Minutes of Regular School Board Meeting

Transcription

1 Minutes of Regular School Board Meeting The Board of Trustees Ashland School District A Regular School Board Meeting of the Board of Trustees of Ashland School District was held Monday, June 12, 2017, beginning at 7:00 PM in the Ashland Council Chambers, 1175 East Main Street, Ashland OR Call to Order / Pledge of Allegiance / Roll Check / Vision and Mission Statement Chair Westrick called the meeting to order at 7:05 pm and led all present in the Pledge of Allegiance. A roll check confirmed that all board members were present. Director Williams read the District s Vision and Mission Statement. 2. Welcome Visitors and Acknowledgments Chair Westrick welcomed those present. 3. Budget Hearing Given the large audience that was present for other matters, Chair Westrick proposed moving the Budget Hearing to later in the agenda, following Unfinished Business. A hearing will be held by the governing body on the Budget Document as approved by the Budget Committee in accordance with ORS Presenter: Board Chair, Jim Westrick Time: 15 Minutes 4. Student Highlights Several student members of the AHS Robotics Team highlighted the achievements of their team in recent competitions and demonstrated the robot that they designed and built. The team raised $50,000 to support their effort and presented the list of their sponsors. They participated in a series of competitions that were world-wide and placed among the top 30 teams in the world. The Board congratulated the students and commended the creativity of their robot and all of its multiple functions. 5. Adoption of Agenda (At this time Board members are provided the opportunity to amend the Regular Session agenda.) QUESTION: Should the Board adopt the June 12, 2017 Regular Session agenda as presented? Director Covert Zeve made and Director Williams seconded a motion to approve the June 12, 2017 agenda as amended, moving the Budget Hearing to later in the evening. The motion carried by unanimous vote of the members present. 6. Consent Agenda (All items may be adopted by a single motion unless pulled for 1 Page Minutes, Regular Session June 12, 2017

2 special consideration.) It is recommended that the Board approve the consent agenda as presented. QUESTION: Should the Board approve the consent agenda as presented? It was noted that Director Strong had requested one correction to the Minutes of the May 17 Budget Committee meeting. In Section VI, Overview of Budget Options, a sentence that contained 8.1% should say $8.1 billion. Director Strong moved and Director Skuratowicz seconded the approval of the Consent Agenda as amended. The motion carried by unanimous vote of the members present. A. OSBA Policy Update The policies contained in the following sections of OSBA recommended board policies have been reviewed and updated. In each section, some policies are recommended to be removed as no longer relevant or redundant. The remaining updated policies are recommended for approval. These new policies will take effect July 1, Please see attached. Section I - Instruction Section J - Students Section K/L - District and Community Relations B. Approval of Minutes Special / Budget Committee Session of April 20, 2017, Special/Work Sessions of April 21 and April 24, 2017, Briscoe Community Forum of May 4, 2017, Regular Session of May 8, 2017, and Special / Budget Committee Session of May 17, Please see attached. C. Personnel Personnel Report for June 1, ) Employment Requests and Recommendations There are 36 employment requests and recommendations. Please see attached: D. Enrollment Report June 2017 Enrollment Report. Please see attached. 7. Hear Public Requests (The Ashland School District Board of Directors reserves this time for individuals to speak to the Board regarding topics not on the printed agenda.) At this time, a number of audience members submitted requests to speak. Melissa Mitchell-Hooge, a resident of Ashland, updated the Board on recent efforts to pursue permanent designation of recreational spaces at the former Lincoln and Briscoe schools as park land for the City. She stated that meetings had occurred with the City s Parks and Recreation Commission and staff, the Ashland City Council, and other city officials. The also recognized the contributions of Director Williams and Superintendent Cusick in these efforts. Mr. Heath Belden, a resident of Ashland, spoke on the need to devote greater efforts 2 Page Minutes, Regular Session June 12, 2017

