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Minutes 11-06-03Mt'NUTES OF THE EDUCATt'ON ADVt'SORY BOARD REGULAR MEETI'NG HELD I'N THE LZBRARY~ 208 SOUTH SEACREST BOULEVARD~ BOYNTON BEACH, FLOR~DA~ ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6~ 2003 AT 6:00 P.M. Present Beverly Agee, Chairperson 3ean Cairo, Vice Chair Lillian Artis Kelly Daniels 3oan Pleasants Dr. Floyd M. Bell, Alternate Absent Virginia Farace, Board Liaison Irene Emmert Dennis Osborne Bhavisha Dhanak, Student Phyllis Pacilli, Alternate Pledge/Welcome Chair Agee called the meeting to order at 6:10 p.m. and the Board recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. Chair Agee welcomed two visitors: IVlr. Guarn Sims, Principal of Galaxy Elementary School, and Kyle Dencker, a student at Boynton Beach High School. Mr. Dencker will be applying for Student Membership on the Board. Roll Call The Recording Secretary called the roll and declared that a quorum was present. ]:]:]:. Minutes Approval, October 2, 2003 Meeting There were no additions, deletions, or corrections to the minutes. Motion A motion was duly made and seconded to approve the minutes of the October 2, 2003 meeting. The motion carried unanimously. ]:V. Principal for a Dall Program This item was moved up in the agenda as a courtesy to Vice Chair Cairo, Committee Chair for Principal for a Day, who had to leave the meeting early. Meeting Minutes Education Advisory Board Boynton Beach, Flodda November 6, 2003 ant problems in some areas. The kitchen and the cafeteria are among the worst in the School District. The School District has indicated to Mr. Sims that the waiting period for modernization of the school would most likely be ten to fifteen years. This is unacceptable to the principal, the teachers, and the parents. The School District is willing to make temporary fixes, but not to modernize the school. Approximately 50% of the school's square footage is the original 1958 construction, making it ~,5 years old. Mr. Sims believes that at least part of the problem is that the School District had an incorrect facility opening date of 1970 instead of 1958, although the School discounted that idea. Discussions with maintenance staff and others have led Mr. Sims to believe that a complete modernization would be more cost-effective than various piece-meal corrections. It is estimated that it would take $500K just to fix the drainage problems. Mr. Sims, the teachers, and the parents at Galaxy are increasingly concerned about the safety of their children and what they perceive as an unfair advantage being given to other schools with respect to modernization. For example, there are schools that are much newer than Galaxy that have been placed on the schedule to receive modernization in the next three years. Mr. Sims is seeking the support and assistance of the Education Advisory Board and the City Commission as they attempt to influence the School District to move Galaxy Elementary up on the modernization list. He wants this issue to be on the "radar screens" of the community leaders, as he believes that their support will make a real difference. Ms. Farace distributed the current School Board agenda for a meeting on November 10 at 2:00 p.m., where they will be discussing a proposed bond referendum, the facilities study, and so forth. FAB and City Commission representation would be extremely helpful at this event. Mr. Sims will ask Commissioner McCray to attend the meeting also. Ms. Sara Williams, a local community leader, plans to represent the citizens and the parents at the meeting. Ms. Pleasants will try to attend to represent the FAB. Ms. Farace suggested that Ms. Veronica Mackey would be an eloquent proponent for this cause. Motion Dr. Floyd Boil moved to express the FAB's concern and support for Galaxy Elementary School on the issue of modernization. Authorization is hereby given to Board members and City staff to do whatever seems necessary to support Galaxy Elementary School in this issue, to include representation at the School Board and speaking on behalf of the FAB. Ms. Pleasants seconded the motion that carried unanimously. Meeting Minutes Education Advisory Board Boynton Beach, Florida November 6, 2003 VIII. Boundary Issues Ms. Farace distributed boundary maps on which Boynton schools had impacts. IX. SAC Reports Dr. Bell offered to be responsible for attending a SAC meeting and the decision of which school will be made at the December meeting. X, New Business None XI, Adjournment Since there was no further business before the Board, the meeting was duly adjourned at 7:45 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Susan Collins Recording Secretary (110703) APPROVED: