REGULAR MEETING Sioux City Community School District Educational Service Center Minutes January 13, :00 p.m.

Transcription

1 REGULAR MEETING Sioux City Community School District Educational Service Center Minutes January 13, :00 p.m. I. Call to Order / Pledge of Allegiance 1 II. Roll Call of Members 1 III. Approval of Agenda 1 IV. Good News Report(s) 1 A. Lincoln Elementary School V. Special Recognition 1 A. Nicole Umland Receives National Board Certification VI. Citizen Input 1 VII. Consent Action Item(s) 2 A. Board Meeting Minutes from December 9, 2013 B. Human Resources Report C. Finance Report D. Framework for Effective Instruction Grant VIII. Action Item(s) 2 A. Board Policies for Second and Final Reading B. Board Policies for First Reading C. Teacher Leadership and Compensation Grant Proposal D. Sale of District Property (Former Joy Elementary School) IX. Board Member Reports / Future Meetings 2-3 X. Superintendent s Report 3 XI. Discussion / Information 3-6 A. FAST / TIERS Initiative B. Tax Budget Overview C. FY15 General Fund Budget Revenue Projections and Assumptions D. Elementary Assistant Principal Proposal E. Early Retirement Benefits Review XII. Adjourn 6

2 REGULAR MEETING Sioux City Community School District Educational Service Center Minutes January 13, :00 p.m. I. Call to Order / Pledge of Allegiance President Krysl called the regular meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. II. Roll Call of Members Present: Directors Alarcon-Flory, Gorski, Johnson, Krysl, McTaggart, Speidel, and Warnstadt. Absent: None. III. Approval of Agenda Director Gorski moved and Director Johnson seconded the motion to approve the agenda. The motion carried 7 to 0. IV. Good News Report(s) Lincoln Elementary School Amy Gilbert (Principal) introduced students; Maxwell Aesoph, Aila Friis, Tanner Crouch, Olivia Zoeller, Micah Travis, Emily Mahnke, and Junior Brambila, who shared what it means to them to be a member of the Lincoln Elementary School student council. A brief presentation was shared focused on a number of service projects student council has been involved in. One boy and one girl are chosen in the fall to represent each class in this role. V. Special Recognition Dr. Gausman recognized Nicole Umland (Enrichment Specialist / TAG Department for Northside and Lincoln Elementary School) for her achievement in earning her National Board Certification in Exceptional Needs Specialist / Early Childhood through Young Adulthood. He stated this prestigious award is one of the highest credentials a teacher can earn. He presented her with a small token of appreciation on behalf of the District. VI. Citizen Input None - 1 -

3 VII. Consent Action Item(s) Director McTaggart moved and Director Gorski seconded the motion to approve the consent action items. The motion carried 7 to 0. A. Board Meeting Minutes from December 9, 2013 B. Human Resources Report Dr. Rita Vannatta C. Finance Report Gordon Winterlin D. Framework for Effective Instruction Grant Jean Peters VIII. Action Item(s) A. Board Policies for Second and Final Reading Dr. Paul Gausman Regular Board Meeting Agendas Director Gorski moved and Director Warnstadt seconded the motion to approve the above Board policy for second and final reading. The motion carried 7 to 0. B. Board Policies for First Reading Dr. Paul Gausman Talented and Gifted Education Director Gorski moved and Director Speidel seconded the motion to approve the above Board policy for first reading. The motion carried 7 to 0. C. Teacher Leadership and Compensation Grant Proposal Dr. Kim Buryanek Director Warnstadt moved and Director Gorski seconded the motion to approve the TLC grant application. After a roll call vote, the motion carried 7 to 0. D. Sale of District Property (Former Joy Elementary School) Gordon Winterlin Director McTaggart moved and Director Alarcon-Flory seconded the motion to set a public hearing on the proposed resolution to sell real property owned by the District located at 3409 Indiana Avenue. A public hearing will be held at 6:00 p.m., local time, at the Educational Service Center, 627 Fourth Street, Sioux City, Iowa, on the 27 th day of January, After a roll call vote, the motion carried 7 to 0. IX. Board Member Reports / Future Meetings Director Gorski shared data he learned from various media resources with respect to what is going on in the world. He shared the following information stating we have definite financial challenges ahead: Sales tax revenue down, a drop of 17.4% Wage increases for 2014 only expected to be 1.4%. Iowa s foreclosure rate is 9 th worst in the country. 50% of the people in the U.S. have a net worth of <$83,000. U.S. total net worth per person is approximately $652,000. Iowa ranks 6 th in college loan debt per graduate. UEN report shows that 40% of Iowa s students are on free and reduced lunch programs

