HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes EAB 080900CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS
40 EDUCATION ADVISORY BOARD
AUGUST 9, 2000
The August 9, 2000, Regular meeting of the City of Palm Beach Gardens Education
Advisory Board was called to order at 7 :30 P.M. in the Council Chambers of the
Municipal Complex located at 10500 North Military Trail, Palm Beach Gardens,
Florida.
The roll was called and the following members were found to be in attendance: Chair
Scott Blake, Wayne Anderson, Anne Berg, John Gardner, Ilene Gerber, Murtaza
Kakli, James Panoch, Jan Porter, and Charlotte Schiff' City Council Liaison Eric
Jablin and Student Shewanna Manning were also present.
The minutes of the June 14, 2000 meeting were approved as submitted.
Jackie Dunn, former Principal of Eisenhower Elementary now in charge of the
Alternative Plan for the County; and the current Principal of Eisenhower Elementary,
® Ms. Buchanan, were present. Ms. Dunn explained that three sites for 4th and 5th grade
students who needed additional attention had been chosen for the pilot program for this
school year. The Eisenhower site was selected because of its location and space
available to accommodate the additional students, which would come from Areas 3 and
5. A total of 50 students would be served with a student - teacher ratio of one to 17.
Included in staffing was an aide for each teacher, a Guidance Counselor, Assistant
Principal, and Behavioral Intervention Specialist. Ms. Dunn explained that the
alternative program was separate from the regular classes, but the students would share
the public school facilities at recess and lunchtime, and would be supervised at all
times. Ms. Dunn responded to concerns expressed by the parents and the Board. Ms.
Dunn explained that Eisenhower Elementary had not been converted to an alternative
school, but that this was a separate program, and that the decision had been made at
the Associate Superintendent level to use Eisenhower as a site. Charlotte Schiff
expressed concern with this program being at the same school that had a pre-K
program. A parent explained that the concern of the parents was whether their
children would be safe. The decision - making process used to select the sites was
discussed. City Council Eric Jabhn questioned whether a separate school would be
better for these children. Ms. Dunn explained that the children would be in separate
classrooms and when in other areas of the school would always be supervised,
Ig apologized for the fact that a promise had been made that there would be no alternative
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AUGUST 9, 2000
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program at the Eisenhower campus, offered assurance that the alternative program
staff would work with Principal Buchanan and the Eisenhower teachers, and cautioned
that the teachers and students coming into the school with the alternative program
should not sense that they were not welcome. Wade Gent, Area 5 Superintendent,
commented safety was the number one concern and that number two was that it
appeared the three T's, trust, truthUness, and togetherness, had not occurred.
Principal Buchanan addressed specific plans and preparations that had been made, and
explained that this program would be the responsibility of Barbara Donahue, Assistant
Principal in charge of the alternative education program at Eisenhower, and that in
addition, Miss Peltier would serve as Ms. Donahue's supervisor and the liaison to Ms.
Dunn. Procedures to assure safety of both groups of children included staff escorts for
the alternative students from the bus to the classrooms, breakfast served in their
classrooms, -bathrooms provided in each portable unit, lunch served in their classrooms
until the privilege of eating in the cafeteria was earned, which would be scheduled for
12:30 p.m. after the other children had vacated the cafeteria. Bussing the alternative
students was discussed. Shuttle busses on which the alternative students would be
mixed with other students would bring the alternative students fromtheir home schools.
Concern was expressed regarding why children with behavioral problems would be
mixed with other students on busses when there would be such a liability for the
School District as well as possible danger to other children; why the program would
be placed at this school when the parents so clearly and so strongly objected; and why
the five portables could not be placed on a middle school or high school campus where
the children were older. A School Board candidate who was present at the meeting
explained that many of the children in the alternative program were there
inappropriately, and that they were not all hardened to the extent that this group seemed
to believe. The issue of accountability was raised. It was explained that the people
who had made the decision to have an alternative program were no longer with the
School District; however, Ms. Dunn stated that she accepted - the decision. A
representative of the parents statedthey would fight the decision. Sarah Ward reported
that in the past student/teacher ratios had not stayed at proposed levels, to which Ms.
Dunn responded these positions had already been funded. The hope that future
decisions would include open communication with parents was expressed. Ms. Dunn
expressed hope that the staff and parents would combine their leadership and welcome
the alternative program students and that there were no adults present who would be
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EDUCATION ADVISORY BOARD
AUGUST 9, 2000
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involved in a protest in front of young children to make them feel unwelcome. Ms.
