November 15, 2010 at 6:30 PM - Regular Meeting November 15, 2010

Rationale:  It is 6:30 PM and I now call to order the Grand Island Public Schools Board of Education Meeting.  This is the November 15, 2010 meeting.  Notice of this meeting has been advertised in the Grand Island Independent, which is the District's designated method of giving notice of these meetings.

We want those in attendance to know that copies of the Open Meetings Act are available at the entrance to the Board Room.  If anyone in attendance is interested in addressing our Board, you are welcome to do so.  We simply request that you complete the appropriate form and turn it in to us now so that you may be recognized during the Public Forum part of our meeting.  These forms are also located by the entry doors of this room.

Mrs. Wagner, will you please call the roll?

Rationale:  Roll Call.

Rationale: 

The Mission  

Every Student, Every Day, a Success
Within the Grand Island Public Schools,
- every student will be taught to read, write, and communicate effectively; solve problems; acquire and apply knowledge; and demonstrate mastery through performance to the best of the student's abilities;  
- every student will be treated with fairness and dignity;
- every student will experience a sense of belonging, contribution, and success; and
- every student will develop responsibility and show respect for others as well as oneself.  
In educating students, we teach hearts as well as minds.

Rationale:  The first item on the agenda tonight is the Consent Agenda.  The Consent Agenda to be approved is as follows:

(items read.)

This is the Consent Agenda as published.  Would anyone like to remove any items or add any items to the Consent Agenda? 

Rationale:  Due to both enrollment growth and instructional programming needs, the District continues to experience a severe facilitie(s) "crunch" in several critical areas.  Most notability, at several elementary sites and at GISH.  In planning for the current and anticipated needs, the administrative team met as a self-selected committee to review the situation and come up with administrative recommendations to move the District forward.  The committee's minutes are attached and were reviewed and discussed at length at the last F&F Committee meeting.  A clear consensus was not reached by the F&F Committee.  However, the committee and the administration felt the next step was to present the administrative recommendations to the entire BOE for their consideration.

It is the administrative recommendation to proceed with the bid letting for a four classroom 'pod' (like the one we built at Jefferson) for Howard Elementary School.  Additionally, it is recommended to proceed with a building and site development work for a possible building addition to West Lawn Elementary.

Rationale:  Mrs. Karle and Mrs. Unger will provide an update on professional development activities for 2010-2011.

Rationale:  Mr. Harden reported that due to the current economic condition of the State of Nebraska and the expected revenue reduction to the District during the next fiscal year, several steps have been taken to position the District to withstand the downturn of revenue.  One of those steps is to bring forward a "Voluntary Early Retirement Incentive Plan" or VERIP.  This plan has been updated and modified by District legal council (Cline, Williams) from the last time we utilized this action in 2005.  The plan and the detail of such were reviewed by the F&F committee and will be presented to the entire BOE for approval during the December 9, 2010 regularly scheduled meeting.  Key aspects of the plan include, but are not limited to, the following;

1.  Employee would have to have 29 years of continuous service to the District to qualify.
2.  Employee agrees to resign and give up right to a continuing contract for a maximum per employee price of $37,500 ($2,500 more than in 2005).
3.  A maximum of seventeen (17) employees can participate.
4.  The anticipated maximin cost of the plan is $637,500 already set-a-side in the employees benefit fund.
5.  The maximin anticipated General Fund reduction for the 2011 - 2012 school year is approximately $701,757.56

Rationale:  The Board of Education is asked to provide input on the GISH vision statement as part of the AdvancEd school improvement process. The Board is asked to participate in an activity to describe their expectations for a GISH graduate. GISH faculty participated in this activity on Oct. 29. Other stakeholder groups will participate as well: student Spirit Group, District Teacher Council, District Parent Council, GISH Parent Group, and Leadership for Tomorrow Community Group.

Rationale:  Introduce the 2011-2012 District Calendar for first read with anticipated approval at the Dec. 2010 board meeting.

Rationale: 

Annually, the Grand Island Education Association (GIEA) seeks to be recognized as the sole bargaining unit for the Districts certificated staff members.  The Board of Education by recognizing the Grand Island Education Association as such officially allows the administration to enter into contract negotiations for the following school year and beyond.

Rationale:  The Jeffries' family approached the Grand Island Education Foundation to establish a memorial scoreboard in memory of a family member.  The scoreboard has been in place for years but recently was replaced.  This agreement endows a fund to ensure replacement funds are available for future scoreboards.  The agreement is between the following groups; the Grand Island Education Foundation, Grand Island Public Schools, and the Jeffries' family.

Rationale:  At last month's meeting, Nancy Jones, Director of the Grand Island TeamMates program presented background information concerning the organizational structure of the Nebraska TeamMates and local affiliates with individual school districts and the need for the (MOU).  Additionally, Nancy provided specific outcomes information regarding the Grand Island Public Schools TeamMates program during the last three years of a federally funded grant program.  The Board is being asked to approve the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) based on the information received last month.

Rationale:  Past district practice is to review and adopt a budget calendar for the subsequent fiscal year in order to properly communicate, plan, and administer the various duties associated with the budget cycle.  The Facilities and Finance Committee of the Board of Education has reviewed the attached fiscal year 2011 - 2012 budget calendar for adoption at the regularly scheduled November Board meeting.  However, due to the expected severe funding reductions several recommendations for changes upon review by the Board of Education are likely.

Rationale:  As the District approaches the implementation of a continuous calendar, it is necessary to make some modifications to the current teaching contract format that we issue to new staff, to reflect that some staff may be assigned to a continuous calendar school. In addition,  the current contract makes references to statute that needed to be updated.  Information on this contract change was presented at last month's meeting.  Board members are being asked to approve the contract changes at this month's meeting.

Rationale:  A monthly report to the Board and community on the major items discussed and under consideration in the Facility and Finance Committee.

Rationale:  A monthly report to the Board and community on the major items discussed and under consideration in the Teaching and Learning Committee.

Rationale:  A monthly report to the Board and community on the major items discussed and under consideration in the Personnel Committee.

Rationale:  A monthly report to the Board and community on the major items discussed and under consideration in the Policy Committee.

Rationale:  A monthly report to the Board and community on the major items discussed and under consideration by the Grand Island Education Foundation.

Rationale:  A monthly report to the Board and community on the major items discussed and under consideration in the Public Relations Committee.