November 11, 2024 at 8:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting
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1. Call to Order and Roll Call - Open Meeting Law
Agenda Item Type:
Procedural Item
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2. Excuse Absent Board Members
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Recommended Motion(s):
Motion to excuse absent board members Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
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3. The Pledge of Allegiance
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
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4. Recitation of School Mission Statement: Preparing Students Today to Succeed Tomorrow: Family-Community-School
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
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5. Recitation of Board Mission Statement: Providing collaborative leadership to prepare students today to succeed tomorrow.
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
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6. Approval of Agenda
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Recommended Motion(s):
Motion to approve the agenda Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
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7. Financial Report
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
Rationale:
1. Review monthly bills using the EMeetings Software.
Recommended Motion(s):
Motion to approve the financial report Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
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8. Consent Agenda
Agenda Item Type:
Consent Agenda
Recommended Motion(s):
Motion to approve the consent agenda Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
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8.1. Discuss, consider, and take all necessary action to minutes
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
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8.2. Discuss, consider, and take all necessary action to bills
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
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8.3. Notice of Meeting Publication: The public notice for the Regular November 11th Board Meeting was published in the November 6th edition of the Ravenna News
Agenda Item Type:
Consent Item
Recommended Motion(s):
Motion to record in the meeting minutes that the public notice for the Regular November 11th Ravenna Board of Education Meeting was published in the November 6th edition of the Ravenna News Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
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9. Blue Jay Celebration of Success - Ravenna Art Club - Mrs. Libby Clark
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
Rationale:
Mrs. Clark will be in to talk about the Art Club and the art program.
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10. Artist of the Month - Matti Lyons
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
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11. Information and Action Items
Agenda Item Type:
Procedural Item
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11.1. Discuss, consider, and take all action necessary to the 2024 School District Financial Audit
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Rationale:
By statute, Ravenna Public Schools is required to have an annual financial audit. Dana F. Cole has concluded the audit and the superintendent will present it for review and approval by the board.
Recommended Motion(s):
Motion to approve the 2024 school district's financial audit Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
2024 Financial Audit Notes
Page 21-Total audited payroll expenditures increased by $77,663 or 1.9%. That is a very modest increase for a total payroll expense increase. Page 22-$250,000 was transferred to the Depreciation Fund and $100,000 was transferred to the Employee Benefit Fund compared to the previous year where $100,000 was transferred to the Depreciations fund and $0 were transferred to the Employee Benefit Fund. Page 27-$532,031 in outstanding property taxes from the $5,000,000 property tax request. These will eventually be collected but they are delinquent at the time of the audit. This is a little higher than normal. Page 27-State aid was $608,162 compared to $38,332 for the previous year or a $569,830 increase. Foundation Aid was the primary reason for this large increase. Page 27-$959,609 compared to $497,539 from the previous year or a $462,539 increase. The increase from 40% reimbursement to 82% reimbursement for special education services provided by the district was the primary reason for this increase. Page 27-Total increase of $1,031,900 in revenue from the state due to these two changes. Page 28-ESSERs III in the amount of $303,837. This amount inflates your expenditures and your receipts, as it is a reimbursement based program. So, when you look at your increase in expenditures, keep that in mind. Page 29-Total receipts were $7,806,440 compared to $6,981,417 or a $825,023 increase and we had not collected the additional $523,031 in delinquent property taxes at the time of the audit. Page 29-Total disbursements increased from $7,393,625 to $7,821,476 or $427,851, but you have to remember that ESSERs III was $303,837 of this increase. So, the actual increase, when you back ESSERs III out of the total expenditures, would only show an increase of $124,014 or 1.67%. Page 29-Fund balance of General Fund was $15,036 from the previous year, but you have to remember, we have $523,031 in delinquent taxes, which will eventually come in. Page 30-Cash on hand was $102,036 higher than the previous audit, at $2,267,896. Please remember that you transferred (spent) $350,000 and maintained a higher cash on hand balance, as $250,000 was transferred from the GF to the Depreciation Fund and $100,000 was transferred to the Employee Benefit Fund during the 2023-24 budget cycle. Page 31-The balance in the Depreciation fund increased by $192,353, while completing $72,774 worth of expenditures. This was helped by the $250,000 transfer from the General Fund. Page 32-The Employee Benefit Fund received a $100,000 transfer from the General Fund. Interest in this fund more than tripled over the previous year, due to rising interest and smart investing by the board. The net position of the fund increased by $102,841. This fund is a great place to set aside money for employee benefits, such as insurance and offers the board the capacity to soften the blow of increasing insurance costs and to ensure they can provide adequate raises for staff from year to year. It also is outside of the budget authority expenditure limit. Page 33-The lunch fund lost money due to the fact that meals are no longer free to students. Also, there was a sharp $48,942 increase in labor and benefits costs, due to the fact that the lunch staff was larger than normal, as the district was training the new kitchen manager. Food costs were also $10,000 higher than the previous year. Page 34-The Special Building Fund completed $409,440 in projects around the school and still managed to increase its net position by $324,633. There was an aggressive tax request into this fund during the 2023-24 budget cycle of $666,792. That tax request is $1,137,247 for the 2024-25 budget cycle. Provided summer projects for the summer of 2025 aren’t exceedingly aggressive, the $2 million dollars of capital equity for the bond project we have discussed with the public should be available in the fall of 2025.
