BCSD Board of Directors Meeting January 27, 2020
(Two expulsion hearings prior to start)
Attending: Joel Sieren, Darven Kendell, Nancy Hoelzen, Tom Courtney, Dean Vickstrom, Deb
Hatteberg, Anika McVay
I. Call to Order – Welcome 6:11 p.m.
II. Pledge of Allegiance
III. Adoption of Agenda - passed
IV. Public Comments - Ryan Drew - SE Iowa Building. Referenced the career expo at National
Guard. Glad to have BHS students there. He spoke for Labor Alliance about School Nutrition
program brought up at the last board meeting. We value all good jobs in the community.
Privatization could cause the loss of jobs. Make sure the school retains employees on payroll
or keep the same contract with a private company if they go with a private company for food
service.
V. Consent Agenda Hoelzen motioned, McVay seconded. Kendell commented that $1.5
million was for open enrollment. While 2⁄3 is state funding, $500,00 is Burlington taxpayer
money. That’s wrong.
VI. District Positive Accomplishments BHS Engineering Students
Sanning presented Tom Buckman and students Spencer Brown and Samatha Potheitkis. The
students designed and manufactured light boxes for a 6th grade science unit. It was an
example of engineering students using their learning to solve a real life problem.
VII. Student Representative Report no report
VIII. Superintendent’s Report
Calendar committee meeting.
Senior swim night was great.
He has done walkthroughs and spoken to students in the hall. He said something about using
Panorama for teachers for data collection and analysis. He thanked Vickstrom for attending
MLK celebration. The speaker’s message was there are still social woes and challenges that
are brought to the school.
He reminded the board to look at the shared docs of the cabinet meeting notes. He met with
Vickstrom and Courtney this week. Cory and he spent time witha pastor about local reading
program for Stone Garden. He spent time coordinating with AEA on something. Sad note:
Steve Easton former custodian died. Tim Kesterke then said there are no planned services for
him but a celebration of life will be held at a later time. Mr. Easton worked at BHS.
Coen gave a copy(to board) of communication protocol used when starting to work on
processes in school to assure that people receive information in a timely manner.
Deb asked about make up days. She said digital days didn’t work for elementary but did for
middle school and maybe high school.
IX Items for Discussion
TLC Update
Cory introduced it. He referred to an article about the statewide gains due to TLC over three
years. Fortunate to have a great group of TLC people. He said he would be completely useless
without the TLC coaches. Monica then presented an overview of it. It began as grant in 2014.
Talked about success across the state. Three components coaching, mentoring, curriculum
leads. About 23% of all teachers are involved. There are 19 mentors who mentor 30
mentees. She explained how they match them. It’s most beneficial if they are in the same
building. She explained the program and gave examples of how mentors assisted. Currently,
11 mentees are graduates of BHS. She explained the change in coaching positions this year: 9
assigned to buildings, 1 stem, 1 ESSA, 3 behavior specialists, 1 coordinator. She explained
student- centered coaching cycles. This year 60% of all coaching cycles are with people who
had not done one before. 72% contacted coach to improve student learning or practice. The
two top benefits of doing a coaching cycle according to those who participated were:
70% said most beneficial are collaboration 75% analyzing student work. So far this year
33 completed coaching cycles, 19 in progress, 9 light coaching. There were 54 completed
cycles in 2018-19. She gave a few quotes from teachers who did cycles.
There are 35 curriculum. leads across the district (CL) 2 per grade level pre-6 , 2 for each
content 7-12. K-12, Art, Music, PE, TAG. She explained what they do.
Deb thanked her. Is there ever a time that an administrator might suggest a coach? Monica
said there has been an instance or two when that has happened. Siere - Funding? Monica -
now not a grant, fully funded for state. Cory - TLC pays for full release coaches and stipend.
Mentors get a stipend i and CL also get paid a stipend. Vick - how do you evaluate the
effectiveness? Monica - Pretest data and posttest data for each coaching cycle. Cory - report
to state new teacher retention (last year highest since this grant)report % teachers that meet
ITS standards for evaluation, and cycle completion. Vick - explained his first year of teaching
involved no support. Siere - how was the decision made to allocate money for positions?
