March 14, 2011 at 5:30 PM - Regular Meeting March 14, 2011

Rationale:  It is 5:30 PM and I now call to order the Grand Island Public Schools Board of Education Meeting.  This is the March 14, 2011 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:  Please note the claims are dated Thursday, March 10, 2011, but will actually be issued the morning following the Monday, March 14, 2011 Board meeting.

Rationale:  Dr. Dexter will give the Oath of Office to newly appointed Board member,Mr. Brian Exstrum.  Mr. Exstrum will be representing Ward C and is being seated to replace Mr. Schutz who resigned due to personal reasons.

Rationale:  Mrs. Traci Skalberg will be giving the annual report for the Grand Island Education Foundation.

Rationale:  The District's current drivers education program instructor resigned recently, which prompted the administration to look for alternatives to the current delivery model (in-house).   Upon inquiry we became aware of a possible contractual agreement for the Nebraska Safety Center at UNK to provide Driver Education to GIPS students that are 15 years old or older.  The Nebraska Safety Center will provide four phases of instruction to students learning to drive on site at GISH during the month of June.  The first phase is the classroom.  The second and third phases include a driving range and simulation facility and are housed at the Ron and Carol Cope Nebraska Safety Center for Safety Education and Research in Kearney (Driving Range).  Students will be bused to the facility. Simulation develops perception, judgment, exposure to a variety of road surfaces, driver impairment and reaction skills. Students will practice vehicle operation and specific maneuvers during the multiple vehicle driving range phase. The fourth phase is on-street instruction in actual traffic situations. The cost for each student attending is $300. There is no cost to the district for the contract or service provided.

Rationale:  The administration of Grand Island Public Schools will present a detail analysis of the Fiscal Year 2011 - 2012 budget issues.  Specifically, the administration will identify conditions that current exist justifying the need for a Reduction In Force (RIF) action.  The number of positions Full Time Equivalent (FTEs) and expenditures to be reduced.  Additionally, The programs, staffing, and other expenditures to be eliminated, de-funded, scaled-back, or otherwise reduced will be identified with the anticipated dollar savings to be achieved.

Rationale:  Last month Dr. Dexter presented information on a United Way Grant application. This grant partially funds GIPS Child Care Solutions. The grant request is for $21,000.00 of a $71,159.00 total budget. Child Care Solutions provides parenting education and referral assistance to community day care providers.  Board Members are being asked to approve the submittal of the grant application.

 

Rationale:  In the summer of 2009 the District put artificial field turf and other improvements in at Memorial Stadium.  This project was financed in part by debt via COP (Certificates of Participation) a type of financing available to public entities.  The term of the debt was seven years, with the COP callable in June of 2014.  Given the anticipated revenue reductions via reduced state aid the District is considering paying the debt off now.  This helps in two ways.  First, the District has the ability to save interest expense if the debt is paid earlier than originally financed.  Second, the District avoids $70,000 plus of general fund expense in the upcoming tight fiscal years.  The down side is the District needs to use cash reserves paid into a trust account until the COP become callable.  The District needs to consider if paying this General Fund debt obligation early make fiscal sense.  The decision rests upon the better of the two options; maintaining cash reserves or saving interest expense and debt payment obligations in the General Fund.

Rationale:  An additional payout option for future VERIP plans is available for use by the District.  Several Nebraska school districts in partnership with National Insurance Services have established a Non-Elective Special Pay 403(b) program.  This program saves both the employee and the employer the normally due (7.65%) FICA tax on payments made within a VERIP with this plan in place.  The employee has no choice in the payout method (i.e. 403(b)) thus the term "Non-Elective" with this plan.  However, the FICA savings and the immediately available cash via the 403(b) contribution from the District gives the employee the full benefit with the flexibility to withdraw the funds from the 403(b) account.  Our legal counsel for our 403(b) plan is familiar with this special pay 403(b) plan and has done an initial review of the plan documents. 

Rationale:  For several years the District has tried to re-purpose space at Howard Elementary to accommodate the educational programming and space needs of pupils and staff.  However, regardless of the efforts made the needs are too great and conditions have become too abhorrent.  During the opening of the current school year it became so apparent that this was a district wide problem the administration conducted an in-house facilities study.  It was the unanimous opinion of the administration involved that Howard was indeed the most in need at the elementary level.  To help resolve space issues at Howard the design and development of a four classroom annex building was implemented and the project let out for proposal.

Rationale:  Since acquiring and occupying the Kneale Administration Building (KAB) in 1998 the District has enjoyed the space and use provided by the building.  However, at the time of acquisition the building was occupied as-is in regards to roofing.  During last school year the entire “West to East” (west conference room to the new dock) roof was replaced as part of the Child Nutrition Center (CNC) project along with also tuck pointing that area of the building.  The “South – East” side of the building roof has appeared on the project list for several years and has now entered the early stages of failure.  In an attempt to control the water damage issue the entire “South - East” side of the building flashing and gutter downspouts were replaced this fall.  However, this winter proved the disturbance of the roofing in those areas actually accelerated the roofs leaking and now is in emergency replacement stage.  In order to complete the project in as timely and cost effective manner we solicited proposals ahead of the normal time frame in hopes of establishing an early project start date and a lower price due to being on the front end of the roofing season.

Rationale:  Last Month Dr. Dexter presented a contract with ESU 10 for discussion to provide audiology services for CNSSP. The actual contract and costs for those services were reviewed.  Fees for 2011-2012 would be $22,050.00.  Board approval is being requested at this month's meeting.

Rationale:  The DRAFT of the 2011-2012 ELC Calendar was presented last month for review.  The board is being asked to adopt this calendar as presented.

Rationale:  Last month, Board members heard a proposal to provide educational services in house to students with social/emotional disorders in CNSSP.  Currently, a portion of these services is being contracted to outside sources.

Mrs. Meidlinger had previously submitted a notice stating she would be abstaining from participating in both discussion and any voting on this topic due to a personal conflict of interest.

Rationale:  Earlier this evening the administration presented the rational of the changed conditions necessitating the need for a Reduction In Force action to be implemented by the District.   

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 Legislative Committee.

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