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11.2. Discuss, consider, and take all action necessary to negotiations with the REA (Possible Executive Session) @ 8:30 PM
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Rationale:
The board of education and the REA (Ravenna Education Association) negotiate the terms and conditions of the teaching staff's contract terms for the upcoming contract year annually.
The REA will make the first offer during the negotiations process.
Recommended Motion(s):
Motion to go into executive session for the purpose of negotiating with the REA (Ravenna Education Association) Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
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12. Discussion Items
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
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12.1. Discuss, consider, and take all action necessary to the Building Needs Assessment Community Engagement Meeting held on November 7th
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
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12.2. Discuss, consider, and take all action necessary to the hiring of a full-time LMHP
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Rationale:
The board has discussed the hiring of a full-time LMHP for the 2025-26 school year in the past. The administration is seeking authorization to move forward with advertising for the position, beginning in mid to late December, with the hopes of having a candidate to bring to the board for final approval by the February Board Meeting.
The estimated salary range for a person working in this position in central Nebraska is $80-90K. There would also be the cost of insurance, which would add approximately $29,957 to the total package cost. An estimated "all in cost" (salary, FICA, NPERS, insurance) for this service is $124,077 to $135,842. Currently, the school district for services with ESU 10 for 2 days worth of LMHP services for $30,000 a year, so this would represent an increased cost of $94,077 to $105,842. Special Education Funds CAN be used to pay for this service for the school district, according to Jean Anderson at ESU 10. So, the district would receive a 80% reimbursement or $99,262 to $108,674 (depending on salary and total package cost). So, if you are spending 20% of $124,077 to $135,842, the district is going to actually spend $24,815 to $27,168 to get an LMHP in the building for 5 days a week, compared to paying $30,000 to have one in the building for 2 days a week. Jean Anderson, of ESU 10, has verified that LHMP services can be expensed from the 1200's (special education) for this purpose and is willing to discuss the matter by phone, during the board meeting, if the board desires to speak with her. Currently, we have 31 students K-12 who are being seen by the LMHP from ESU 10, the LMHP from the clinic downtown, or school. A breakdown of those students by the LMHP seeing those students is as follows: Joseph (Clinic) - 4 Elem, 3 HS Crystal (ESU 10) - 6 Elem, 7 HS Angie (School) - 5 Elem, 6 HS Additionally, some of the duties the current school counselor provides would be absorbed by the LHMP, creating a more balanced and reasonable work load for the school counselor. Many districts the size of Ravenna have more than one guidance counselor. We have a strong internal candidate for this position and for the position being vacated by that same internal candidate. In turn, the administration would like to pursue the hire early in the hiring season, as we believe the opening and possible hiring of this candidate will possibly affect the media specialist position and possibly a high school language arts position, as well. Attached is a draft of the job description for the LHMP position.
