Saucon Valley School District

 

Regular Meeting of the Board of Education

                                                     January 9, 2007 – 7:30 pm

Elementary Large Group Instruction Room

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Welcome to the meeting of the Saucon Valley School Board.  Our objective is to serve the students, parents, and residents of our community.  You are an important part of this meeting and we look forward to your questions and comments.

 

We are all here for the same reason.  All opinions are welcomed and equally valuable.  Our only request is that we address each other with civility and respect.  Our courtesy toward each other is the best way to show our students how much we respect them as well.

 

Agenda

 

7 pm – Executive Session for the purpose of personnel and legal.

 

I.          Call to the Order – Mr. Ralph Puerta, President, presiding

 

II.         Pledge of Allegiance

 

III.        Recording of Attendance – Mr. David Bonenberger, Secretary

 

IV.       Announcement of Executive Sessions –

                        January 9, 2007

 

V.        Approval of Minutes

                        Minutes - November 14, 2006

                        Minutes - November 28, 2006

                        Minutes - December 5, 2006 Reorganization and Business

                       

VI.       Recognition

            A.         Vanessa Segaline for her project involving a food bank for animals.

VII.      Presentations

            A.        Saucon Valley Supporters of the Performing Arts – Maureen Calvo         

            B.        IU 20’s General Operating Budget for 2007-08 – Dr. Charlene Brennan

                       

VIII.     Superintendent’s Report – Dr. Sandra Fellin, Superintendent

            A.        School Board Recognition Month

 

IX.       Citizens’ Comments – Agenda Items Only – Visitors should state their name

            and address.

 

X.        Presentation of Bills – David Bonenberger

           A.         General Expenditures

            B.        Cafeteria Expenditures

            C.        Health Benefits

           

XI.       Treasurer’s Report – George Torrella/David Bonenberger

            A.        Cash, Investment and Bond Activity

            B.        Revenue and Expenditure Summary

            C.        Expansion Project Finance Report

            D.        Activity Accounts:

                        1.  High School Activity Report

                        2.  Middle School Activity Report

 

XII.      Motion to Approve Agenda

 

A.        Education Committee – Susan Baxter/Ira Hiberman

 

Items/Projects for Discussion and Possible Resolution

1.         Bussing costs for am and pm runs to BAVTS::

 

5 hours/day x  5 days  x $17.17/hour  (1 driver) = $429.25/week

(Drivers are usually given the full five hours regardless if they only have one school to go to.)

 

            5 hours/day X $17.17/hour (1 driver) = $85.85/day

 

            Difference between before/after calendar four days is:

            4 days x $85.85/day = $343.40

 

Consensus Motion:

The following items are to be deleted from the consensus motion at board member request.  All items in the shaded area are part of the consensus motion.

 

________________    ________________    ________________    ______________

 

 

Textbook Approval

1.         Approve the first review of the following high school textbook: (Budgeted)

 

            Course Title – Applied Government/Economics (12th Grade)

            Textbook Title – Contemporary’s Economics (Copyright Date 2007)

            Text Replaces – Principles of Economics

                                      

CompassLearning Contract

2.         Approve the contract from CompassLearning Inc. for tutorial remediation math services for $7,150 to be paid by the accountability block grant. 

 

 

Recommendation:  To approve all motions and recommendations as listed above in Education.

 

B.        Personnel Committee – Sandra Miller/Sandra Fellin

 

Items/Projects for Discussion and Possible Resolution

1.         Discussion of Athletic Director       

2.         Discussion of High School Cafeteria Aide for 2.5 hours per day.

            ($12.16 per hour – $30.40 per day)

 

 

 

Consensus Motion:

The following items are to be deleted from the consensus motion at board member request.  All items in the shaded area are part of the consensus motion.

 

________________    ________________    ________________    ______________

 

 

Retirement

1.         Approve the retirement of Cathy Gebhardt, high school instructional aide, effective January 12, 2006.

 

Conferences/Travel

2.         Approve the attached conferences/travel.

           

Crossing Guard Services Agreement

3.         Approve the Agreement for Crossing Guard Services between the Hellertown Borough, Lower Saucon Township, and Saucon Valley School District.

