August 12, 2019 at 5:30 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale:  The Norfolk Public School District's board of education meeting is called to order.  

Rationale:  If any board member is absent, there will need to be a  motion to excuse the absence.

Rationale:  This is a legal meeting of the board of education, as advertised by the means specified in board policy. A complete copy of the Open Meetings Act is posted in the board room for your review. A copy of the agenda is available at the desk of the recording secretary.
 

Rationale:  Safety Updates-Mike Hart, Bill Robinson and building administrators

Building Visits - School Board members

Rationale:  Please stand and join us in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

Rationale: 

This is the time during the meeting when the public may request to address the Board. If you wish to comment, we ask that you identify yourself and the topic that you wish to address. Each individual's comments will be limited to five minutes.

 Please note that  the Board cannot discuss or act upon matters that are not listed on the agenda. Therefore, Board  members will not respond to your comments or questions.  If you wish to request that an item be placed on a future Board agenda, you may contact the Superintendent or her assistant during normal business hours.

Also note that concerns related to school personnel need to be addressed to the Superintendent using the approved district protocol.

Rationale: 

Total amount of claims to be approved in the consent agenda for the month of August, 2019 by specific fund are as follows:

General Fund = $727,899.94

Nutrition Services Fund =$3,199.03

Cooperative Fund = $51,529.42

Depreciation Fund = $425,214.57

Special Building Fund = $439,438.87

Student Fee Fund = $34,446.53

The total amount of claims for the month of July, 2019 in the Activities Fund are as follows:
Activity Fund =$160,395.59

All of these claims were reviewed earlier today by the Finance and Facility Committee.  Our district is in the last month of the 18-19 fiscal year, detailed discussions about the 19-20 budget will occur at our next two board meetings.

Rationale:  CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION & ASSESSMENT

• Over the course of the summer, we had multiple teacher groups in to work on proficiency scales. In order for a course to begin a soft pilot of Target Based Grading, teachers had to have specifically identified priority standards, learning targets and developed proficiency scales. In K-8 piloting, grades will just appear slightly different in Infinite Campus and on the report card.  The K-8 courses are a very safe place to start grading pilots as we do not calculate an accumulated GPA. In the high school courses that are performing a pilot, students and parents will see a different series of scores on formative and summative entries but percentage averages still appear the same as always. Senior high piloting includes all students in the same course for an equitable experience for students. All of the senior high piloting courses have aligned priority standards, learning targets, assessments and proficiency scales.  This experience is a safe way for us to monitor the grading transition without changing anything regarding the appearance and calculation of GPA’s. We have scheduled specific training meetings with piloting groups, administrators and my team and Sandy Rose, so everyone has a shared understanding of how Infinite Campus operates. Consistency and accuracy are our key focus points in our piloting experience. Communication is going home to parents who have students involved in a piloting course this year.
• Our numbers are growing! Therefore we are ordering additional materials where needed. We are fortunate that we are able to access instructional program materials electronically until we get all of our hard copies in place.
•  The Teaching and Learning Team has hit the ground running with new teacher training.

TECHNOLOGY

• I would like to do a quick shout out on behalf of our technology department. Sandy Rose works very hard over the summer to get regular school closed out, reports submitted to the state, summer school running correctly as well as transition to the new year. Pat and Matthew have been busy with putting in security cameras, updating wiring, updating software, updating district devices, preparing the annually purchased student devices as well as assisting with the new preschool building.  We have had a transition at the senior high with the building technology position so some tasks weren’t as seamless as in prior years, but I have been assured it is moving forward positively.
• Also, due to increased enrollment, we will need to purchase more Chromebooks.

Rationale: 

Today Monday, August 12th, all staff reported for the 2019-2020 school year!

Open Houses for the start of the 2019-2020 school year have been scheduled for the following dates:

Monday, August 12th

• High school- 6-8pm
• Jr. High- 7-8pm
• Middle School- 5:30-6:30pm

Tuesday, August 13th 

• Elementary Buildings - 5:30-6:30pm

Wednesday, August 14th, students at the elementary schools, Middle School, Jr High as well as the 9th graders and new students of the high school report for classes.  The returning students in grades 10th - 12th will start classes on Thursday, August 15th. Kindergarten classes are split for the first two days; half will attend on Wednesday and half will attend on Thursday. Parents were informed which day their Kindergartner will report to school. 

