Notes from 3-26-18 BCSD Board Meeting

Here's a link to my notes from tonight's board meeting. It was a loooooong meeting. Happy Spring Break!

Notes from 3-12-18 Board Meeting

BCSD Board of Directors Meeting


March 12, 2018


6:30 - 7:18 Closed session for expulsion hearing kendell not here.


I. Call to Order - 7:25


II. Pledge of Allegiance


III. Adoption of Agenda


Motion to accept Bross second Brueck


IV. Public Comments


Lorie Gillis - 18 yrs AFSCME president. She spoke of the importance of a binding contract. Her union has worked with district without ever moving past level 1. Concerns were handled fairly and contractually. She is concerned with the staff contract ending in June. She is concerned the Board won’t allow the contract to continue in its present formed based on what happened to certified staff. She has been told moving to a handbook was because the District wanted to control health benefits and have the ability to move staff around the district. However, most of her members don’t get health benefits. Employees want a binding contract and to be able to mutually agree to fix the problems as needed. If there is a reason to move to handbook that can be changed at any time, any reasons, pleasing explain why it is needed to community and employees. She can’t explain it. She stated that keeping the same employees in one place keeps a state of security that all need. Do board members want students, employees, or family members bounced around the district? Is a handbook really what we need?


Dan Holman,president of AFSCME council 61, who represents three groups custodial, food service, and support staff spoke about how his members are the first faces that the kids see outside of the bus driver. They are the ones that keep the school running everyday, feed the kids, taking care of the kids. They are an integral part of school system. They try to provide the best learning environment for kids. He’s a vet and his son is a disabled vet and he noted the motto on the flag : “These liberties we prize and our rights we will defend.” The right to bargain a contract was ripped away last year. We still want liberties and rights. We have gone through this in a lot of places. Chaos has erupted. Just because you the board have the right to rip up the contract doesn’t mean you have to. He asked what is wrong with the contract? Certain things are now excluded from the bargaining. Many things in the contract have served this district well. Why does the district want to rip them from staff? Why not talk? This is a significant opportunity to prove the level of commitment to employees - hard working men and women who provide for students and for their families. Do the right thing. Take the high road and show them the respect they deserve. Don’t follow the legislature in Des Moines. He took a picture of strategic plan. One of the goals was to develop and reward positive work habits. How are we developing and rewarding employees when we are gutting the contract?


Carrie Duncan - machinist shop steward member local 1010. She asked the board reflect on the things you are ready to say and do. Maintaining the contract would be very admirable. All hold important jobs on the board. The handbook isn’t legally binding. Why tempt the fate of the unknown? A contract abides, a handbook doesn’t. Why disrupt the relationship between management and employees? She read a poem she keeps on her refrigerator about setting an example for all children.





V. Consent Agenda


Brueck moved to accept. Hatteberg seconded. Passed. Roberts opposed?


VI. District Positive Accomplishments - BILA Graduates 17-18 (Mr. Coen)


BiLA staff couldn’t make it. Two years ago BILA moved to BHS. This year 18 people graduated. There may be 10 more later this year. There are 76 students in BILA and .39 additional students that are part time at BILA. Grads plan to SCC, Kirkwood, workforce, . Read off all the plans for the kids who graduated. BILA is working. Brueck asked about walk notation on paper? Coen - didn’t exactly know, said some stuff. Robberts - most will walk across the stage this May. Robberts - thanks for the update. Vickstrom - pleasantly surprised with what is going on. 20% better attendance than prior to BILA.


VII. Student Representative Report


Rowland - walkout well attended to support both causes and very civil. Well articulated. Wednesday is the health fair at BHS. Dream Catchers is doing a dream at the community center on Wednesday. Friday is trivia night at BHS. Funds go to post prom. There is a prize. Get a team and come on out. Courtney - will there will be old people categories? Rowland - something. Robberts How many players? Rowland - 8 players.


Brueck was at a Kiwanis meeting where Matt represented the the Dream Catchers at the meeting and did it well.





VIII. Superintendent Report


Health fair very critical because all is lost without good health. Dying faster than we are having children. Des Moines County has a big task with this challenge. He started working on the handbook training guide. The cabinet gave input and Coen sent it to the board president and vp. Made changes. He sent to legal counsel for review and revision and then sent it to the board. It has a comparative analysis between handbook and master agreement. Said something about BEA. He made a chart. He also attended GPAEA superintendents meeting about special ed numbers. We have 8 of Danville’s children here.


Brightbytes presentation attended. The presenter came from San Francisco. Teachers doing tremendous job on attendance and some community program.


He started discussions about a BCSD once a trimester magazine using the prison print shop. He talked to someone about SAM training and continuing SAM training. He be egan reaching out about replacing Sharon. He received a letter from Senator Tom Greene about a senate bill that concerns 12.5% of school funding from property tax. That money could stay in the district that a student open enrolls out of. He sent a letter to the leadership in the legislature and the schools across Iowa that open enroll out. He received angry mail from Mepo and Danville residents about this. He then rambled about taxation and no representation. 50% of WB comes from other districts. Penny tax hasn’t cleared yet. Davenport bill kind of fizzled. Davenport superintendent license is at risk. We get 175 less than other districts per kid. Something about we got $5 more for kids. Keane, Coen, Reynolds in Des Moines tomorrow for green light on building trades class financing. Coen may not be taking vacation days in the next few days. Students handled themselves well in the walkout. Courtney asked about the comparison of handbook and contract. He asked if there were items that could be moved back into the contract. Coen said yes and then on to say that PERB had made rulings on things that are a part of base wage.





