June 8, 2015 at 7:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

The mission of Gothenburg Public Schools, in partnership with the entire community, is to prepare all students within a positive, innovative, learning environment to become lifelong learners in the 21st century. 

A copy of the open meetings law is posted on the wall of the Board Room and is available to the public.

The Board President will declare the Hearing open. 

1.  Review of Student Fees Policy

2.  Review of the amount of money collected from students pursuant to, and the use of waivers provided in, the student fees policies of District #20 for the 2014-15 year.

3.  Public comment, information, and input concerning Student Fees Policy.

The Board President will declare the Hearing closed. 

The Board President will declare the hearing open. 

1. Review of Parent Involvement Policy (Policy 6400).

2. Public comment, information, and input concerning Parent Involvement Policy.

The Board President will declare the hearing closed.

1.        Approval of Previous Minutes

2.        Approval of the Treasurer's Report

3 - 8.   Approval of the Warrants / Bills

9.  Excuse Absent Board Members

  Mr. Wyatt

10.  Consider Option Enrollment Requests

  None

Miss Kaitlyn Mason will join our elementary staff after serving in this role at Hayes Center Public Schools for the past two years.  Miss Mason is a graduate of UNK with a B.A. in Education with an endorsement in Early Childhood Education.

The Personnel Committee of the Board, in consultation with school attorney Mr. Steve Williams, has proposed new contract language for the superintendent's contract.  The Superintendent currently has a three-year contract that expires on June 30, 2017.  At this time, the board should consider the revised contract language which would expire on June 30, 2018.

The Personnel Committee has met to discuss compensation for administrators and non-certificated staff and recommends an increase in total compensation of 3.95% for non-certificated staff and a 3.43% for administrative staff.  Non-certificated compensation is based on job category subgroups with compensation being compared to others performing similar work.  Administrator compensation is based on total compensation comparability with schools of similar size in a manner similar to other certificated staff compensation.

LUNCH FUND
I have attached an expenditure history for the lunch program.  

PRICES

Federal lunch program requires that districts eventually raise the price of their meals to a number equivalent to a reimbursable meal.  I have also included a spreadsheet with 2014-15 lunch prices for the schools within the SWC as part of the proposal.

None of the SWC schools offer more than two entrée choices for lunch

Dawson County School District #20, Gothenburg Public Schools, participates in a policy update and revision process with the Perry Law Firm through Educational Service Unit #10.  Mr. Perry typically sends proposed revisions upon completion of the legislative session so policies may not be available for the June meeting.  According to the bylaws of the board, while policies may typically be introduced in one meeting and approved at a second meeting, policies may be approved in a single meeting if necessary.  This may become applicable if policies are proposed which impact handbooks and are not received until after the June meeting.

Internal Board Policies

          Policy 8310 - Formulation of Policies

          Policy 8320 - Adoption, amendment, or suspension of polices

 Bylaws of the Board

Policy 9200 - Formulation, Adoption, Amendment of Policies            

1. Junior-Senior High Student Handbook (Attachments include Handbook and proposed changes)

2. Elementary Handbook (Attachments include Handbook and proposed changes)

3. Faculty Handbook (Attachments include Handbook and proposed changes)

A. Certificated Employee Evaluation Instrument (Reg 4150 A)

4. Coach’s Handbook (Attachments include Handbook and proposed changes)

5. Non-Certificated Employee Handbook (Attachments include Handbook and proposed changes)

A. Employment Agreement - Form A - Non-Certificated

B. Employee Evaluation Instrument - Non-Certificated

6. Administrator’s Evaluation Instruments

  A. Principal Evaluation Instrument

  B. Activities Director Evaluation Instrument

  C. Superintendent Evaluation Instrument

7. Volunteer Handbook

Excerpts from Board Policy 9370 Closed Sessions

• The Board of Education may hold a closed session by the affirmative vote of a majority of its voting members if a closed session is clearly necessary for the protection of the public interest or for the prevention of needless injury to the reputation of an individual and if such individual has not requested a public meeting.    
• The vote to hold a closed session shall be taken in open session.  The subject matter and the reason necessitating the closed session shall be identified in the motion to close.
• If the motion to close passes, then the presiding officer immediately prior to the closed session shall restate on the record the limitation of the subject matter of the closed session. The Board shall restrict its consideration of matters during the closed portions to only those purposes set forth in the motion to close as the reason for the closed session. The meeting shall be reconvened in open session before any formal action may be taken.

(The presiding officer will declare the session closed after discussion is completed.)