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HOOD RIVER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT - BOARD OF DIRECTORS September 14, 2011 – District Office

The School Board minutes are not official as they have not been approved by the Hood River County School District Board of Directors.

These minutes are for review and are subject to change and/or approval. Once approved, signed and dated, they are official.

BOARD MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT 6:29 P.M. PRESENT: Board Chair Liz Whitmore, Vice Chair James Sims, Director Jan Veldhuisen Virk, Director Kateri Osborne Lohr, Director Bob Danko, Director Jeff Kopecky, and Director Mark Johnson. Absent: Ex-Officio Director Bobby Walker. Administration: Superintendent Charlie Beck, Finance Director Nick Hogan, Human Resources Director Robert Dais, Director of Special Education Anne Carloss, Director of Instruction Terri Vann, and Attorney Jeff Baker. Principals and Vice Principals: Parkdale Elementary/Cascade Locks Principal Kim Vogel, Westside Elementary School Principal Ed Drew, Hood River Valley High School Principal Karen Neitzel, Wy’east Middle School Vice Principal Patricia Cooper, Mid Valley Elementary School Principal Dennis McCauley, Wy’east Middle School Principal Catherine Dalbey, May Street Elementary School Principal Kelly Beard, and Hood River Middle School Principal Brent Emmons. Staff and Community Members: Kelvin Calkins, Jane Osborne, Tod Hilstad, Jack Sprague, Betsy Frazier, Mikka Irusta, Rod Hasty, Mark Reynolds, and Board Secretary Terri Martz. WELCOME: Board Chair Liz Whitmore welcomed all to the Hood River County School District Board of Directors meeting. PUBLIC COMMENT/HEARING OF DELEGATIONS OR VISITORS: HREA President Kelvin Calkins: “I actually want to address both issues you have on the agenda. I hadn’t actually thought about talking about the Adequate Yearly Progress, but as I thought about it as I walked down here – I don’t know where your conversation is going with this tonight, but it is an issue that becomes an increasing concern with my members as we try to address adequate yearly progress as it ratchets up to 100% meeting the standard which tells you the standards are too low. The concerns I am hearing from my members is that as we focus to try to bring up those that are not meeting, we are taking away our time and our members from the other students and we are focusing too much on the other end. As for the other issue, I was too early with my dead horse metaphor. This issue of retirees is obviously one of continuing importance to my members. We have an interest in this debate and its outcome. This issue of retirees is good for the district, it’s good for the taxpayers, it provides options for employees and it is well past time to let this horse die and to stop being a drag on our entire process here.

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SUPERINTENDENT REPORT: Superintendent Charlie Beck presented the following information to the Hood River County School District Board of Directors:

• Board members were presented with a draft calendar of proposed lunch meetings at each school throughout the school year. Superintendent Beck will take this draft calendar to Administrative Council next week and will present a final calendar to Board members at the September 28th Board meeting.

• A copy of the September 8th enrollment report was presented. Discussions have begun and Cabinet will start working diligently next week on staffing for high numbers. Some schools have received some temporary relief this week. Cabinet will finalize plans for staffing on September 26th.

• The OSBA Fall meeting in The Dalles is Monday night the 19th. Board members wishing to attend should contact Terri Martz to arrange a ride with Charlie. Any Board members wishing to attend the OSBA conference in November, should also arrange details with Terri.

ACCEPTANCE OF AGENDA: All Hood River County School District Board of Director members were in agreement to accept the agenda as presented. PERSONNEL REPORT: Human Resources Director Robert Dais presented the following information to the Hood River County School District Board of Directors: Approve the recommendation to hire Carol James as temporary Instructional Assistant, 7 hours at May Street Elementary School, temporary one on one; Approve the recommendation to hire Mary Schultz as Instructional Assistant, 6.5 hours at Hood River Valley High School to replace Adam Clay; Approve the recommendation to hire Andrea Nicki Vigorito as temporary Special Education teacher at Wy’east Middle School to replace Ron Cooper; Approve the recommendation to hire Lindsy Weseman as Instructional Assistant, 6 hours at Hood River Valley High School to replace James Bondurant; Approve the resignation of Wendy Huskey as Secretary II at Community Education effective 9/12/11; Approve the retirement of Tom Kost as Tech Ed teacher at Hood River Middle School effective December 1, 2011;

