HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes EAB 061398• CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS
EDUCATION ADVISORY BOARD
MAY 13, 1998
The May 13, 1998, Regular meeting of the City of Palm Beach Gardens Education
Advisory Board was called to order at 7:44 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, Mary Inglis, Murtaza Kakli, Alan Sara, Paul Friedman, City of Palm Beach
Gardens Liaison, and City Council Liaison Eric Jablin. Students were also in
attendance. Jan Porter arrived at 8:15 p.m. `
Alan Adams critiqued the minutes of the April meeting, and stated that the normal
procedure was that he received a faxed copy of the minutes which he corrected and
faxed back to the City for correction; however, in this case the copy that was furnished
is to the members was not the corrected copy. Mr. Adams stated that Leslie Millar's and
Anne Berg's names had been spelled wrong, and George Mastic was marked absent
but had been present. Wayne Anderson made a motion to accept the minutes of the
April 7, 1998 meeting as amended with Mr. Adam's corrections. Ron Sedaka
seconded the motion, which unanimously, carried.
Since the guest speaker had not arrived, the business meeting was conducted.
Mr. Adams described the procedure which would be used for the upcoming election
of Board officers in June for Chairman, Vice Chairman, and Historian. The election
would be held in June, there would be no July meeting, and the August meeting would
begin the new school year with a new set of officers. Mr. Adams announced that
some members had conflicts which would not allow them to attend in June on the usual
meeting date, and another meeting date was discussed. Leslie Millar made a motion
to move the June meeting to the first Wednesday in the month, June 3rd. Wayne
Anderson seconded the motion, which unanimously carried.
Mr. Adams distributed a handout listing all of the members' names, addresses and
40 phone numbers.
• City of Palm Beach Gardens
North County Education Board Consortium
May 13, 1998
Page 2
Adopt -A- School Ad Hoc Committee
Leslie Millar reported she had shared information regarding how to bring the
community and school together from a convention she had attended in March. A flyer
had been designed for distribution to businesses to inform them about the program.
The Committee's goal was for the whole group to work together on this project, which
could help with obtaining a grant. More information was to be obtained regarding the
grant. A contract with each business was proposed, with the business community to
be divided into areas for members of the group to contact. The flyer would contain a
list of items the school could do for the business, and also a list of items the business
could do for the school. Ads could be placed in the school newspaper so that parents
would know who was supporting the school. Mr. Adams recommended that the North
County Chamber of Commerce Education Group be contacted. A seminar to be
sponsored by the North County Chamber of Commerce was announced and discussed.
Eric Jablin suggested that the Ad Hoc Committee begin the program by writing a letter
• to businesses regarding the Adopt -A- School program and then follow up with a phone
call. Wayne Anderson made a motion that the Board proceed with this activity and
analyze it as it proceeded. Leslie Millar seconded the motion, which carried
unanimously. A suggestion was made to include a student on the Ad Hoc Committee.
Discussion ensued regarding contacting businesses, and their willingness to participate.
Parent liaisons in the schools was discussed. A member of the Board requested
clarification of the motion. Mr. Adams stated that the motion was that the Board
would support the plan put forth by the Ad Hoc Committee, which consisted of four
members. Mr. Jablin clarified that approval by the City Council was not necessary,
however, he would report the plan to the City Council.
School Board Election Forum Ad Hoc Committee
Eric Jablin reported this committee had not yet met; however, he had spoken to
Adelphia Cable who agreed to air a tape but not to produce it. Mr. Jablin had called
Principal Paul Houlihan to see if Palm Beach Gardens High School could do the
production, and he had not heard back from Mr. Houlihan. Mr. Adams reported he had
contacted representatives of the Jupiter, Lake Park, and Riviera Beach Education
• Advisory Boards, who all expressed interest but needed to get approval of their boards
• City of Palm Beach Gardens
North County Education Board Consortium
May 13, 1998
Page 3
to participate. A meeting was scheduled for all the boards to meet on June 2, at which
time Mr. Adams hoped to get a report whether they would join in participation of the
forum. Mr. Jablin reported the School Board would be asked for their permission to
air the tape county -wide. It was suggested that a professional production company be
used. Locations for the forum were discussed. Nona Helsel did not think it was legal
to use students to do the production, regarding which discussion ensued. City Liaison
Paul Friedman suggested that if someone would get the Administrative Code for the
School Board, the group would be able to find answers to questions regarding what
could or could not be done. The group discussed using public facilities for political
purposes, other facilities which might be used, advertising for the event, and airing the
tape on Channel 20.
STANDING COMMITTEES
• Curriculum Committee
Mr. Anderson reported the Committee had met and discussed the progress of the
school work program and the student tutoring program. The Committee had decided
to go the schools earlier next year to get the tutoring program in place before other
programs were set in motion. Mr. Anderson reported all the elementary schools
wished to participate. Mr. Anderson reported that Allamanda School had a successful
tutoring program, and that needed to be expanded to all the schools. While Mr. Adams
reported there had also been two volunteers for the adult program, it was in error. The
Committee members had volunteered for Pupils Progressive Plan Study.