 

Long Term Substitutes

4.         Approve the following long-term substitutes for the 2006-2007 school year.  They are entitled to salary and benefits per the current teacher’s contract.

 

            Melinda D’Amico – Third Grade – approximately January 18th through the end of the 2006-07 school year – $39,092 (B, Step 1), which will be prorated.  Ms. D’Amico is replacing Amy Lookenbill, who will be on maternity leave.          

 

            Audra Krakoski – 7th grade Special Education – approximately mid-February, 2007 through mid-May, 2007 - $39,092 (Bachelors, Step 1), which will be prorated.  Ms. Krakoski is replacing Dana Russo, who will be on maternity leave.

 

            Kristen Peters – Second Grade – 2nd semester – $39,092 (B, Step 1), which will be prorated.  Ms. Peters is continuing to replacing Lois Frederick, who extended her sabbatical leave to include the 2nd semester.

 

Superintendent Evaluation

5.         Approve the evaluation for Dr. Sandra Fellin, superintendent, which includes a two percent (2%) increase on base salary and three percent (3%) bonus for the date 8/2005 to12/2007.

 

Administrative Staff Development

6.         Approve the motion to retain Attorney Jeffrey T. Tucker of the firm of King, Spry, Herman, Freund & Faul, LLC, to provide training for District administrative staff through the end of the 2007-2008 school year, at the rate of $125 per hour, not to exceed 30 hours. 

 

Substitutes

7.         Approve the following substitute teachers:

 

            Amy Cromen - Elementary Certified

            Jessica Edmiston – Elementary Certified

            Jessica Klingerman – Social Studies

            Rachel Mowrey – Elementary Certified

            Melissa Pavlinsky – Elementary Certified

            Cristy Shoemaker – Elementary Certified

 

Substitute Aide

8.         Approve Carolyn C. White as a Substitute Aide to provide on-site supervision for the specialized education of a Saucon Valley student attending Mercy Special Learning Center in the absence of the Instructional Aide who is assigned to that position.  Ms. White will be paid $9.15 per hour, no benefits, effective January 3, 2007.

 

Professional Resignation

9.         Approve the resignation of Stacy Daniels, high school business education teacher effective December 20, 2006.

 

 

Recommendation:  To approve all motions and recommendations as listed above in Personnel.

 

C.        Facilities Committee – Herb Payung/Wally Zimpfer

 

Items/Projects for Discussion and Possible Resolution

1.         Acquisition of Sponsored Electronic Scoreboard

 

Consensus Motion:

The following items are to be deleted from the consensus motion at board member request.  All items in the shaded area are part of the consensus motion.

 

________________    ________________    ________________    _______________

 

 

 

Pool Timing System

 

1.         Award the bid for furnishing and installing a Pool Timing System  to Colorado Time Systems, 1551 E. 11th Street, Loveland, Colorado 80537, at a cost of $22,825.00.  The installation completion date is Friday, February 2, 2007.

 

Recommendation:  To approve all motions and recommendations as listed above in Facilities.

 

D.        Finance Committee – George Torrella/David Bonenberger

 

 

Items/Projects for Discussion and Possible Resolution

 

1.         Discussion of 2007-08 Budget.

 

 

 

2.         Discussion on Taxpayer Relief Act 1:

                                                  

 

January 25, 2007

Deadline to adopt a resolution indicating that the district will not raise the rate of any tax by more than its index.

 

February 19, 2007

Deadline to submit preliminary budget with proposed tax rate increases to Department of Education.

Mid February, 2007 to Early March, 2007

Deadline to publish notice for three weeks of intent to adopt resolution, authorizing referendum question for May, 2007 primary.

