Minutes of the Special Meeting
Of the
East Lansing Board of Education
February 19, 2003
Timberlane Campus, Suite A
841 Timberlane
East Lansing, MI 48823
7:30 p.m.
Opening of Meeting
Board President Barb McMillan called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
Roll Call
Present: William Donohue, Charles Hackney, Barbara McMillan, Daphne
O’Regan, Susan Schmidt, Rodney Stokes, George Wyatt, student representative Marissa Terry, Superintendent Thomas Giblin
Approval of Agenda
Motion 02-03/121 Moved by Ms. Schmidt, supported by Dr. Donohue, and carried unanimously to approve the agenda of the Special Meeting of February
19, 2003.
Report from Student Representative
Ms. Terry announced that there will be a pep assembly on February 21 st and a fifth quarter after the game. Student Congress will be meeting with the eighth grade students prior to their beginning high school.
Public Comment On Matters Not On the Agenda
Ms. Kathleen Gross noted her concern about the recommended closure of the
Alternative Program. She noted that the architect review of Bailey Community
Center has been completed and the students and parents have done a walkthrough of the facility and agree that it would be an excellent home for the program. She also noted that under the bond project a portion of the money was to go to the relocation of the program. Ms. Gross noted that the parents of the students will demand an accountability of those funds.
Ms. Theresa Marsh reported that she agreed with Ms. Gross’ statement.
Mary Lou Smith, school district nurse, reported that nursing services have been ongoing in the school district for a number of years. She reported that nurses

East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education February 19, 2003 in the district now perform services that we previously paid the IISD to complete. Due to the diligence of the nursing staff in checking immunizations of the new students, we achieve a 90% compliance rate. Nurses also aid the district in billing Medicaid services for district students. In Ms. Smith’s opinion it is cost effective for the district to employ nurses for our students. The nursing staff both maintains funds and generate funds for the district.
Robert Beagan, 1001 S. Pennsylvania, noted that he is a parent of a schools of choice student, and next year he would like to enroll his younger daughter at
Spartan Village School. He reported to the Board that Spartan Village is a multicultural, diverse school housing the excellent all day kindergarten program.
He has been very pleased with the program and he noted that the program has brought his two daughters to the district as schools of choice participants. He urged the Board to keep this program.
Shannon Kane, 340 Walbridge, noted that her son will begin kindergarten in the district next year. Her family can accept the reconfiguration as necessary for the district, but is dismayed at dropping the current music program for the 6 th grade. She urged the Board to retain the 6 th grade music program.
Peggy Teoh, 1418 Fairoaks Court, reported that her family moved to East
Lansing several years ago. She reported that she is not in favor of the reconfiguration, and, in her opinion, it is not in the best interest of the children.
She noted that the neighborhood schools are a tried and sound concept.
Heather Meuller, high school teacher, noted that she is appearing before the
Board to discuss the students attending the alternative program. She noted that these students do achieve when placed in the appropriate program. These students are very similar to the students attending ap classes. Both populations need programming appropriate for their learning styles.
Ms. Karen Baldwin and Ms. Nancy Artman, both teacher consultants in the district, noted that Mr. William Gale, Director of Special Services, presented the
Board with a letter from the district’s teacher consultants. They noted that they are still working on a plan for special services that will save the district
$180,000 while maintaining the present services.
Joel Gutskey, AFSCME representative, spoke to his concern over the recommended privatization of the custodial, bus drivers and food services departments.
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East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education February 19, 2003
Matters for Discussion
Four-Day School Week
April Callis, Lisa Pasco, Jenifer Rosa and Pam Miklavcic noted that last year during the budget deficit, and again this year they decided that it was necessary to become proactive and to work together. They got together and began to brainstorm and research and then shared their ideas with members of the
Board of Education. Under this proposal students would attend school for four seven and a half hour days. The buildings would be closed on Fridays.