3 to issues of equity, diversity and inclusion within the District. He recommended to the Board s attention the curriculum called Teaching Tolerance produced by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Ms. Mica Cole Kamenski, a resident of Ashland, read a statement decrying incidents of hate speech and actions within the District and urged more positive action from the Administration. She recommended the appointment of Ms. Kamilah Long to fill an impending vacancy on the Board of Education. 8. Reports A. Oregon School Employee Association Bargaining Update Superintendent Cusick and HR Director Patty Michiels presented an overview of the past year s bargaining with members of OSEA. They outlined the process for bargaining, the status of negotiations with OSEA last year that have extended into the current year, and a history of the disagreement about whether or not the transportation work rules are incorporated within the CBA. They highlighted the steps that have included mediation, the filing of an unfair labor practice complaint by OSEA, and the current impasse that has resulted in the final contract not being approved. The attached PowerPoint presentation includes more details about the administration s understanding of the process. OSEA and the District s administration are moving to traditional bargaining this year. The District remains committed to resolving the work rules issue and concluding the negotiations. There were a number of individuals present who requested time to make comments on behalf of OSEA. Wilson Van Winkle, a resident of Talent and a bus driver, stated that he is proud of driving for the Ashland School District. He is concerned about conflict between the District and OSEA, but is also concerned with equity racial equity and pay equity. He believes the increase in compensation for classified staff has been approved and he does not believe it should be connected to resolution of the dispute about work rules. Lisa March, a resident of Talent and the head custodian at Walker Elementary, is also a school parent. She has pride in the school, the District and is grateful for her position. She wants to be respected and advocates that employees receive the COLA that was tentatively agreed-upon in bargaining last year. She stated that classified staff are the lowest-paid employees and struggle financially, and that they deserve a living wage. Lillian Toothman, a resident of Talent and a 26-year employee, is kitchen manager at Bellview, and also a courier and painter. She is an alum of AHS and 3 Page Minutes, Regular Session June 12, 2017

4 her children attend District schools. She asks to be paid the raise that was tentatively agreed-upon during bargaining last year. Jesse Sharp, a resident of Ashland and a member of the Community Alliance of Tenants, is deeply engaged with the AHS theatre. He was home schooled prior to attending AHS. He stated that housing costs are extremely high in our region and the employees deserve to receive raises. Amanda Dugan, a resident of Talent and a District alum, is the daughter of a Walker employee, and her own daughter also attends there. She manages a CPA firm. She wants the District employees to be caring and proud of their employment. Tammy Burnett, a resident of Talent and president of the District s OSEA chapter, disputed the administration s comment about a 6% annual increase. She stated that longer-term employees no longer receive step increases in salary after working for 8 years. She also stated that transportation work rules (TWR) are different than other handbooks because they directly relate to compensation of drivers. She stated that TWR address seniority-related route assignments, compensation for wait times and related issues. She asserted that for 18 years the transportation work rules have been part of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Ahrien Johnson, a resident of Ashland and the state OSEA field representative, objected to the 2-minute comment period allotted for public comments. He stated that you can only open bargaining on matters that are contained within the Collective Bargaining Agreement. OSEA asserts that they have documentation substantiating the inclusion of transportation work rules in the OSEA Collective Bargaining Agreement.. He asserted that OSEA has requested arbitration and the District refused. OSEA maintains that Article 23 of the CBA permits the immediate payment of compensation increases while allowing for continued bargaining on unresolved issues. Glenda Walsh, a resident of Ashland and an employee of Ashland High School, yielded her time to Callie Mercer. Callie Mercer, a resident of Ashland, an employee of Ashland High School, and former OSEA chapter president for Ashland, spoke on behalf of classified employees who do not support the position taken by OSEA leadership. Ms. Mercer stated that the ad run by OSEA in the Tidings was inaccurate and was not approved by OSEA membership. She stated that there are elements of employee compensation that include health insurance with zero deductible and paying the pick-up on PERS retirement that should be considered when evaluating employee compensation. She stated that classified employees are divided. Some have reached out to the state officials of OSEA but did not receive help. She asserted that because the negotiation is not yet finished, there is no new contract in force, and she believes the district is acting appropriately. 4 Page Minutes, Regular Session June 12, 2017

