Monrovia School Link ~ Number 149 ~ December 17, 2005
Sounds like a light meeting last Wednesday. The new board members were sworn in - and probably soon to be sworn at - and there was a bit of discussion about enrollment. In brief, it's not looking good. Thanks to Maritza Diaz for this report.
~ brad@sacklunch.net
By Maritza Diaz
Monrovia witnessed the birth of a new school board this December night. First, there was food outside the board room! Yeah, but it turns out it was a mini good bye party for the departing member. That's not a bad idea though. Maybe the board should have snacks at the meetings. Hmm, were can a request like that be made? Enough about snacks. Let's get down to the good stuff. Old pros say goodbye, new pros say hello and finance is, as always, a hot topic.
Good Night ~ In her last act as president, Monina Diaz appointed Superintendent Louise Taylor as Pro-Tem and then bowed out, but not before she was presented with an honorary gavel for her work on the board. She accepted and left with a graceful, "Thank you and good night."
Elected ~ Taylor swore in newest board members Clarence Shaw and Chris Rich. Welcome gentlemen and good luck. But who is president now, you ask? Well, let's take a look at the election results.
President: Clare Chesley
Vice President: Bryan Wong
Clerk: Ed Gililland
Secretary: Louise Taylor
After Chesley was elected president someone in the back row let out a whispered "Yes! She's good." Good to hear a little enthusiasm at the meeting. Even if it was in a low whisper.
I'll Go ~ In his first 30 minutes as a board member, Shaw stepped up and offered to be a representative of the district in the election of members to the County Committee on School District Organization. Then, Shaw volunteered to be a representative for the Los Angeles County School Trustees Association. Way to start of the year Shaw.
Art and Stuff ~ The board was presented with $10,000 from the Monrovia Arts Festival Association (MAFA) for art supplies. An actual check wasn't presented because, well, there wasn't one. But MAFA promised they would write one. It's a good bet that they can be trusted.
Thanks ~ Board members welcomed the newbies and everyone thanked departing members for their work and dedication to Monrovia. So long, Monina, Bruce and Betty.
San Diego ~ Board members attended the California School Boards Association Delegate Assembly in San Diego. Everyone had a great time and found the get together informative and interesting. Wong said the good news (or not so good news) is that Monrovia is not alone in dealing with some of the major problems, such as enrollment. He went on to say that it was good to learn how other districts are handling these tough problems. Whenever you ask yourself, "Am I the only one?" it turns out you're not. Ever.
Details ~ Oh, the trouble money causes. Community member Dennis Jones wants more information on financial dealings. Jones referred to the approval of purchase orders issued between October and December. Apparently not enough detailed information was provided on these payments. Jones said financial record should be as transparent as possible.
This started a discussion on how much information is enough information. While Wong and Rich agreed more detail on financials for the board (and the public) to review is important, Gililland stressed that people should trust Linda Dempsey to do her job. Hmm, well, there's no such thing as too much information. The board did express their appreciation for the work Dempsey does dealing in with such complex work
.
Wong suggested that if someone wants to read every detail of the districts financials, the materials should be available. Sounds like reading financial statements may be loads of fun. Right?
Set a Date ~ The board approved the board calendar for the year. It turns out they need more meeting time to discuss the issues. Chesley suggested the board meet extra days, preferably for breakfast. Much to Wong's dismay. He's not much of a morning person. Come on, 7 a.m. isn't that early. Well, he took one for the team. He'll be there, unless he oversleeps.
Complaints ~ Have a formal complaint? Well, then go ahead and contact Debby Collins' office. She reports that the forms for filing formal complaints will be better organized and available in one place. Good news: there were no formal complaints to report. However, that doesn't count other complaints that were settled before they were dressed up formaly.
Enrollment ~ What's up with enrollment? Nothing. It's down. Enrollment was down by about 70 students more than projected and 120 students transferred out of the district. The declining enrollment seems to be a dark cloud that will probably hover over the district for a while. Keep the kids in school. Tell your friends, enroll in Monrovia.
Say No ~ The board presented their stand of the use of steroids. Steroids will not be tolerated in the schools. Plain and simple. Yeah, that sounds about right.
And so ends another calender year for the board. Stop by on January 18 and see the new board in action.
Happy Holidays!
Also on the Web at www.monroviaschoollink.com