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Approve the retirement of Georgia Tuttle as bus driver effective September 30, 2011; Director Jan Veldhuisen Virk: “I just want to say that I have three kids in great schools and still in my kitchen are three great little stools that I bang my shins on all the time. I have three great pieces of furniture in my yard, an Adirondack chair, a porch swing, and a bench, all thanks to Tom Kost. I just wanted to say that it is really great that our district has been able to keep a program like that in our middle school. I have friends of mine that come from other places and are amazed that we still do shop. I would love to have that continue so more parents can bang their shins on stools”. Human Resources Director Robert Dais: “I appreciate your comment, because as we move into the world of technology, it is important, but also there is a real need on how to cut boards, repair things and build electronics. Tom has expanded his program beyond shop”. Director Jan Veldhuisen Virk: “Part of his class that I think is really special for my daughters, I would like to say that they are really good craftsman, but they are really not. So what is really great, is the kids that maybe aren’t as good in some of the other classes, really excel in that class. They are then able to be the role models in his class which I think is really great to see. I know that on one of my daughter’s benches, it has engraved a boys’ name. I asked who really built the bench. She said he just helped cut the wood. I am sure he is a challenging student in some of his other classes, so I think this is great”. Director Jeff Kopecky: “I have two stools and there is a note keeper and a number of projects. He is great”. Vice Chair James Sims: “I think one of the important projects that I remember Tom involved with the first year I was here and Terri will remember this, we assembled the entire bleachers in the gym at May Street and Tom gave much time and many days and put all of those bleachers through the planer and refurbished them and put them back. Tom was very instrumental in giving in that way to the school district. He is a tremendous person. I can’t even imagine him gone or Georgia. Georgia has been there forever and not seeing her is a loss”. Human Resources Director Robert Dais: Thank you for the kind words and I think Terri will give comments of these minutes to Tom and Georgia”. It was moved by Jan Veldhuisen Virk and seconded by Kateri Osborne Lohr to approve the Personnel Report as presented. Motion approved unanimously.

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ADEQUATE YEARLY PROGRESS WORK SESSION: Director of Instruction Terri Vann presented the Hood River County School District Board of Directors information as follows on AYP in Hood River County Schools:

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RETIREMENT POLICY WORK SESSION: Board Chair Liz Whitmore outlined the process for this evenings work session on the Hood River County School District retirement policy. Hood River County School District Attorney Jeff Baker provided Board members with an analysis of legal issues surrounding the Hood River County School District retirement policy and procedure. Superintendent Charlie Beck provided the following Power Point presentation:

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WORK SESSION RECESSED AT 8:14 P.M.

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WORK SESSION RECONVENED AT 8:21 P.M. The Hood River County School District Board of Directors entered into a work session discussion regarding thoughts for changes, correction or retention of the current Hood River County School District retirement procedure #6168 as per the recommendation of Superintendent Charlie Beck. Board Chair Liz Whitmore spoke to Board members offering an opportunity for discussion and to end this work session with specific direction for administration. Vice Chair James Sims:

• Strong feelings on retirement issue. Has read through all materials provided by attorney and administration.

• Make procedure as simple as possible and follow superintendent direction. Director Jan Veldhuisen Virk:

• Hard conversation for her, retire the retired is emotional and charged issue. • Has had many calls from public, public fired up. • In 2007 was feeling of Board on procedure crafted that they had direction to follow. Now

feels lots of holes in procedure. Feels procedure needs to be redone or tightened up. • Feels strongly in what is best for kids. • Doesn’t see what is wrong with having people apply for their job if wanting to be rehired

back after retiring and going through application and interview process. Get best person for the job. No question in mind that past three administrators would not have been hired back. No one could have interviewed and been as capable. If this happened again, feels most would be rehired.

• Great employees currently. If you are saying you are retiring, then retire. If you want to reapply for the job, go through interview process.

Vice Chair James Sims:

• If people are as competent as described by Director Jan Veldhuisen Virk, why waste resources or interview process? Why take instruction away from children?

Director Jan Veldhuisen Virk:

• Feels most would be rehired but what if in some situations there were someone that was more qualified, bilingual or building needed a change?

