November 6, 2011—St. Louis—This issue is being dedicated to the elected Board of Education.  First, a correction, the last edition of the Watch published an incorrect date for the next public meeting of the Board of Education.  The correct date is this coming Tuesday, November 8, at 7 p.m. at Carr Lane VPA Middle School, 1004 North Jefferson.  Free parking is available in the gated lot behind the building which you enter from 23rd Street, one block east of Jefferson.  Enter the school from the parking lot.

Next, the following comprises a snapshot of the last two board meetings, taken by a new writer for the Watch, Lawrence Johnson.

Saint Louis Board of Education Meeting

June 14, 2011

I - Board of Education Selects Officers for the 2011-12 Academic Year:

The Saint Louis Board of Education (“elected board”/BOE): Chad Beffa, Emile Bradford-Taylor, William Haas, David Jackson, Donna Jones, Rebecca Rogers , and Katherine Wessling selected the following officers for the coming year; until June 2012.

·          Rebecca Wessling, President

·          David Jackson, Vice-President

·          Chad Beffa, Secretary  

II - Auditing & Monitoring Report:

BOE continues to struggle with the design/development of its state-mandated, Auditing & Monitoring Report of the School District. The Board is seeking a meeting with State Auditor, Tom Schweich, to get advice on possible content and format of the Report.

III - Budget Request:

BOE’s request for operational funds for professional development, supplies and equipment, communication, outreach, and staffing/consulting was rebuffed by the School District. Superintendent Adams’ response was to continue the practice of addressing the BOE funding on a case-by-case basis, without committing a specific budget to the Board.

IV - Charter Schools in St. Louis :

Under state law, charter schools are authorized in “a metropolitan school district or in an urban school district containing most or all of a city with a population greater than three hundred fifty thousand inhabitants.” BOE member, Chad Beffa, has raised with state officials the question whether St. Louis, with less than 350,000 inhabitants, may continue to operate charter schools? Responses from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the Attorney General’s Office while mixed support continuation of charter schools in St. Louis.

V - Board Goals:

BOE has a range of operational and advocacy goals and objectives it wishes to pursue. The Board members will be working over the next couple months to prioritize the activities it will engage in the coming year. There was a consensus in favor of outreaching to the community, though “how” remains to be decided.

VI - Meetings:

Board of Education meets the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM at Carr Lane Middle School (1004 N. Jefferson Ave.).

St. Louis Board of Education Meeting

September 13, 2011 

I – Attendance 

Present at the meeting were: Katherine Wessling, President, and Chad Beffa, Emile Bradford-Taylor, Bill Haas, Donna Jones and Rebecca Rogers.

II – Agenda

The announced agenda was amended, so the Board could focus on Community Outreach.

III – Public Comments

Retired teacher Catherine Rowe-Uddin voiced her concerns regarding the growing advocacy for charter schools. She called the Board’s attention to a movie, “The Inconvenient Truth about Waiting for Superman” and a rally being planned in Washington, DC in October by educators against charter schools.

IV – Community Outreach

The discussion then turned to “Community Outreach:” the Board’s plan to begin meeting with community entities to introduce itself and to explain changes in the school district since the installation of the Special Administrative Board (SAB) over the public schools in 2007. It was noted that when the State Legislative Session resumes in January the subject of returning control of the school district to the Board could arise. The President invited “talking points” from the Board that could be used at the meetings.

The following are various topics raised for consideration:

1. Importance of the School Board

·          Community, democracy, elected

2. Changes in Accreditation Points since 2007 
3. Lack of Accountability by SAB & the Superintendent

·          For example, continuation of unassigned teachers

4. Public declaration of what needs to be done (press releases)
5. Failure of charter schools
6. Changes in student performance on MAP
7. Non-responsiveness of school district to parents & disrespect of teachers

·          System needed for tracking the handling of parents’ complaints

8. Disparate disciplining of students by race
9. Sullivan’s qualifications to serve as “Superintendent”

·          Possible conflicts of interest

10. Corporate take-over of public education
11. Examples of how parents may become involved

The floor was then opened for suggestions from the audience, which produced the following items:

1. A change in the SLPS food services to no longer accept checks for lunches
2. A reiteration of the need to discredit the viability of charter schools
3. A recommendation to keep the points simple; varied for the particular audience being addressed
4. An offer from a Washington U. Professor to make his class available to assist the Board with its outreach activities

The Board will hold a “working meeting” in 2 weeks and finalize its decisions at its next, regularly-scheduled meeting.