5 Mr. Jim Yarborough, a resident of Ashland, stated that he needs his COLA and believes that employees should receive it. Ms. Morgan Lindsey, a resident of Ashland, spoke on behalf of community members who are concerned with fairness. She urged the Board to pay the tentatively agreed-upon COLA to the classified employees now. Chair Westrick stated that the Board of Education does not vote on tentative agreements (TA) like the one affirming the proposed COLA, but rather votes on a complete contract once bargaining is completed. Director Williams stated that the District s administration has kept the Board very well informed and so has OSEA. The Board has received considerable input from both parties. Two of the five Board members participate in the OSEA bargaining process. They have devoted hours to date and keep the board informed of progress and issues. Chair Westrick thanked those who voiced their opinions in public comment. B. Oregon School Employee Association Report Oregon School Employee Association member James Johnson gave a brief update on OSEA chapter activities. The Board now has an executive secretary. He mentioned that Addison Mallory was the recipient of the OSEA scholarship. OSEA ratified paying the 2.5% COLA for employees retiring in June. He stated that OSEA appreciated the contributions of Director Williams as he departs from the Board. C. Ashland Education Association Report Ashland Education Association member Ryan Jackson gave a brief update on AEA activities. They are preparing for the coming year and are in discussions about the District s 403(b) plan. They discussed the MOU on the board agenda tonight. D. Metrics Calendar for June (per Board request) There was no report this month. E. Director Strong reported on the recent meeting of the Facilities Committee. They are exploring concerns about a retaining wall along one edge of the turf field and gathering more data about the Briscoe property. They just received an engineering assessment from ZCS, updating the last detailed assessment conducted in Finance Director Ely will present an analysis of this to the Committee at its upcoming meeting on June 14. Director Strong noted that a second community forum to discuss options for the Briscoe property will be held on June 28. F. Business and Finance Report Finance and Operations Director Jordan Ely reported on the cash flow through May 31, The spending trajectory has continued and currently he estimates 5 Page Minutes, Regular Session June 12, 2017

6 an ending fund balance of $2.95 million, about $50,000 short of the earlier projections. The budget was accurate this year and the District continues in a stable financial position. Director Ely expressed appreciation for the community s support through the YAAL. Director Williams asked whether any adjustments have been made to the FY2018 budget based on the $8.2 billion projected for the state budget funding of K-12 education. Director Ely replied that the final outcome of this proposal is still uncertain. The budget is a projected spending plan based on our understanding of likely state revenue. Changes in student population and other factors can impact the District s allocation. The Budget Committee approved the recommended budget on condition that if the appropriation is higher, any additional revenue would go towards the contingency reserve. An $8.2 billion final funding would impact only the contingency line of the proposed District budget. Chair Westrick commented that the Board s overall goal is to achieve a contingency reserve of 8% of total budget. He clarified that maintaining current service levels for next year would require spending down some of the reserve fund. He clarified that the reserve fund is budgeted to start at only 3.5% of expenditures, and end at just 3%. This is a conscious decision by the budget committee, board and administration to use some of the reserve fund next year in order to maintain current service levels for students. Director Strong asked whether health insurance claims were stabilizing. Mr. Ely reported that they had no high-cost claims during the past month, though more activity with low-cost claims. The District has sufficient cash to pay claims, but requires budget authority in order to expend the funds. G. Superintendent Report Superintendent Cusick reported on a trip request from the Speech and Debate team to travel to Birmingham, Alabama for a national competition. She commended the Speech and Debate students for winning the highest team achievement award. Superintendent Cusick commented on the AHS graduation ceremony, held on a beautiful evening that saw 235 students graduate. There were great speeches from the valedictory students and the keynote speaker. The Superintendent expressed her deep appreciation to the Board for all of their efforts on behalf of our students, and for giving her the opportunity to serve as Interim Superintendent for the past year. 9. Unfinished Business There was no unfinished business. At this time, the Regular Session Board Meeting was adjourned. Chair Westrick convened the Ashland School District Budget Hearing. Director 6 Page Minutes, Regular Session June 12, 2017