 

 

March 13, 2007

Deadline to hold a public hearing and to adopt a resolution authorizing referendum question for the May, 2007 primary, seeking voter approval to levy, assess, and collect an earned income and net profits tax;

 

March 16, 2007

Deadline to submit referendum question seeking voter approval for earned income and net profits tax to the county board of elections, unless request for referendum exception has been submitted to Court of Common Pleas or Department of Education.

           

 

 

 

 

Consensus Motion:

The following items are to be deleted from the consensus motion at board member request.  All items in the shaded area are part of the consensus motion.

 

________________    ________________    ________________   _______________

 

 

Federal Standard Business Mileage Rate

1.         Approve the federal standard business mileage rate from 44.5             cents per mile to 48.5 cents per mile beginning January 1, 2007

            through December 31, 2007 in accordance with the Saucon

            Valley Education Association Professional Contract and the

            Administrative Employment Agreement.

 

 

Recommendation:  To approve all motions and recommendations as listed above in Finance.

 

 

E.        Policy Task Force Committee – Lachlan Peeke/Sandra Fellin

 

Items/Projects for Discussion and Possible Resolution

 

 

Consensus Motion:

The following items are to be deleted from the consensus motion at board member request.  All items in the shaded area are part of the consensus motion.

______________    ______________    ______________    ______________

 

 

First Reading of Policies

1.         Approve the first reading of the following policies:

 

Section – Administrative Employees

337 – Vacation

338 – Health Sabbatical Leave

338.1 – Compensated Professional Leave

339 – Uncompensated Leave

339.1 – Disability/Maternity

342 – Jury Duty

348 – Unlawful Harassment

351 – Drug and Substance Abuse

352 – Corporal Punishment

           

            Section – Professional Employees

438 – Health Sabbatical Leave

438.1 – Compensated Professional Leave

439 – Uncompensated Leave

439.1 – Disability/Maternity

440 – Responsibility for Student Welfare

442 – Jury Duty

448 – Unlawful Harassment

451 – Drug and Substance Abuse

452 – Corporal Punishment

 

Section – Classified Employees

537 – Vacation

539 – Uncompensated Leave

539.1 – Disability/Maternity

540 – Responsibility for Student Welfare

541 – Benefits for Part-Time Personnel

542 – Jury Duty

543 – Paid Holidays

548 – Unlawful Harassment

551 – Drug and Substance Abuse

552 – Corporal Punishment

 

 

Recommendation:  To approve all motions and recommendations as listed above in Policy.

 

 

F.         Community Outreach – Susan Baxter/Ed Inghrim/Sandra Fellin

 

Items/Projects for Discussion and Possible Resolution

 

 

Consensus Motion:

The following items are to be deleted from the consensus motion at board member request.  All items in the shaded area are part of the consensus motion.

 

________________    ________________    ________________    ______________

 

 

No Report or Recommendations.

 

 

Saucon Valley Partnership Meeting

1.         The next meeting of the Saucon Valley Partnership is scheduled for January 10, 2007 beginning at 7 pm at the Hellertown Borough.

 

 

Recommendation: No recommendations.

 as listed above in Education.

G.        Bethlehem Area Vo-Tech School – Herb Payung/Lachlan Peeke

            (Meetings are first Tuesday of every month)

 

H.        Colonial Intermediate Unit – Susan Baxter

            (Meetings are fourth Wednesday of every month)

 

I.          PSBA – Susan Baxter/Sandra Miller

 

J.         Northampton Community College – Eric Schenkel

            (Meetings are first Thursday of every month)

 

K.        Hellertown/Lower Saucon Chamber of Commerce – George Torrella

 

L.         New Business

 

XIII.     Solicitor’s Report

 

XIV.     Citizen’s Inquiries and Comments – Visitors should state their name and address.

 

XV.      Announcements

 

            Future Meetings ~    January 23, 2007 – 7:30 pm – Business Meeting

                          Elementary Large Group Instruction Room

 

                                                 February 13, 2007 – 7:30 pm – Business Meeting

                          Elementary Large Group Instruction Room

 

XVI.     Motion to Adjourn Meeting

 

The Saucon Valley School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, or handicap