MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
OF THE
METROPOLITAN SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PERRY TOWNSHIP
MARION COUNTY, INDIANA
Held Monday, March 10, 2008:
The Board of Education of the Metropolitan School District of Perry Township, Marion County,
Indiana, held a regular meeting on Monday, March 10, 2008, at the Perry Township Education Center,
6548 Orinoco Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana. President Barbara J. Thompson called the meeting to order
at 6:30 p.m.
All members of the Board of Education were present, except Jo Ellen Buffie. Mr. Dennis S.
Nichols, Interim Superintendent and all members of the central office administrators, except Frank Giles,
Mike Bagley and Jim Fitzwater, were present. Board Attorney Jon Bailey, was also in attendance.
RECOGNITIONS
Mr. Jameson recognized the Support Staff of the Year Award winners. Each of the following
winners received a plaque from Mr. Jameson: Food Service Worker of the Year Patty Meyer, RISE
Learning Center, Support Staff of the Year Robin Fleet, Rosa Parks-Edison Elementary, Custodian of the
Year Fred McClure, Southport 6th Grade Academy, Bus Driver of the Year Joseph Wicker, Substitute
Teacher of the Year Linda Sweetman, Rosa Parks-Edison Elementary and Secretary of the Year Kathy
Riesenmey, Southport Middle School.
Mr. Oldham recognized Southport Middle School’s Sharon Ancelet, who won a Lilly Endowment
2008 Teacher Creativity Fellowship grant. This grant will allow Mrs. Ancelet to travel to Ireland to study
the history and craftsmanship of the Bodhran drum and will build and learn to play the Bodhran drum.
Mr. Oldham also recognized Sawyer Willis, 12th grade at Southport High School for winning the
first place prize of the Kiwanis Abe Lincoln Scholarship. This $15,000 scholarship will help Sawyer at
Butler University.
CONSENT AGENDA
Mrs. Houchin moved for approval of the consent agenda. Mr. Maple asked that the Allowance
of Vouchers be removed from the Consent Agenda, because he may have a conflict of interest with the
voucher paid to Bose McKinney. Mrs. Adams seconded the motion. Mrs. Thompson called for the vote,
which was 6/0 to approve the consent agenda with the removal of the Allowance of Vouchers. Copies
of these items are included in the minutes.
Minutes of an Executive Session held on February 7, 2008
Minutes of an Executive Session held on February 8, 2008
Minutes of a regular meeting held on February 11, 2008
Minutes of an Executive Session held on February 11, 2008
Minutes of an Executive Session held on February 27, 2008
Minutes of an Executive Session held on March 3, 2008
Minutes of a Special Board Meeting held on March 5, 2008
January Financial Report
February Financial Report
Personnel Report
Professional Travel Requests
Report on travel beyond 75 miles by certified staff
Mr. Maple moved to remove READ 180 from the table. Mrs. Houchin seconded. Mrs. Adams asked why
it was being removed and Mr. Maple said it was tabled at the last meeting until this meeting. Mrs.
Thompson called for the vote to remove READ 180 from the table. The vote was 6/0. Mrs. Alexander
made the motion to place READ 180 on the table until further notice. She asked Mr. Nichols if he was
ready to provide further information on this item. Mr. Nichols stated that he was meeting with the new
superintendent tomorrow and would discuss this program with him. After the meeting, he would
discuss with the board president whether or not a special board meeting would be called. The second
was made by Mrs. Adams. Mr. Maple initiated further discussion on this program. The vote was 4/2,
with Mrs. Thompson, Mrs. Adams, Mrs. Walsh and Mrs. Alexander voting for and Mr. Maple and Mrs.
Houchin voting against postponing this program until further notice.
BUSINESS
Mr. Harris recommended approval of the additional appropriation. He explained that the
additional appropriation could be used for READ 180, new vehicles, and/or the year-end bonuses. Mrs.
Houchin made the motion, Mrs. Walsh seconded and Mrs. Walsh questioned what was approved at the
last meeting. He explained that the approval was for advertising for the additional appropriation. There
were further questions from Mrs. Thompson about the use of the Rainy Day Fund. After Mr. Harris’
answer, the vote was called for and was 6/0 to approve the additional appropriation.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
The first speaker is Vincent Pratt. Mrs. Thompson explained that the item he wished to
comment on was a personnel matter and no one is allowed to speak on personnel matters. He resumed
his seat.
