CAC Minutes – January 24, 2005

Monday, February 28th: Next CAC Meeting @ the BOE (former city hall) Building, 7:30.

Refer to this official publication of the CAC minutes for any changes on the venue of the meetings.

Attendees (17): Tom Smanik (presiding); Dr. Jim Costanza (Superintendent); Sherman Bishop;

Bridget Ebenger-Balla; Kevin Kanareff; Dan Walsh; John Doucette; Linda Wade; Zahab Adenwalla;

Lee Field-Starks; Anne Pevnev; Carrie Tate; Andy Call; Marcia Columbro; Garn Anderson;

Jean Seasholtz; Leslie Brusk

Absent with notice: Eddie Williams; Nancy Breckenridge; Polly Schmauch

Absent without notice: Katie Lowry

The following are the minutes from the January 24th, 2005 meeting at the Board of Education building:

Call To Order

The January 24, 2005 meeting was called to order by Tom Smanik at 7:40 p.m.

Approval of Agenda

The agenda were approved with no additions or corrections by Tom Smanik.

 The motion was granted by Andy Call and seconded by Kevin Kanareff.

Approval of Minutes

The December minutes were approved with no additions or corrections by Tom Smanik.

The motion was granted by Andy Call and seconded by Carrie Tate.

Superintendent's Report by Dr. Jim Costanza:

Performing Arts Center Update -

• The seats are in.

• At Board meeting on Jan. 26^th, a PAC coordinator will be recommended for hire.

District Finances -

• One of two Community Awareness Financial Forums was held this evening.

• The Board is weighing the options between placing a levy on the ballot or program reductions.
• Any levy that is passed in 2005 will not be collectable until 2006. The 2005-06 budget has a small operating deficit.
• The community support is strong and the Board included levy questions in their telephone poll survey.
• It doesn’t appear that the community believes that Crocker Park is the answer to financing the schools.

Board of Education Report by Renee D’Ettorre-Wargo:

No report. Ms. D’Ettorre-Wargo was attending the Community Awareness Financial Forum.

Unfinished Business:

Committee Reports:

Communication

• Will be placing CAC minutes, bylaws and reports on the website.
• Zahab Adenwalla will be the committee’s liaison with the District’s technology person, Albie Weiss.
• Garn Anderson will do a presentation at the February meeting about research and other potential information sources.

District Safety

• Met with Gary Slocum, Director of Business Affairs and Jim Costanza to discuss the evaluation the district’s safety plan. The decision was made that the committee can view all but one component due the sensitivity of the information contained. The committee is satisfied with this arrangement.
• They will also be looking at bus safety, controlled access to buildings, bullying, harassing, and stalking policies.
• With regards to controlled access which some of the principals are for, they will be looking at id cards and panic buttons.

Healthy Foods

• Had lunch @ the high school cafeteria during lunch hour. They were served cheese steak sandwiches.
• They did observe there were healthy choices available.
• They were informed that if a child participates in the Federal subsidized lunch program the district take a loss because they don’t qualify for the subsidies because of the pop machines.
• The head cook prepares the menus and they are OK’d by Gary Slocum. Neither have a nutrition background. The district had a nutritionist on staff, but left 7 years ago. They would like to have someone on staff with a nutrition background.
• The Lunch program is a separate entity from the district. Despite the head cooks good business sense the program turns a minimal profit.
• They serve 1,000 lunches per day and serve 5 times more ala carte items then lunch specials.

Levy Committee

• Still on track to give the Board a report at the end of January.
• There will be flexibility in creating a 503C entity to handle levy campaigns.

PAC V - Gala

• Scheduled from March 6^th.
• Announcements for the event went out in the PTA communicator and will go out in the mail to households on the K-12 mailing lists.
• Still looking for a sponsor
• There will be no freebie tickets for anyone

PAC V – Ribbon Cutting

• Planned for Saturday, March 5^th, 2005
• Ribbon cutting in the afternoon and evening performances by the school bands
• This is a free, but ticketed event
• Punch and cookies to follow the performances

New Business

• Zahab Adenwalla, the student rep brought up the problem of smoking in the high school bathrooms. Dr. Costanza instructed her to take the problem up with the high school principal and the student council so that the students and the administration can come up with a solution together.

Adjourn

The January 24th meeting was adjourned by Tom Smanik at 8:58 p.m.

Corrections/missing items/amendments will be made in the next meeting as needed.

Minutes taken by Bridget Ebenger-Balla 
Secretary - CAC
Issued 2-26-05