The meeting was adjourned.

Lawrence Johnson

  Overview

By Susan Turk

The Board has experienced a transition in personnel during the past year with the retirement of Peter Downs after his term ended in November of 2010 and the subsequent election of veteran Board Member William (Bill Haas). Haas previously served 8 years on the board from 1997 through 2005.  With his return last year, Haas brought the experience and perspective of a board member accustomed to running the district.  An attorney by training, with degrees from Harvard and Yale Universities, Haas has been employed in recent years teaching at Harris Stowe State University, Lincoln University and the St. Louis Public Schools.   The expertise he brought to the Board was immediately evident.  He, as the vernacular goes, “hit the ground running”. He suggested the Board undertake a performance audit of the district to fulfill one of the few powers still entrusted to it by statute.  Whereas, the district is subjected to an annual financial audit, it has not been the subject of a performance audit, which would analyze who and what is working, or not, within the district.

Haas also suggested that the Board submit a formal request for a budget to the SAB.  The Board has been hampered from fulfilling its auditing and reporting powers since the SAB took over in 2007 by the a complete lack of resources and funding.  They no longer have the use of office space and staff in the administration building.

A budget request, worked up by Board Member David Jackson, was submitted in March of this year.  After careful deliberation, the Board asked for an annual budget of $147,540.

The budget included 20 hours/week for administrative support, and funding for the professional development required to keep board members abreast of education issues, office supplies, postage, consultant fees, meeting expenses, and telephone service.  It was a modest proposal.  It was summarily denied.

Meanwhile, the SAB stopped providing microphones, and videography for Board of Education meetings.  The only public record now available for BOE meetings are the minutes being taken in long hand.  The administration is making it nearly impossible for anyone attending Board meetings to even hear the proceedings.

Another Board initiative was an effort to submit legislation clarifying state law regarding what happens when the SLPS regains accreditation.  Currently, the SAB can continue to run the district even after accreditation is regained because their termination is subject to the discretion of the State Board of Education.  There is nothing in the statutes which specifies a reason or timetable for ending SAB governance of the SLPS. Board Member Chad Beffa worked with State Representative Jeanette Mott Oxford to submit a bill that would provide a much needed remedy.  Unfortunately, it was submitted late in the session and did not get a hearing.

The Board has begun a new initiative to make itself more visible by attending  community meetings throughout the city.  They will be sharing information and asking for public input.

So, they are busy and are actively trying to address the situation in the SLPS in spite of the SAB’s efforts to suppress them.  You can support them by inviting them to attend public meetings in your neighborhood and by attending their meetings at Carr Lane.

We Need Your Support   The Watch Advisory Committee has informed the editor that it is time to remind our readership to renew their subscriptions.  Ideally, all of you would use the coupons at the bottom of each issue to renew your subscription annually without being asked.  However, not enough of our readers do that.  So, if you have not sent us a check for $12 during the past year, please do so now.  Although our expenses are kept to a minimum, there are production related expenses associated with the Watch.    Thanks.  

Calendar

November 8, Tuesday, regular monthly Board of Education meeting, 7 p.m., Carr Lane VPA Middle School, 1004 North Jefferson, enter from parking lot 

November 15, Tuesday, irregular bi-monthly SAB meeting, 6 p.m., 801 North 11th Street, room 108

Please note, The Schools Watch has a new mailing address, P.O. Box 1983, St. Louis, MO 63118. Our email address continues to be SLS_Watch@yahoo.com

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