Items for Discussion


3. Steff 7 Solutions Contract


Coen - This is a data collection agency that has a plan to turn open enrollment around. Coen met with him. It’s $4000 to do data collection and try to bring students back. Vickstrom - Track record?


Coen - none we are the first. Robberts - Benchmarks? Coen - talked about flatlining and gain in enrollment. Courtney - they do phone surveys? Coen - no. They look at DE report card and way at looking at reporting and improve report card. Courtney then read from documents given to the board that clearly stated that the organization did phone surveys using phone numbers from district. Coen then said that every time some open enrolls out they leave a phone number. Courtney - might be cell phones? Coen - yes Courtny -Does this firm call everyone that open enrolled? Coen - don’t know. We called many of them. Coen then said that open enrollment was a small part of our enrollment problem. Courtney suggested it was due to fewer jobs. . Coen didn’t think it was a job thing because he see scars streaming into Burlington from Illinois when he takes his wife’s dog out in the morning. Courtney said we have always had cars streaming in from Illinois the difference is the drops in factory jobs. Vickstrom asked what fund this was coming from. Coen - General. Robberts - motion? Courtney motioned and Brueck seconded. Vickstrom asked how long will this run? Coen said it takes a couple of months. Hatteberg not convinced. Courtney nothing ventured, nothing gained. Hatteberg - give us a plan? Coen - correct. Robberts - small cost one time expense, it’s worth it so that we leave no stone unturned. Hatteberg - concerned particularly year in this tough financial year. Hatteberg and Bross voted no and the rest yes.


4. Budget Guarantee Resolution


Reynolds presented for certified budget. The budget guarantee is about $21,000 less than previous presented. Bross motioned to accept and Courtney seconded. All voted yes on this.





IX Board Communications


Hatteberg mentioned March is music in your schools month. Musical events tomorrow night , 20th, 22nd, and April 5th all music events. She was privileged to attend student activities at Aldo. Impressed with what students have come up with.


Vickstrom spoke about how the walkout was not a them against us event. Every one out for the same thing and moved barriers. Interesting to watch. He asked Reynolds if the battles over insurance were getting some place? Reynolds - yes. Looking at some alternatives.


Vickstrom was glad to see BILA graduates.


Courtney thanked everyone for coming tonight and it was nice to see room full. He said he didn’t take offense when people leave early. He asked about a better location for meetings. Coen said something about a tv in and fire marshall and stated that only 3 or 4 been to packed. The he pointed out that the board wasn’t keen on spending $4000 for looking into the open enrollment problem and wouldn’t want to spend the money to make a board room at James Madison. Dump a bunch of money not in our best interest. Courtney pointed out that many boards don’t televise there meetings and if we didn’t, we could go anywhere. Vickstrom asked if their were portable electronics we could use.


Coen asked if he was being directed to look into it. Robberts said it was not an agenda item but it could be placed on an agenda if needed. Courtney - I know, just asking about it. Coen - The board established the meeting place at the beginning of the year and it may not be appropriate to change. Courtney - like to see us talking about it. Coen - heater busted in the band room. What is he talking about? James Madison? Courtney - didn’t not discuss this.


Brueck stated that the walk out handled well and it was a learning experience for students and the incident at Aldo was handled well.


Bross thanked Coen for the work on handbook and contract comparison and found it to be a nice training tool. He listened to the radio about senate bill Greene presented. Most conversation stated that it was about choosing good school over bad school. Bross thought is more like choosing smaller schools over larger schools. Coen said an angur guy called him and said people leave the District because of what goes on in our schools. Coen refrained himself from listing all the bad things that happened in that guy’s district. (He did mention them at the board meeting though). All sizes have issues. Bross asked Coen if it is really good vs bad.? Coen no its not. Coen then rambled about funding stuff and other stuff that may or may not have addressed anything. Taxes, new building, blah. Read this document and all will be clear. (I don’t know what document he was talking about).


Bross said another metric people talk about is graduation rates. This metric not universally apples to apples. He lauded trimester system as increasing the graduation rate. He thinks it not about bad schools, other reasons more than bad school. He mentioned he was pleasantly pleased in the calmness and effectiveness of the walkout and those that stayed in school. Vast majority of teachers that stayed in school. (My Question: Did any teacher walk out? )


Robberts - thankful to you Mr. Coen and staff that it was a peaceful organized event. She was concerned about security in schools and requested a future agenda item include the school resource officer giving the general public an update on what is effective in security. She appreciated how the district handled the Aldo incident Coen - teachers helped during clearing the building. She then asked Reynolds if he kept a record of how many people attend board meeting and he said no. Robberts asked if we could start and Courtney suggested having people sign in. Coen said it isn’t our problem its theirs (teachers/staff?). He said they (teachers/staff) were worried about peer retribution. Courtney said that it’s on TV.


X Adjournment Courtney motioned and Bross seconded. Recess 8:27


5. Expulsion #JC031218 Closed Session


6. Expulsion #AG031218 Closed Session


7. Expulsion #KS031218 Closed Session

XI. Exempt Session - Negotiations