The following are highlights of tonight’s KUSD Board meeting:

Awards

Four Lance Middle School students won “A” ratings and gold medals in the American Association of Teachers of French-Concors Orals.  Two hundred and three students participated, and two of the students were present at the meeting to accept their awards.

Scott Lindgren was named the District 7 Athletic Director of the Year.  Bradford Italian teacher, Ralph Anina, received the WisItalia Outstanding Service Award.  Two EBSOLA history teachers, Ann Armeda and Laura Murphy, received the Exemplary Use of Technology Award for their presentations on American history.

Public Comments

Floyd Asonwha, alcohol & other drug abuse counselor, recognized and thanked all of the KUSD 7th and 8th grade teachers for their participation in the “Project Alert” curriculum.  This is a nationally-recognized curriculum consisting of eleven lessons and four booster lessons.  The closing activity asked students to give positive statements/reasons why they will not use alcohol and drugs.  Two of the positive statements included:  “You’re not you when you’re on drugs,” and “One time is all it could take to ruin your life.”

Gilbert Ostman, former KUSD Board member, discussed the failure of the Board to act upon the chance they had back in March to meet with the KEA union.  Sonny Elton-Stanley, who works in the KUSD, urged the Board to fight hard together against the State budget.  “Instead of blaming, we need to work with the Union to lessen the impact of the budget.”  Mary Ann Janis urged the Board to rescind the reduced graduation requirements policy.  “The district has gotten so large, the ship is so big.  There is too much cargo and too many drivers.”  She urged that the “district be dissolved and restructured, that it be returned to the schools and the families they serve.”

Mary Snyder, President of the Board, informed the audience that the Board is going to start a series of “Coffee and Conversations” where the public will be given the opportunity to have personal interaction with the Board.  The first session will be held on Wednesday, June 22nd, at Carolyn’s Coffee Connection, from 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm.   Snyder also gave Bob Nuzzo an opportunity to correct an inaccurate piece of information that was reported in the Kenosha News this morning.  The article mentioned 350 teachers that could be recalled; the correct number should have been 150.

Agenda Items

The following agenda items were approved:

• Crossway Community Church was granted their request to waive the user fee of $300 for the use of the ITA/Mahone field on June 25, 2010.
• The staff at Washington Middle School extended their first three Wednesday staff development days until 4:30 pm and allowed the teachers to leave at 3:10 pm on the fourth and fifth Wednesday of each month.  This is to provide a longer block of time for quality staff development, discussion of school governance issues, examination of school data, and planning and implementing the School and District Strategic Plan.
• Two waiver requests from Head Start performance standards were approved.  One extended the staffing requirement of holding an associate’s degree to June 30, 2012; the other had to do with waiving the number of students in a classroom.
• The Board approved to accept and implement the TOSA Wisconsin Technology Initiative Grant, if awarded.  This grant amounts to $150,000 as a base grant and $450,000 in incremental grant additions to enhance student academic achievement, 21st-century skills, attendance, and engagement through the effective use of interactive classroom technologies in K-12 schools and preservice teaching institutions.
• The Board approved a new Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Rule and a Student Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Rule.  These two new policies and rules updated prior policies and rules.
• The Board also approved a new policy outlining the mission, principles, goals, and results recommended by the Transformation Design Team.