BEA notes from 11-27-17 BCSD Board meeting

I. Call to Order – Welcome 7:00 p.m.

II. Pledge of Allegiance

III. Adoption of Agenda- moved kendell, 2nded by bross- passed unanimously

IV. Public Comments

The Board encourages citizens to attend its meetings. Citizens have this opportunity

to comment on issues and concerns (Policy 210.9 & 213)

- Robert Critser- Corse- consolidating schools. Wants more public discussion of the issue- Robberts- it will be on a future agenda- lots of parents that bought houses in certain areas so they could walk to school. PTOs involvement. Piece of the puzzle that Critser wants to discuss. Sure teachers are freaking out, too. Doesn’t want public left out of the discussion. Robberts- it will come up on a future agenda- Robberts- budget cuts- numerous things- No decision has been made.

Critser- maybe the paper isn’t helping in this instance- he wants to be involved. Thank you. Robberts- we do want public input

-Laura Blanchard- make sure people are aware of forum Thursday night about vouchers and ESA- Aldo Leopold- 7-830 Thursday night.

The district has been in the paper a lot in the last 10 days- cancellation of ch 20 work session- disappointing- appeared abrupt- decision made while board members were out of town. Board members gave different answers about why it was cancelled. The handbook is sufficient as a master contract. One member wasn’t present when decision was made. Many other districts kept language in contract- other educators in state are appalled by our district. 2nd- lowering teaching standards doesn’t work. Taking away Praxis- be a model- look at districts like Mediapolis-  some items are in handbook- Robberts doesn’t think they kept it. Teacher retention can start at local level. Concerned about district financial situation- solvency rates, district not allocating money in way that is best for district. Starting to become concerned as a parent who will start school in the district.

Mari Butler- ch 20 work session cancellation- iowans for public education was excited to have the meeting- hoping another work session will be set up- in a time when teachers can give their voice- Mt pleasant kept permissives in contract- they have a handbook as well. They’re better off than those of us in BCSD, according to Mari.

Phoebe McNeese- son in Kindergarten- would like to comment on chapter 20- disappointed that district disrespected teachers- don’t care about children, or their teachers- teachers are with her child 40 hours a week. Doesn’t like that teachers want to leave the district. Doesn’t want to change schools. Very upset about the idea of grade alike schools. 45 minutes bus ride earlier this year- might pull son if changes made.

Eric O’Brien- has a child that they plan to put through the district- teachers want permissive items in the contract. Lane changes frozen- grievance process- class sizes out of hand- mandatory recess- health and safety- use of reasonable force- need to put teachers up a little more- could send child elsewhere if district doesn’t change.

V. Consent Agenda

2. Minutes, Bills, Financial Reports, Human Resources Report, and Gifts- moved by Vickstrom, 2nded by Hatteberg. Passed unanimously, except brueck abstained.

VI. District Positive Accomplishments- Course changes- (Outdoor PE, etc.)- changes in hs pe- Huff and DeBower- Huff has to do all the talking. Changed due to trimesters, opened up to offering new classes. 9th graders take 9th grade pe, 10th graders take options. Hound power- weight training- light exercise (?), cross training class, sports specific classes such as wrestling, volleyball. Deceiving when talk about sports specific classes- it’s hound power with a sports emphasis. Lifetime skills class- frisbee golf, bags, tennis. Outdoor rec- kayaking, fishing, mtn biking, archery, frisbee golf, drone activity, rock wall climbing at hospital, outdoor cooking day. Lifeguarding course- coaching theory class- 4 classes through scc- 10 credits- intro to coaching, human growth and development- once students have completed, students can coach.

Coen- coaching class is big- can’t find ms and soccer coaches- trying to grow our own. 4 last year, 27 this year. Young people who want to teach- coaching starts your ipers. Lifeguard course leads to certification so they can work. Bross- does this meet coaching requirements.

Thank you both for your leadership.