Board Chair Liz Whitmore:

• Feedback from community for her presently is not on rehiring retirees, but on class sizes. • Sees potential savings this year alone at $114,000 and feels that is important and could

be teaching position. Worried about education of kids and getting teachers back in classrooms.

• Spoke on time-line presented by Superintendent Beck. Doesn’t see interview process as valuable if teacher has already started year. Kids starting with one teacher and changing to another mid-year, doesn’t seem good for kids.

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Director Kateri Osborne Lohr:

• Agrees that rehiring retired is a tough issue. • Feedback from community for her is also on large class sizes. Spend time on those

important issues not on this topic. • Agrees application process is time consuming and takes away from teaching students. • Wants to keep procedure simple. Let superintendent make decisions.

Director Bob Danko:

• Rehiring retired is a very important issue to him. Feels he comes at this from a different angle than most.

• Likes idea of exploring HRCSD giving up exemption to the 1040 hour rule. HRCSD not like other small communities. Not fair classified and confidential employees don’t get exemption but teachers and administrators do. That is not fair for own staff. Understands Attorney Jeff Baker saying you can’t adopt a policy to do this and understands after speaking to Attorney Jeff Baker that topic needs to be fixed at state level.

• Doesn’t agree with concept of automatically being rehired back in to position. Feels if you want to resign from the position, then you don’t stay in the position. Attorney clarified this as well.

• Statute allows district to be more limiting than what we are now in existing procedure but would bring up lawsuit issues in contracts.

• Based on attorney advice, feels being more limiting than what we are now in our existing procedure isn’t really a good way for our Board to go but would personally like to go there.

• Would rather keep automatic rehire at February 1st date in current procedure than earlier proposed September 1st date by superintendent. Agrees that best person would most likely be the same person who is retiring and asking to be rehired.

• Would be fair to open up position inside and outside district and chose best person rather than just opening up inside.

• Superintendent recommendation is a lot simpler and he likes, but would prefer February 1st date.

• Calls are about fixing procedure not about class sizes. • Decide tonight on new direction for procedure. Get back to what Board should be doing.

Vice Chair James Sims:

• As an administrator, if starting in February with hiring, you are up against the wall. Need time to plan. September is better.

Director Bob Danko:

• Lots of people need jobs. Not fair to not open up hiring process to both inside and outside the district.

Director Mark Johnson:

• Concerns about class sizes also. Helpful to recognize a big percentage of deficit is not simply lack of state school support, but was percentage of PERS rate increase.

• Also wants to do what is best for kids and wants best instructors in front of kids. Likes interview process also.

• Maintain public confidence. Community is watching. Transparent interview processes.

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Director Jeff Kopecky: • How will superintendent best run district? Transparency. Fiscal responsibility. • Has had no calls but have sought out people. • Doesn’t want to micro manage the superintendent. • Would like to tighten up procedure. Wants to see employee have an excellent evaluation

not just satisfactory. Wants to see no plan of assistance. Leaning towards requirement of having to apply for job and interview.

• Make sure supervisor feels strongly enough to write recommendation to re-hire for that employee wanting to retire and be rehired.

Director Jan Veldhuisen Virk:

• Came tonight to state and hear opinions. • Feels it would be helpful to hear application process from Robert Dais.

Human Resources Director Robert Dais:

• Feedback from employees is procedure works. Staff is reluctant to interview for jobs. • Interview process takes multiple staff to conduct. Takes away from class time. • Also wants to make sure we have very best people in front of our kids. • Reap financial savings is best.

Superintendent Charlie Beck:

• Is concerned about financial commitment to interview process. Takes multiple people and takes time away from students.

• Hardship to teacher going through process and also hardship to the district. • Takes away from focus of taking care of kids.

Board Chair Liz Whitmore:

• HRCSD is unique with procedure and interview process. Human Resources Director Robert Dais:

• Presented information to Board members on 18 other districts surrounding issues on rehiring retired. Hiring back retirees is not an important issue for other districts.

Director Jan Veldhuisen Virk:

• Feels rehire/retired is a big issue for our district. Respect opinions and hopes respect is mutual.