4 Future Meetings are as follows: Educational Equity Committee 11:30 a.m., January 14, 2014, in ESC #105. Preschool Initiative Committee 1:30 p.m., January 15, 2014, at Irving Preschool. Board Work Session on Bryant E.S. 4:30 p.m., January 16, 2014, in ESC Board Room. Board Closed Session 6:00 p.m., January 16, 2014, in ESC Board Room. Board Finance & Facilities Committee 12:00 p.m., January 20, 2014, in ESC #312. Communications Committee 4:00 p.m., January 21, 2014, in ESC Board Room. District Advisory Committee 5:15 p.m., January 23, 2014, in ESC Board Room. Student Achievement Committee 12:00 p.m., January 24, 2014, in ESC #326. Legislative Forum 8:30 a.m., January 25, 2014, in ESC Board Room. Sales Tax Finance Oversight Committee 8:00 a.m., January 27, 2014, in ESC #103. Board Closed Session 5:00 p.m., January 27, 2014, in ESC Board Room. School Board Meeting 6:00 p.m., January 27, 2014, in ESC Board Room. Bryant E.S. Community Meeting 6:00 p.m., January 28, 2014, at Bryant Elementary School. School Board Meeting 6:00 p.m., February 10, 2014, in ESC Board Room. X. Superintendent s Report Dr. Gausman: He gained Board consensus to find a date in late February / early March for Sioux City s Day at the Capitol. He was pleased to announce that Dawn Stansbury has been named the principal of Washington and Whittier Elementary Schools next year, as Dr. Angela Banks is retiring from Whittier. He gained Board consensus to convene a naming committee of which Dawn Stansbury will take the lead for the new Washington / Whittier Elementary replacement School. He noted that in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, an assembly will be held at North High School on Monday morning, January 20. He recognized student teachers who were in attendance. XI. Discussion / Information A. FAST / TIERS Initiative Dr. Kim Buryanek (Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment) shared the following data and information regarding the District s involvement in the FAST / TIERS Initiative: The Iowa Department of Education, Area Education Agencies, and local school districts have engaged in an initiative that focuses efforts on ensuring that all students are proficient at reading. The Iowa Department of Education has acquired an online assessment system called FAST and a data warehouse system called TIERS. Currently, there are approximately 10% of the state s elementary buildings involved in Phase I of the Initiative. This initiative aligns with the District s Strategic Plan student achievement priority area, and the Gold Sheet (roadmap for Student Achievement). Reading assessments will identify students who are not proficient in reading. Instruction will be targeted to meet the student needs to increase reading achievement. Data analysis allows teachers to make instructional decisions that impact student achievement

