Board of Education of St. Mary’s County

Meeting of:  Regular Session                                         Held:   March 14, 2007

                                                                                                Board of Education Meeting Room

The regular meeting of the Board of Education of St. Mary’s County was held on Wednesday,

March 14, 2007, in the Board of Education Meeting Room, 23160 Moakley Street, Leonardtown.  The meeting was called to order at 8:30 a.m. by Dr. Salvatore L. Raspa, chairman.  Board members present for the meeting were:

            .Dr. Salvatore L. Raspa, Chairman

            .Mr. Bill Mattingly, Vice Chairman

.Ms. Cathy Allen

.Mr. Gary Kessler

.Ms. Mary Washington

Motion to Enter Into Executive Session

Mr. Mattingly made a motion that the Board enter into executive session to discuss personnel and property acquisition issues (Article 24, Section 4-210(a)1,11).  Ms. Allen seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

Reopen Regular Session

Dr. Raspa reconvened the regular meeting at 9:32 a.m.  The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. 

Showcasing our Schools

Ms. Pamela LeFave, theatre teacher at Great Mills High School, sponsored the “I Have a Dream Speech Contest” and the winner of the contest, James Younger, 12^th grade student, recited his speech in celebration of African American History Month.

Approval of Agenda

Ms. Allen made a motion to approve the agenda as presented.  Mr. Mattingly seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

Superintendent Report

Dr. Michael J. Martirano, superintendent of schools, reported on the following:

• Maryland School Assessments (MSA) testing started on Tuesday, March 13^th for the next several weeks

• Congratulations to Piney Point and White Marsh Elementary Schools for each receiving a $2,500 Best Buy Teacher Award

• Congratulations to GMHS Varsity Boys/Girls Basketball Teams for receiving the SMAC Championship title
• Leonardtown High School Swim Team competition at the state level
• SMECO Computer Bowl top winner  - Ridge Elementary School
• Margaret Brent Middle School was featured in the February 2007 Parent
  Institute newsletter as the program profile for their strategies used to increase parent involvement
• Students from Leonardtown High School and Chopticon High School traveled to Norfolk, VA in February to participate in the 30^th Annual Old Dominion University Model United Nations Conference
• Congratulations to Mechanicsville Elementary School for receiving the Bronze Maryland Quality Award.  As a public school with 322 students and 41 staff members, Mechanicsville Elementary has adopted a motto of “Student success is our business.” The school gauges its performance based on the Baldrige Criteria to ensure that problems are quickly addressed and resolved.  A formal recognition will be held at the April 25^th Board meeting.
• Congratulations to Ken Smith for receiving the 2007 Career and Technology Education Outstanding Secondary Distinguished Service Award of Excellence from the Maryland State Department of Education.  The award presentation will take place on Tuesday, April 24^th at the Wyndham Baltimore Inner Harbor Hotel in Baltimore.
• Congratulations to Board Member Mary Washington who has been appointed to serve on the Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE) Nominating Committee and Board Member Bill Mattingly who has been appointed to serve as a MABE trustee to the Group Insurance Pool
• Announced the March 2007 Work Hard and Be Nice Award recipients and noted that the list of names will be displayed monthly in the Board Meeting Room

Recognitions

• Dr. Charles Ridgell, director of curriculum and instruction, and Dr. Martirano recognized Ms. Jennifer Henderson, head girls’ soccer coach at Leonardtown High School, who was named the 2006 Girls’ Soccer Coach of the Year.
• Ms. Lynne Morgan Smoot, supervisor of fine arts, noted that March is designated as Youth Art Month and the recognition for the George Cragg Hopkins, Jr., Visual Arts Scholarship.  The following high school seniors participated in the scholarship program:  Adrienne Buckler and Alyssa DeGroat, Chopticon High School; Eve Moyle and Christopher Walker, Great Mills High School; and Josephine Gaido and Allison Shafer, Leonardtown High School.
• Ms. Marilyn Mathes, director of special education, noted that March is Disability
  Awareness Month.  Ms. Mathes highlighted activities that are taking place this month to showcase the celebration of differences and abilities in St. Mary’s County Public Schools.

Public Comment

Name                                                   Subject

Ms. Jan Emerson                                  1^st Annual Dr. Seuss’s Birthday reading event, Black History

                                                             Month Essay Contest Winners, and support of the FY ’08

 Budget.