Monica - TLC committee does it. Cory, administrator, teacher from each grade span and a
special, SPED,and Monica. Sieren - any changes ahead? Monica - having full release in each
building is very positive. I think we are good to go for awhile. Vick - funding continuing? Cory -
worked into a legislative funding stream so should continue. Need to make sure legislators
understand the value of it. Coen - Great that teachers get to the end of career and can share
with young teacher. Helps with IPERS and increases retirement pay. Monica - Thursday
February 27 - Family math night. Math interventionists organizing this. Free to everyone.
Asking people to register. PIzza 5-6:30 Math games and activities from 6-7. District wide.
McVay - where will it be held? Monica - cafeteria and throughout the buildings. There will be
more info coming.
Negotiations Committee
Coen - advised to appoint Nancy Hoelzen to negotiations committee. McVay motioned, Joel
seconded. Courtney asked about a second person be on it. Courtney amended motion to
nominate another person. Two people passed. Kendell - we haven’t had this before. We’ve let
negotiations to other. The Board just listens and not a part of it. Why this change? Asked if
this a common practice of districts our size? Coen - It was brought up by Courtney and
Vickstrom. School attorney said it was not out of the ordinary. Courtney said it was done in the
past. Kendell - What is the goal? Courtney - more informational than anything. Vick - agreed
with Courtney. He also said that they need someone in negotiations to have a better
perspective. Kendell - said state took over the give and take so not sure why we are doing this.
Coen - said something, not sure what. Board members should be able to speak up at the
meetings. Courtney said something. Vick - Hoelzen knows the contract better than anyone
else. Deb - reason she volunteered to be the second board member because she talked to
Nancy and thought it puts her in an awkward position. Deb has been out of it for a long time
and doesn’t make it awkward for her. So Deb and Nancy will be on it. Greg said there are four
different contract negotiations this year.
Certified Staff Substitutes Shortage and Pay
Coen - Went over sub pay around the area. We are two dollars above the average for the area.
There were about 5000 sub days. An increase of $10 a day for pay will be a lot of money. In
the past two year we have spent $ 602,000 subs and $ 512,000 on subs. Coen - discussion
about supersub. They are under contract and work every day, attend PD. Vick - Is more than
money the reason for lack of subs? Coen - super sub solve it all. McVay - Pay? Coen -
receive more pay. Vick - type of contract? Kendell - benefits? Deb - something to explore.
Kendell - not one at each building. Coen - tried to explain how it works financially and it benefits
the students. Sieren l - more accountability? Coen - talked to Iowa City about it. If no sub
needed, the supersub co-teachs. Kendell - glad the number of subs dropped. How many
absences are created by PD opportunities? Coen - hammered on it at the state level. AEA
should work in summer not so much in the winter. AEA should use more of a teacher
leadership model and less pullout. Money savings to be had. Kendell - PD is very important but
some teachers don’t want to be gone. Coen - good teacher doesn’t want to be gone. More
work to be gone . Courtney - bad subs create more work. Kendell - not enough subs.
Something has to be done. McVay - don’t send kids to the library because we have no subs.
We need to support our teachers. Joel - 180 days/ $20,000. Full time/benefits $150,000. We
could pay $140/day and not need a supersub. Coen - doesn’t think money would cover. Joel -
says that 9 supersubs won’t solve the problem. Still a lot of hours not covered. Coen - two
different problems - quality of instruction. Joel - still doesn’t think that it solves the problem. It
will only take 1⁄3 of the problem. Kendell - talked to other districts? Coen - they are all short
subs.
Deb - Can we come up with two or three long term subs for tri 3. Do an experiment and see
what happens? Laci Johnson came to mic. Deb - would this be a possibility for this? Laci - I
like all of these ideas. That’s only one person and you have multiple people gone. We are
short people. They don’t want to do it. Perhaps this would entice them. Long term sub up to
six months don’t have to pay IPERS/medical.
Deb - directed Coen to come up with a proposal.
Hoelzen - data on why they don’t want to sub?
Laci - We don’t have data. We want people who want to work with kids more than they want
money.
Coen - Talked about the preferences that adults have for different grade levels.
Courtney talked about people who retire and don't’ want to do more.
Coen - teachers are teaching longer.
McVay - take the stress of current staff. What was done before?
Deb - couple of subs hired for a year. Long time ago. Not sure how it worked.
McVay - form a committee to get this accomplished?
Coen will bring options.