7 Skuratowicz summarized the budgeting process. A Budget Committee comprised of the five school board members and five community members was formed, along with representatives from the certified and classified unions. The administration presents a budget update and the committee meets 2-3 times to deliberate. They review items and questions with the Director of Finance and Operations, the District Accountant and the Superintendent. No members of the public attended Committee meetings this year. The Budget Committee then makes a recommendation to the Board of Education to take action on the proposed budget. Director Strong added that uncertainty about final state revenue numbers is common because the legislature often goes into July before making final decisions. The School Board is required to project spending based on contracts they need to execute. Board members expressed deep appreciation to Director Ely and Accountant Jodi Vihavainen. There was no public input. Chair Westrick closed the Budget Hearing. 10. New Business Chair Westrick re-convened the Regular Session meeting of the Board of Education. A. AEA Memorandum of Agreement. Finance Director Ely commented that this resolves a quirk in the retirement benefit calculation that can disadvantage longterm employees. Chair Westrick clarified that this more often impacts women who take time off to have children, care for family, etc. The language was modified to include fifteen years of full-time employment. There was no discussion. Director Covert-Zeve moved and Director Skuratowicz seconded the approval of the AEA Memorandum of Agreement as presented. The motion carried by unanimous vote of the members. B. OSEA Memorandum of Agreement. This MOU provides that employees retiring in June 2017 will receive a 2.5% COLA in the current year so that they receive their full retirement benefit credit for it. The first MOU that the Board previously approved covered employees through December 31, This additional one covers the period January 1- June 30, Chair Westrick clarified with HR Director Michiels that the district is under no obligation to provide this raise; however, Ms. Michiels stated that the district values its employees and does not want to hurt retirees while a contract is being negotiated. She urged the board to approve the raise. Director Skuratowicz moved and Director Williams seconded the approval of the OSEA MOU as amended: the title was changed from TA/MOU to MOU. The motion carried by unanimous vote of the members. C. Request to increase the lunch prices at elementary and middle schools by $0.05. Please see attached. Nutrition Services Director Gema McSoto presented the request to increase lunch prices at elementary and middle schools. She explained that the District is 7 Page Minutes, Regular Session June 12, 2017

8 required to annually re-calculate meal prices in order to avoid inadvertently subsidizing students who are not eligible for free and reduced lunches. We develop a weighted price average to compensate. For the coming period, we need to increase elementary prices by 10 cents, Middle School prices by 5 cents and no increase is needed for the high school. This affects only lunch, not breakfast. Director Strong moved and Director Covert-Zeve seconded the approval of the lunch price increase as proposed. The motion carried by unanimous vote of the members. The Board thanked Director McSoto for waiting through a long meeting. D. Resolution to Adopt the Ashland School District Budget Finance Director Jordan Ely presented the Resolution to adopt the budget. QUESTION: Should the Board approve Resolution B to adopt the budget as presented? Chair Westrick read the resolution to approve the District budget. Director Williams moved the adoption of the District s budget as presented in Resolution # B. Director Skuratowicz seconded the motion. The motion carried by unanimous vote of the members, 5-0. E. Request for Year-end Appropriation Change. Question: Should the Board approve the proposed Resolution # B Year-end Appropriation Change as presented? Finance Director Ely requested an appropriation change to move $10,000 from Support Services to Fund 5300 because it was pass-through donations for the Sparrow Club and the Rowing Club. He further requested moving $737,566 from Contingency to Support Services in order to cover high-cost claims for the health insurance pool. Director Covert-Zeve moved and Director Skuratowicz seconded the approval of Resolution # B as presented. The motion carried by unanimous vote of the members. F. Appoint a Clerk of the District for the school year It is recommended that Superintendent Kelly Raymond be appointed Clerk for the Ashland School District. QUESTION: Should the Board approve Kelly Raymond as the Clerk for the school year effective July 1, Director Williams moved and Director Strong seconded the appointment of Kelly Raymond as Clerk for the school year effective July 1, The motion carried by unanimous vote of the members. G. Establish Bond Committee Chair Westrick reported that the Facility Committee has been working on assessments of the District s assets and needs because the current bond expires in about 2 years. The Board is exploring a new bond resolution to continue repairing 8 Page Minutes, Regular Session June 12, 2017

9 and upgrading facilities. In order to proceed, the Board is seeking to establish a Bond Committee. Chair Westrick stated that the charge of the Bond Committee is to prepare the 1 st phase of a bond proposal that will include a facilities study; engaging the community and other experts; developing a timeline and budget for the committee. The committee will be dissolved upon presentation of the proposal to the board in the spring of Chair Westrick moved and Vice Chair Skuratowicz seconded the establishment of a Bond Advisory Committee for the Ashland School District. Director Strong underscored the importance of a Bond Committee because this is how we fund capital projects. Oregon does not provide general funds for capital improvements, but instead relies almost entirely on bonds. Director Strong encouraged interest from pubic representatives, as this is the District s chance to improve our facilities. He invited interested citizens to go to the Ashland School District web site, fill out a short form and submit it to indicate your interest. The motion to establish a Bond Committee was unanimously approved by the members. H. Letter of Resignation from a member of the School Board Chair Westrick announced that Director John Williams has submitted his resignation after six years of committed work on behalf of ASD students. Director Williams thanked Joe Zavala for his nice article in the Tidings and he emphasized that the District has a great group of people board and administration. It also has a great new superintendent coming in and he is confident that he leaves the District in good hands. Director Strong also expressed his appreciation for their years together. Williams input and perspective were always informative. Director Williams looked at a broader canvas and helped the District see its issues in that light. Director Skuratowicz stated that she had served with Director Williams longer than any other member. She appreciated his passion to serve the community and bring in the parent voice. Director Williams also informs his colleagues of what happens at the city and state level. She conveyed her thanks for his service. Director Covert Zeve stated that Director Williams will be greatly missed. He brought community input, and she enjoyed their discussions and spending time with him. She appreciated his humor and warmth. Chair Westrick described Director Williams as an uber-volunteer. On behalf of the Board and District, he presented Director Williams with a mug that displays 9 Page Minutes, Regular Session June 12, 2017

