Board of Education Special meeting of August 11, 2004

a. Approval of Monthly Expenditures

Grand Total All Funds: $2,053,652.96

(Payroll Portion Equals: $548,453.64)

b. Personnel: Approval to Hire: Andrea Herek - John Glenn English Teacher; Douglas Lull - John Glenn/CMMS Instrumental Music Teacher; Jami Stanton - Recreation Director; Dan Pembroke - CMMS Athletic Director. Approval of Coaches: Sara Stilwell - Girls’ Varsity Tennis; Bryan Shark - Boys’ Varsity Golf; Justin Jamrog - Assistant Football. Approval of Resignation: Lisa Bonotto - John Glenn/CMMS Spanish Teacher.

Mrs. Klida asked if Andrea Herek was going to fill the English position as a long-term sub. Mr. Andress stated that she would fill this position for the year.

Mrs. Klida said that she had received a number of phone calls from people who were told this was for a long-term substitute and had not applied for the position. Mr. Andress said that the contract did not address the issue of posting and filling positions for long-term substitutes every year.

Mrs. Klida stated that Mr. Andress had told the Board that this was for a long-term substitute earlier this year. Mr. Andress did not recall saying that. Mr. Kowalski asked if there were people interested because it was for a long-term substitute, but the position was filled as a full-time position. Mr. Andress stated that they had received more applications than they had for the first time around.

Mrs. Klida then stated that she understood that the hiring process was different. Mrs. Smith explained the process followed for this position. Mrs. Klida said that she was getting tired of sitting here and asked if the process was being followed. Mrs. Smith stated that she was following direction. Mr. Andress said that this had not been his direction. He was then asked whose it was.

Mr. Andress said that his direction was to fill the opening there. When he left on vacation the decision had been for Mike Wemple to fill that position as a long-term substitute. Someone else made the decision to fill it otherwise. Mr. Kowalski asked who this was. Mr. Andress said that he did not know. Mr. Heinrich said that at the time Mr. Wemple was brought in, it was his recommendation to fill the position with a long-term substitute. Mr. Kowalski asked if that was what the job was right now. Mr. Kowalski also asked if the position was being recommend by the administrator that the Board hire for a long-term substitute. Mrs. Smith said that Andrea Herek is under the assumption that she will be under a one-year contract. Mr. Kowalski again emphasized that there were other people who would have applied if they had known this was not a long-term sub position.

Mr. Kowalski asked the Board for approval at this time. There was no response from the Board members. Mr. Loop then stated that the other items on the Consent Agenda needed to be approved and asked for Item B to be moved off the agenda. Mr. Kowalski asked for general consent from the Board to remove Item B and place it as a separate item to be voted upon. This was approved.

The original motion was mute.

A motion was then made by Patrick Shaffer, supported by Barbara Skowronski, to approve Item A of the Consent Agenda. Motion carried unanimously.

Mrs. Smith wanted to add for the Board’s consideration was that Andrea Herek has submitted her resignation from her previous position.

Mr. Loop said that procedures needed to be followed. He stated that the Board was also approving coaches without being brought to the Athletic Committee. He felt that the process needed to be tightened up. He was sure that all of the people are good people, but there is a process and it was not followed.

Mr. Andress asked Mr. Ruhlig if members of the Athletic Committee had been contacted. Mr. Ruhlig stated that he had been given a copy of committee members by Lynne Moore, but did not have a meeting called. He did talk to a couple of the members. If he had not been under a severe time constraint, he probably would have contacted more people. He suggested that this be added to the hiring process form.

Mrs. Klida said that this was not part of the hiring process, but part of the approval process. She then made a motion to approve the personnel as listed. Motion was supported by Barbara Skowronski.

Mrs. Klida said that she happens to know Andrea Herek’s family. She felt that this was unfair, but it is also unfair to the Board. The district does not follow the process. Rules cannot be made as we go along and policy is established for a reason. She felt that Andrea has a different understanding of the position. Mrs. Klida said that she will vote to approve this, but wanted it on record she would not do this again.

Mr. Kowalski asked if this position was for one year. Mrs. Moore stated that Ms. Herek would be hired as a probationary teacher and placed on the seniority list as others are. Mr. Kowalski then asked Mrs. Hurley what her opinion of this process was. Mrs. Hurley said that she had discussed this with Mr. Sabedra. Mr. Andress asked Mrs. Hurley if she felt she had been fair to the middle school teacher who had been a long-term substitute last year. Mrs. Hurley stated that she just knows what happened. She had spoken to Mr. Sabedra and he said it was management rights, but that it was not the right way to do things. Mr. Andress admitted that it was not fair the way it was posted, but there had been many, many applications, and that Mrs. Smith and a complete interview team interviewed four candidates. This candidate, whether it was for one year or under a regular contract, is an excellent candidate. He admitted he made a mistake, but he was hired to run the district. Mrs. Smith added that if the Board did not approve this candidate, she would have to re-post the position.

Mr. Kowalski said that back in May the Board had been put in a similar position with the Reading Recovery teacher. A person had been given a position, and they did not know about it.

Mr. Wetters added that Darcy Nicholas, English teacher, was on a leave of absence so if Darcy comes back Andrea Herek will be gone. Mrs. Moore said that was not correct. Andrea was hired and put on the seniority list. Mr. Andress said that there is confusion about this situation. In the past, the association has done this and not collected union dues. If she is hired for 120 days, she has to be hired anyway - that is state law.

Mrs. Hurley said that she had not been notified about this posting. Mrs. Moore said that she did not send Mrs. Hurley a posting since it was for a long-term substitute.

Motion carried unanimously.