VII. Student Representative Report- Matt Rowland- new trimester, new hours. Matt has to take 4 classes instead of 2. Lot of sports meets and games. Swim meet thursday night at 6, and wrestling in fairfield. BB double header friday- girls at 6, boys at 730. Then beach night dance. Wrestling invite 9 am sat morning. Swim meet in Davenport saturday as well.

VIII. Superintendent’s Report- Coen- hope everyone had a wonderful holiday- what could you and i do to improve the district- dean of ed at uni- agreed to help start a 2+2 program with SCC. employees gain licensure to teach. Short week- 2 days- parade- our bus won- bus barn entry won. Bad news- 10th street house- termites in sill plate. Iowa code- started mid year eval- cabinet meeting- shared doc so board members can see. Spent time with principals working through issues with parents and students.

Passed out communication protocol for supt advisory committee.

Attached to report copy of des moines register article- ed dept getting more time to research seclusion rooms- we do use them in our schools. School has to maintain a positive learning environment- students can be restrained and so forth. That may be changing. This could greatly impact how we handle disruptive students.

IASB conference discussed being down 170 students- what we can do. Realigning schools- let the public know we are thinking- resulted in article in hawkeye. No decisions have been made. Draft document work session sometime in december or january- what we want to do. Nothing happen until July 2019. Month community forums- public hearings, q and a sessions. April 2019 and May 2019- if any action taken would be june 2019. 6.8 classrooms that are now empty. Over last 26 years, averaged 77 kids per year. Work session up to the board, maybe january- work session to start talking about declining enrollment and how do we position district as best as we can.

Robberts- before we get into a work session- how do we trace the specific financial savings. Greg- can you put together numbers. Whole grade sharing doesn’t always make sense in savings. Tracing how that works- impact should any school close- really need hard numbers to see- we need to see numbers before we can make decisions.

Coen- board could run each elementary half empty. Do we do something of that nature. Load a school to capacity, or run all at 50.

Robberts- options in between. This isn’t coming until 2019. DDMP- round tables.

Vickstrom- when are we going to go through handbook. Coen has meeting with us Dec 4 at 4pm. Kendell- lunch table discussion at conference- gentlemen from Boston- we were talking during the lunch sessions.

Robberts- there wasn’t a quorum.

Kendell- doesn’t remember discussing corse plans.

Coen-

Kendell couldn’t find anything in cabinet notes about that topic.

Coen- would be important to note, cabinet will bring board all options.

Kendell- disheartening to see in paper

Coen- buster isn’t full time yet.

Vickstrom- are his classes being covered- roger is (not sure who is covering classes)

Coen- floor wasn’t torn up last time he was there. Might have been confederate termites (?)

XIV. Items for Discussion

3. Tim Oswald Information on Sales Tax Bonding Update- refinancing sales tax bonds. Review bonding capacity as extension of sales tax. Refinancing was on hold until Oswald can discuss bonding capacity. Do we want to continue with refinancing.

Oswald- 1 page attachment. We don’t think undertaking refinancing would impact ability to issue further debt. Analysts tested again- no impact on future capacity in a neg way. 3 options- option 1- do nothing. Fixed interest rates on bonds. Could go down, but won’t go up. 2nd and 3rd would be refinancing- either now or 2020. July 1 2020 is just an example. Tax expires 2029 in current form. All bonds pay off by then. No debt, no tax. If they extend the tax, what kind of capacity do we have. Could issue new debt in 2029. For example, if tax is extended, if enrollments hold, could issue 17.5 mil project in 2020 and 40 mil in 2029. If refinance debt, less capacity in 2020- 13.75 mil. More capacity in 2029- 50 million. Does that increase our debt service in option 2 (bross)- slightly more expensive yearly, but over time savings. Timing implication to when savings occur.

3rd option- wait until 2020- refinance all debt at that time. 46.5 million in that time. Least amount of money in absolute dolalrs is 3rd option. Most money in 2 years.

