Meeting Highlights
 
Financial Report: School income and expenditures are within budget limits.
 
Policy Change: The Board adopted a revised whistleblower policy that is based on recent changes in state and federal law. Briefly, the policy protects employees from employers taking any disciplinary action against an employee for reporting a violation of state or federal law. A copy of the policy is available in the board policy book, located at the school.
 
Supplemental Contracts: The Board approved a supplemental contract for Rodney Bowden, intervention specialist, to give him additional time to work on IEPs and ETR. Contracts were also approved for Jim Lamping and Tom Mack to teach in the school's after school program.
 
Tuition Payment for Teachers: Board approved a tuition reimbursement program for teachers who meet certain requirements (graduate course must be approved in advance by the professional development committee and the superintendent, teacher must earn at least a grade of B, and must agree to teach at DCHS for at least one additional year. The program will continue as long as funds are availabe.
 
Severence Pay: The board is considering a policy allowing unused sick leave to be used as a basis for a severance pay program for staff members who retire. The board will consider this issue at their next meeting.
Dohn Community High School
BOARD OF TRUSTEE MINUTES: January 22, 2010 meeting
 
Members Present: President Michael Bauer, Jesse Lipcius, Pam McClain, Russ Morrison, Dave Parlin; Member Absent: Grant Hesser, Richard Wagner,
Non-Members in Attendance: Superintendent Ken Furrier and Treasurer Mike Ashmore
 
Call to Order: President Mike Bauer called the meeting to order at 5:08.
 
Approval of the Minutes: The minutes from the December 15, 2009 meeting were approved on a motion by Russ Morrison and a second by Dave Parlin.
 
Financial Report: Treasurer Mike Ashmore gave the Treasurer’s report. He pointed out that the financial report covers seven months of activity, and that we should expect to have received and spent 58% of each line time of the budget. Total revenue represents 59.3% of the budget, with total expenditures equaling 58.8%, both within budget limits. The only line item that was not within budget limited was 1.060 Other Revenue, which was 47.6%. He also pointed out that the school’s foundation payment for January was $98,801.28; CCIP funding for January equaled $8,710.39; and ARRA funding was $6,243.52. The motion to accept the financial report was made by Finance Committee Chair Mike Bauer and approved by the board by a 4 – 0 vote.
 
Donations: Eight donations totaling $1,111.86 was accepted by the board unanimously on a motion made by Pam McClain and seconded by Russ Morrison.
 
Policy Change: Acting on a motion by Jesse Lipcius and a second by Russ Morrison, the board accepted the proposed change in the board’s whistleblower policy with a 4 – 0 vote.  The policy change was proposed by our policy attorney, Eastman and Smith.
 
Supplemental Contract for Intervention Specialist: The superintendent recommended that a supplemental contract be issued to the Intervention Specialist to work on IEPs and ETRs after the regular work day at an hourly rate of $33.50 per hour, up to two hours per day. This is done to allow the Intervention Specialist to work with students during the school day. The Intervention Specialist will provide the Superintendent a weekly report indicating the status of the IEPs/ETR: (a) number worked upon during the week; (b) number completed; (c) the number not started; and (d) the number of students evaluations not yet started.
 
Supplemental Contract for After School Alternative Program: The school has initiated a pilot program for students whose past record indicates they may not be successful in the regular school program. Teachers supervising this program will be paid $25 per hour for time spent on the program after 3:15. The superintendent recommends James Lamping and Thomas Mack by hired as Alternative Program teachers for the balance of the school year, effective January 25, 2010. The contracts will be valid as long as the program is offered, and as long as the performance of the teachers is satisfactory.
 
Motion to approve the supplemental contract for the Intervention Specialist and the teachers for the After School Alternative Program was made by Russ Morrison and Seconded by Jesse Lipcius and approved by a vote of 4 to 0.
 
Tuition Payment for Teachers: The board adopted a recommendation from the Superintendent for the school to reimburse teachers for tuition and books for teachers enrolling in approved graduate level courses as long as the teacher meets certain requirements (course approved by the professional development committee and superintendent; teacher earn a B grade or better; the teacher is employed by the district for the school year following the approval of the course). The program will continue as long as professional development funds are available. The motion to accept the recommendation was made by Russ Morison and seconded by Pam McClain and passed with a 4 – 0 vote.
 
Severance Pay: The need to clarify board policy dealing with sick leave and severance pay was discussed by the board. State law requires public schools to offer severance pay to teachers who have ten years of service up to 1/4th of the accrued but unused sick leave, to a maximum of 30 days. The school needs to clarify (a) if we want to have a severance pay, do we stick with the state minimum; or (b) state the fact that accrued sick leave is “lost” when the staff member retires. Additional information will be given to the board.
 
The meeting was adjourned at 6:03.