September 11, 2023 at 7:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

• Board President Desh called the meeting to order at 7:19 p.m. (immediately following the tax request public hearing) and led the board members and patrons in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance. 

• Board President Desh identified the location of the Open Meetings Act Poster on the wall in the meeting room.
  • Please note that no changes to the Open Meetings Act occurred during the last Legislative session and the current Open Meetings Act information will stay current until further notice. 

• The board discussed a variety of presentations they wanted to hear more about throughout the school year. 
• The Staff and Student Presentations will begin on Monday, October 9th with the Aspire Academy students and staff talking about their program and experiences. 

• No further discussion. 

• NDE Option Enrollment Presentation: The board elected to have a special session dedicated to learning more about the option enrollment process and the impact it has on our district and state funding for education.
• Behavior Posters: Special thanks to our high school and elementary staff for creating building-wide discipline systems and posters that reinforce expected behaviors at each school.
• Student Enrollment Update as of September 11, 2023:  There are 407 (pre-K- 5) students at Bennet Elementary School, 329 students at the Jr./ Sr. high school, and 4 students in our Aspire Academy, for a total of 740 students.
• Bennet Elementary School: Playground Update: The Bennet playground continues to take shape and students are going to be able to visit various parts of the play area in the coming weeks. Sod and irrigation for the playground are getting ready to be put in (sod may have to wait until November due to current water restrictions in Bennet). See the attached document for additional information about the playground.
• Bennet Area Child Care Survey (See attached document, flyer, and survey link). The city of Bennet is collaborating with our district and other child service-based organizations to help find more affordable and accessible child care options in this region. Please look for more details in the coming months. 
• Bennet Water Restriction Notice: 8.31.2023 (See attached comment) 
• Rule 10 Annual Report Preview: This annual district report will be coming out in the next couple of months. 
• Joint Public Hearing Update: District OR-1 did not have to participate in the JPH this year. 
• 2023-2024 District Budget Presentation: Mr. Hart presented details regarding the 2023/2024 budget and the balances and purposes of the various school funds. A document that has been adjusted from the original budget document posted for the public hearing was presented during the meeting. That document is now attached to the Budget action item agenda later in the meeting.  
• 2023-2024 District Tax Request Discussion:  Mr. Hart presented details regarding the 2023/2024 tax request. A document that has been adjusted from the original document posted for the public hearing was presented during the meeting. That document is attached now to the Tax Request action item agenda later in the meeting.  
• CTE Conference: November 29th - December 2nd, 2023  (see attached flyer): This is a conference focused on the development and quality of our Career Technical Education programs. This conference will be very valuable as we finalize designs for our new CTE area at the high school.  
• 2022 Bond Update (See attached document)
• Construction Update: Mr. Craig Gies from BIC presented additional information earlier in the evening at the special CMAR board meeting.
  • Bennet
  • Palmyra
• Safety and Security Window and Entrances Signage and "Branding" Ideas: See attached document and example pictures
• Early Completion Students: Board Policy # 5206: This topic was discussed in the Policy Review Section of tonight's agenda. A list of students wanting to graduate early will be shared at the October 9th regular board meeting. 
• Student and Staff Kudos:
  • Lunchroom Tables: see attached document and pictures. Special thanks to Mr. Johnson for his diligence in getting some additional lunchroom tables at the high school.  
  • Bennet Behavior Matrix Posters: See attached pictures. Special thanks to all the staff members involved in the high school and elementary school behavior committees for creating and establishing a building wide system for behavior. 
• Other items as requested

• Please note: There is not an additional bond. It is simply the second issuance of the original 2022 bond.
  • Through a board vote in the fall of 2022, the district elected to issue the bond proceeds at two different times. The first issuance was $9,910,000 on November 2nd, 2022. Due to fluctuating interest rates, economic uncertainty, and projected volatility within the market, the second issuance was delayed.
• The second issuance ($12,090,000) of the 2022 bond will be distributed in the next couple of months. 

• Administrative Board report topics included standardized assessment results, activities, and parent-teacher conferences. 

• No further discussion. 

The Budget Committee met on Wednesday, September 6th, 2023 at Bennet Elementary School. 
Agenda Topics Included:

• 2022 Bond Update and Clarification
• 2023-2024Tax Request Proposal
• 2023-2024 Budget Proposal 

• Wednesday, October 11th, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. at Palmyra High School:
• Wednesday, February 7th, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. at Palmyra High School
  • Please note that the February 2024 meeting will be a public meeting in accordance with state statutes. 

• The District OR-1 Public Education Association is formally recognized as the exclusive collective bargaining agent for the school district.
• The district is currently in the second year of a two-year certified staff contract and negotiations for the 2024-2025 school year will commence in the coming months. 
• The Negotiations Committee will schedule an initial meeting sometime in October.

• Meeting Agenda Items Discussed are listed below:
  • Vehicle Needs:
    • 14-passenger mini bus / 71-passenger bus 
  • Bus Rebate Extension Update
  • Vehicle Inventory and Maintenance Update 
  • Bus Routes 
  • Driver Qualifications, Training, and Recruitment
  • Possible Fuel Tank Storage at Bennet Elementary

• See the attached document in relation to Policy #5206.
  • We are scheduled to have students apply for early completion in December 2023.
  • Eligible student names will be finalized and communicated at the October 9th, 2023, regular board meeting.

• The district budget was approved with the summary of changes listed in the attached document. This document was updated on September 11, 2023.
• A copy of the updated budget will be posted in the newspaper following the meeting. A summary of the changes is listed in the attached updated budget document. 
  • In summary, the overall total tax rate (levy) for the 2023/2024 school year will be $1.08.
  • The 2022-2023 overall tax rate (levy) was $1.25. This is a decrease of 17 cents.  

• The district tax request was approved with the summary of changes listed in the attached document. This document was updated on September 11, 2023.
• A copy of the updated tax request will be posted on our school website and social media channels following the meeting.
• A summary of the changes is also listed in the attached updated tax-asking document. 
  • In summary, the overall total tax request for the 2023/2024 school year will be $8,291,660.00. This is a 1.9% and $153,927 increase from the previous year. 

• The attached resolution is attached and was read aloud by Board President Desh.
• No further discussion.

• No further discussion.

• No further discussion.

• The meeting was adjourned at: 8:54 p.m.