|
Governance Board Meeting, March 3, 2004 | |
| In Attendance: | Mark Chalupsky, Julie
Anderson-Simonson, Mary Tingblad, Joseph Ricke, Linda Morantez,
Pam Wertjes, Mark Broten, Melanie Casiday, Debra Jensen, Mark Brzezinski,
Sandy
Gosen, Jeri Goodspeed-Gross, Jan
Nelson, Miles Mortensen. |
| Absent: | Margaret Ruffino, Katie Tuthill, Mike Cutshall. |
| Guest: | Anita Otten, Teachers' Rights Co-Chair; Cathy Fitzgerald (Margaret Ruffino). |
| Call to Order: | 4:34 p.m., by President Chalupsky. |
| Approval of Minutes: | Motion by Brzezinski, seconded by Gosen to approve the minutes of February 18, 2004. Motion carried. |
| Teachers' Rights Report: | At the committee meeting on February 25, 2004, the Teachers' Rights Representatives discussed building issues. The Teachers' Rights Co-Chairs also met with Dennis Peterson, Mike Lovett, and Brad Board to continue their discussion on job-sharing. They plan on surveying job-sharing teachers, as well as families who have had students in a job-shared class. |
| Treasurer's Report: | Treasurer Ricke distributed the MTA Checking Account Statement, February 1-26, 2004, and the MTA Monthly Budget Report dated March 2, 2004. |
| New Business: | Election Committee Report: The NEA RA State-Credentialed Delegate Election will be on March 11-12, 2004. Members can consult the "Voter's Guide" that was included in the last Minnesota Educator, and a copy of the guide can be displayed on the MTA Voting poster prior to the election. Building Representatives should bring their election envelopes to the Governance Board meeting on March 17, 2004. All MTA members will be electing the MTA President and Vice-President team on April 20, 2004. Candidates are Mark Chalupsky and Julie Anderson, and Joseph Ricke and Jan Nelson. Members will be able to go to a special page on the MTA website to view candidates' information. Elections for MTA Governance Board Representatives will also occur on April 20, 2004. Governance Board Building Representatives whose positions are up for election in April include: Deb Jensen, Clear Springs; Mark Broten, excelsior; Pam Wertjes, Groveland; Mark Brzezinski, MM-East; Mary Tingblad, MM-West; Joe Ricke, MHS; and Jan Nelson, MHS. Members in these buildings will get information regarding submitting names later on this month. MTA Newsletter: There is concern that the newsletter and want ads are not getting read by as many people as when it was published in paper-form. Motion by Anderson-Simonson, seconded by Goodspeed-Gross, to continue to publish the MTA newsletter online, and also provide 5 hard copies to each building for their lounge. Motion did not carry (6,7). Building Representatives should remind members to go to the MTA website to read the newsletter. A message is sent out when the newsletter is available, and it's only one click to get there. MTA Reorganization Meeting: The MTA Reorganization Meeting will take place on May 5, 2004, at the Olympic Hills Country Club in Eden Prairie. Minnewashta Building
Representative: Melanie Casiday will be on leave due to surgery. Erin
Klaers will fill in as her reserve at the Governance Board meetings. |
| Old Business: |
Teachers Celebrations Committee Report: The Teachers Celebration event for all MTA members will be at the Marsh on April 30, 2004, 3:00-6:00pm. The committee is considering using the Pier at MHS, which can be available after 6:00pm, for events next year. The MTA is pursuing a "Teachers Night at the Musical," with a reduced ticket price, preferred seating and parking. Miles Mortensen will check on this and report back at the next meeting. MTA Website: Building Representatives were reminded to
get input from their members regarding suggestions for the MTA website and
the MTA photo contest. |
| Open Forum: |
Minnewashta: Their Full Bowl event will be on March, 4, 2004. Staff Development Funds: 1. A principal told the school's Staff Development Committee that they must use staff development money to pay for the Responsive Classroom training. 2. Football coaches are going to a football seminar in Texas, and had asked their buildings for staff development funding to pay for their reserves. They were turned down. The Booster Club is paying for the flight, and each coach will be paying his own room costs. President Chalupsky will ask Bev Ginther to look into these staff development concerns. Building Goals: Can these include increasing test scores? |
| President's Remarks: |
UniServ Report: The Minneapolis Retirement Fund is underfunded by
the state by $1 billion. The Duluth and St. Paul Retirement Funds are also
underfunded. The state is considering moving these into TRA, which could
mess up our retirement funds. Meeting with Administrators: The Technology department is looking at limiting teacher's access to everything on all computers throughout the district as one way to address technology concerns. If anyone has concerns regarding administration, they should e-mail President Chalupsky, as he is preparing for another meeting on March 5, 2004. TOSA and Staff Development Access: Some Teachers on Special Assignment are doing administrative work, but the district is keeping them in the position as a teacher rather than paying them as an administrator. One is being honored at a conference as Administrator of the Year, but was not allowed to apply for staff development funds as a teacher. TOSA should have access to staff development funds through the district funds, as the district controls 25% of funds given to us for staff development. President Chalupsky will address this with Administration. Thanks: Thanks to the teachers and families who attended the Teachers Nights games on February 23 and 27, 2004. More Teachers Nights will be planned for next year. MTA Survey: Hopkins presidents have requested a copy of the MTA survey on principals. Retirement Seminar: Members are encouraged to
attend the retirement seminar on March 10, 2004, at the Minnetonka Community
Center. President Chalupsky sent an e-mail about this, and information was
included in the MTA newsletter. |
| School Board Report: |
Mark Brzezinski reported on the February 24, 2004 School Board Study
Session. An ad hoc committee will review the recommendations of the MCES
study. $91 of every $100 raised through the Minnetonka Foundation is paid
out in grants. For every $1 million in endowments, the foundation could pay
out $57,00 per year for enrichments in classrooms. The district will use a
new web management system "Blackboard" next year. Funding will
come out of the Technology budget. Training will begin in April. |
| Motion by Broten, seconded by Jensen, to adjourn. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 5:55 p.m. | |
|
Respectfully submitted, | |