1. Special Board Meeting
        1. Public Input Hearing Regarding Budget Challenges
        2. Executive Session—Review the Performance of a Public Employee


      EVERETT PUBLIC SCHOOLS

      Everett, Washington

      Special Board Meeting


       

       

      The Board of Directors of Everett School District No. 2, Snohomish County, Washington, held a special Board meeting on Monday, March 30, 2010 at 5 p.m., in the Board Room of the Everett School District Educational Service Center, 4730 Colby Avenue, Everett, Washington. Board members in attendance were Carol Andrews, Kristie Dutton, Jessica Olson, Ed Petersen and Jeff Russell.

       

      President Petersen called the meeting to order at 5 p.m.

       

      The purpose of the special meeting was to take public comment concerning the budget challenges and to hold an executive session to evaluate the performance of a public employee.

       

      BOARD ACTION AND/OR BOARD DISCUSSION

       





      Public Input Hearing Regarding Budget Challenges

      A packet of information containing summaries of oral input and the hearing format are attached (E:161/10).

       

      At 7 p.m., President Petersen concluded the public input hearing. He immediately called for a ten-minute rest break so the group could move to Conference Room A in the Educational Service Center to hold an executive session to evaluate the performance of a public employee.

       





      Executive Session—Review the Performance of a Public Employee

      At 7:10 p.m., President Petersen re-convened the special meeting and moved immediately into executive session to evaluate the performance of a public employee. Prior to going into executive session, it was announced the executive session would be of 60 minutes’ duration.

       

      At 8:10 p.m., the door was opened and it was announced the executive session would extend for 60 minutes.

       

      At 9:15 p.m., President Petersen re-convened the special meeting and adjourned immediately.

       

       


      __________________________________  ____________________________

      Gary Cohn, Secretary        Ed Petersen, President
       
       
       
      Budget
      Public Hearing
      March 30, 2010 – 5 p.m. – Board Room
      Board Member: Ed Petersen
      Recorder: Emily Wade
       


       
      1) Monica Sullivan—She is an ELL teacher at North Middle School, parent of a 3rd grader at Silver Lake. She has been a teacher for two years in Everett, and was an ELL teacher in California for six years before coming here. Her ELL class has 18 students who are all newcomers to this country. Some students came here as recently as last August; others have been here over a year. Her class is very diverse, with students not only from Mexico, but also Kenya, the Congo, Iraq, Turkey, etc. She explained the process for identifying ELL students and indicated that she uses GLAD strategies in her classroom.


       

      Monica expressed the following thoughts and concerns:
      · She stressed the importance of ongoing training for teachers in GLAD and AVID and asked that funding not be cut back for training that will boost the teacher’s skills to teach a diverse community in the classroom.
      · Class size in her daughter’s Title 1 class is 26-1 which she feels is too high.
      · She doesn’t agree with the pull-out situation at the elementary level in order to have extra language development. Teachers should be better trained or have a specific ELL teacher. Students who are lacking in a skill and are pulled out of class are missing out on a skill that is being taught in class. If a child doesn’t get language development at home and is constantly pulled out of class, he is always playing catch up.
      · She likes the middle school ELL program.
      · She asked questions about the plan for a reduced education program which is being presented to the board on April 20. She liked the way the budget review process was set up this year.
      · Last year teaching positions were lost; she was RIF’d and brought back. This year there aren’t as many facilitators to fill in the lost positions. There will be a direct hit next year which will affect quality in the classroom.
      · It was unfortunate to lose the TAP program.
      · School lunch prices are too low.
      · How will the Board consider what the community has said?
      · Populations coming from Third World countries are becoming an issue due to illiteracy of the parents.


       

      End

       

       

       
      Budget
      Public Hearing
      March 30, 2010 – 5 p.m. – Board Room
      Board Member: Kristie Dutton
      Recorder: Patty Pederson
       
       


       

      2)  Monica Sullivan—Exchanged personal and professional histories

       

      End

       

       

       
      Budget
      Public Hearing
      March 30, 2010 – 5 p.m. – Board Room
      Board Member: Carol Andrews
      Recorder: Kellee Newcomb
       
       


       

      3)  Monica Sullivan—Exchanged personal and professional histories

       

      End
       
       
       
      Budget
      Public Hearing
      March 30, 2010 – 5 p.m. – Board Room
      Board Member: Jessica Olson
      Recorder: Kathy Mahan
       


       

      4)  Monica Sullivan—She is an ELL teacher at North Middle School and parent of a student at Silver Lake Elementary. She talked about the adopted curriculum, which she supplements. She is from California and speaks Spanish. It has been a real growth experience to be in Everett. Class size is a big issue. She was RIF’d last year and then brought back. She asked Board member Olson to talk about herself. Ms. Sullivan talked about North Middle School and the high level of free-and-reduced lunch eligibility at the school.

       

      End
       
       
      Budget
      Public Hearing
      March 30, 2010 – 5 p.m. – Board Room
      Board Member: Jeff Russell
      Recorder: Gayle Watts
       
       
      5)
      Jason J. Tarver—Jeff explained tonight’s process. Jason said he had hoped to see Jeff Moore too, but he knew that Jeff’s knee surgery prevented him from being present. Jason’s wife is a teacher in the Lake Stevens School District. Jason commented about the atmosphere at Madison Elementary School. His work at Dawson's Place is helping him learn about kids, the trials of the education system and things that destroy households. He then asked questions about the state budget shortfall in relation to Everett’s budget cuts. Board member Russell also talked with him about the McCleary case.


       

      6)  Monica Sullivan—Ms. Sullivan talked about her background and then sought information about Ms. Olson and Mr. Russell. She is an ELL teacher at North Middle School with an eight-year-old daughter at Silver Lake Elementary. She listed the 11 languages that she has in her class and talked about the program she uses. She enjoys her job. She was RIF’d last year, but then she was called back. North is a good school that is a critical piece in the neighborhood in the north end. For many children it is a significant part of their lives. She works with youngsters who have never had any schooling—none. No other school in the district compares with North’s ratio of free-and-reduced lunches. She is impressed with the way the school is able to promote the good feelings of the community within the school. When asked to rate the number one thing that helps her do her job to get the students to learn English quickly, Ms. Sullivan said class size is the big one.

       

      End

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