SCHOOL BOARD OF THE CITY OF NORFOLK

Minutes of the Monthly School Board Meeting
October 24, 2007

School Board Recognition Ceremony

The School Board convened the recognition ceremony at 5:30 p. m. in the auditorium of Larrymore Elementary School. Present were: Chair Bishop, Vice Chair Rhodes, Dr. McCluney, Dr. Tonelson, Dr. Wright, and Clerk Rhodes.  Thirty-five certificates were presented.

1.   The Association of School Business Officials International presented the School Board and the Department of Business and Finance a Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting for the 2006 Fiscal Year. The Association’s Panel of Review judged that the report substantially conforms to their principles and standards to receive this special recognition.

The Government Finance Officers Association presented the School Board and Chief Financial Officer Fred Schmitt a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the comprehensive annual financial report for the 2006 fiscal year. The certificate is the highest form of recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting and represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.

2.   Taylor Elementary School was recognized for being designated a 2007 No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon School by the U. S. Department of Education.

3.   John Hazelette received the designation of “certified” Director of Transportation by the National Association of Pupil Transportation.

4.   Rachel Born, a senior at Granby High School and a member of the NORSTAR program at Norfolk Technical Center, was selected as the national winner of the 2007 Thatcher Scholars Award.

5.   Special recognition was extended to Lacy Carruth, a Norfolk school bus driver, who competed in the international, state, regional and local School Bus Rodeo competitions. Lacy finished in first place in the NPS competition and went on to the regional event and received sixth place. This qualified her to be our representative at the state competition in Richmond where she finished in second place. This was the highest level of competition for a Norfolk driver in the history of this event. This past July, Lacy represented us in the international competition held in Boston.

6.   The World-Class 2010 Customer Service Awards were established to showcase the top elementary, middle, and high schools on a monthly basis for quality services.

The winners for May 2007 were:

• St. Helena Elementary, James Carr, Building Supervisor
• School of International Studies at Meadowbrook, Reginald Holmes, Building Supervisor
• Norfolk Technical Center, Larry Sykes, Building Supervisor
• School Plant Facilities, Stanley Williams, Building Supervisor

The winners for September 2007 were:

• Oakwood Elementary School, Derwin Harris, Building Supervisor
• Norview Middle School, Ishmael Graham, Building Supervisor
• Norview High School, Louis Cuffee, Building Supervisor

7.   Norfolk Technical Center received a $1,500 prize package after participating in the Burger King 3-on-3 Tournament of Kings Basketball tournament. As part of the prize, Nike’s Jordan Brand gave NTC a paid trip to the championship games in Miami this November. Norfolk was part of a 14-city tour where Burger King presented Valerie Johnson, a NTC GED Instructor, and Lisa Weber, an NTC School Counselor, the check for $1500 to be used for the GED program, student recognition and GED commencement.

8.   A special thank you was extended to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church under the pastorate of Rev. Scott Hennessy for donating over 100 books to students in grades K-5 at Tidewater Park Elementary School.

9.   Cotrina Johnson and Tatiana Washington, along with other fourth grade classmates at Chesterfield Academy, participated in the 2006-07 Kids Philosophy Slam competition. Cotrina won first place and the national title as “The Most Philosophical Fourth Grader in America. ”Tatiana won fourth place in the same competition.

10.   Jennifer Lanz and Deborah Marshall, Granby High School teachers, received first place in the Virginia Business Education Association’s (VBEA) Great Ideas Lesson Plan award.

11.   Sharon Oberne, a Willoughby Elementary School teacher and published author who wrote an article entitled, “Aaron’s Mark in the World” was recognized for being published in the September/October 2007 issue of Autism, Asperger’s Digest Magazine.

12.   A special thank you was extended to Harold Seabrons and Charlie Bryant, two retirees who have taken time over the years to donate school uniforms and gave financial donations to support students at Coleman Place and P. B. Young, Sr. elementary schools.

13.   The Tidewater Columbine Memorial Scholarship Fund sponsored an essay contest with the topic “How Drug Abuse affects the Family” and awarded Brandy Veasey, a Northside Middle School seventh grader, the first place prize of a $750 scholarship.

14.   Congratulations is extended to Chesterfield Academy teachers, Linda Meeks, the technology resource teacher, Dennis Murphy, the media specialist, and Kim Carney, the ITRT, forpresenting “On the Air: Easy Ways to Produce a Morning News Show” at the Virginia Educational Media Association State conference. Their presentation included student members of the Cheetah Chat morning news team along with Meeks, Murphy, and Carney who shared the basics of news show production. The fifth grade news show students gave a live show for the audience. Student members of the Cheetah Chat Morning News Team included Deterrion Callaway, Aliya Muriel, Rodrick Nicholson, Kyndall Stevenson, Taquon White, and Breana Williams.

15.   Marcia Brown, the assistant principal at Ingleside Elementary, won a Healthy Life Grant from the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and Museum.

The meeting adjourned at 6:00 p. m.

Minutes approved by the School Board:November 20, 2007