Additional basic school supplies, as guided by the district school supply lists have been purchased by the school district and will be made available to those qualifying students who request them. These are basic school materials like paper, pencils, glue, folders, binders, etc.

Rationale: 

"New to the District" Staff Training:

• This past week we were able to meet our newest group of educators. The group spent time learning about our district initiatives and operational practices. Some of the topics included in the training were: curriculum standards and assessment, school safety procedures, Target Based Grading practices, our district Instructional Model, building positive student relationships, professional boundaries and social media, Professional Learning Communities, and technology.

• This is an outstanding group of educators eager to serve our district and our community and we are excited to watch them utilize their gifts and talents with our students! 

  Substitute Teacher Training:

•  Our next substitute teacher training workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, August 20th from  9:00 -10:00 a.m. at Central Office. Our classified staff substitute training was held on Friday, August 9th from 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. 

• We greatly appreciate our substitute teachers and support staff and they do a great job of meeting the needs of our students when our regular staff  members are absent. 

• We are still looking for quality substitute teachers and paras and individuals interested in subbing for our district can apply online at www.norfolkpublicschools.org  

Current Openings:

•  Aftershock Club Facilitators

• Assistive Technology Paraprofessional

• Deaf and Hard of Hearing Interpreter

• Junior High: Media Para (17.5 hours a week)

• School Bus Activity Drivers

• Senior High: Math Teacher

• Speech-Language Pathologist Paraprofessionals(2)

• Substitute Openings

Coaching Opportunities:

• HS Assistant Boys Soccer

• ½ Assistant Theater Sponsor (Fall Semester)

• JH IM Football Coach

Rationale:  Preliminary (unofficial) enrollment update
 

Rationale:  The committee met at 12:00 today.  All claims for the month of August and Activity claims for July were reviewed.  The committee discussed the progress on the Little Panthers Pre-School facility.  Other items for discussion were:

• Reviewed a variety of other projects that were completed over the summer
• Reviewed the extra claims request for August 
• Reviewed the property purchase which will be an action item later on the agenda
• Update on city street projects along Georgia Ave and Benjamin Ave
• Review of important upcoming dates for budget and tax request

The next meetings will be August 27th and Sept. 9th at 12:00 noon. 

Rationale:  The Policy Committee has not met since our July 8^th Board meeting.  However, the annual policy review schedule has been developed.  The committee will review the first policies on the schedule (3010-3120- Business Operations) in August with an anticipated first reading in September. 

Second reading of three policies recommended by district administration, 5304 (Cooperative Activities), 4010 (Intellectual Property and Work-for-Hire), and 4110 (Release from Contract) as well as the summer update policy additions and changes recommended by Perry Law firm are on the agenda this evening for second reading.  No changes have been made to those policies since the July Board meeting.

Rationale:  The Government Relations Committee has not met since our last Board meeting.

Rationale:  The Activities Committee has not met since our last Board meeting.  Our next meeting is scheduled for noon on October 7, 2019.

I would like to remind everyone that the Booster Bash is scheduled for 5:00 PM on August 23, 2019. Tickets can be purchased from any Booster member or our Activities Office.  

We are very appreciative of the support provided to our activities program via the Boosters. The Athletic Booster Club donated $35,000 to the athletic budget. They also provided meals and treats to the athletes.  
 

Rationale:  There are no committee minutes.

Rationale:  Minutes of the July 8, 2019 meeting are attached.

Rationale:  There are no contracts at this time.

Rationale:  There are no resignations at this time.

Rationale:  Attached are the claims for the month of August, 2019.  These claims were reviewed earlier today by our Finance and Facility committee.

Rationale:  Please see the attached handbook for details.

Rationale:  I am requesting a motion to approve to spend up to $2,500,000 of additional claims out of the General Fund in August for completion of 2018-2019 budgets, grants, and transfers to depreciation.  An end of August claims list will be posted for the Sept. 9th board meeting.

Rationale:  Purchase price: $33,000
Total with closing costs included: $33,232.50

The house and garage will be razed for future Junior High parking and/or green space.
 

Rationale:  No changes have been made to these policies since their first reading.

Rationale:  Dr. Patti Gubbels
Bruce Mitchell
Tammy Day

Rationale:  The Second Meeting of the Month will be a Budget Workshop held at noon on Thursday, August 29, 2019. 

Our next regular/Business Meeting is scheduled for 5:30 on Monday, September 9, 2019.