The second speaker was J J Tidd. Mrs. Tidd related a classroom exercise on energy and how she
made it relate to her class. As she listened to her class prioritize what was important to them, it made
her think of the last board meeting and the discussion on READ 180. She was sorry it wasn’t on the
agenda for tonight’s meeting, but she was glad that the board was discussing it. Mrs. Tidd said that she
appreciated fiscal responsibility, but wanted the board to know that she felt it was important to have a
program that would help kids read. She urged them to get their questions in order and get them
answered, so that the board could move forward with this. Her next comment concerned travel
vouchers. Mrs. Tidd was concerned that teachers had been approved to attend a conference
downtown. She said there were strict guidelines concerning travel vouchers and when they are
approved, a teacher believes that they will be refunded the amount of money that was approved on the
voucher. However, after this last conference, the teachers were told that their food, which was
approved, would not be paid, because of a change in the IRS. She did not think that was fair because
she feels that people would have made different decisions, had they known their travel was not to be
reimbursed.
The next patron to speak is Kelly Brunes. Mrs. Brunes spoke about special education. She
commented that her son’s IEP has not been updated for two years because of litigation. She feels that
her son’s education is not appropriate. She asked what the board’s understanding was about training of
teachers who deal with autism spectrum children. Mrs. Thompson asked what school she was referring
to. Mrs. Brunes answered Jeremiah Gray-Edison. Mrs. Adams asked who she had contacted about this.
Mrs. Brunes said that she had gone through due process and had contacted many board members,
without reply. Mrs. Brunes continued that she feels the school receives monies for her son’s education,
but is not using those funds appropriately. Mrs. Thompson replied that she and Mr. Nichols would
speak about this tomorrow (Tuesday), because she needs more information and because it is a legal
issue, it can’t be spoken about in a public forum. Mrs. Alexander said that she has kept all of Mrs.
Brunes emails and is following up on things. However, because there are legal issues involved, she will
check with Mrs. Brunes later individually.
ITEMS OF INFORMATION REQUIRING ACTION
Mr. Nichols spoke about the job sharing applications. There is one from Mary Bryan Elementary
involving Teresa Meyer and Philip Spray, another from Mary Bryan involving Melissa McSorley and
Briana Young and one from Southport Middle School involving Angela Johnson and Christina Akers. All
these job shares are in good standing for this year and recommended for next year. Mr. Nichols asked
for approval of these job shares. The motion was made by Mrs. Walsh and seconded by Mrs. Houchin.
Mrs. Thompson asked for clarification; was Mr. Nichols recommending the job shares or the cash tuition
transfer? Mr. Nichols apologized and said he was recommending the cash tuition transfer for Christian
Mathew Ankney. Mrs. Thompson asked for the motion, which came from Mrs. Walsh and was seconded
by Mrs. Adams to approve the cash tuition transfer. Mrs. Thompson called for the vote which was 6/0.
Mrs. Thompson asked for the vote on the job sharing applications. The vote was 6/0 to approve
those job sharing applications for next school year.
COMMENTS AND CONCERNS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT
Mrs. Houchin passed.
Mrs. Alexander passed.
Mr. Maple wanted to congratulate the Perry Meridian High School wrestling team. He
mentioned that at one time this team was number two in the state. He identified with the team
parents, as a former wrestling parent, sitting through the matches, twisting and turning as their sons
did.
Mrs. Alexander wanted to mention that she had attended Black History Month programs at RISE
Learning Center and at Perry Meridian High School and they were all well done.
Mrs. Walsh said that she also had attended the program at Perry Meridian High School and at
Glenns Valley and she too felt they were well done. She also wanted to congratulate the award winners
that were honored this evening.
Mrs. Adams thanked everyone for being here tonight.
Mrs. Thompson wanted Vince to know that even though he didn’t get to speak this evening, her
daughter has said it all to her and he had been “heard”. Thank you to everyone who came out this
evening, the awards is really the fun part of sitting on the board.
ADJOURNMENT
Mrs. Thompson adjourned the meeting at 7:16 p.m.
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BARBARA J. THOMPSON, PRESIDENT
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SUSAN M. ADAMS, VICE PRESIDENT
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JO ELLEN BUFFIE, SECRETARY
______________________________________
RUBIE ALEXANDER, MEMBER
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GAYLE F. HOUCHIN, MEMBER
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STEPHEN M. MAPLE, MEMBER
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NANCY K. WALSH, MEMBER