MARYLAND SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF
BOARD OF
TRUSTEES
Meeting Minutes
March 21, 2003
Columbia
Campus
MEMBERS PRESENT: David S. Birnbaum; Donald
R. Eichelberger; John Ertel, Ph.D.; Irajean Harper; Jeffrey W. Lewis,
Ph.D.; Anjali Desai-Margolin; Barbara Raimondo; Laurie Yaffe-Shevitz;
Samuel M Sonnenstrahl.
MEMBERS ABSENT: Ann H. B. Brockenborough,
Ed.D.; Mitch Goldberg; Harvey Goodstein; Joseph J. Innes, Ph.D.; Alan L.
Marcus Ph.D.; Edgar B. Palmer; David A. Severn, Esquire; Carol
Stevens.
ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL: Lori P.
Hopkins
INTERPRETERS: Brenda Kelly-Frey; Pam
Kramer
President Lewis called the meeting to order at 9:25 A.M..
The Agenda order was altered by moving the Superintendent’s report ahead
of the presentations.
Superintendent’s Report:
Mr. Tucker
shared with the BOT the efforts he, the Assistant Attorney General – Lori
Hopkins, and the CFO, Suzanne Schwertman have made this year to protect
MSD’s budget.
He explained that there was some discussion that MSD
would be included in the Budget Reconciliation Act (BRFA) which would not
only allow the General Assembly to cut MSD’s proposed budget, but, would
bring this years budget numbers to below Minimum Funding. Lori Hopkins was
successful in convincing the Chief Council for the Maryland General
Assembly that MSD is a K-12 program and as such, should be protected from
cuts this year as are the public schools.
The Superintendent told the
BOT that he and several members of the Management and Educational Team
will be meeting on March 31, 2003 with Dr. Carol Ann Baglin of the
Maryland Department of Education (MSDE) to discuss the issue of Extended
School Year Services (ESY). In past years, this service has been provided
for our students by the local public schools. For MSD to provide ESY on
campus in the summer would be very expensive as we would also have to
provide dietary and health care services. The Board will be kept apprised
of the progress in this area.
After a brief discussion, it was
agreed that the BOT President would be made aware of personnel issues at
the school and only those issues that might impact school policy would be
brought to the full BOT for discussion.
Mr. Tucker requested that two
items be added to the agenda for the meeting. The first item is the Grand
Opening of the State House which has been refurbished to serve as the
group home on Campus. The Orioles Management Team (OMT) would like the
BOT’s approval to name the building “The Shockley House” in honor of Al
Shockley and his family who have been involved with the school for over 90
years. Lori Hopkins is currently checking into the legal aspects of this
request. Secondly, the Superintendent is requesting the BOT approve a
waiver of one of the snow days taken this winter. It was agreed that
discussion of this topic would be moved to New Business.
Master Plan Presentation – Suzanne
Schwertman
Ms. Schwertman explained that the Master Plan for
MSD was submitted and approved in 2001. It is reviewed every five years at
which time the BOT is to verify that the priorities have not
changed.
Phase 1 of the Frederick Campus Capital Improvements Project
(CIP) includes a new Elementary school building, Family Education building
and a new Student Center which will include the cafeteria as well as the
Student Support Services Wing for audiological, psychological and medical
services. The Columbia Campus CIP includes an elevator for the Main
Building as well as moving the parking lot for the Main Building and
putting in a new athletic field. We have already received funding to
renovate the bathrooms in the Baker Building in Columbia and the work is
scheduled to start this summer. MSD has also requested money to make
modifications to the new group home on the Frederick Campus to make it ADA
compliant.
The proposed 24 bed Elementary Cottage scheduled for the
Frederick Campus was discussed. Enrollment figures, operation demands for
the cottage, flexibility for the future, and financial issues were
reviewed. The matter has been referred to Old Business for the May 30,
2003 meeting.
Presentation by Mary DeKuyper:
Board
Consultant, Ms. Mary DeKuyper, worked with the BOT on strategic planning.
An Ad Hoc Committee has been created and will meet in the near future to
help streamline the Boards future plans and the needs of the school as MSD
prepares for re-accreditation.
A discussion about BOT By-Laws as well as Open Forum Rules
was held.
It was agreed that the Assistant Attorney General will
assist the Board in its review of the By-Laws.
Open Forum:
At 1:06 P.M. a
presentation was made to the BOT by Mr. Al Couthen. Mr. Couthen expressed
concern over several issues that were not addressed in an article written
about MSD in a CSD publication. Mr. Couthen requested an independent task
force survey the staff on the issues in question and a report be made to
the BOT at the May meeting.
In answer to a request for examples on an
issue of concern, Mr. Couthen responded that he would collect more facts
to present in May.
At 1:14 P.M. Ms. Dawn Seremeth, President of the
Frederick Campus PTCA, reported that she had recently met with Mr. Tucker
on issues of concern to the parents and she was at this meeting to solicit
support from the Board for the Superintendent on the following
issues:
1) School Resources. The parents are interested in adding a
component to the school curriculum known as “Character Counts”. It would
require the school pay for a consultant to explain how this can be
incorporated into our curriculum.
2) Expansion of the Computer Lab
hours are being requested.
3) It is felt that the Reading Specialists
Role needs to be expanded.
4) Would like to see the school hire a grant
writing specialist in order to fund these projects and others.
The BOT
requested that both Columbia and Frederick PTCA meeting dates be announced
to them so they would have an opportunity to attend.