The Pupil Progression Plan was discussed. Mr. Adams reported elementary schools
would be required to test K, 1, and 2 students and to remediate those not up to a
particular standard. Students remediated who did not come up to standards would be
required to be retained in their current grade. The scoring system was discussed. Mr.
Anderson reported schools in this area had scored slightly above the State average.
Mr. Adams reported the School Board met with the Palm Beach Community College
on May 4, and distributed a handout of the items discussed, all of which had been
passed. Mr. Adams reviewed the items on the handout.
• City of Palm Beach Gardens
North County Education Board Consortium
May 13, 1998
Page 4
Mr. Anderson announced that the Committee had decided not to meet next month.
Boundaries Committee
There was no report from the Boundaries Committee.
Public Liaison Committee
Mary Inglis advised that after she found no newspaper articles had been published, she
had contacted Weekday, Gardens Neighborhood News, and Jupiter Courier who all
reported they were not receiving faxes from the City. City Liaison Paul Friedman
advised that releases were religiously faxed to the newspapers, and he would follow
up to see what the problem was. After discussion, Mr. Adams suggested the Public
Liaison Committee meet with the three newspapers and work out a system and then the
City would be contacted to be sure they were getting the information out properly. Mr.
Friedman recommended that he speak with the City Manager regarding this situation
• before further action was taken. Various procedures that could be used were discussed.
Making the Education Advisory Board responsible for the articles rather than the City
was suggested as the best procedure.
Mr. Jablin described a City program under development which would facilitate getting
information to the public.
SAC - Timber Trace
Mr. Sedaka reported the school improvement plan had been reviewed and approved
and a copy had been provided.
Ron Sedaka left the meeting at 9:00 p.m.
SAC - Allamanda
Mr. Anderson reported a new organization called Pie which would be in addition to the
PTO.
SAC - Palm Beach Gardens Elementary
• Mr. Adams reported that at the meeting pizza was served and new officers were
• City of Palm Beach Gardens
North County Education Board Consortium
May 13, 1998
Page 5
elected, and no meeting was scheduled for next month.
SAC - School of the Arts
Jan Porter reported dress code and neighborhood issues had been discussed; and that
out of the 2400 students who had applied for School of the Arts, 350 were accepted.
Ms. Porter reported she had attended the gifted student task force, and they were trying
to get away from using IQ scores and use different tests which would be more sensitive
to minority groups.
SAC - Palm Beach Gardens High School
The representative had not attended the meeting but did get the final plan, and also
announced the School of the Arts Summer Program would be coming back.
General Business
City Liaison Paul Friedman commented this was not the only City Board that had term
• limits of only four year, although all the City Boards had limits. Discussion ensued
regarding members who were absent more than two meetings in a row. Mr. Friedman
explained that after that point the Chairman could recommend that person be removed
so they could be replaced with a new person to fill that vacancy. Mr. Jablin
commented he would present a proposal to the City Council that after any member of
any City Board missed three meetings in a row that the Board be able to replace them.
Mr. Adams reported the current criteria was that if a member missed more than three
meetings in a row or four meetings during a year that the Board could recommend their
replacement to the City Council; and reported that he did keep a tally. The need for
committed people to serve on Boards was discussed, and it was suggested that Mr.
Adams be permitted to continue to serve beyond the four -year limit. Mr. Jablin
discussed problems of losing people on this and other boards. Mr. Friedman discussed
the attempt by the City to standardize rules for all City Boards, and the work entailed
in re- writing the ordinances. A member suggested that a motion could be made to look
into the possibility of extending terms or providing documentation that would allow
a member to serve in an ex- officio capacity. Mr. Friedman commented that although
Mr. Adams' term would be up and he might be required to wait a year before running
for office again, he could still attend the meetings as a citizen and make public
• comments. A Board member reported other cities allowed terms to be renewed
City of Palm Beach Gardens
• North County Education Board Consortium
May 13, 1998
Page 6
indefinitely unless there was a problem. Another Board member urged that Mr. Adams
be kept in office if it were at all possible. Mr. Adams expressed his appreciation for
all the comments, but commented that a new group must be allowed to run the Board
and that he would be happy to provide assistance to any of the new officers to impart
his knowledge and experience. Discussion ensued regarding the need to have more
than one person running a Board. A suggestion was made regarding having a Chair,
Vice Chair, and Chair Elect and rotating the positions, so that a person would have two
years experience before becoming Chair, and the Chair could also sit on the board for
a year after leaving office to act as an advisor. Comments were made that
absenteeism be carefully tracked, and if more than three meetings were missed then the
Chair should make a recommendation to the City Council.
Jan Porter left the meeting at 9:25 p.m.
Mr. Adams announced there would be election of officers at the next meeting.
•
There being no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at 9:28 p.m.
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