Students could be involved in enrichment activities, sponsored by the City, “Y”, etc., during the fifth day. The group noted that a waiver from the Department of
Education would be necessary to reduce the number of mandatory school days, while maintaining the mandated clock hours. Currently there is a bill before the legislature that would reduce the number of school days that a teacher is mandated for a full year of retirement. The group felt that before a calendar change like this could be instituted it would be necessary to complete an extensive survey of the district. While the survey would not be an inexpensive item, it may be possible to share such a survey with a neighboring district.
Elementary Reconfiguration
Lynn Paine, 415 Orchard St., expressed her opinion that the learning for all kids hinges on strong empowered staff. She strongly noted that we need our strong administrators, and she was opposed to having one principal lead two buildings. She was concerned that we are again cutting the budget, after the cuts that took place last year. She also noted that East Lansing is a unique school district, and that to remain distinctive we must not loose that uniqueness. Spartan Village lends much to the district in that area with the unique programming and the diversity of the school population.
Kay Biddle, 6096 Horizon, spoke against the recommended reconfiguration until there is solid evidence that such a reconfiguration will provide our students with better educational opportunities.
Mark Luecker, 539 Durand, reported that he was here to speak about the general direction of the school district, and also about Spartan Village. He noted that he would be speaking and the Spartan Village community is making an effort not to have a large number of people speak one after the other expressing the same sentiments. He expressed his disappointment over the lack of options he felt were provided to the community. He expressed the concern that we will be having meetings like this every year. Perhaps we will be better off to scale back on the size of the community. He urged the Board to maintain the early childhood emphasis and to maintain the Spartan Village programs and the school.
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East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education February 19, 2003
Janet Navarro urged the Board to seek more input and study the plans for a greater length of time. She expressed her opinion that the proposed reconfiguration is not in the best interest of the community. She suggested that the Board follow the recommendation of the Budget Information Committee and work with or appoint a liaison to present a reconfiguration plan.
Ms. Melody Glick, Director of Educational Services, explained that when the budget process began the objective was to cut $2.4 million from the budget.
The administrative group, as a whole, came together to look at the district budget and programming and discuss where best to make these cuts.
Originally, the plan was to close no school, but to reconfigure the schools. It was suggested that Spartan Village could be used for preschool programming and then in two years it could well become the IBP elementary school. It was then that the governor announced the education cuts that would be made this year, and it became apparent that in addition to reconfiguration a building would need to be closed. Ms. Glick then reported the process that was used to determine the reconfiguration and which building would need to be closed.
Mr. Wyatt asked who was included in this group.
Ms. Glick reported that all of the building principals, the directors and the superintendent all worked together on this plan.
Discussion took place relating to how important it is to make this decision as soon as possible for the sake of the staff, students, parents and community.
Much as the representatives of the district crisis team asked us to do at the last meeting.
Dr. O’Regan noted that she is not happy with having one principal lead two buildings, she would like to see figures relating to the K+ programming, more informa tion about the young 5’s programming, a cost breakdown on the music program for 5 th and 6 th grades. She also noted that she would like to see the formation of a Board of Education Curriculum/Assessment Committee. She would also like to see the numbers on implementation of an IBP program. In her opinion, this program should be implemented in a 5/6 building.
Mr. Stokes noted that while we have been discussing the closing of a building and reconfiguration the subject of athletics has not been discussed at this point.
He would like to see the number of student participants we currently have at the high school, as well as the number of participants that take part in all athletic teams. He would also like to know that if we do charge $250 per sport per student how much revenue is that like to generate. In addition, he would like to know that total costs of central administration to the district.
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East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education February 19, 2003
Mr. Wyatt requested information as to what the impact would be with the operation of only five elementary buildings. He also asked if the position of athletic/activities director is irreplaceable. In addition, he would like to know if it is feasible to outsource payroll, and what the potential saving may be.
