November 14, 2013 at 6:30 PM - Regular Meeting November 14, 2013

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 14, 2013 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:  TABLED

Rationale:  TABLED

Rationale:  TABLED

Rationale: 

Per current state statute Nebraska school districts are required to have an independent audit conducted annually. Grand Island Public Schools contracts with the independent audit firm of Almquist, Maltzahn, Galloway, & Luth, P.C. to conduct the annual audit. Lead auditor and managing partner with  Almquist, Maltzahn, Galloway, & Luth, P.C., Marcy Luth will give an executive overview of the 2012 - 2013 audit report and answer questions Board members might have. An action item to accept and place the 2012 - 2013 audit report on file will appear on the December 2013 meeting agenda. Additionally, the audit report is posted on the District's web site along with the past three years.

Rationale:  Grand Island Public School from time to time reviews its long standing business relationships with professional outside advisors and consultants.  To that end, regardless of any possible bond referendum, the time came for a review of financial advisors.  Per Nebraska statutes, specifically;

§79-515. Contracts for services, supplies, and collective-bargaining agreements; authorized.

The school board or board of education of any school district may enter into contracts under such terms and conditions as the board deems appropriate, for periods not to exceed four years, for the provision of utility services, refuse disposal, transportation services, maintenance services, financial services, insurance, security services, and instructional materials, supplies, and equipment and for collective-bargaining agreements with employee groups. This section does not permit multiyear contracts with individual school district employees.

Annotations:  A contract continuation clause does not create a contract of indefinite duration in violation of this section. Central City Ed. Assn. v. Merrick Cty. Sch. Dist., 280 Neb. 27, 783 N.W.2d 600 (2010).

Grand Island Public School Board of Education Facilities and Finance Committee (F&F Committee) interviewed four (4) firms as possible financial advisors; RBC Capital Markets, D.A. Davidson, Ameritas, and Edward Jones.  After listening to the presentations and reviewing information presented the F&F committee has narrowed the four (4) to two (2), D.A. Davidson and Ameritas.  Further review will be conducted and a final selection will be recommended for action at the December 2013 Board meeting.

Rationale:  Grand Island Public School from time to time reviews its long standing business relationships with professional outside advisors and consultants. To that end, regardless of any possible bond referendum, the time came for a review of architect and engineering firms.  Currently, the District has master agreements for architectural and engineering services with Cannon, Moss, Brygger, and Associates (CMBA), and Kucirek Engineering (Kucirek), respectively.

Grand Island Public School Board of Education Facilities and Finance Committee (F&F Committee) sent Request For Qualifications (RFQ) to seven (7) architectural firms as follows; Bahr Vermeer Haecker, BCDM, Cannon Moss Brygger & Associates, DLR, HDR, Jackson-Jackson, Sinclair Hille.  Five (5) of the firms responded to the RFQ inquiry; 1.  CMBA, 2.  DLR, 3.  HDR, 4.  Jackson-Jackson, 5.  Sinclair Hille and to seven (7) engineering firms as follows; Alvine Engineering, DLR, ETI, Farris Engineering, Kucirek Engineering, Morrissey Engineering, Olsson Associates, Schemmer Associates.  six (6) of the firms responded to the RFQ inquiry; 1.  DLR, 2.  ETI, 3.  Farris, 4.  Kucirek, 5.  Morrissey , 6.  Schemmer.

Administration and others reviewed the responses received from both the architectural and engineering firms and made a recommendation to the BOE F&F Committee to continue the working relationship with both CMBA and Kucirek.  After reviewing the information presented the F&F committee has asked for more information in the form of a matrix documenting the major decision points and considerations used by administration to make the recommendation.  Further review will be conducted and a final selection is anticipated to be recommended for action at the December 2013 Board meeting.

Rationale: 

The sentiment from both the Visions & Values tour as well as more recent teacher council feedback have underscored the need for help desk software.  Our goals for implementing this software are threefold. First, we need to have accountability when our technicians are asked to assist end users.  Second, we need to have quantitative metrics by which we can evaluate issue handling and resolution, and third, we need to have qualitative metrics to help us work toward our goal of outstanding customer service.

We investigated several and demonstrated two industry leaders of helpdesk software; Solarwinds Web Helpdesk and Absolute Manage Service. In the initial comparison the cost of Solarwinds was less expensive, however the integration to our current inventory and management system would require up to several months of a district resource making the overall cost nearly identical to Absolute Service. With no real financial advantage and considering the functionality for both systems is nearly identical, I propose we purchase the software which fully integrates with our existing inventory and management system Absolute Service. The initial cost will be $40,550.00 with an annual maintenance cost of approximately $8750.00/year.

Rationale:  Grand Island Senior High Science, English Language Arts, Math, and Social Science teachers have developed course sequence guidelines to aid counselors, parents, and teachers in coaching students to develop a Program of Study for their high school career. This plan includes Dual Credit CCC Courses and Advanced Placement options.

Rationale:  The Grand Island Education Association requests that the school board of the Grand Island Public Schools take action to recognize the Grand Island Education Association as exclusive bargaining agent for the district's non-supervisory certificated staff for the 2015-2016 contract year.

Rationale:  On October 30, 2013 GIPS issued an RFP seeking WAN Fiber Transport Services for 19 of our
locations (Kneale Admin, Westridge, Success, ELC, CPI, and 14 Elementaries). The bids were
available for 30 days and of the 4 vendors contacted, 5 total proposals were received, with one being
rejected for not attending a pre-bid meeting and proposing wireless services instead of fiber services.
The remaining 4 eligible bidders were Charter Communications, NebraskaLink, Unite Private
Networks, and Windstream Communications.  Mr. Gearhart reviewed the proposals as an Information Item during the October Board meeting.  The recommendation being brought forward for approval at this November meeting is with Unite Private Network.

Rationale: 

District past 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 has reviewed the attached fiscal year 2014 - 2015 budget calendar for adoption and would like the full Board of Education to review prior to adopting at the regularly scheduled November Board meeting.

Rationale:  The Grand Island Education Association requests that the school board of the Grand Island Public Schools take action to recognize the Grand Island Education Association as exclusive bargaining agent for the district's non-supervisory certificated staff for the 2015-2016 contract year.

Rationale:  A monthly report to the Board and community on the major items discussed and under consideration in the Facility and Finance Committee.  From this committee, there is also a possibility of a presentation and recommendation for action on any item which might have recently arisen requiring a short turn around time frame.

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 Legislative Committee.

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