10 all of the school logos within Ashland School District. Chair Westrick then stated that on behalf of the Board, he accepted the resignation and officially declared a vacancy on the Board of Education. The District s web site has information about board service, the recruitment timeline, and a short form to submit interest indicating interest in serving. The current Board will appoint a replacement for the remainder of Director Williams term and that person will serve until 2019, when the seat will be opened to a general election. Chair Westrick outlined the following tentative calendar for interested candidates: June 26 at 7:00 pm the Board will host an informal Q&A session for interested parties at the District office. July 10 at 6:00 pm the Board will host a second informal Q&A prior to the Regular Session Board meeting at City Council Chambers, 1175 E. Main July 17 at 7:00 pm the Board will interview interested candidates who have applied July 19 the Board will vote to fill the vacancy The Board hopes that the newly elected member will be able to attend their annual retreat Aug 1-2. They take this opportunity to reflect on the past year and plan for the coming year. 11. Board Report Board members used this time to appreciate Superintendent Suzanne Cusick on behalf of the Ashland School District. Chair Westrick recognized Dr. Cusick s last meeting. The District has been very lucky to have had her service for the past year. She has a long list of accomplishments. She took on many things that might have waited for the next permanent superintendent. Dr. Cusick stepped up and took on challenges repeatedly, handling issues that could have been deferred. He expressed his deep appreciation for her tireless work on behalf of the students of Ashland. Director Strong expressed his thanks. Dr. Cusick taught us so much. Director Williams commented that incoming superintendent Kelly Raymond has appreciated the help and encouragement she is receiving from Dr. Cusick. 10 Page Minutes, Regular Session June 12, 2017

11 Director Skuratowicz stated that Dr. Cusick brought a deep knowledge of Ashland which enriched her work. She always had a can do attitude. Director Covert Zeve called Dr. Cusick an incredible gift to the District and thanked her. Dr. Cusick was also presented with a commemorative coffee mug with all of the school logos on it. Board Reports: Director Covert-Zeve attended the Middle School and High School graduation ceremonies. Director Skuratowicz attended the High School graduation. Director Williams attended the High School graduation. Director Strong attended the High School graduation and the theatre appreciation night at which Betsy Bishop thanks supporters of the drama program. 12. Announcements and Appointments Chair Westrick read the following announcements: A. The next meeting of the Facilities Committee will be held on June 14, 2017 at 7:00 pm at the District Office Board Room, 885 Siskiyou Blvd. B. Informal Q&A Session with Board of Education members for candidates interested in the current vacancy on the School Board will be held on June 26, 2017 at 7:00 pm at the Ashland School District Office, 885 Siskiyou Blvd. C. The second Briscoe Community Forum will be held on Wednesday, June 28, 2017 from 7:00-8:30 p.m. in the Ashland High School Library. D. Informal Q&A Session with Board of Education members for candidates interested in the current vacancy on the School Board will be held on July 10, 2017 at 6:00 pm in the Ashland City Council Chambers, 1175 E. Main. E. The next Regular Session Board Meeting will be held on Monday, July 10, 2017, at 7:00 p.m. in the Ashland City Council Chambers, 1175 East Main. 13. Adjourn There being no further business, Chair Westrick adjourned the meeting at 8:30 p.m.. 11 Page Minutes, Regular Session June 12, 2017

12 Submitted by: Jackie Schad, Dated for Board Approval: July 10, 2017 Executive Assistant Board Chair, Deneice Covert Zeve 12 Page Minutes, Regular Session June 12, 2017