MINUTES REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION ISD #361 INTERNATIONAL FALLS, MINNESOTA August 18, 2008 5:00 p.m. School Board Members present: Robin Baumchen, Roger Jerome, Mark Lassila, Michelle Hebner, Darrell Wagner, Gerald Bolstad, Don Langan and Kevin Grover School Board Members absent: none Media Present: The Daily Journal, KGHS-KSDM Radio Station Moved by D.Wagner, seconded by R. Jerome to approve the agenda with the addition of Program Item 9.1.6 and Personnel Items 9.2.20 and 9.2.21. Motion carried by a unanimous vote. The following dates were noted: August 26 th : First Day to File as School Board Candidate September 2 nd : First Day of Classes September 9 th : Last Day to File as School Board Candidate September 11 th : Last Day to Withdraw School Board Candidacy Various member of the community addressed the Board expressing their opposition to the termination of Dianne Briggs as Indian Education Coordinator. They also voiced their concern about the role and input allowed by the Parent Advisory Committee. Several members of the faculty expressed their support of the Board s staffing decision with assurances to the community that the program would continue in a positive direction. A parent brought forward her request to allow re-enrollment of her two daughters into a grade level that had been closed to open enrollment after having missed the reenrollment deadline. The matter was referred back to administration for discussion. Joe Schwartz asked to have the recreation commission s request for increased funding and placement on the November 2009 ballot for levy referendum included on the September agenda. He also asked that district representation be present at the Recreation Commission meeting the following Wednesday to discuss the revision of the Joint Powers Agreement. Moved by R. Jerome, seconded by D. Wagner to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of July 21, 2008. Motion carried by a unanimous vote. Moved by M. Lassila, seconded by D. Wagner to approve the bills due and payable amounting to $359,496.15 including check numbers 106506 through 106644. Motion carried by a unanimous vote.
Moved by G. Bolstad, seconded by D. Wagner to accept the program consent agenda as presented. Motion carried by a unanimous vote. 9.1.1 Accept donations for the month of July in the amount of $4,000.00: 7/11/08 TruStar; School Calendar $250.00 7/11/08 Bremer; School Calendar $250.00 7/11/08 Super Valu; School Calendar $250.00 7/11/08 Cine 5; School Calendar $ 250.00 7/11/08 Dominos; School Calendar $500.00 7/22/08 Super One; School Calendar $500.00 7/22/08 Boise; School Calendar $1,500.00 7/30/08 Coca Cola; School Calendar $ 500.00 9.1.2 Approve membership with Northland Learning Center in accord with the joint powers agreement. 9.1.3 Approve a contract with Falls Memorial Hospital for provision of special needs services for the period of 8/31/08 through 8/30/09. 9.1.4 Approve the 2008-09 RRCC-ISD 361 PSEO agreement 9.1.5 Approve a contract with KGHS/KSDM for School Matters Program 9.1.6 Authorize submission of the Minnesota Success for the Future Grant budget proposal. Moved by R. Jerome, seconded by D. Wagner to accept the personnel consent agenda items as presented. Motion carried by a unanimous vote. 9.2.1 Appoint Doreen Swendsen as Human Rights Officer for adult female employees for the 2008-09 school year. 9.2.2 Approve a Notice of Assignment for Valerie Forsythe as a 2008-2009 Indian Education Tutor not to exceed 5 hours per day. 9.2.3 Approve a Notice of Assignment for Angela Schwartz as a 2008-2009 Indian Education Tutor not to exceed 5 hours per day. 9.2.4 Approve a Notice of Assignment for Tracy Duhant as a 2008-2009 Indian Education Tutor and Home School Liasion for a total of 8 hours per day. 9.2.5 Hire Tom Vollum as the 2008-2009 Indian Education Coordinator with compensation not to exceed $9,894 for 2008-2009 compensation. 9.2.6 Appoint Tom Vollum as the LEA representative for Title VII Indian Education for the 2008-09 school year. 9.2.7 Accept the resignation of Erin Shikowsky as Assistant Girls Hockey Coach effective immediately. 9.2.8 Approve the hire of Jill Herzig as Head Girls Swim Coach for the 2008-09 season in accord with Schedule C of the Master Agreement between ISD 361 and Local 331. 9.2.9 Approve the hire of Kayla Gilbert as Assistant Girls Swim Coach for the 2008-09 season in accord with Schedule C of the Master Agreement between ISD 361 and Local 331. 9.2.10 Approve the elimination of the 3-hour 510 secretarial position in Union 510 effective July 1, 2008. (formerly assigned to Community Education)
