Appointments to School Board Committees

School Board Standing Committees

At last night's school board meeting, Susan Fox announced the appointments to the newly reinstated citizen committees.  Per board policy, the president makes all of the appointments to the committees.  The president may get input from the committee chairs, who are also appointed by the president.

Business Services
Chair: Susan Manning
Susan Fox
Lionel Norton
Kathy Thomas (MN)

Jeff Simpson (CG)

Policy                           
Chair: Lionel Norton        
Jessica Ace                           
Susan Manning                       
Beth Bingham (MN)           
Sharon Henes (CG)


Curriculum
Chair: Peter Sobol
Jason McCutchin

Jill List
Andrew Bridell (MN)

Jim Foley (CG)

Other Updates

The board voted to move the Alternative High School or MG21 into Nichols next year.  The board approved a 0% pay increase for administrators for the 2010-11 school year.  A group of teachers attended in protest of the contract negotiations relative to the retirement benefits proposal.  Susan Fox gave an interview to Jack Henrich where she detailed the proposal to the teacher's union.  The interview can be found at http://heraldindependentonline.com/main.asp?SectionID=5&SubSectionID=127&ArticleID=1751

Monona Grove -- Stand Together or Split Apart?

A reader posed the following question:
"Would you consider a stream on the split of this district? I know that this has been talked about in the past but is it time to revisit this as a possibility?"


This question comes up frequently.  The animosity between Monona and Cottage Grove is exhausting at times, and it is not a surprise that people turn to this option as a solution.  However, there are several obstacles that must be considered.


First, the tax money that comes into the district is currently 55% from Monona and 44% from the Village & Town of Cottage Grove combined.  Therefore, each community is contributing about half of the tax dollars for funding.
The actual data from the district for 2009 is:
Monona = 55%
Village of Cottage Grove = 28%
Town of Cottage Grove = 16%
Other = 1%


Second, the DPI must approve any district splits and their history on this is to deny these requests.  Wisconsin has a large number of school districts and the budget issues facing all of them mean districts should consider consolidating, rather than splitting.


The reality is that both Monona and Cottage Grove need what the other community brings to the district.  Cottage Grove has 70% of the elementary population in K-5.  Monona has 20% and open enrollment make up the remaining 5%.  State funding is tied to enrollment and whether or not it is increasing or decreasing.  Recent trends have shown growth in Cottage Grove, which has helped the district.  It is not likely that the Monona community could support a stand alone district with only 20% of the student population down the road.


While Monona has plenty of building space to house Monona students, Cottage Grove doesn't have a high school.  Consider the $30 million price tag of Glacial Drumlin School and it is not likely that Cottage Grove can come up with the funding to build a high school in the near future.


The district website posts updates from Board President Susan Fox.  The April 8, 2010 update includes the following paragraph:
Over the past couple months, some citizens have raised the issue of a possible split of the district between Cottage Grove and Monona and asked for copies of the split study completed in 2005 by the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance.  Please note that both the construction of Glacial Drumlin and the changes in state law make the results of the study invalid today. The Program Impact Report, however, remains applicable, and the impact of a split on programming would be substantial. The Board reaffirmed the importance of keeping the Monona Grove School District intact.


If splitting the district is not a viable option, then we must turn the discussion to what we need to do to repair our district and maintain the strong level of programming we have been known for in the past.  How can we bring the communities together instead of tearing them apart?  Who is up for the leadership task to accomplish this very difficult goal?  Do we have the right school board in place to get the job done?


The Monona Grove School District belongs to all of the citizens and students in both communities.  It is time for the board to listen to all of its constituents and make responsible decisions for the future.  Every single person in this district should pay attention to what the board is doing right now and let them know whether or not they're on the right track.


Contact the board at mgsdboard@mgschools.net.  Messages are automatically copied to the superintendent.

Business Services Director Resigns

The Monona Grove School District is facing millions of dollars in structural deficits over the next four year, and now they will face those budget problems without their valued Business Services Director, Mary Ellen Van Valin, after she resigned on May 25.


Van Valin confirmed that she was offered a contract with the Milton School District, meaning she will depart Monona Grove after five years when her contract expires on June 30. District officials agree the resignation is a huge loss for the district.