Dr. Donohue asked what the impact of the reconfiguration may have on the special education program. He also asked for more information on the
Kindergarten+ programming. He requested more information from MSU, and looking at the contract for Spartan Village and possibly Red Cedar. He wanted to know if MSU has preferences in terms of configuration. He would also like to know the parental preferences in the types of kindergarten programming. He would also like to know if there is information on the Bailey neighborhood and property values after that building was closed.
Mr. Stokes noted that while the research shows that property values in the
Bailey neighborhood did not go down, those numbers are artificial because many of the family homes that turned into rental properties.
Ms. Schmidt noted that the B oard needs to focus on the Board’s responsibility.
The Board needs to discuss items that will aid them in decision making, and they must direct the Superintendent to research and evaluate the information that will help the Board accomplish that fact.
Ms. McMillan reported that the community needs to understand that having a principal in every building is an expensive administrative organization. She would like staff to bring the Board a plan that could take administrative tasks, and then divide those tasks among the principals where possible.
Dr. O’Regan requested information on the cost of the reconfiguration in terms of building renovations, and moving.
Special Education
Jenny Forbes, 1227 Lilac Avenue, noted that she was disappointed in how little information the Board seems to have.
Jan Clark, 1922 Mendota, noted that she has a child in the basic classroom at
Pinecrest. If the reconfiguration is done, she would like to be assured that there will be a basic classroom in the 5/6 buildings.
Dr.
O’Regan noted that she does want to be assured of the special education plan, prior to voting on reconfiguration. She also noted that with a half time special education director she feels that the teacher consultants carry a great deal of the load in that department. She would like to see a plan that will maintain the services of the teacher consultants.
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East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education February 19, 2003
Mr. Gale, Special Education Director, noted that the issue of teacher consultant services is important. He noted that the services currently being done by the teacher consultants would, in all likelihood, have to be under contracted services, in order to assure the continuum of services, and to be assured that all evaluations are completed in the appropriate timeframe.
Ms. Schmidt noted that Mr. Gale was part of the administrative group that is recommending this reconfiguration. She asked if all of the special education rooms are in place in the reconfiguration.
Mr. Gale reported that the special education classrooms were placed in the buildings before the general education rooms. So, yes, we do have all special education needs accounted for in the recommended reconfiguration.
Middle School
Mr. Bamford presented the Board with information on how the middle school could go to a jr. high concept. It is anticipated that next year there will be 290
8 th grade students and 260 7 th grade students. The plan calls for 8 teachers at each level for the core subjects. It is anticipated that there will be two special areas for the students, and physical education will not be required. Health will be taught in the science classes. At the 7 th grade there will be two exploratory units and they will be offered for 9 weeks. Band or orchestra will be a block exploratory unit. Mr. Bamford will conduct a survey of seventh grades students to see which special area classes are most in demand.
Mr. Bamford explained to the Board that this type of schedule will cut the teacher planning time from 12 periods to five planning periods, each 55 minutes in length.
Data has shown that team teaching is good for this age student and a possibility is to survey the staff and set up blocks of two and give them each the same planning period. This would allow teaming if that is what the teachers would like to do.
Dr. O’Regan suggested that Mr. Bamford should look at a seven subject week rather than a six subject week. This would be a modified block schedule.
High School Alternative Program
Ms. Steele explained to the Board of Education that she and the teachers in the alternative program began meeting last spring and discussing ways to reconfigure the program. Ways in which to reduce FTE’s and support services have been discussed. One method would be to offer the students an academic block in the mornings, and off-site opportunities in the afternoon. Students may be steered toward the career center. It has also been discussed that 9 th grade
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East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education February 19, 2003 students could be eliminated from the program. It was noted that for the program to be revenue neutral there would have to be sixty students. It should be noted that there has never been sixty students in the program.
Kay Biddle suggested that the high school program should offer a seven class period day.
Adjournment
Motion 02-03/122 Moved by Mr. Wyatt, supported by Dr. Donohue, and carried unanimously that the meeting be adjourned.
The meeting adjourned at 11:04 p.m.
__________________________
PRESIDENT
__________________________
SECRETARY
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