BOARD REPORT for Board of Trustees Meeting October 3, 2006
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ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION
Board President Avie Katz announced that the Governing Board voted to issue a Notice of Rejection of Claim (submitted by former Superintendent Steve Rowley) pursuant to Government Code section 913. He stated that those who voted aye were Avie Katz, Kathryn Ho, and Homer Tong; those who voted nay were Nancy Newton, those who abstained from voting were Barbara Nunes. He stated that the Board also voted to give Board President Avie Katz the power to call Attorney Joe Zampi as necessary. The following comments were made: Barbara Nunes: “Explaining the abstention, I felt that I had a conflict of interest with a previous vote on this issue and that is why I abstained.” Nancy Newton: “I d like to respond to my no vote as well and have approved this with the attorney. The fact that this litigation includes personal claims against three members of this Board caused me to feel uncomfortable with a potential personal conflict of interest for them to take positions on this lawsuit. It is unclear to me how this will develop in the future and therefore I cannot be a party to it.” Homer Tong: “I’d like to make a comment on that. We have to carry on with the Board business and one of my main concerns definitely is to see how whatever we do to minimize damage to the District and to that end I would just like to at least suggest at this point that there would be measures to show like the ongoing expense and so on. I want everybody to know that my concern is to make sure that whatever expenses we incur would be minimal and maybe by doing certain amount of investigations that it would help our District.” Kathryn Ho: “I also would like to add that advice by the legal counsel that we can tell the public that there are investigations undergoing related to the matter claim for the damages of this claim. So we would like the community to know that we are still doing some investigation.”

COMMUNICATIONS
Classified School Employees Association (CSEA) President Pam Coppel announced a change in the date for CSEA’s FUHSD Board Candidates Forum. The Forum is rescheduled for Monday, October 16th, at 3:30pm in the Board Room of the ESC. The format will be similar to the forum conducted by FEA and will also include a question and answer session with all candidates present. • Fremont Education Association (FEA) President Tom Avvakumovits invited the Board of Trustees and staff to a FEA social on October 26th from 3:15-6pm at BJ’s in Cupertino. He acknowledged that this is the same date as the Foundation’s Recognition Dinner and hoped some could stop by on their way to the dinner.

STUDENT BOARD MEMBER REPORT
Student Board Member Peter Lu, Monta Vista High School senior, reported on school activities at all five high schools. He read the draft mission statement of IDC which will be reviewed by each school’s student leadership group. Peter then gave Board members a list of upcoming events at each high school, inviting them to come to as many as they can.

SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT
Fremont High School Principal Peggy Raun-Linde announced that FHS alum Andrew Fire (class of 1975) with colleague Craig Mello won the 2006 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine. FHS Teachers Richard Steffen and Sidney Castro remember Andrew as a student. • Peggy also acknowledged FHS Teacher Chris Kenison who is featured in the September issue of San Jose Magazine’s “Educators of the Year” article. • Monta Vista High School Principal April Scott announced that their football team is 4-0 this season and head coach Jeff Mueller (MVHS alum and current business teacher) was named coach of the week. • Associate Superintendent Kate Jamentz announced that the District has 109 National Merit Semifinalists representing all five of our high schools (see District Bulletin). She also mentioned the staff professional development calendar that the Board received this week, stating the calendar shows districtwide staff development and noting there is additional work being done at each site. She acknowledged the dedicated work in this area of Teachers on Special Assignment I-Heng McComb and Welton Kwong , PAR advisors Steve Wishart, Pat Hartley, Cherry Baugher, and Susan Atkinson (special education) and coordinator Michele Avvakumovits.

UPDATE ON TIMELINE FROM BENNETT & SHARPE, INC.
Investigator Tom Sharpe stated that he has spent lots of time viewing documents related to why Monta Vista High School Teachers Melanie Walczak and Tim Krieger left the District and thanked staff for their “incredible cooperation and quick response” to his requests for specific materials. He stated that he is about half way through the identified list of individuals to interview and is finding that many interviews lead to additional persons with pertinent information. He stated that he does not feel his report will be ready by the October 17th Board meeting, a date suggested at the September 19th Board meeting as a target date for the timeline to be submitted to the Board. There was much discussion as to whether Mr. Sharpe was to submit a timeline or a report to the Board. Board Vice President Barbara Nunes read the motion taken at the August 22nd Board meeting: “instruct a neutral party to complete a timeline starting with the beginning of the advertisement for the position at Monta Vista addressing confidentiality issues, the role of the staff and the Board, ending with August 22nd, with the goal that establishes policy so that this kind of thing does not happen again.” All agreed that this was to be a thorough investigation within the budgeted amount of $20,000. Mr. Sharpe agreed to notice the Board if his costs are nearing that amount.

DISCUSSED LEGAL EXPENSES RELATING TO DISMISSAL OF SUPERINTENDENT
As requested by a community member and a Board member, the District is reporting legal expenses in connection with the dismissal of the superintendent. Legal expenses from June 21 - August 20, 2006 total $6,196.68. Homestead High School PTA President Mary Ann Norling asked the Board why the reported legal expenses relating to dismissal start on June 21. The Board stated that in June the Board and Superintendent were involved in contract negotiations with the lawyer.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES...
    • Authorized staff to File Notice of Completion for the Scoreboard (District Project No. 322)
       at Fremont High School
    • Approved revisions to Board Bylaw 9270 – Conflict of Interest
    • Approved proposed New Job Description: Family and Community Liaison
    • Approved job descriptions and salary schedules for Manager of Pools and
       Preventive Maintenance and School Facilities Manager

COMMUNICATION cont'd Community member George Hamma stated that his daughter learned in one of her education courses in college that most of her peers reported not having a positive high school experience like she had at Homestead High School. He also announced that a former HHS graduate Steve Wozniak and co-founder of Apple Computer has released his autobiography “I, Woz.”

FUTURE BOARD MEETINGS
TUESDAY, October 17, 2006 at ESC, Closed Session 5pm, Open Session 7pm
TUESDAY, November 7, 2006 at ESC, Closed Session 5pm,
Open Session 6pm — ELECTION NIGHT
TUESDAY, November 14, 2006 at ESC, Open Session 5-7pm —
FIVE HIGH SCHOOL PLANS REVEIWED
TUESDAY, November 21, 2006 at ESC, Closed Session 5pm , Open Session 7pm
TUESDAY, December 5, 2006 at ESC, Study Session on Budget 5pm,
Closed Session 6pm , Open Session 7pm

EDUCATING CAPABLE, CARING, CONTRIBUTING CITIZENS FOR LIFE