9.2.11 Approve the reduction of a 510 secretarial position from 1906 hours to 1733 hours annually effective July 1, 2008. (Attendance Secretary) 9.2.12 Approve the reduction of a 8-hour 510 secretarial position effective August 18, 2008. (formerly Athletic Department) 9.2.13 Approve the hire of Jenny Gecox as an Education Support Professional not to exceed 6.0 hours per day for the 2008-09 9.2.14 Approve the hire of Tammy Jones as an Education Support Professional not to exceed 7.5 hours per day for the 2008-09 9.2.15 Approve the hire of Rhonda Johnson as an Education Support Professional not to exceed 20 hours per week for the 2008-09 9.2.16 Approve the hire of Wendy Matiski as an Education Support Professional not to exceed 7.75 hours per day for the 2008-09 9.2.17 Approve the hire of June Wilson as an Education Support Professional not to exceed 7.0 hours per day for the 2008-09 9.2.18 Approve the hire of Chris Hemstad as a 1.0 FTE secondary science teacher for the 2008-09 school year in accord with the Master Agreement between ISD 361 and Local 331. 9.2.19 Hire Kirsten Krause as a regular route non-union bus driver for the 2008-09 school year. Moved by G. Bolstad, seconded by M. Lassila to set the graduation date as the Sunday after the last day of student attendance. Motion was amended to set graduation ceremony time at 3:00 p.m. Motion carried by a five to one vote with R. Baumchen in opposition. Member D. Wagner introduced the following resolution and moved its adoption: RESOLUTION RELATING TO THE ELECTION OF SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND CALLING THE SCHOOL DISTRICT GENERAL ELECTION BE IT RESOLVED by the School Board of Independent School District No. 361, State of Minnesota, as follows: 1. It is necessary for the school district to hold its general election for the purpose of electing three members for terms of four (4) years each and one member for a term of two (2) years.
The following individuals have filed affidavits of candidacy for said election during the period established for filing such affidavits: Filing dates are August 26- September 9, 2008. 2. The general election is hereby called and directed to be held on Tuesday, the 4th day of November, 2008 between the hours of 7:00 o clock a.m. and 8:00 o clock p.m. 3. The polling places and precincts served by those polling places for the school district general election will be those as established by the City of International Falls and Koochiching County for a statewide election. 4. The clerk is hereby authorized and directed to cause written notice of said election to be provided to the County Auditor or each county in which the school district is located, in whole or in part, at least fifty-three (53) days before the date of said election. The notice shall include the date of said general election and the office or offices to be voted on at said general election. The clerk is hereby authorized and directed to cause notice of said general election to be posted at the administrative offices of the school district at least ten (10) days before the date of said general election. The clerk is hereby authorized and directed to cause a sample ballot to be posted at the administrative offices of the school district at least four (4) days before the date of said general election and to cause a sample ballot to be posted in each polling place on Election Day. The sample ballot shall not be printed on the same color paper as the official ballot. The sample ballot for a polling place must reflect the offices, candidates, and rotation sequence on the ballots used in that polling place. The clerk is hereby authorized and directed to cause notice of said general election to be published in the official newspaper of the school district for two (2) consecutive weeks with the last publication being at least one (1) week before the date of said election. The notice of election so posted and published shall state the offices to be filled set forth in the form of ballot below, and shall include information concerning each established precinct and polling place. 5. The clerk is authorized and directed to acquire and distribute such election materials as may be necessary for the proper conduct of this election, and generally to cooperate with election authorities conducting other elections on that date. 6. The clerk is further authorized and directed to cause ballots to be prepared for use at said election in substantially the following form, with such changes in form, color and instructions as may be necessary to accommodate an optical scan voting system.