2nd option gives most real dollars, but it’s deferred to 12 years from now. Capacity over time is greater if refinance. If tax is extended, capacity is less 3 or 4 years from now.

Does the district have things we want to finance right now?

Robberts- all contending if tax is extended past 2029. Some support in house for extension, was support in senate last session. If there is some interest in the house- would rather know what they’re dealing with than pull the trigger today and wish they hadn’t.

Robberts- how much will numbers change if act in the spring?

Oswald- biggest 2 factors are duration- if 10 years instead of 20- if we issue debt 25 years- what are realistic trends of enrollment. Bond holders will want to look hard at revenue stream.

Robberts- this helps for 5 to 10 year plan, prob need to see you again in the spring.

Bross- option 3 question- typically we borrow 80 cents on the future dollar. Money talk lost me here.

Option 3 is least amount of cash flow yearly. In light of declining enrollment- solvency ratio- that doesn’t apply here since that’s general fund.

Hatteberg- need to wait, at least for this time.

Robberts- appreciates the update. Would like to see an agenda for the spring. Hatteberg- motion to table, 2nded by Bross. Passes unanimously.

4. Des Moines County Conference Board Appointment- Reynolds- school district representative- 2018-2019 year. Garwood used to sit on this. Anyone interested? Bross will volunteer. Kendell 2nds his volunteer. Garwood described as informational for the board- board is required to have a rep. Passed unanimously.

5. Board Policy 404.6 First Reading- Tabor- extended FMLA- was tabled last meeting. Ironic that jeremy was out sick last time. Scope of policy- limited to requests for FMLA- approved requests. Language taken from government FMLA policy. Wants district and staff to be protected in that situation if they want to come back before they are fully cleared.

Robberts- rationale for may to requires? Are there specific job descriptions? Tabor- may to require district has been practicing for some time. Here are the requirements. Job descriptions can be made available- those can be readily available. Can employees take these to physicians so they can be cleared to return to work.

Tabor says yes.

Robberts- when we say may require- exceptions can be made- wants a difference between FMLA and Americans with Disabilities act. Difference in that exact instance. Wanted to make sure differentiation. One is a protected class, one is not (Coen).

Tabor- someone is out for an extended period of time with FMLA.

Bross- what’s the difference in that same paragraph. Doesn’t say when exceptions can be made- will be up to superintendent and hr director.

Coen- court ruling where district has to employee has to be employee by district.

Robberts- every case is unique

Bross- exceptions may be made by HR director or superintendent.

Vickstrom- has there been suggestion about sharing sick days-Tabor used to be in contract- is exactly the same as it used to be.

Bross- moves to approve, Hatteberg- 2nded.

Robberts- will this change practice? No.

Motion to approve first reading. Amendments can still be made. Most verbiage came straight from FMLA.

First reading passed unanimously.

6. SBRC Allowable Growth-Open Enrollment- Reynolds- asking board to approve request for open enrollment- schools are funded a years in arrears. This year, 121 students not in our count last year. Have to pay open enrollment tuition for these students. District can recuperate spending authority for these 121 students- 800k. (6600 each). Doesn’t affect cash or general fund- just spending authority.

Brueck moved, Hatteberg 2nded.

Robberts- if we didn’t do this, ties a hand behind our back to meet budget shortfalls. As we work on budget in April-

This isn’t spending money- it’s ability to get into cash reserves. Will assist unspent balance (reynolds)

Passed unanimously

7. SBRC Allowable Growth-ELL- Reynolds- similar to previous request- only receive funding for first 5 year- last year had 3 students who went past five years- can ask for additional spending authority- 4,398$.

Bross moved, Vickstrom 2nded.

Passed unanimously.

8. SBRC Allowable Growth-Dropout Prevention/At-Risk- Reynolds- same as previous 2. Funds supplement what we use to operate BILA, home to school liasons, software for BILA, juvenile court officers, and summer school. Asking for 937k, requires match from general fund. Down from previous year. Slight request change due to declining enrollment. Extension of existing services.