Program of Studies Updates
Keane - couple of changes. Page 6 - Naviance used not counselors in pe
Page 13 - Policy on retaking a class. Want it so that anybody can retake a class no matter the
grade. Kendell - is it with the same teacher? Keane didn’t know. Keane - don’t get credit for the
class twice. McVay - how many times can it be retake it? Keane - said he didn’t care. He
wants the learning. Some classes are gatekeepers for other classes. Sieren - So you only want
D/F removed instead of the whole thing? Keane - correct.
Page 17- final cumulative GPA and points. The person with the highest GPA doesn’t become
the valedictorian/salutatorian. Points outrank GPA. Add a point to the concurrent enrollment
classes just like the AP classes. Kendell - would like to look at this and then vote at next time.
Page 29 (end of English) - Two classes that were taught but were not in the course. Kendell -
NCAA not approved? Keane - Has to be submitted for approval .
Page 33 - 5 kids in AP psych class. Want to get rid of AP psych. SCC staff would have to
teach this class. Kendell - open to students from other schools? Keane - maybe. We make
money on it.
Page 47 - Get rid of AP Calc. Add calc I and II through SCC use our own staff.
Kendell - not room to fit AP Calc because of schedule? SCC courses accepted? Keane -
accepted everywhere. Keane is against AP Calc.
Application of Calc and Career Geometry - Keane said these are geared to engineering
students (My note - this is not correct. Engineers have to take real math classes).
Business - Keyboarding 1, 2, 3. Wants to rename it computer apps 1, 2, 3. Consistent with
what most school call those. No change in the class, just a name change.
Moved toward creating capstone classes in all CTE classes. Capstone class in marketing would
do marketing for district and for the community..
Intro to nursing and patient care split into two trimesters.
Page 89 - Piloting circle of friends - students work with SPED students.
FACS - Add exploring teaching profession. Want to make Corse early childhood. Explore
teaching by working this.
Not all courses offered are taught.
Said trimesters are great. BHS offers rigorous classes.
Kendell said the opportunities are amazing. Graduation credits? Tweak it?
Keane - have a board policy committee meeting. He started talking about graduating with
honors and did not talk about graduation credits. He referenced cum laude etc.
Kendell - Let’s get a meeting. McVay - Email Kendell and her. Sieren - any action on this?
Keane - said policy must be voted on.
Kendell - something ??
Keane - don’t pull rug out from kids playing the game.
Coen - Keane cover the number of kids that take college classes and how impactful.
Keane - Currently 12 college classes are taught on BHS campus and will be offering 16 in
future ( most in CTE). Kids doing well in classes. Trimester gets more college classes. He tries
to encourage them not to drop elective so they can take SCC classes. (Are kids dropping
music, art, and other electives to take SCC?).
Community Action of Southeast Iowa Agreement
Reynolds - Moving programs out of JMEC and into Corse beginning in August next year.
Continuation of existing contract in a different building. Sieren - Is the library going to be Head
Start? Kesterke - May lose this in the future. Courtney - Where are they now? Kesterke -
JMEC. Contract is the same cost. Deb - gym still renting out? Kesterke will use it
Passed.
X. Board Communications
McVay- Condolences to Mr. Easton. He loved students and working with the district. Touring
the schools, Aldo, Grimes, and BH. Grimes and BH going well. Band concert at ES. Email
about art students. Three ES 8th graders, Macy, Mallori, and David made it to final round of a
contest. Thanks to the art teacher.
Hoelzen - none
Sieren - Tim Bolander told him a story about a 4th grade student whose mom who completed
Bridges out of Poverty heard about another kid that didn’t have cupcakes for his birthday so this
mom brought cupcakes for other kid.
Deb - ThankedRyan Drew for trying togt construction trades going. Thanked Brian Johnson for
stepping in and helping out.
Kendell - Thanked Kesterke for snow removal, building cleanup,, bus drivers for safety and
diligence, Mr. Coen for being prudent. Spent time in NH, Aldo, ES, BHS - saw really good
things. No concerns or problems. Aldo and ES staff are happy and pleased and things are
going well. These two buildings are fuller but class sizes are down. BHS - students not wearing
badges. Less than 10%.
Courtney - Not in many buildings. BH - surprised that discipline is very good. ES - discipline
being handled. Phones are in classrooms and phones are a problem. It was a board directive
to remove cells phones from classrooms and its not being enforced.
Vickstrom - Went with Kehoe’s TAG kids to mentor BH students. BILA - doing a very good job.
Recess: 7:56
XI Adjournment
Superintendent Evaluation Closed Session
XII Exempt Session Negotiations
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