• Listens, respects and speaks for community. Superintendent Charlie Beck:

• Need to do a better job of communicating in our community that we are talking about bringing staff back on a temporary basis to finish out the year.

• Don’t need to interview for temporary positions, but do need to for regular replacement position.

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Board Chair Liz Whitmore: • Segment of community is concerned about employees retire, rehire and receive salary

and PERS paycheck. Director Jan Veldhuisen Virk:

• A lot of people that need jobs. Retired rehired, taking away from people who need jobs. Board Chair Liz Whitmore:

• Understanding from attorney that district would take on significant risk to prohibit rehiring retired. Can’t prevent this practice from happening.

• Can have a process in which we have teachers interviewing but the likely result is they will be hired back to that position temporarily.

• Disagree that this is something that Board needs to fix. Believe Mark Johnson can work to fix at state level. People upset about process can talk to legislators.

• Shouldn’t create procedures that make administration jump through hoops. • Support superintendent in September 1st date.

Director Bob Danko:

• School district employees are a minority in PERS system. Majority made up of state, county and city employees.

• Automatic hiring back in other entities basically doesn’t happen. • This process is unique to the school system. • Doesn’t want automatic rehire for entire year to happen. • Agrees with attorney advice but wants a compromise with automatic rehire February 1st

date, not earlier September 1st date. • Proposes leaving as is for this year and changes to take effect next July 1st.

Vice Chair James Sims:

• Won’t support the February 1st date. Superintendent Charlie Beck:

• Would rather have 20 staff take advantage of it so he could use those resources to hire more teachers. Rather than artificially trying to discourage them from retiring in September, puts him in a position where he can’t use the savings from September to February.

• If looking at this from a fiscal point of view, this eliminates fiscal incentive to have them do it and then have us take advantage of it.

Director Jeff Kopecky:

• Worry about policy and procedure set based on financial impact. Would like to see set through all peaks and valleys financially.

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Board Chair Liz Whitmore:

• Hearing from Board that one option is to keep the February 1st date and create an interview process which would be both internal and external prior to February 1st date. A procedure similar to what we have in place right now with the only difference being that the interview process is internal and external. The other option is to go with Charlie’s recommendation which is a September 1st date.

Superintendent Charlie Beck:

• September 1st date is set so we can call it a temporary position and those folks won’t have rights to the job after they complete year. February 1st would still be a temporary position.

Superintendent Charlie Beck:

• Regarding the issue of supervisor recommendation, I heard that and I think that could be part of what Jeff Baker and I bring back to you.

• The date and the interview process is one question but I think you will also see something that adds interviews with that recommendation.

Attorney Jeff Baker:

• Decision would be made by superintendent in consultation with building principal. A full audio recording of this discussion is on file at the Hood River County School District Administration Office. Board Chair Liz Whitmore asked for a poll of Board members with regards to the current recommendation by Superintendent Charlie Beck that procedure #6168 currently in practice be revised as follows:

1. All employees wishing to retire and complete the year will be afforded the opportunity to work back in their current position for the remainder of the year, if it is determined by the Superintendent to be in the best interest of the District.

2. All employees wishing to retire and work back must provide 60 day’s notice, with an effective date no earlier than September 1st.

3. Evaluations: The individual must have satisfactory performance evaluations. An individual who has been on a program of assistance for improvement or with written directives or written reprimands within the past five years will not be considered for retention by the district.

4. That retiring employees working back for the remainder of the year will be considered temporary employees.

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It was noted by Board Chair Liz Whitmore that the discussion finalized with one question as to if Board members wanted Item #2 revised from the September 1st date recommended or to change the date to February 1st. Board members were asked to provide a date in the following poll: Director Mark Johnson: February 1st. Director Kateri Osborne Lohr: September 1st. Director Jan Veldhuisen Virk: September 1st. Vice Chair James Sims: September 1st. Board Chair Liz Whitmore: September 1st. Director Bob Danko: February 1st. Director Jeff Kopecky: September 1st. Board Chair Liz Whitmore stated the next step would now be for Superintendent Charlie Beck and Attorney Jeff Baker to craft a procedure as directed by the Board. BOARD MEETING ADJOURNED AT 9:25 P.M. Superintendent Board Chair Date