HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes EAB 062498• CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS
EDUCATION ADVISORY BOARD
JUNE 24, 1998
The June 24, 1998, 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 were found to be in attendance: Alan Adams,
Monika Adams, Ron Sedaka, Ilene Gerber, Nona Helsel, Wayne Anderson, Leslie
Millar, Alan Sara, Scott Blake, Debra Martel, George Mastics, Lisa Ridgely, Karen
Robinson, City of Palm Beach Gardens Liaison Paul Friedman, and City Council
Liaison Eric Jablin. Mary Inglis, Jan Porter, and Jordan Everett joined the meeting
later.
Paul Friedman, City of Palm Beach Gardens Liaison, announced a County Commission
workshop on School Concurrency to be held July 14 and a Joint Task Force Meeting
to be held June 301 1998 at 7 p.m. at Riverside Community Center. Mr. Friedman
announced the City Manager had requested that the Education Advisory Committee
make a determination whether the City should support the proposed changes to the
school calendar, including starting the school year earlier in August, and the high
school drivers education program. Since more information was needed, The Public
Liaison Committee was asked to research this matter and report back so that a decision
could be made. Mr. Friedman apologized for any confusion regarding responsibility
for press releases. Mr. Adams requested that a boardmember be provided a copy of
any press releases..
During discussion of the May 13, 1998 minutes, it was clarified that details of each
meeting would be provided by the Public Liaison to Mr. Friedman within a 24-48 hour
span for City approval, and after approval the Public Liaison would fax the press
release to the newspapers and to the Chairman. Each press release was to include
information regarding upcoming meetings.
Beverly Green, a current School Board candidate and a previous School Board
member, joined the meeting.
• Alan Adams made a motion to approve the minutes of the May 13, 1998 meeting as
• City of Pahn Beach Gardens
North County Education Board Consortium
June 24, 1998
Page 2
submitted. The motion was seconded by Scott Blake and unanimously carried.
Beverly Green expressed her position on various issues, answered questions from the
Committee, and requested support for her election. Councilmember Jablin reported on
the status of preparations for the School Board Election Forum. During ensuing
discussion, Councilmember Jablin requested each Committee member submit five
questions they would like answered by the candidates, from which the most relevant
would be chosen. A suggestion was made that gated communities which had their own
closed- circuit TV might air the forum for their residents.
There were no reports from standing committees.
Discussion of the Driver Education program included comments that Driver Education
should be required of anyone under 18 to get a drivers license, that the program must
• be funded, that real cars should be used in addition to simulation, and that meaningful
results must be achieved. Mr. Adams agreed to meet with Mr. Friedman to go over
the details of the proposal for this program and make a determination as to whether the
Committee would support the program based on their comments at this meeting. Mr.
Jablin and Ms. Miller agreed to contact automobile dealers regarding becoming
partners in a driver education program, which they could use in their advertising.
Mr. Adams and Jan Porter reported the National Coalition of Advocates for Students,
sponsored by the MacArthur Foundation, had given a very scathing indictment of the
Palm Beach County school system, and had reported representation of minorities as
very small compared to the population. Mr., Adams expressed his fear that the wrong
problem, racial bias, had been identified, so that the wrong solution would be applied,
and stressed the importance of local groups such as this committee becoming active in
this organization so that the correct problems would be identified.
Mr. Adams reported several people who had been officers would not be eligible to hold
office during the upcoming year.
• City of Palm Beach Gardens
North County Education Board Consortium
June 24, 1998
Page 3
Mr. Adams nominated the following slate of officers: Debra Martel for Chair, Wayne
Anderson for Vice Chair, and Leslie Miller for Historian/Secretary. A suggestion was
made to have two Co- Chairs. Mr. Adams explained that the by -laws and ordinance
would have to be changed in order to have two Co-Chairs, and that the Chair and Vice
Chair could work together. Other nominations were made. Ilene Gerber declined
nomination as Vice Chair and Leslie Miller declined nomination as Historian/Secretary.
The duties of the Historian/Secretary were reviewed. Debra Martel commented she
would be comfortable as Vice Chair with Wayne Anderson as Chair. Mr. Anderson
advised if he were elected Chair that he would need help from the Vice Chair and
would need everyone to work on accomplishing goals. After discussion regarding the
possibility of a student serving as Historian/Secretary, it was decided that the
Historian/Secretary would be elected at the next meeting. Final nominations were:
Chairman: Debra Martel and Wayne Anderson; Vice Chair: Wayne Anderson, Debra
Martel, Nona Helsel, and Leslie Miller. Ilene Gerber made a motion to close
• nominations; seconded by Alan Adams, and carried unanimously. A written vote was
submitted by each member. Results of the election were that Wayne Anderson was
elected Chair and Leslie Miller was elected Vice Chair for the upcoming term.
Mr. Anderson reported attendance at a preliminary meeting for Principal and Assistant
Principal positions at Washington school and that a standardized format was to be
developed for use for all schools within the County. Input was desired from the public
and the community, which would be given more weight than in the prior year. Other
positions open at other schools were discussed. It wac ren�rted that fhe Municiyal
League had been contacted to help obtain signatures to place the issue for Students
first on a o . e g o a new foot a coac was reported. Further discussion
ensue —re—gar-diffg input required for hiring principals.
Mr. Adams announced that the next meeting would be held August 12, 1998. It was
agreed there would be no speaker for the August meeting since the time was needed
to form standing committees.
40 There being no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m.
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CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS
EDUCATION ADVISORY BOARD
JUNE 24, 1998
7:30 P.M.
I. CALL TO ORDER
II. REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM 12/10/97 MEETING
III. REVIEW AND APPROVE MINUTES 177- -&�?,
IV. STANDING COMMITTEE PROGRESS REPORTS ac-�
V. BOARD ORGANIZATION: ELECTION OF NEWOFFICERS
VI. GENERAL BUSINESS -
VII. AGENDA FOR NEXT ME1✓TING
VIII. ADJOURNMENT
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Florida Statute 86.26, persons with disabilities needing
special accommodations to participate in this proceeding should contact James Waldron, Jr., no later than 5 days
prior to the proceeding at telephone number (407) 775 -8255 for assistance; if hearing impaired, telephone the
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decides to appeal any decision made by the Council, with respect to any matter considered at such meeting or
hearing, they will need a record of the proceedings, and for such purpose, they may need to ensure that a verbatim
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