Dunn promised to consider and try to address the concerns expressed, and expressed
her concern that the alternative students would have to face hostility. Councilman
Jablin explained that this Board wanted to solve rather than create problems, and
wished to help facilitate a dialogue between parents and School District personnel.
Wayne Anderson explained that this Board would submit a recommendation to the
City, which would then send a letter to the School Board. Mr. Gent advised that a
close watch would be kept on the program, that parents would be kept informed, that
he was concerned for all the children, and that any calls to his office from this Board
would be returned within 24 hours. Dan Clark recommended to Mr. Gent that a
couple of public meetings be held to inform and educate the parents. Wayne Anderson
thanked Ms. Dunn, Ms. Buchanan, Mr. Gent, and the parents for attending the meeting.
Chair Scott Blake recommended that Agenda items V, Committee Reports, and VI,
SAC Member Signup, be skipped because of the hour, that the Forum of Legislature
® Candidates be discussed next, and that Eisenhower Elementary be discussed under
New Business.
OLD BUSINESS
School Board Forum - Charlotte Schiff reported a meeting had been held, an agenda
had been set up, duties had been assigned, and twenty questions had been approved,
which would be drawn from a hat at the forum. A member of C.A.N., Lori Makris,
would be responsible for public relations. Councilman Jablin reported that he had
obtained a list of candidates and some of their biographical information from the
internet, that he had created a candidate biography form to sent out with the letter from
the Board, and that -he had been in touch with Ed Gigante from the Palm Beach
Gardens High School Film and TV magnet program, who had done the last forum. The
forum would be held in the City Council Chambers, and a tape would be created which
would air onAdelphia Cable TV, hopefully three or four times before the election. Mr.
Jablin described how the room would be set up and the equipment to be used, and
advised that Jim Jackson of Channel 25 would act as moderator. Ilene Gerber read
aloud the letter proposed to be sent to the candidates to invite them to attend the forum,
for which suggested changes were discussed. An announcement to be released to the
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EDUCATION ADVISORY BOARD
AUGUST 9, 2000
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press was read aloud. Other forms of advertising including posters and e-mail were
discussed. The forum was discussed further.
NEW BUSINESS
Eisenhower Elementary Alternative Program - Discussion ensued regarding the
proposed program. One member commented that the decision on the site had been
made, and proposed only addressing bussing. There was a comment that there would
be a lot of resentment from parents who did not know about the program. Another
member proposed a suggestion that if there were room at a middle school or high
school-that the portables be moved there from Eisenhower Elementary. Dwyer High
School was suggested as a possible site. An additional portable for use as a cafeteria
was suggested. Following additional discussion, the following five issues were
identified to be included in a letter to the City Council: (1) an alternate plan for
transportation; (2) there should have been an open forum for communication well in
® advance of the decision; (3) suggestions for possible alternate locations; (4) lunches
should be served in the classrooms; and (5) the issue of recess and supervision should
be re- addressed. Drafting a letter was discussed, and it was decided which members
of the Board would prepare the draft. Councilmember Jablin stated he would work
with the City Clerk and that the letter could go out with his signature.
Chair Blake had prepared a notebook for each member of the Board which included a
listing of School District personnel and their phone numbers and addresses; special
planning dates; School Board members and their phone numbers; legislative delegation;
listing of schools in Palm Beach County sorted by areas; a calendar for the coming
school year; meeting dates for the Advisory Boundary Committee; Board meetings and
workshops scheduled; a map depicting the locations of every school in Palm Beach
County; special programs, a list of alternative schools, grades of all Palm Beach County
Schools, and a media directory for Palm Beach County. Chair Blake explained that an
updated list of the Education Advisory Board members would be provided at the next
meeting. The members of the Board expressed appreciation for the notebooks.
Councilmember Jablin reported a Bill had been passed by both the House and Senate
41 to change the grading system in Florida which was vetoed by the Governor because he
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EDUCATION ADVISORY BOARD
AUGUST 9, 2000
Page 5
felt standards would be lowered, and that pressure needed to be applied at the next
session of the legislature to have the Governor sign the bill. Discussion ensued. It was
suggested that this item be brought up at the October meeting.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 9:45 p.m.
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