February 13, 2012 at 6:30 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

Discussion:  Meeting was called to order at 6:33 PM. Also present were Superintendent Stevens, Principals Vrba, Comley, and Grammer, Assistant Principals Cunningham and Cline, Curriculum Administrator Gibbons, Activity Administrator Egr, Director of Facilities Mundil, and student representative, Cesar Gonzalez.

Discussion:  All present participated in the pledge of allegiance.

Discussion:  President Jedlicka declared the meeting was preceded by advance notice and declared to be an open session.

Discussion:  Visitors at the meeting included Susan Jacobus, Grace Torzcon, and Glenetta Misek.

Discussion:  Glenetta Misek, teacher at Richland School, invited everyone to visit her school on Thursday, February 16 when they host "Wildlife Encounter." Students raised the money to host this company from Gretna for this all-day assembly from.

Discussion:  Student representative, Cesar Gonzalez, gave an update on activities involving FFA, FCCLA, State wrestling, and Little Girls Dance Camp.

Discussion:  In the last two school years, state aid for SCS has been cut by 1.7 million dollars. The projection for 2012-2013 shows us receiving an $800,000 reduction. At present SCS is on a general spending freeze. Other spending reductions will involve: not filling positions of resignation/retirement; increasing class sizes; reducing a staff member at each of the rural/satellite schools; holding the line on building supply budgets; and continuing all cost saving items implemented throughout the district during the last year (i.e. transportation, sharing supplies across the district, etc.)

Discussion:  SCS is responsible for repaying $339,000 in property tax dollars to Colfax County from 2008, 2009, and 2010 due to a reduction in the valuation of Cargill Meat Solutions. The property taxes from 2008 will be paid within the next four years. Taxes owed for 2009 are $72,797.36 and for 2010 are $139,208.14. Property tax support that would have been due to SCS for 2011 from Cargill will be held back by the Colfax County Treasurer.

Discussion:  Scott Keene representing Ameritas spoke to the Board about refinancing school bonds from 2007 due to extremely low interest rates. He proposed two questions: Does the Board want to refinance these bonds, and if so, when? He presented two options, the accelerated savings solution and the uniform savings solution. The Board can choose to act soon, wait until the call date of 12/12/2012, wait until 2017 or do nothing until until maturity in 2032. There will be administrative, sales, and bank fees connected to this refinancing process. The finance committee will meet within two weeks to choose the most beneficial option.

Discussion:  A bid was received from Culligan Water Conditioning for installation of a reverse osmosis system to treat all of the water at Fishers #24 School. This is in response to a state-mandated solution to the problem of selenium in the water. The rental fee will be $35 per each unit (two units.)

Discussion:  EMC - our liability insurance provider - has been working with the custodial and kitchen staff in an effort to make our work place a safer environment. The culmination of those efforts will be featured in a meeting on February 21 at 2:30 in the SCRC (Schuyler Community Resource Center.)

Discussion:  The negotiations committee will begin the negotiating process with the SEA on February 23, 2012.

Discussion:  Chuck Misek visited the construction site of the SES addition. The painters are scheduled to begin on March 1. Construction is on schedule with planned completion before the August 2012 school year.

Discussion:  This increase will allow our students to perform at a high level technologically. In addition, Mr. Gibbons commented that this new increase will be needed when 400-500 students are taking state assessments all at the same time.

Discussion:  The Buffet Foundation funds this Save the Children Program in fourteen states and is looking for five more states to take advantage of their program. The program is involved in educating parents on how to prepare their children for school, early childhood education, literacy and physical activity and nutrition. A site coordinator would need to be hired to oversee the program who would visit the homes of students three times per month.

Discussion:  Brian Vavricek reported that at the next Foundation meeting the focus will be on setting goals, guidelines, and electing officers. Sandy Seckman has joined the group.

Discussion:  Principal Grammer visited the rural schools to check over playground equipment at all three sites.

Discussion:  A graph assessment was shared with the board members with results gathered from graduates of the classes of 2011 and 2007 who answered questions about how SCS prepared them for science, math, reading and life in general after graduation. Twenty four out of two hundred questionnaires were returned. At the February 8 teacher inservice, attendees were asked to suggest new vision and mission statements for SCS.

Discussion:  The bleachers at SCHS have been repaired and the basketball backboards now have safety straps. To accommodate a handicapped seating area, the first row of bleachers will be pushed in all the way across and a protective railing will be installed around this area after graduation in May of 2012. The SCHS welding class is constructing the railing. SCHS will be hosting conference track in the spring of 2012.

Discussion:  Radon testing was completed January 29th at District 504R; we will get the results in March or April. The board would like radon testing done at SMS and SCHS.

Discussion:  At parent-teacher conferences on February 2nd and 3rd, SES had 97% of parents attending.

Discussion:  The Colfax County Spelling Bee was held on February 6th at the Middle School Cafeteria. There were three schools represented from our district (Richland, Fishers #24, and SMS) involving twelve students. A new policy will be implemented immediately at SMS where all interior doors will be locked whenever there is nobody inside the room. The Science Fair, sponsored by the Science and Math Club at SCHS is scheduled for March 7 at SMS.

Discussion:  The language arts and math departments in grades 6-12 are meeting to begin the process of curriculum alignment and revision. We are in the process of reviewing our current discipline plan and making changes to better suit the needs of the school and students. We are researching a point system discipline plan. Principal Pavlik is finalizing his recommendation for the changes to be made to the 2012-2013 school day schedule.

Discussion:  The evaluation of the superintendent was shared with all area administrators.

Discussion:  There will be three opportunities for school board development; board members are encouraged to take advantage of at least one.

Discussion:  A staff member requested 7.75 days from the support/administrative staff Emergency Medical Leave Bank.

Discussion:  Superintendent Stevens would like to see SCS continue membership in this association. He noted that SCS is also a member of NRCSA and benefits from membership in each group.