At 1:22 P.M. Ms
Kelly Junc, a part time reading specialist at MSD – Frederick Campus-
shared her concern with the Board members. She is concerned that
communication break-downs have cost staff members their jobs and may be a
threat to other employees job security in the future. Ms. Junc requested
that communication systems between departments be reviewed and
improved.
With the early departure of a Board Member, the remainder of
the meeting was conducted as an Executive Committee Meeting.
At 1:30 a MOTION was made to go into closed
session for the purpose of discussing a Personnel matter. SECONDED –
PASSED 5 – 0.
Present: David S. Birnbaum; Donald R.
Eichelberger; John Ertel, Ph.D.;
Jeffrey Lewis, Ph.D.; Anjali
Desai-Margolin; Barbara Raimondo; Laurie Yaffe-Shevitz; Samuel M
Sonnenstrahl.
Interpreters: Brenda Kelly-Frey, Pam
Kramer
Assistant Attorney General: Lori P.
Hopkins
At 2:20 a MOTION was made to return to
open session. SECONDED – PASSED 5 – 0.
Present: David S. Birnbaum; Donald R.
Eichelberger; John Ertel, Ph.D.; Jeffrey Lewis, Ph.D.; Anjali
Desai-Margolin; Barbara Raimondo; Laurie Yaffe-Shevitz; Samuel M
Sonnenstrahl.
Interpreters: Brenda Kelly-Frey, Pam
Kramer
Assistant Attorney General: Lori P.
Hopkins
BOT President’s/Executive Committee Secretary
Report:
Dr. Lewis announced that at elections for positions
on the Board of Trustees would be held at the May meeting. President Lewis
encouraged everyone to consider running for positions that interest them,
including that of President.
Dr. Lewis requested that nominations for
the President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer positions be sent
to Don Eichelberger. Mr. Eichelberger will forward this information to Dr.
Alan Marcus, who has volunteered to be the Chairperson of the Nominating
Committee.
BOT Vice President’s Report:
No
Report
BOT Secretary’s Report:
No Report
BOT Treasurer’s Report:
The Treasurer
reported that the BOT currently had $441.47 in the non-interest bearing
petty cash account. A discussion was held regarding the transfer of money
from the Board of Trustee’s Ferris Baker Watts account to MSD for the
reimbursement of computers purchased for the school. Mr. Eichelberger will
contact Ms. Schwertman regarding this transfer.
Executive Committee:
Two spelling
changes will be made to the January 22, 2003 minutes. MOTION made to
approve the minutes with the changes SECONDED – PASSED.
Education Committee:
No Report
Fiscal Matters/Facility Management
Committee:
No Report
Personnel Committee:
No Report
Student Life Committee:
No Report
Trusteeship Committee:
No Report
Old Business:
The Superintendent’s goals
for the 2002 - 2003 school year were discussed. The revisions suggested in
the August BOT meeting were made to the goals.
MOTION
to accept the revised Superintendent’s Goals for 2002 – 2003 school year
SECONDED – PASSED.
Mr. Tucker announced the dates of the up coming Community
Forums on both campuses as well as the dates of the Superintendent’s Open
Forums in May.
New Business:
MOTION to
nominate Alan Marcus as the Chairperson of the Nominating Committee –
SECONDED – PASSED.
A discussion was held regarding the proposed
Staffing Plan for the school. It was explained that the Maryland
Department of Education developed this format to assure that public school
Special Education Departments were providing a “Maintenance of Effort”.
Completion of this paperwork on an annual basis makes us eligible for
Federal Grant money for the school. MOTION to approve the
Staffing Plan as submitted SECONDED – PASSED.
A discussion was held
regarding the school schedule and how best to handle snow days in the
future. Mr. Tucker explained that because of the residential students, our
school calendar does not have open days in the middle of the week. This
would cause supervision and/or transportation issues. The Superintendent
explained that the calendar for the 2003/2004 year has already been set
but that he and the Management team would review the possibility of
building buffer days into the 2004/2005 schedule. Currently MSD is
scheduled to end the school year on a Thursday. It is being requested that
children make up one of the two snow days missed on Friday and that the
Board grant a waiver for the second day. This would avoid bringing
children back, some from long distances, for one day. A
MOTION was made to grant the school a waiver for one of
the snow days taken this winter SECONDED – PASSED.
A
MOTION was made that the State House/Group Home on the
Frederick campus be renamed the Shockley House providing the school
receives approval to do so by the State of Maryland. SECONDED –
PASSED.
At 3:10 P.M. a MOTION was made to go into
closed session to discuss a Personnel matter. SECONDED – PASSED 5 –
0.
Present: David S. Birnbaum; Donald R.
Eichelberger; Jeffrey W. Lewis, Ph.D.; Anjali Desai-Margolin; Barbara
Raimondo; Laurie Yaffe-Shevitz; Samuel M Sonnenstrahl.
Interpreters: Brenda Kelly-Frey; Pam
Kramer
At 3:30 P.M. a MOTION was made to return to
open session. SECONDED – PASSED 5 – 0.
Present: David S. Birnbaum; Donald R.
Eichelberger; Jeffrey W. Lewis, Ph.D.; Anjali Desai-Margolin; Barbara
Raimondo; Laurie Yaffe-Shevitz; Samuel M Sonnenstrahl.
Interpreters: Brenda Kelly-Frey; Pam
Kramer
The meeting adjourned at 3:40 P.M.
Respectfully Submitted,
Ann H.B.
Brockenborough
Secretary