“It appears in Milton, that when administrators came forward with recommendations, that good questions are asked, but recommendations were followed,” said Van Valin.


She also noted that it is disheartening when administrative recommendations are exhaustively discussed, leading to five- or six-hour meetings, only to have those recommendations tabled in the end because board members ask for additional information.

While Board President Fox downplayed the issue of micro-managing administrators, board member Jill List said she was not surprised by Van Valin’s resignation.
“I think she’s tired of abuse from the board,” said List, referring specifically to the recent budget process and perceptions of micro-management. “I think she’s had it.”


Herald-Independent Article:


http://heraldindependentonline.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=21&ArticleID=1755

Alternative High School - Nichols or Winnequah?

The Board has tentatively planned all year to move the MG Alternative High School (MGAS) from its current rental location on Monona Drive to Nichols School beginning next fall.  However, at tonight's meeting, the possibility of Winnequah was discussed as well.


While the space available on the lower level of Winnequah would be appropriate (includes the FACE and Tech Ed. rooms, along with regular classrooms), concerns about security, since a back door now locked during the day would be in use, the need for construction of a dividing wall with a door to separate the Alt School from the rest of the building but still allow for a second exit from the building, and the fact that bathrooms on the lower level are located on the other side of that new, proposed wall all present problems. The fact that there is very little time to gather public input on such a move was another important factor cited.


The Board requested cost estimates on both options for discussion at the May 26 meeting, at which time a decision must be made in order to accommodate a move.


Herald-Independent Article:
http://heraldindependentonline.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=21&ArticleID=1738&TM=71574.5

Citizen Committees Will Return

President Fox announced that the following Board members have been elected to serve as officers for the 2010-2011 year:

Susan Fox, President

Jessica Ace, Vice-President

Susan Manning, Treasurer

Lionel Norton, Clerk

(Note: Fox was elected with 4 votes and Peter Sobol got 3 votes for President.  Manning was elected with 4 votes and Jason McCutchin got 3 votes for Treasurer.  Norton was elected with 4 votes and Peter Sobol got 3 votes for Clerk.  Ace ran unopposed.)

The Board voted to reestablish the following standing committees: Business Services, Policy and Curriculum.  Also, there will be further discussion regarding forming additional subcommittees in areas such as continuous school improvement and long term budget planning.

Mr. Gerlach recognized Ed O’Connor, Director of Continuous Improvement and Assessment.  Ed has announced his resignation from the district effective at the end of June, 2010.

The Board discussed policy for creating standing committees.

MOTION: Peter Sobol moved to amend the main motion to include the words “with board approval “ in the first paragraph on Board Policy 185. Jason McCutchin seconded.  There was discussion on the amendment. President Fox noted that since this is in the 100 series of board policy, it would require five votes to pass. The motion failed.

MOTION: Lionel Norton moved to add/substitute the words “shall appoint Board members and in cooperation” to the proposed revised Board Policy 185, dated April 28, 2010.  Susan Manning seconded. The motion carried.  This sentence now reads: “The Board President shall appoint Board members and in cooperation with the chair of each committee shall appoint members to the standing committees.”

MOTION: Lionel Norton moved, and Peter Sobol seconded, a motion to add the words “in cooperation with,” following the word “annually.” The motion carried. This sentence (A2) now reads: “The Board President annually, in cooperation with Committee chairs, shall appoint citizen members of standing committees.”  Motion carried.

President Fox asked Board members to contact her in regard to which committee they would like to serve on. There will be three Board members and two citizens on each committee.

The Board discussed increasing the walk zone for elementary students.  It is the recommendation of both Mary Ellen Van Valin, Director of Business Services, and John Vandermerwe, Director of Transportation, that we do not extend the walk zone at this time.

MOTION: Jessica Ace moved that we remove extension of the walk zone as a budgetary reduction item for 2010-2011.  Jason McCutchin seconded.  Motion carried.

The Board conducted a variety of other board business, which can be found in the minutes on the district website.

Herald-Independent Article:

http://heraldindependentonline.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=21&ArticleID=1703&TM=44118.11

Preliminary Staff Reductions Approved

Rebecca Fox-Blair and Bill McDonald, MG Alternative School staff, presented the Board with a request for approval of an application for a new charter and an implementation grant for a restructured alternative school called the “Monona Grove Liberal Arts Charter School for the 21st Century” or “MG21”.  Upon approval, the new charter will replace the current Alternative School charter and will allow for future growth and expansion of the program.  The grant of $175,000.00, in each of two years, will enable the district to take our alternative school to the next level by incorporating the use of 21st century technology and enabling the linking of assessment to 21st century skills.

MOTION: Susan Manning moved approval of the application of the grant and contingent on acceptance of the grant and moved approval of the charter of the Monona Grove Liberal Arts School for the 21st Century.  Jessica Ace seconded and the motion carried.

Bill Breisch gave a brief update to the board on work of the high school science department, including a plan to restructure the required 9th and 10th grade required courses.  The proposal is that in the year 2010-2011, the required 9th grade science course will be biology. Beginning in 2010-2011, chemistry will be the 10th grade course requirement. In addition, both courses will have an honors class available.

MOTION: Susan Manning moved approval of the implementation of 9th grade biology as presented, beginning in 2010-2011.  Jill List seconded and the motion carried.

Superintendent Gerlach gave an overview of the racial issues affecting the district.  He indicated that he has been meeting with staff and would like to keep the lines of communication open between the Board and staff. We are using this opportunity to present what the issues are and what is happening in the buildings.

Jim Orlenko, Director of Human Resources, presented the Board with a proposed list of teachers to receive preliminary notices of layoff.  He indicated that this is a very dynamic process and that things are ever changing.  The list includes both partial and full positions.  The final layoff notice must be out by May 15.

MOTION: Jason McCutchin moved approval of the 2010-2011 Teacher Preliminary

Notices of Layoff as presented.  Peter Sobol seconded and the motion carried.

Deidre Bradford, reduction in contract 1.0 FTE to .70 FTE

Jeremy Duss, reduction in contract from .80 FTE to .00 FTE

Jonathan Farris, reduction in contract from .86 FTE to .00 FTE

Carol Graves, reduction in contract from .95 FTE to .00 FTE

Greg Gehrig, reduction in contract from 1.0 FTE to .00 FTE

Jeanette Heitman, reduction in contract from .30 FTE to .00 FTE

Jill Jensen, reduction in contract from 1.0 FTE to .16 FTE

Garrett Jones, reduction in contract from 1.0 FTE to .00 FTE

Jeff Kasperak, reduction in contract from 1.0 FTE to .00 FTE

Kate Mennenga, reduction in contract from 1.0 FTE to .60 FTE

Steve Rhoads, reduction in contract from 1.0 FTE to .77 FTE

Cindy Rudie, reduction in contract from 1.0 FTE to .00 FTE

Lea Spaay-Kozich, reduction in contract from 1.0 FTE to .80 FTE

Ryan Thompson, reduction in contract from .56 FTE to .00 FTE

Hong Tran, reduction in contract from .66 FTE to .00 FTE

Kristoffer Tudor, reduction in contract from 1.0 FTE to .60 FTE

Ginger Veith, reduction in contract from 1.0 FTE to .00 FTE

The Board conducted a variety of other board business, which can be found in the minutes on the district website.

Charter School Will Take Several Years

While Monona Mayor Robb Kahl was initially hopeful his proposal for an environmental charter school in Monona could be realized by the start of the next school year, additional research into the process has revealed that such a timeline is not possible.  After an informal meeting of interested stakeholders, April 6, it appears the Monona Grove school district will need at least two years to develop and open a charter school, possibly more, in addition to a core group of dedicated teachers and community members who will lead this demanding task.



“We need to be clear on the reality of the timeline,” said District Superintendent Craig Gerlach. Goals must be set for the school, followed by planning of curriculum and the eventual task of making that curriculum a reality. While he is supportive of the proposal, he noted that all of those necessary steps are, in themselves, very complex.


Herald-Independent Article:
http://heraldindependentonline.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=21&ArticleID=1667&TM=42679.37