Regular Meeting - Forest Hills Public Schools

FOREST HILLS PUBLIC SCHOOLS
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
Minutes of Regular Meeting of the Board of Education
Held on March 19, 2012
The Forest Hills Board of Education met in regular session on Monday,
March 19, 2012, at Central High School. President Fahner called the regular
meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
Members Present: Atwater, Fahner, Fischer, Lenhardt, Perschbacher III,
Vonck
Members Absent: Josephson
Eagle Scouts John Donovan, Patrick Donovan, Zachary Hoiles, and Austin
Pratt led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Terry Urquhart, Central High School principal, welcomed everyone to
tonight’s meeting.
Seven Northern High School students were invited to be recognized for their
participation at the Regional Scholastic Art & Writing Awards of 2012. Laura
Madison, Northern High School art teacher, explained the awards, introduced
the students, and Member Fischer presented the students with certificates.
Mounir Jamal, a Central High School junior, recited the “The Statesmen” by
Ambrose Bierce. On March 10, Mounir placed in the top four in the 2012
Michigan Poetry Out Loud competition at Saginaw Valley State University.
Terry Urquhart, Central High School principal, introduced Mounir, and
Member Atwater presented him with a certificate.
Dr. Pamela Ditonto, a resident of the district, expressed her concerns
regarding the health risks of installing a cell tower on the Eastern campus.
Joe Ditonto, a resident of the district, thanked the Board for having this forum
for community members to be able to express their concerns. He shared a
number of drawings showing the magnitude of a cell tower.
Jessica Raffel, a resident of the district, has concerns that she will not be
able to attend her children’s outdoor activities because she is not to be
around cell towers due to a heart pacemaker.
Christina Moore, a resident of the district, stated she has helped circulate
over 100 letters and also obtained signatures to not allow a cell tower on the
Eastern campus.
Heidi Cottrell, a resident of the district, thanked the Board for all their
wonderful work. She said it is better to be safe than sorry and asked the
Board to read as much information as possible regarding the safety of cell
towers.
Member Vonck, Curriculum Committee Chair, and Member Perschbacher III,
Finance Committee Chair, presented their respective committee reports.
Motion by Member Fischer, second by Member Perschbacher III, that the
CALL TO ORDER
ATTENDANCE
PLEDGE OF
ALLEGIANCE
WELCOME
REGIONAL
SCHOLASTIC ART &
WRITING AWARDS
OF 2012
2012 MICHIGAN
POETRY OUT LOUD
COMPETITION
PUBLIC COMMENTS
APPROVAL OF
CONSENT
GROUPING ITEMS

MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING: 3/19/12 - PAGE 2
Forest Hills Board of Education approve consent grouping items VI, A-B.
Motion carried 6-0.
AYES: Fischer, Perschbacher, Fahner, Lenhardt, Atwater, Vonck
NAYS: None
Accepted the $500 donation to the Central High School Theatre
Department from an anonymous donor; $3,500 donation to help offset
the funds for the Odyssey of the Mind-Russia Eurofest Team from an
anonymous donor; $5,000 donation for the Goodwillie Environmental
School from Bill and Amy Bennett; 10 iPads, document cameras, label
holder, PE volleyballs, and reading consultant supplies for Ada
Elementary from the Ada PTO; $3,000 donation for Mac computers for
the Eastern High School Broadcast Studio from Consumer’s Energy’s
Green Scenes Video Contest; $300 donation to support classroom
instruction at Ada Elementary from Consumers Energy – THINK!
ENERGY with Consumers Energy Bright Kids Education Program; $500
donation to the Central High School Theatre Department from Monsma
Marketing Corporation; $1,000 donation for the Cultural Arts Experience
at Northern Trails from the Northern Trails PTO; and $300 donation for
uniforms for the Northern High School JV Softball team from Tuscola
County Community Foundation.
Approved the minutes of the February 20, 2012 regular meeting, as
presented.
Approved expenditures for the payment of bills for January 2012, as
presented:
GENERAL FUND $ 7,778,128.67
DEBT FUND 5,992.99
CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND 2007 122,097.39
CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND 2010 74,202.93
SCHOOL SERVICES FUND
1. Food Service Fund 105,399.16
2. Child Care Fund 3,624.83
TRUST AND AGENCY FUND
1. Activity Fund 81,330.63
TOTAL EXPENDITURES $8,170,776.60
Authorized reimbursement of $18,395.37 to Kent County for refunded
taxes.
Authorized the Secretary of the Board of Education to sign the Waiver
and Consent form from City of Grand Rapids to strike delinquent personal
property taxes totaling $756.87.
Authorized the Transfer of Property Resolution for the transfer of a parcel
of property from the Northview Public School District to the Forest Hills
GIFTS TO THE
DISTRICT
APPROVAL OF
MINUTES
PAYMENT OF BILLS
TAX
REIMBURSEMENT
DELINQUENT
PERSONAL
PROPERTY TAXES
PROPERTY
TRANSFER

MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING: 3/19/12 - PAGE 3
Public School District.
(NOTE: The resolution, as adopted, may be found in the Board Reference
File, which is located in the Superintendent’s Office, and identified as Ref.
No. 12-03/19-A.)
Adopted the resolution authorizing execution of the bond purchase
agreement.
(NOTE: The resolution, as adopted, may be found in the Board Reference
File, which is located in the Superintendent’s Office, and identified as Ref.
No. 12-03/19-B.)
Approved the contracts to perform construction work at the Community
and Aquatic Center at a total cost of $200,900.
The following educational trip requests have been approved by
Superintendent Behm:
78 students from Ada Elementary School will visit P.J. Hoffmaster
State Park in Muskegon, Michigan, on May 1, 2012.
45 students from Eastern High School will visit The Art Institute of
Chicago and attend an architecture river cruise in Chicago, Illinois,
on May 3, 2012.
200 students from Eastern Middle School will visit Mackinaw City and
Mackinac Island in Mackinaw, Michigan, on May 23-24, 2012.
15 students from Collins Elementary School will visit Holland State
Park in Holland, Michigan, on June 5, 2012.
300 students from Central Middle School will visit Cedar Point in
Sandusky, Ohio, on June 8, 2012.
50 students from Central, Eastern, and Northern High Schools will
attend cultural/musical activities and performances in New York City,
New York, on November 15-20, 2012.
The following extended leaves have been approved per Article XII of the
Master Agreement:
Jennifer Derby, teacher at Northern High School, has requested a
leave of absence beginning March 13, 2012, through April 27, 2012
Abbie Klein, teacher at Northern High School, has requested a leave
of absence beginning April 23, 2012, through June 12, 2012.
Cheryl Maxwell, teacher at Northern High School, has requested a
leave of absence beginning March 23, 2012, through May 29, 2012.
Karen Reagan, teacher at Northern High School, has requested a
leave of absence beginning April 24, 2012, through June 12, 2012.
Jeremiah Stacy, teacher at Central High School, has requested a
leave of absence beginning April 9, 2012, through May 4, 2012.
Terry Urquhart, Central High School principal, introduced the Central High
School’s School Improvement Team, who presented an overview of the
School Improvement Plan in informational reading.
RESOLUTION
BOND SALE
DEHUMIDIFICATION
UNITS
STUDENT TRIP
REQUESTS
EXTENDED LEAVES
APPROVED
INSTRUCTIONAL
HIGHLIGHT

MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING: 3/19/12 - PAGE 4
Superintendent Behm thanked the community members who spoke under
Public Comments. He explained that the Board has not received any formal
proposal to install a cell tower on the Eastern campus. He also indicated that
Forest Hills Public Schools is not in the business of cell towers, and we are
not looking to balance the budget with any revenues that a cell tower lease
may generate.
Superintendent Behm explained how the monies from the sale of the bond
would be spent: purchase mechanical equipment for the Community and
Aquatic Center; purchase school buses; purchase new teacher workstations;
and stabilize our technology infrastructure.
Superintendent Behm said Thursday, March 29, would be a professional
development day for our staff.
Motion by Member Fischer, supported by Member Vonck, to adjourn the
regular meeting at 8:52 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Mary Vonck, Secretary
Forest Hills Board of Education
(MINUTES APPROVED BY THE FOREST HILLS BOARD OF EDUCATION ON 04/16/12.)
SUPERINTENDENT’S
REPORT
ADJOURNMENT