OFFICIAL MINUTES FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING OF THE

ARKANSAS SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF

ARKANSAS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND   

           

The Board of Trustees for the Arkansas School for the Deaf and the Arkansas School for the Blind met for their monthly meeting on December 18, 2007.

 

Present: Dr. Douglas Watson, Chairperson, Henrietta Williams, Vice-Chairperson; Andrew Tolbert, Board Member; Beth Gray, Board Member; Jim Hill, ASB Superintendent; Dr. Marcella Dalla Rosa, ASD Superintendent; Katie Becker, Zania Musteen, Interpreters; Amy Ford, Office of the Attorney General; Marc Harrison, Governor’s Office; Members of the Deaf Community; Members of the Blind Community

 

Call to Order

 

Dr. Watson called the meeting to order at 4:07 p.m and welcomed all in attendance. The next board meeting was scheduled for January 15, 2008.

 

07-J-013 Motion to Approve Consent Items

 

Dr. Watson asked for a motion to approve the minutes from the November board meeting. Mr. Tolbert made the motion and Ms. Gray seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

 

Action Items

None

 

Discussion Items

A.S.B. Parent Representative – Johnny McGehee

 

Mr. McGehee had nothing to report at this meeting.

 

A.S.B. Parent Representative – vacant

 

A.S.D Cheerleaders and Football Team

 

Dr. Dalla Rosa introduced the Arkansas School for the Deaf football coach, Rick Porter, and presented the team and the coaches to the board. Coach Porter has been working with the team for 8 years. Dr. Dalla Rosa said this has been an exciting year because the school won the national championship this year. She said it has been 53 years since the team received the national championship. Coach Porter complimented the team on their work in preparing for the season and said the team represented the school well. He introduced his assistant coaches, Javier Lopez, Chris Dyer, and John Parker. Each team

 

Board of Trustees Meeting

Joint Session

December 18, 2007

Page 1 of 2

member introduced himself to the board. Arkansas School for the Deaf has a tradition with Oklahoma, which includes a trophy, and the trophy is passed from one school to the other. For two years, Oklahoma has won the trophy, but this year, A.S.D. won the trophy. The trophy will be on display in the A.S.D. gym. On behalf of the students at the Arkansas School for the Blind, Jim Hill, Superintendent at the Arkansas School for the Blind, congratulated the team for their accomplishment. He said he has known Coach Rick for many years and that the coach is healthy for young people and teaches them good ethics, and complimented Coach Porter on the job he has done with young people.

 

Dr. Dalla Rosa presented the A.S.D. cheerleaders. She said that the school recently hosted the Leopard Classic and the cheerleaders won. Dr. Dalla Rosa introduced the cheer coach Judy (Ju Ju) Brint Murphy. Coach Ju Ju said this was her 9th year coaching and introduced her assistant Libby Allen. She said they are very proud of the team and they always have a smile. She showed the board the trophy they won at the Leopard Championship and she said it had been four years since they won the championship. Each cheerleader introduced herself. Assistant Coach Allen also told the board and the girls how proud she was of them. The team will be going to GPSD, The Great Plains School for the Deaf, in February where they will try to win the championship for the 6th time. Dr. Dalla Rosa said that the cheerleaders participated in competition Saturday morning and then played basketball, then cheered for the boys, and then played basketball again in the evening. Dr. Watson commented that it must be a tremendous year for the student body to have both the girls and boys winning trophies and recognition from the schools in the Midwest and the national recognition.

 

There being no further business of a Joint nature, the meeting moved to the Agenda for the Arkansas School for the Blind.

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                        ___________________________________

                                                                        Dr. Douglas Watson, Chairperson

 

 

 

 

                                                                        ___________________________________

                                                                        Secretary (vacant at this time)

 

 

 

 

 

Board of Trustees Meeting

Joint Session

December 18, 2007

Page 2 of 2