff for the 2008/2009 school year” before item 5 - Consent Agenda and following item 4.5. Also, item 7.4.1 - should read CLOSED SESSION - Discussion of Sierra Vista Elementary Principal selection.		Adoption of the Agenda

On motion of Mr. Owens, seconded by Mrs. Tarver, the board unanimously approved the minutes of the March 11, 2008 Regular Board Meeting and Special Board Meeting of March 25, 2008.		Minutes – Approved

Mrs. Kavanagh greeted the board and gave a report of the Categorical Program Monitoring review that is in progress in the district and specifically at Haven Drive Middle School, Bear Mountain Elementary and the Arvin State Preschool. The review team assigned to Arvin by the State Department of Education started Monday, April 14 and will conclude on Thursday, April 17^th. Last, but not least, Mrs. Kavanagh extended a thank you to Mrs. Michelle Leggett who spent countless hours preparing and leading the team for the review. Mrs. Kavanagh recommended convening a special board meeting on April 22, 2008. The purpose of the meeting will be to consider Classified School Employee Association (CSEA) Lay Offs. A time of 6:30 p.m. was agreed upon. Mrs. Thompson introduced Ms. Pat Alexander, Kern County Superintendent of Schools. Ms. Alexander then gave a brief overview of the District Assistance and Intervention (DAIT) review. Arvin Union School District is in Year Three of Program Improvement. Ms. Alexander emphasized that any school that hasn’t met AYP by Year Three is subject to the DAIT process. The process is monitored by a state approved provider, and the Kern County Superintendent of Schools office will be that provider. The DAIT team will consist of a leader and members who are selected from board members, administrators, parents and principals. Through corrective action and technical assistance with the aide of the DAIT provider, the School Board of Education will see that the district team reviews and revises its LEA Plan. The DAIT process takes two years to implement. Mrs. Kavanagh introduced Mrs. Georgia Rhett, El Camino Real School principal. Mrs. Rhett then introduced to the board Ms. Michelle Davidson a 6^th grade teacher at El Camino Real School. Ms. Davidson was assisted by one of her students, Dalan Emery. Dalan’s mother, Ms. Kati Ramirez, was also in the audience. Ms. Davidson explained to the board that her students had written and published a book titled “ABC’s of ECR”. Ms. Davidson shared that each student created a page of the book by choosing a letter from the alphabet and drawing or writing about a word beginning with that letter. Dalan then read the page he had created. Ms. Davidson presented the “ABC’s of ECR” to the board president, Mr. Stoner. Mr. Stoner gave opportunity at this time to the members of the public to address the board regarding items of interest within the board’s jurisdiction. Maria Hernandez addressed the board as a concerned parent of the Arvin Union School District. Ms. Hernandez is associated with the Delores Huerta Foundation and asked the board of trustees to consider installing water filters on all drinking fountains in the school district. She read from a report dated March 2008 that revealed high levels (53 units parts/billion) of arsenic in the community wells #1 & #8 in the City of Arvin. She is worried because the report stated there are many health risks to the students and families of Arvin. The filters will improve the quality of the water and life of the students and families. Ms. Hernandez asked the board to consider her request and would like a response at the next board meeting. Timoteo Prado greeted the board and explained that he works with the Hispanic community in the City of Arvin. He felt there was a problem when bottled or filtered water was being provided for the staff and not the students. The Delores Huerta Foundation has collected 746 signatures in support of this concern. He did mention that they would have all been in attendance had there been enough room to house them. He also asked the board to consider moving the meetings to a larger facility to accommodate their supporters. Rosalba Lopez, also a parent, addressed the board with the same concerns regarding the quality of water in Arvin.		Reports and Communications Mrs. Kavanagh Reports and Communications Mrs. Kavanagh Assistant Superintendent - Mrs. Thompson Ms. Alexander/ KCSOS DAIT Review Mrs. Rhett/Ms. Davidson – ABC’s of ECR Reports from the public M. Hernandez T. Prado R. Lopez

Mrs. Kavanagh introduced Mr. Pete Carton – Kern County Superintendent of Schools Legal Services. Mrs. Kavanagh shared that Mr. Carton would be available to answer any legal concerns regarding the process of Provisional Appointment of Trustee. He then explained the voting process the board would follow. Candidates were given the opportunity to address the Board. There were four candidates who submitted letters of interest and met the requirements that allowed them to be considered eligible. Mrs. Amanda Torres greeted the board and told the board that she would not be addressing the Board but asked that her letter of interest be considered as submitted for the provisional appointment. Mrs. Virgie Witte addressed the board asking that she be considered as a candidate for the provisional appointment. She has been a resident of the city of Arvin for five and one half years. She also was a member of the Board of Trustees in an earlier appointment almost two years ago. She feels her education and previous experience would bring insight to the board and she would enjoy sharing in the victories in the future. Mrs. Linda Leary addressed the board expressing her interest and dedication to the community of Arvin. She was raised in Arvin and has raised her family in Arvin. Her children attended the Arvin Union School District. She has great respect for the community, and has served in many positions of leadership throughout the years in various community and school organizations. She asked the board to consider her as the provisional appointee and she would be honored to serve alongside all of them. Mrs. Anabel Rubio greeted the board and chose to read her letter of interest that she submitted to the board to be considered as the provisional appointee. Mrs. Rubio shared her passion for the community and education as a former student, current parent and employee of a neighboring school district.		Board Business Provisional Appointment of Trustees A. Torres V. Witte L. Leary A. Rubio

Mr. Stoner announced he would abstain from the vote; therefore Mr. Owens and Mrs. Tarver would discuss and need to agree upon one candidate to be considered to fill the board vacancy. Under the Dry Creek rule his vote will go with the majority. On motion of Mrs. Tarver, seconded by Mr. Owens, the board unanimously approved Mrs. Virgie Witte to serve as the provisional appointee of the Arvin Union School Board until the November, 2008 election.		Appointment Vote

Mrs. Kavanagh administered the Oath of Office to Mrs. Witte, and immediately Ms. Witte was seated as the fourth member of the Board of Trustees for the Arvin Union School District.		Oath of Office

Mrs. Kavanagh led a discussion to consider filling the vacancy of the fifth member of the Board of Trustees. She gave a timeline that would include the posting of a public notice for two weeks in the Arvin Tiller and holding a special board meeting before the regular meeting in May to fill the vacancy.

On motion of Mr. Owens, seconded by Mrs. Tarver, the board unanimously approved to hold a special board meeting on May 13, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. in the Arvin Union School District board room.		Special Meeting/ May 13, 2008


Item 7.1.1 - “Consider approval of the re-employment of certificated staff for the 2008/2009 school year” was recommended to be tabled until a later meeting.		Item Tabled

On motion of Mrs. Tarver, seconded by Mr. Owens, the board unanimously approved the following consent agenda items.		Consent Agenda

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