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12.3. Discuss, consider, and take all action necessary to bids for a school van
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Rationale:
The school is looking to add a van to its fleet. Attached, is a copy of the bid specifications that were developed after consulting with Mr. Maulsby and Mr. VanWinkle. The administration is seeking authorization to move forward with advertising for bids based on these specifications.
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12.4. Discuss, consider, and take all action necessary to the superintendent's evaluation
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Rationale:
The superintendent is to be evaluated each contract year. This agenda item is to provide the board of education notice of this need to evaluate the superintendent at the regular December Board Meeting.
Also, as per the language of the superintendent's contract below. The superintendent is to remind the board of the terms of his contract renewal in writing at the November Board Meeting. That informational reminder appears below: Section 2. Renewal of Contract. If a Board representative does not inform the Superintendent in writing on or before the seventh day after the regular December 2024 board meeting (and each December thereafter) of the Board’s intention to consider the non-renewal or amendment of this contract, the contract will automatically renew for a period of one year from and after the expiration date provided in Section 1 of this contract. The Superintendent shall remind the Board in writing of this provision no later than its regular November meeting of each applicable year in which this contract may renew, starting in November 2024, and shall make the renewal of the Superintendent’s employment contract an agenda item for the regular December board meeting during each applicable contract year. At the time of each contract renewal and/or amendment, the Superintendent shall be responsible for taking all necessary steps to insure that the School District has complied with the Superintendent Pay Transparency Act.
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12.5. Discuss, consider, and take all action necessary to Ravenna Public School Board Policy 5022
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Rationale:
The school district should update its policy regarding student contact with law enforcement. Attached are two policies for consideration by the board. Although the review of both policies and a formal recommendation will come through the Ravenna Public School Board Policy Committee, the superintendent and the committee members want the whole board to be aware of the two policies, before they are asked to make a final decision about the policy at a future board meeting.
A copy of two different proposed policies and a current copy of RPS Board Policy 5022 are attached for review and consideration by the board of education. "Option A" allows for officers to question students at school, after the principal contacts the parents. "Option B" does not allow officers to question students at school.
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12.6. Discuss, consider, and take all action necessary to bids for a blast chiller for the high school kitchen
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Rationale:
The school is pursuing a competitive grant for the purchase of a blast chiller. This purchase will only occur if the school district is awarded the grant.
Recommended Motion(s):
Motion to award the bid for the purchase of a new blast chiller for the school kitchen to ??? in the amount of ???, contingent upon receipt of the grant from NDE Nutrition Services Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
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13. Elementary Principal's Report
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
Rationale:
Bluejay Branch of Town and Country Bank Lions Peace Poster
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14. Secondary Principal's Report
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Rationale:
Principal Report November Board Meeting Academic
Student Behavior/Mental Health
Activities
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15. Superintendent's Report
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
Rationale:
1. Grass Next to Track (Budget Pricing Attached) - The track installer encouraged us to cut down the sod to allow for proper drainage around the entire interior "ring" of the track. The price for having this done is attached. The superintendent is looking for guidance on how to move forward on the issue.
2. Trees West and North of the Elementary Playground 3. Kitchen Equipment Bids - There is a competitive grant for kitchen equipment that the superintendent is looking at applying for. So, you may see an RFP for kitchen equipment (hot service line, flash freezer) in the newspaper as part of that application process. In order to submit the grant, the district has to have bids before submitting the application. 4. Mapping Grant - The superintendent is pursuing a mapping grant with NDE. This would create a digital map of our property for use by law enforcement and emergency responders. The estimated cost of such a service is $5,000, which would be funded through the grant. 5. ESSERs III - All the money for ESSERs III money has been reimbursed to the district. The grant is completed. 6. JAG - Jobs for America's Graduates (See Attached) - This is an opportunity that some of the smaller schools around us (Centura, Pleasanton) are taking advantage of. It is something we might want to consider moving forward. The superintendent will follow up with the area schools involved and see how it is going and circle back with the board at the correct time. 7. Fence for Elementary Playground - Budget Pricing 8. Board Meeting Time for December through February - Do you want to move the start time to 7:00 or leave it at 8:00?
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16. Board Report
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
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17. Positive Comments
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
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18. Adjournment
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Recommended Motion(s):
Motion to adjourn at ??? PM Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
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