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home / Education
MUSD Board cannot agree or disagree
Marilyn Netoskie
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Several items on the MUSD Board agenda at the March 25, 2009 meeting went undecided because there were many tie votes. The tie votes were a result of only four members of the MUSD Board in attendance instead of the usual five members being present. Lori Glenn was not in attendance and was trying to participate through video conferencing on the phone. Communications between Ms. Glenn and the Board ended less than ten minutes into the meeting, as Ms. Glenn repeatedly told the Board she could not hear them.
There were three tie votes (2-2 for each vote) concerning the issue to allow a student who has not met the Arizona age requirements to be admitted to kindergarten. The first vote was to allow the child to enter kindergarten; the second vote was to not allow the student to attend kindergarten; and the third vote was to table the discussion until the next MUSD Board meeting. All three motions ended with a 2-2 vote. If a motion ends in a tie, it automatically becomes a failed motion.
The issue of entrance age requirements has been discussed at several previous board meetings, and Ms. Jill K. Osborne, the consulting attorney for the MUSD Board, read and discussed the Arizona Entrance Age Requirements Statute. The statute states that children may be admitted to kindergarten if they are five years of age prior to September 1 of the current school year. The statute further states that the Board may admit children who have not reached the required age of five by September 1, if they attain the age of five by January 1, of the same school year and it is determined to be in the best interest of the child to be placed in kindergarten. Board member Tim White asked what could happen if the MUSD Board admitted the child anyway. Would there be consequences and if so what would they be? Mr. White suggested someone contact the State Board for further clarification on the possible consequences.
The MUSD Board did discuss and approve a working agreement with Superintendent Flores. The working agreement concerns management responsibilities of the Superintendent and his duties with the MUSD Board. Superintendent Flores read and gave his interpretation of this agreement. Jeff Goddard moved that the MUSD Board approve the working agreement with the Superintendent, Tracey Davis seconded the motion and the motion passed by a 3-1 vote.
Krista Keesling and her staff gave an excellent presentation about academic achievement and school programming for schools in the Maricopa Unified School District. Ms. Keesling stated that many teachers have been involved in the establishing of curriculum mapping. Curriculum mapping is a multifaceted, ongoing process designed to improve student learning and is always in constant review. It is a guide for teachers, and by teachers, for student instruction. The process involves several steps, among them collecting data, establishing a team of teachers to review and clarify the data, small group planning, implementing the curriculum map, and always planning for the next review and update. Several members of the MUSD Board complimented the presentation and stated that this information was some of the best that had been given this year.
The next meeting of the Maricopa Unified School District Board will be Wednesday, April 8, 2009, in the Lecture Hall of Maricopa High School.
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