Consent Agenda

Ms. Allen made a motion that the following consent agenda items be approved with a correction to the February 14^th regular Board minutes to change under Reports - Federal Network Relations to Federal Relations Network as follows:

.Regular and Executive Session Minutes of February 14, 2007

.Administrative and Supervisory Appointment

.New Employment

.Fine Arts Initiative Grant

.Chesapeake Public Charter School – Lease and Timeline

.Lease Agreement – White Oak Secondary Center

.Memorandum of Understanding – Replacement of Well at the Elms

  Environmental Education Center

Mr. Kessler seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously.

The following action items were presented to the Board of Education (BOE):

• Mr. Brad Clements, chief operating officer, presented the Chesapeake Public Charter School – Design/Development and Construction Documents for approval.  Once approved by the Board of Education, these documents will be submitted to the Maryland State Department of Education for approval.  Mr. Kessler made a motion that the Board of Education forward the design development and construction documents to the Maryland State Department of Education as submitted by Chesapeake Public Charter School under the approval of a registered architect and site engineer as reviewed by St. Mary’s County Government.  Ms. Washington seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.
• Mr. Dan Carney, chief financial officer, presented the Award of Health Care Contract for approval.  Mr. Carney noted that the Board of Education and the Board of County Commissioners signed a joint resolution in November outlining the intent of both Boards to participate in a joint procurement for health care.  As a result of this joint procurement, it is recommended that the contract be awarded to CareFirst, Blue Cross Blue Shield.  The Board of County Commissioners accepted this recommendation at their March 6, 2007, meeting.  Ms. Allen made a motion to award the healthcare insurance contract to CareFirst.  Mr. Mattingly seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

The following information item was presented to the BOE:

• Mr. Carney presented the FY 2007 February Financial Report.

Reports

.Ms. Allen noted her attendance at the following events:  MABE Legislative Luncheon, Board of Education Retreat, MABE Board of Director’s Meeting and Dinner with State Board of Education, Hearing on Charter School Bill on behalf of MABE’s Legislative Committee, Read to Mrs. Bainter’s kindergarten class at Mechanicsville Elementary School for Read Across America, Education Association of St. Mary’s County (EASMC) and Collective Employees Association of St. Mary’s County (CEASMC) Read Across America celebration at the Southern Maryland Higher Education Center, MABE Legislative Committee Meeting, Great Mills High School National Honor Society Induction, the George Cragg Hopkins Jr., Arts Endowment, Inc., Visual Arts Scholarship Award ceremony and judged the Mr. Leonardtown contest.

.Mr. Mattingly noted his attendance at the following events:  Senator Roy Dyson Reception in Annapolis, Board Retreat, and the Leonardtown High School Authentic School Visit.

.Ms. Washington noted her attendance at the following events:  Reading to students at Hollywood Elementary School, Oakville Elementary School, Margaret Brent Middle School, White Oak Secondary Center, George Washington Carver Elementary School, Lexington Park Elementary

Leonardtown Contest, and the George Cragg Hopkins, Jr., Arts Endowment Inc., Visual Arts Scholarship ceremony.

.Mr. Kessler noted his attendance at the following events:  White Oak Secondary Center Authentic School Visit, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Meetings in collaboration with the Base and the school system, and the George Cragg Hopkins, Jr., Arts Endowment Inc., Visual Arts Scholarship ceremony.

.Dr. Martirano noted that the authentic school visits were instituted last year and they are very important data visits that are attended by himself, Ms. Linda Dudderar, chief academic officer, and the appropriate director of elementary or secondary schools.

.Dr. Raspa noted his attendance at the Board of County Commissioners’ Joint Presentation on Healthcare Procurement held on March 6, 2007.

Future Board Meetings

The following future meetings will be held:

            .Work Session on Adequate Public Facilities and School Sites (12:00-1:30 p.m.) and

  Chesapeake Public Charter Schools (1:30-3:00 p.m.), Monday, March 19, 2007, Board

  Meeting Room, Leonardtown

.Joint Meeting with College of Southern Maryland (CSM) Board of Trustees, Thursday,

 March 29, 2007, 1:00-3:00 p.m., Board Meeting Room, Leonardtown

.Multi-Agency Breakfast Meeting, Tuesday, April 10, 2007, 7:45 a.m., Leonardtown Library

 Meeting Room, Leonardtown

.Regular Board Meeting, Wednesday, April 11, 2007, 9:00 a.m., Board Meeting Room,

 Leonardtown

Adjournment

Dr. Raspa adjourned the regular meeting at 11:29 a.m.

Dr. Salvatore L. Raspa                                        

Chairman

Dr. Michael J. Martirano
Secretary-Treasurer