5 B. School Finance Overview Dr. Paul Gausman shared his bucket presentation to better explain the District s financial process. Financial buckets included the General Fund, Management Fund, Nutrition Fund, Physical, Plant & Equipment Fund (PPEL), Sales Tax Infrastructure Fund, and the Student Activity Fund. Key Indicators: Solvency ratio and cash balance Property value per student Student enrollment trends Spending authority trends How do we manage spending authority? Consider a full voter approved PPEL. Ensure that all legally possible expenses are charged to the Management Fund, PPEL Fund, etc., rather than the General Fund. Reduce General Fund expenditures. The statewide penny allows more major repairs to be transferred from PPEL Fund to Sales Tax Fund which frees up the PPEL Fund. Start sooner on a remedial program. C. FY15 General Fund Budget Revenue Projections and Assumptions Gordon Winterlin (Director of Finance) presented a number of General Fund revenue projections and assumptions. The following FY15 budget facts and assumptions were shared: Allowable growth fully funded at 4%. Increased enrollment of 202 students. Special Education weighted enrollment increase of 89 students. ELL weighted enrollment increase of 60 students; other weightings increased by 28 students. Preschool funding increase of 20 students. General Fund property tax valuations decreased by 1.37%. Federal and state FY15 grants assumed equal to FY14. Federal sequestration placed on hold for 2 years. D. Elementary Assistant Principal Proposal Brian Burnight (Director of Elementary Education) shared the District s proposal and benefits of discontinuing the School Administration Manager (SAM) program, and accept applications for elementary assistant principals effective for the school year. Larger elementary schools will gain support for teacher evaluations and student achievement. This is a more comprehensive experience to cultivate potential elementary leadership. Current SAM focus on increasing instructional time for principals will be supported by Breakthrough Coaching, already scheduled for this summer. - 4-

6 E. Early Retirement Benefits Review Dr. Gausman shared data and information regarding the District s past Early Retirement policy: Board passed a one-year Early Retirement Benefits policy (431.13). Original plan (offset payments for continued insurance premiums) was dependent on employee job classification, 58 years of age or older, and a minimum of 15 years of employment in the District. Board policy was reviewed annually Board policy stated all full-time employees 55 years of age or older and employed in the District for a minimum of 15 years were eligible. Language was revised so that policy was not renewed annually and allowed the Board to discontinue the program at any time. December, 2009 Board voted to terminate Board Policy effective June 30, January, 2010 Board approved Board Policy effective July 1, The new policy closed the early retirement benefits program for all future retirees June 30, Dr. Gausman shared data and information regarding the possibility of reinstating an Early Retirement policy should the Board choose to do so: Early retirement vs. retirement, employee quantities. Five year cost analysis of early retirement through the previous plan. Comparative early retirement benefits throughout the UEN. Funding. What data would show if the District brought back the previous benefits this spring. Dr. Gausman shared his philosophy to offer an early retirement benefit as needed rather than as an annual expected program. He asked the Board to consider a flat stipend, possibly with unused sick leave, an annual review of the policy, a small number of potential participants through the required number of years of age and service in the District, and required early notification of planned retirement (mid-late January). Dr. Gausman shared data and information related to early retirement plans for Sergeant Bluff, Woodbury Central, Lawton Bronson, South Sioux City, and Hinton school districts. After Board discussion, the Board asked Dr. Gausman to prepare data and information with the following parameters: Flat stipend based on unused sick leave 61 and 62 years of age 15, 20, and 25 years of service Schedule a Board work session to review data prepared Board members had mixed thoughts on whether to implement a plan this school year, or to wait until next year. Director Johnson noted that it is the function of the Board to spend taxpayer dollars wisely in making student achievement and producing the well-educated student. Bruce Lear, th Street, agreed with the Board s discussion to consider an early retirement plan, and stated this is something that should be thought through together

7 XII. Adjourn James Van Bruggen, Taxpayers Research Council, asked for clarification to Director Johnson s comments related to those educators who know it is time for them to retire, but they cannot afford to. Bruce Lear, th Street, stated: This will have little or no impact on the budget. The unknown has occurred in the past, and a budget was still approved. This will not cause the District to raise taxes. We will hire more new teachers than we do experienced teachers. Other districts do this, we can too. Savings will come each time someone retires. It is a management tool to manage our faculty. It is important to get a mix of different faces in front of students. Director Alarcon-Flory moved and Director Speidel seconded the motion to adjourn the regular meeting. The motion carried 7 to 0, and the regular meeting adjourned at 8:37 p.m. Michael J. Krysl, President SCCSD Board of Directors Cynthia A. Lloyd, Secretary SCCSD Board of Directors - 6 -