SCHOOL DISTRICT BALLOT INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 361 INTERNATIONAL FALLS GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 4, 2008 Put an (X) in the square opposite the name of each candidate you wish to vote for. SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER VOTE FOR UP TO THREE CANDIDATE A CANDIDATE B CANDIDATE C CANDIDATE D 7. The name of each candidate for office at this election shall be rotated with the names of the other candidates for the same office so that the name of each candidate appears substantially an equal number of times at the top, at the bottom and at each intermediate place in the group of candidates for that office.
8. If the school district will be contracting to print the ballots for this election, the clerk is hereby authorized and directed to prepare instructions to the printer for layout of the ballot. Before a contract in excess of $1,000 is awarded for printing ballots, the printer shall furnish, in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, Section 204D.04, a sufficient bond, letter of credit, or certified check acceptable to the clerk in an amount not less than $1,000 conditioned on printing the ballots in conformity with the Minnesota election law and the instructions delivered. The clerk shall set the amount of the bond, letter of credit, or certified check in an amount equal to the value of the purchase. The motion for the adoption of the foregoing resolution was duly seconded by Member R. Jerome and upon vote being taken thereon, the following voted in favor thereof: M. Lassila, M. Hebner, R. Baumchen, D. Wagner, R. Jerome, G. Bolstad and the following voted against: none whereupon said resolution was declared duly passed and adopted. Tim Everson, Falls High School Principal reported on the following: Fall sports are underway as of last Monday. Student Council has met and will appoint a student representative to the school board for next month s meeting. An alternate will also be chosen. Mentor training will be held next Monday and Tuesdy. August 26 th is the meeting for new teachers with all teachers reporting on Wednesday. Wednesday night is scheduled for the 7 th grade and new student orientation. Following that will be Meet the Teacher Night for all students. At Thursday s inservice meeting Thomas Peacock will speak to the staff regarding native American culture. Student pictures will be taken the first Thursday and Friday of school. Envelopes will be sent home the first day. Jerry Hilfer, Elementary Principal reported on the following: All hires are now in place and the facilities are ready. The first activity of the year will be the hosting of a traveling whitetail program at Bronco Arena on September 15 th sponsored by the MN Deer Hunters Association local chapter. Enrollments in kindergarten are fourteen less than one year ago with the enrollment currently at 71. However third grade is up seventeen from one year ago. MCAII/NWEA Test Results have been received. NWEA results indicate district goals were met. However MCAII scores show the majority of district students fall below state averages. Data will be reviewed with a plan of action developed to improve the scores.
Don Langan, Superintendent of Schools reported on the following: Summer facility projects J. Veeder updated the board that a new timeline for the Falls Elementary window project had been negotiated with the contractor finishing the front side by August 28 th with the back side of the building to be completed next June. The concrete work behind the high school experienced weather delays but the new blacktop will be laid on Thursday of this week. The women s restroom at Sports Stadium has been updated and the new booth project has begun with completion by the first regular game of the season. A Legislative Forum will be held in Nashwauk on August 26 th at 7:00 p.m. Board members are invited to attend. D. Langan distributed a potential timeline for a facilities project stressing the need to recognize what the project would entail. If the November 2009 election would be the target date, plans need to get underway. The timeline could be adopted at the September meeting and would become available for public scrutiny. He stressed this would not prevent the Board from calling off the project if they didn t think the public would support it. Moved by G. Bolstad, seconded by R. Jerome to adjourn the meeting at 6:44 p.m. Motion carried by a unanimous vote. Attest: Gerald Bolstad, Clerk