BOARD
OF TRUSTEES
Minutes
from Board of Trustees Meeting
Conference Call
January
8, 2008
Board Members
Participating: Steve Rainey,
Board Members Absent: Sherry Perry and Kay Adamson.
Ex-Officio Members
Participating:
Ex-Officio Members
Absent:
January 8, 2008 – 7:32
p.m.
Denise called the meeting to order at 7:32
p.m.
Business Meeting
Old Business
Approve board minutes of November 15-16,
2007. Chuck moved to approve the
minutes. Jim seconded the motion. The minutes were approved unanimously.
New Business
Current Budget Status
Operating Budget: Dr. Stenehjem reported that WSSB has a
positive balance of $120,000.
Capital Budget:
o
New
o
Campus
preservation project ($770,000): WSSB
will begin these projects ASAP.
2008 Supplemental Budget
(all supplemental budget items are flow through funds only):
o
$2,000
pension plan COLA; $50,000 Attorney General fees ($10,000 in 2008 and $40,000
in 2009); $13,000 Initiative 732 COLA adjustment; $6,000 E-recruiting (will be
moved through Department of Personnel); and a negative supplemental in the amount
of $172,000 for reduced allotment in medical due to better negotiation with
providers.
State Audit:
- WSSB will be going through a regularly scheduled audit beginning
January 10. State auditors
anticipate being on site for 10 days. Dr. Stenehjem stated we anticipate
receiving the final audit report by May and WSSB would like to invite
Steve Rainey to attend the final review meeting.
Strategic Plan Session – February 11, 2008
Dr. Stenehjem would like
to invite four Board members to participate in the Strategic Plan Session. WSSB
will be sending out packets of information to participants in the near future. The updated Strategic Plan will be used as
the driving factor for the 2009-2011 Budget.
Dr. Stenehjem will present the
final Strategic Plan at the March 2008 Board Meeting. Sherry Perry, Chuck Nelson, Denise Colley and
Steve Rainey will represent the Board.
Eric asked if members would be eligible for per diem. Dr. Stenehjem said yes.
Legislative Committee
John Driscoll reported
that on January 17, Dean and John will be meeting with Joyce Turner from the
Governor’s Office, legislators from the east side of the state and the
Department of Early Learning. John would
like to pursue the idea of training opportunities for TVI’s. John will report the results of the meetings.
A survey has been
created to gather information on teacher’s anticipated needs in the
future. Results will be shared before
the Strategic Plan session. The survey
also asks for input regarding quality of birth to three services, anticipated
dates of retirements, etc.
o
Specialty
Endorsements through the Professional Education Standard Board (PESB): One endorsement is
for Teachers of the Visually Impaired (TVI’s), the other is for Orientation &
Mobility (O&M). This endorsement, if
approved, would more than likely be highly recommended but not required.
o
Legislation: The second component the group is working on
is a bill addressing the need for a needs assessment for a University Training
Program for TVI’s and O&M’s within the state of
Washington, or partnering with programs outside of the state to meet our
state’s needs.
§
Updates
to the bill since it was forwarded to the Board of Trustees: Addition of O&M issues (line 9); assess
the need for baccalaureate and/or post graduate; also added was verbiage
regarding birth-age 21. The PESB
requires that a University support the endorsement.
§
Denise
asked about the endorsement section. Sherry said they will have specific
requirements and the endorsement standards are the same as the AER (Association
for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired) standards. Annabelle asked if the specialty endorsement
is for current or new teachers. Sherry
said that current teachers would be grandfathered. Judy asked about the needs assessment for
training. Sherry said the bill is asking
for the state to do a needs assessment on a University Program within
Education Committee Update
Judy incorporated
suggestions from the last meeting regarding the Short Course survey. The survey was reviewed with
o
Catherine
has taught two braille classes (Othello and
o
Catherine
will be attending a conference in
o
Catherine
is providing training to the ESD 105 and ESD 123 regarding Child Find and identification
of children who need services.
o
On
February 4 Catherine will be presenting to Special Education Directors in the
ESD 105 and ESD 123 region to discuss progress of regionalization (
o
Management Committee Update
Steve
reported that a management committee meeting was held in November. Steve asked the committee to get back to him
regarding attendance at the Strategic Planning Session.
WSSB
received the Performance Measure Assessment.
The Management Committee will meet to determine the Superintendent’s Performance
Measurement Assessements.
Steve
would like to meet with the Management Committee members who will be attending
the Strategic Plan Session in February and then have an expanded Management
Committee meeting at the Board meeting in March. Chuck asked if the Performance Measurement
Assessment is the final product. Dr.
Stenehjem stated that there is one area in that document that is not in the
measures (information will be corrected).
The document will be forwarded to the Board of Trustees.
Facilities Committee Update
Dr.
Stenehjem stated that Rob had new boilers installed at WSSB as WSSB was not happy
with the current turndown rate. After a
change out of a boiler we will be getting a much more efficient therm
usage. By the March meeting, WSSB will
have more information regarding the success rate of the new boiler.
Dr.
Stenehjem stated we will be adding another 10K photo voltaic system on
campus. This will be installed in the
next three weeks. The monitoring station
will be located in the front lobby of Irwin.
Eric
asked Dr. Stenehjem to report on the flood situation that occurred in December.
Dr. Stenehjem stated that we could not
transport students home that lived along the I-5 corridor during the
flood. The impact on WSSB was overtime
for staff. During the WSSB Winter
Holiday Program a contribution request was made for the Boistfort Community. $518.00 was donated for Boistfort. WSSB Outreach will be presenting the check to
the Superintendent of Boistfort for their local Lions Club on January 16.
Ex Officio
Reports:
Jean Curtis reported
that information was forwarded to
Berl Colley reported
that the Washington Council of the Blind has its first board meeting the first
weekend in February in Everett (Denise’s first meeting as President). Denise will then represent the WCB in
Miscellaneous
Dr. Stenehjem stated
that WSSB will be hosting the Career Fair on January 31 in conjunction with the
Braille Challenge.
Dr. Stenehjem reported
that the Sensory Safari Mural (leading to the Tactile Museum of Natural History)
painting is complete. The
Dr. Stenehjem, in his
capacity as Chairman of the
Dr. Stenehjem stated that
OLCBVI is applying for a Murdock grant in the amount of $500,000 geared towards
accessibility standards, curriculum development, and training.
Annabelle asked what the
latest was regarding the naming of the building. Dr. Stenehjem said we will discuss this at
the March board meeting. Berl asked if
this could be an agenda item as there are some things that are important for
both consumers and the school.
Eric asked about what
happened to GMAP. Dr. Stenehjem stated
WSSB has an agency GMAP session quarterly and the next will be held January 8. The issues identified will change over
time. WSSB has not been called forward
nor has WSSB had a visitation from the Governor’s office to review our GMAP
sessions. Dr. Stenehjem stated it is a
great tool to identify issues.
Dr. Stenehjem stated
that WSSB will support the Board of Trustees if they want to attend the AER
meeting in conjunction with the Board of Trustees meeting March 14-15,
2008. Janet will send more information
out regarding the motels, etc.
There being no further business, the
meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m. The next
Board meeting will be held on March 14-15, 2008 in
Superintendent