The agenda is now posted, and like last time, no specifics are given for the following item 3.1 Appointment of School Site Administrators:
Interviews have been conducted and candidates have been selected to fill School Site Administrator positions.
At every special meeting, the Board of Education shall provide the public with an opportunity to address the Board on any item described in the notice before or during consideration of that item.
My guess, and hopefully a board member will confirm, that the board will have the candidate names ahead of time. I do believe one of the concerns at the last board meeting was that candidate names were not provided ahead of time. I hope they've learned and have provided the board the names (at least).
At this time, it is the only item on the agenda. I do not see a public comment section either, but per the above item description it appears that during 3.1, the public will have an opportunity to provide input. I'm not sure how anyone can provide input though without names and information ahead of time. Have the individual sites been notified they are getting a principal tonight? Any other information anyone has they want to share? Perhaps the appointments tonight all involve current MDUSD employees... ?
I have received the names for presentation for several principals and vice principals. There are still vacant positions.
ReplyDeleteSince I have been on the board, I cannot recall an instance of when the principal and vice principal names were listed in the agenda. This is not just a MDUSD practice but I also know SRVUSD does post candidates in the agenda.
Has anyone on the Board googled the names of the candidates?
ReplyDeleteYes my guess is that they've googled the names. I've talked to some of the board members following the Nugent incident and feel confident google is something they routinely do. THey would've with Nugent had they had the name ahead of time.
ReplyDeleteI'll assume that the meeting is July 23 and not June 23 as in the original post headline...
ReplyDeleteWhat's with the agenda not allowing public comment. I think that is illegal. Another taint for those to be nominated. Another example of shooting from the hip at the last moment.
ReplyDeleteDoctor J
Wouldn't an email or other communication sent to all Board members by the Supt with the names and specifics of an item on the agenda that is not part of the public record violate the Brown Act and nullify the appointments ?
ReplyDeleteI believe that certain personnel issues would be exempt from full disclosure for reasons stated by Sherry earlier. Confidentiality. My guess is personnel issues are handled differently than other issues by the board. The same reason there is closed session to discuss personnel, discipline, performance reviews and such.
ReplyDeleteDoctor J, it says in the description of 3.1 that public comment will be allowed.
ReplyDeleteAnnon 10:27 Yes, as to Item 3.1 only. I believe the Brown Act, and I am no expert on this, requires the public entity to allow the public to address ANY issue, whether or not on the agenda, and the agenda does not so provide.
ReplyDeleteDoctor J
Doctor J,
ReplyDeleteYou are wrong, here is the information 3.1 on the Agenda for tonight's meeting, public input is on there, read to the paragraph that begins with "At every special meeting...
Meeting Date: Friday, July 23, 2010 - 5:00 PM
Category: Business/Action Items
Type: Action
Subject: 3.1 Appointment of School Site Administrators
:
Policy:
Enclosure:
File Attachment:
Summary: Interviews have been conducted and candidates have been selected to fill School Site Administrator positions.
At every special meeting, the Board of Education shall provide the public with an opportunity to address the Board on any item described in the notice before or during consideration of that item.
Funding: General Fund
Fiscal Impact: These positions have been budgeted and funded within the General Fund.
Recommendation: Approve appointments as recommended.
Approvals:
Recommended By:
Signed By:
Loreen Joseph - Secretary to the Superintendent
Signed By:
Steven Lawrence - Superintendent
The Brown Act on Public Comment states that at regular meetings public comment can be used to address the board on any item of interest tot he public. For special meetings - as this one is - public comment should be provided on the agenda items - as it is.
ReplyDeleteBelow is the text of the Brown Act.
54954.3. (a) Every agenda for regular meetings shall provide an opportunity for members of the public to directly address the legislative body on any item of interest to the public, before or during the legislative body's consideration of the item, that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body, provided that no action shall be taken on any item not appearing on the agenda unless the action is otherwise authorized by subdivision (b) of Section 54954.2. However, the agenda need not provide an opportunity for members of the public to address the legislative body on any item that has already been considered by a committee, composed exclusively of members of the legislative body, at a public meeting wherein all interested members of the public were afforded the opportunity to address the committee on the item, before or during the committee's consideration of the item, unless the item has been substantially changed since the committee heard the item, as determined by the legislative body. Every notice for a special meeting shall provide an opportunity for members of the public to directly address the legislative body concerning any item that has been described in the notice for the meeting before or during consideration of that item.
Thanks Sherry for the clarification. I went back and looked at other notices for "special meetings" of MDUSD and they all provided for general comments. So this does appear to be a change from your prior practice.
ReplyDeleteDoctor J
Now we know why they made it a "Special" and not "General" meeting, so there would be no opportunity for the public to embarass the Board and Mr. Lawrence over the Nugent affair. That's outrageous !
ReplyDeleteBoard did have public comment
ReplyDelete“Trustees appointed Susan Peters as principal of Monte Gardens Elementary, Irene Keenan as principal of Mt. Diablo Elementary, Elizabeth Block as principal of Shore Acres Elementary, Nancy Villa as principal of Silverwood Elementary, April Bush as principal of Glenbrook Middle School and Constance Cirimeli as principal of Sequoia Middle School. In addition, the board appointed Amy Bush as vice principal of College Park High, Rianne Pfaltzgraff as vice principal of Ygnacio Valley High, and Samantha Espinosa and Carrie Weil as districtwide special education program specialists”
ReplyDeleteAnon 3:19
ReplyDeleteGet over Nugent, it is done and steps taken so that it won't happen again. Yes the BOE did allow public comment, good for Gary. Thank you Sherry for all your input, you are very appreciated!
Reposting from the MDUSD blogspot site:
ReplyDeleteMeet and Greet Dates for New Principals:
This is a great opportunity to stop by and meet your student's new principals. Below you will see the meet and greet schedules that we have worked out this far:
School/ Principal/ Date and Time
Monte Gardens Elementary/ Susan Peters/ Wednesday, July 28, 5:00 PM
Mt. Diablo Elementary/ Irene Keenan/ Tuesday, July 27, 6:00 PM
Shore Acres Elementary/ Elizabeth Block/ Tuesday, August 3, 5:30 PM
Silverwood Elementary/ Nancy Villa/ Tuesday, August 3, 5:30 PM
Glenbrook Middle School/ April Bush/ Tuesday, August 3, 7:00 PM
Sequoia Middle School/ Constance Cirimeli/ Wednesday, August 4, 7:00 PM
Highlands Elementary/ Vicki Eversole/ Wednesday, August 4, 5:30 PM
All community members are welcome. Location for the meeting is at the site. The room where the meetings will take place should be very evident when you arrive. The likely location will be the multi-use room at each site.