Board Meeting Dates

Additional Details

Board of Education Meeting

AGENDA

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

5:00 PM

John Milne Community Board Room, Alice and Bruce King Educational Complex, 6400 Uptown Blvd. NE

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Minutes of Board of Education Meeting

Albuquerque Public Schools

A Board of Education meeting of Albuquerque Public Schools was held Wednesday, June 5, 2013, beginning at 5:00 p.m., in the John Milne Community Board Room, Alice and Bruce King Educational Complex, 6400 Uptown Blvd., NE.

I.        Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 5:01 p.m.

A.       Color Guard Presentation Provided by Del Norte Air Force Junior ROTC

I.        Pledge of Allegiance / Moment of Silence

B.       Roll Call

Present: Dr. Analee Maestas, Kathy Korte, Lorenzo Garcia, Martin Esquivel, Dr. Don Duran, and Dr. David Peercy

Absent: Steven Michael Quezada

C.       Adoption of the June 5, 2013, Board of Education Meeting Agenda and Approval of the May 1. 2013, Board of Education Meeting Minutes (Discussion/Action)

Lorenzo Garcia motioned for adoption of the agenda and approval of the minutes. Kathy Korte seconded the motion. Board members unanimously adopted the June 5, 2013, Board of Education Meeting agenda and approved the May 1. 2013, Board of Education Meeting minutes.

II.       Recognition of Students, Staff and Community

A.         Hinkle Family Fun Center was recognized for its partnerships with Albuquerque Public Schools, the APS Education Foundation and the APS Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council (SuperSac).

B.         The Albuquerque Isotopes was recognized for their participation in Educator’s Night on May 10, and for creating an essay contest in which district students nominated their favorite teacher.

C.         James Maynard, of La Cueva High School, was recognized for receiving the Camilla Rowe Scholarship.

D.         Elizabeth Dolan from Manzano Mesa Elementary School, Blasa Munoz from Cleveland Middle School and Lisa Goldman from Del Norte High School were recognized for being named Counselors of the Year.

E.         Toni Berg was recognized for receiving the Marlene McDowell Distinguished Service Award by the New Mexico School Nurse Association.

F.         Josh Benjamin from E.G. Ross Elementary was recognized for receiving the Outstanding Elementary School Library Award from the New Mexico Library Association.

G.         Jocelyn Jackson, APS coordinator of multicultural education, was recognized for receiving the Leadership Award of Excellence from the Southern Minority Leadership Council.

H.         Brad Winter, APS Chief Operations Officer, was recognized for receiving the Distinguished Service Award from the Council of Great City Schools.

III.      Public Forum

Topics of public forum included retiree life insurance payments, the Ernie Pyle leadership program, and parents not being informed of continually changing graduation requirements,

IV.      Matters of Information

1. A. Superintendent's Report

Superintendent Brooks reported about the following issues:

• Recognition for Karleen Zetina, 2013 West Mesa High School graduate, an amazing young woman who lost her courageous battle with brain cancer and died this weekend
• New high school collaboration of APS and CNM and the new principal, Liz Abyeta
• Congratulations to Josh Benjamin tonight for receiving the Outstanding Elementary School Library Award from the New Mexico Library Association
• Congratulations to Valley High School as one of only 10 schools nationwide to receive a Project ENABLE grant to help design and implement library information programs and library services for students with disabilities
• Council of Great City Schools audit of the APS Research, Development and Accountability (RDA) Department regarding how it compares to other similar departments around the country, especially in the areas of staffing, functions and the balance between research and testing
• State of New Mexico and APS maintenance of effort responsibility
• Administrations efforts on informing retirees of the changes to the retiree insurance program

• Congratulations to all the APS graduates and gratitude for all the teachers, principals, staff and families who helped them reach this important goal

• Appreciation of educational assistants and the opportunity to hear their challenges and experiences with students at the annual educational assistant lunch

1. B. Board Member Comments

Board members commented about the following issues:

• Congratulations to the graduating students, especially for the Transition Services students
• Board members participating as judges of the New Mexico history competition
• Recommend naming a future school after Dr. George Sanchez, a University of New Mexico historian
• Concern that retirees were not informed of the changes to the retiree insurance program
• Recommendation for research into possible payment plans and options for the retiree insurance program
• Support for discontinuing APS payment for the retiree insurance program
• Recommendation of a meeting of school administration, parents and students to explain the Ernie Pyle issue
• Recommend executive session for discussion of financial issues, especially because funding of education is not sufficient based on the requirements of statute