Motion- Hatteberg, 2nded by Vickstrom- Kendell ?- page 83- lists people- there’s an unnamed individual- trying to hire a math/science teacher. Looking for that hire- was listed again last year.

Passed with Brueck abstaining.

9. Desk Audit K-12 Information Only- was piloted last year- looks at course offerings- licensed teachers in place. When are we teaching health, things like that. Submits dec 15- coming up- may be out and talked about. This is now going to be part of the process used to evaluate schools. Used to do site visits- we weren’t identified as having the greatest need.

Robberts- does it help us to have more need?

Dentlinger- we used to have a team come- process is now a team of educators and DE people- we are solid in a lot of our areas. We don’t want to be a school that needs resources.

333 districts after several close every year. We are doing well. (Coen)

10. School Board Convention Sharing Information Only-

Dean- safety meeting- what was going on. We do a good job- everyone can see blind spots that we have.

We have seen importance on committee- wants public to work with them to get satisfactory solution. We have some tough decisions to make and need help from community.

Brueck- thank greg for walking through financing. Helpful. Presentation on school system that faced a similiar system that had to close a school. Glad to have a work session to keep public as part of that process.

Kendell- enjoys it always- enjoyed the keynote speaker

Never know who you’re going to meet that will make an impression. What that will be to them. Raised in foster care and had a difficult time- diff people reached out to him as he grew up- chief diversity officer for walgreens.

Hatteberg- thanks district for allowing them to go. Get a lot of good info. Safety schools. Kindergarten kids in a double line than a single line.

Presenter talked about impact of people in his life- had a tough time, too. You can make a difference.

Enjoyed surveying your district’s data- comparing us with 10 schools- we have highest free and reduced rate. Can give us better understanding.

Bross- best one he’s been to so far. Finance advanced- talked about sbrc- don’t want to be there. If we aren’t making the tough decision we have to make they will force us to.

Forming effective teams- inclusion- diversity.

Stayed for last session- ever increasing burden on america’s public schools- additional requirements from 1900 to present- haven’t added a minute to the school day.

Robberts- came back thursday night for fall band concert. Went to michael dorn- excellent presentation for 2 hours. Eye opener on training all of our staff knowing when to have a lock down. Excellent presentation on tragedies and tragedies that were prevented.

Presentation from cardinal of eldon about sharing the positive- why aren’t we all doing what the missouri dot is doing. Road signs show that goals were met. Why don’t we do that as a district? We have challenges, but don’t show our achievements. Connectedness means success.  

Hatteberg- high school that works- higher achievement rate- 36% have a BA- 29% assoc- careers and offering kids a multitude of opportunities

Safety handout- might want to share with board.  Safe haven international.

Coen- freshmen with trimesters

Kendell- session about handbooks and contracts- think of 3 things that make up a tripod, contract, handbook, and admin- if one is longer or shorter, it won’t sit right. We have to keep those things all in check.

X. Board Communications

The members will have the opportunity to share items and events.

Vickstrom- he’s done

Brueck- done

Kendell- loved parade- loved the bus in the parade. Way to go transportation. And band sounded great.

Hatteberg- done

Bross- first he heard of concerns of Corse school- came from a parent at Caseys this afternoon- lots of misinformation gets out. Pay attention to agendas. Pay attention to rumors. Bross wants people to call him. Good news doesn’t get out enough. It’s going to be a process. Encouraged by things we have seen. We are on the right track on some things. These aren’t fun decisions we have to make- we have to let people go and programs- we want input- i’m sure we will have plenty as we get into budgeting. We have to act.

Robberts- received some emails- understands why Pat talked to hawkeye- need to get public’s attention. We want input. No decision has been made. Workshops have to go into effect. Budget cuts last year- only got 2 emails about it. We are 7 people who sit on a board- no perfect solution- least worse option. Make sure we are educating our students.

XI. Adjournment