• Importance of keeping programs that support students
• Concern that the community is not informed of the impact of the changes to the graduation requirements
• Recommend that the New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED) be invited to meet with parents and students to explain changes in graduation requirements
• Recognition for the APS Rite of Passage
• Recognition for Commissioner Art de la Cruz for Straight A programs for students
• Request reporting of information and support for students to participate in summer reading programs
• Dedication to improve educational opportunities for the community
• Request for audit of processes of charter school evaluations
• Concern about the effects of the Maintenance of Effort implications
• Approval of the name of the new high school must be approved by the Board of Education
• Overall impact to the students of changes in the budget and all of the unfunded mandates from the NMPED

1. C. President's Report

President Esquivel had no further comments at this time.

V.       Special Issues

A.       Consideration for Approval of the Resolution to enter into a Lease Purchase Arrangement with the New Mexico Finance Authority (NMFA) for the purchase of the building currently occupied by Digital Arts and Technology Academy Charter School (DATA) (Discussion/Action)

On May 1, 2013, the APS Board of Education approved a resolution to submit an application to the NMFA for the purchase of the building currently occupied by DATA. APS Staff in collaboration with its Financial Advisor RBC Capital Markets and Bond Counsel Modrall, Sperling, Roehl Harris & Sisk, PA, submitted the application to the NMFA. The recommendation before the APS Board of Education is to approve the resolution for APS to enter into a lease purchase arrangement with the NMFA for the building currently occupied by DATA Charter School. APS will then enter into a sublease agreement with DATA Charter. The proceeds from the sublease with DATA Charter will be used by APS to pay the monthly lease purchase payment to NMFA. DATA will use the funds from the lease reimbursement received from the Public School Facilities Authority to pay the sublease. The payments APS receives from DATA will be sufficient to cover the lease purchase arrangement with the NMFA. The resolution is attached.

1. I. Establish the date for a meeting to consider a resolution granting final approval to the lease purchase of the building (Discussion/Action)

David Peercy motioned for approval of the resolution and establishing the date for considering the lease purchase.  Kathy Korte seconded the motion.  Board members unanimously approved the resolution to enter into a lease purchase arrangement with the New Mexico Finance Authority (NMFA) for the purchase of the building currently occupied by Digital Arts and Technology Academy Charter School (DATA) and set July 3, 2013, as the date of the meeting to consider a resolution granting final approval to the lease purchase of the building.

B.       Consideration for Approval of the 2013-2014 Title III Application (Discussion/Action)

Shelly Green, chief academic officer, and Lynne Rosen, director of Language and Cultural Equity, requested that board members approve the 2013-2014 Title III application.  Lorenzo Garcia motioned for approval of Title III application. Dr. Maestas seconded the motion.  Board members unanimously approved the 2013-2014 Title III application.

C.       Consideration for Approval of 2013-2014 Bilingual and Multicultural Application (Discussion/Action)

Shelly Green, chief academic officer, and Lynne Rosen, director of Language and Cultural Equity, requested that board members approve the 2013-2014 bilingual and multicultural application.  Dr. Maestas requested an update on the APS bilingual programs. Lorenzo Garcia motioned for approval of bilingual and multicultural application. Dr. Maestas seconded the motion.  Board members unanimously approved the 2013-2014 bilingual and multicultural application.

D.       Update of Goal 3: Family and Community Involvement (Discussion)

The item was postponed to a future meeting. A member of the public requested to speak regarding this agenda and shared support for an open forum where members of the public could discuss issues directly with board members.

E.       Update of Goal 4: School Environment (Discussion)

The item was postponed to a future meeting.

VI.      Announcement of Upcoming Board Meetings

President Esquivel announced that the next Board of Education meeting will be Wednesday, June 19, 2013, at 5:00 p.m., in the John Milne Community Board Room and the next Special Board of Education meeting will be held on Friday, June 14, 2013, at 7:30 a.m., in the DeLayo Martin Community Room.

VII.     Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 7:18 p.m.

APPROVED: ____________________________

Martin Esquivel, President

ATTEST: __________________________________

Steven Michael Quezada, Secretary