December 13, 2023 at 6:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting
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1. Call to Order and Pledge of Allegiance
Discussion:
President Breitkreutz called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM and the Pledge of Allegiance was said.
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2. Motion to Excuse Board Member's Absence
Discussion:
All members were present.
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3. Open Meeting Law
Discussion:
The audience was reminded that Open Meeting Laws would be followed.
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4. District Mission Statement
The Raymond Central community is committed to providing a positive, challenging learning environment which prepares each individual to be a responsible citizen in an ever-changing society. |
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5. Consent Agenda
Discussion:
Motion by Matulka, second by Burklund to approve the consent agenda as presented including the regular meeting minutes of November 15, 2023; November financial statement; and monthly bills. RCV 6-0. Motion carried.
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5.1. Regular Minutes of November 15, 2023
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5.2. Financial Statement/Report
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5.3. Monthly Bills
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6. Correspondence/Recognition
Discussion:
Congratulations to Olivia Masek who is a recipient of the Global Seal of Biliteracy. The Global Seal of Biliteracy is a credential that celebrates language skills and expands future opportunities for its recipients. A uniform standard is used to empower awardees to be an asset in multilingual environments. The Global Seal enables recipients to showcase their language skills to any school or employer across state lines and national borders, with a unique serial-numbered document.
Congratulations to Katie Donahue for writing and receiving a Frontier Coop Grant in the amount of $2,835.00 to set up the veterinary science classroom with curriculum, supplies, materials, equipment. |
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7. Public Forum
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8. Reports
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8.1. Administrative Reports
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Submitted by Mark Smith, Jr-Sr High School Principal
HAPPENINGS: With the end of 1st semester approaching, the number of special events begins to slow down during the month of November. We also had our Thanksgiving break, so this last month was a short month. The main activity involved students and teachers engage in learning in our classrooms! TEACHER/STAFF PREP: There were no professional development days for the entire staff in the last month. Our next professional development day will be on January 3. On December 8, administrators and three teachers from the Jr/Sr High joined a small group from the elementary schools to work on our instructional model and aligning it with our teacher performance framework. This important work, led by Deb Kruse, will help both administrators and teachers better plan and evaluate effective instruction in our classrooms. The Jr/Sr high is looking to finish 1st semester strong. Classes are planning to give end of semester assessments December 19-21. Submitted by Tony Kobza, Asst Jr-Sr High School Principal/Athletic Director We have added a touch screen to our wall outside the Mustang Room. This holds our Senior Pictures. They are working on the code as the touchscreen is rotating but not interacting. We have started moving dirt on the baseball and softball practice area on the East edge of the property. The land is now flattened and smoothed. It will sit until Spring to allow it to settle before moving forward. We have marked off the ballfield areas as well as a shot and discus area which will allow us to have coaches and kids closer together during practice and events. Finally, we are working to replace/repair the mats on the front of the stage as they are showing some dramatic wear and tear. We are waiting on a quote for repair as well as information on whether the current mats are covered through a warranty. Submitted by Steve Rose, Elementary Principal and Deb Kruse, Assistant Elementary Principal Last week I was able to sit in on part of a Socratic Seminar in 5th Grade at Valparaiso today! Ms. Cooper's class was engaged and excited to discuss their learning! The Socratic Seminar is an essential element of Wit & Wisdom’s approach to speaking and listening. These seminars provide a space for students to engage in the joyful rigor of building knowledge as part of a community of learners and allow teachers to assess students’ speaking and listening skill development. Each seminar focuses on a rigorous question that provokes new thinking and requires students to rely on evidence from module texts. Students prepare for these structured academic conversations by gathering evidence to respond to the seminar question. Students apply the crafts of speaking and listening to express and extend what they have learned from their reading and writing. Professional Development - In preparation for Math Curriculum adoption next year, Sam Butler from the ESU has been coming to the district to do walkthroughs with Steve and Deb during math class and collect data about current classroom instruction in K-12 Mathematics. He presented it to our elementary staff members on November 29th and 30th. He discussed the rubric that he was using and how the ESU and we as a district will use this data as we begin the exploration of new curriculum in the Fall of 2024. He will return with the same process in the Spring and compile the sets of data to help us make an informed decision. School-wide Expectations - We held our monthly Mustang Assembly and students continue to receive recognition for being "Caught in the Act". Special Events:
Submitted by Amanda Coufal, Director of Special Education Life Skills Thanksgiving Meal: On November 21, the high school life skills students held a successful and delicious Thanksgiving meal. This project is an amazing way for the students to plan and execute essential life skills. They brainstormed food ideas, found recipes, made a shopping list, compared prices, shopped for ingredients, followed a recipe, cooked, and prepared a celebration for their family as each student had the opportunity to invite at least two people. This is always a great celebration to showcase their hard work and spend time with their family and friends. After the students went shopping for ingredients, they went out for lunch. This is a valuable, educational experience for our students as they had the opportunity to order for themselves and pay for their meals. This may seem like a small thing but for our students, this is something that they do not get to do all the time. Special thanks to Stacey Doan, Jody Albrecht, Jessica Knopp, Ashley Matulka and Leann Wiese for their hard work and preparation to hold another successful Thanksgiving meal and creating memorable memories! Vocational Rehabilitation: We currently have 16 students signed up to receive Vocational Rehabilitation services. VR works with schools across the state to help students plan for the future, identify their skills, abilities, and interests, explore careers, and learn about self-advocacy. At the age of 14, during IEP meetings, we give parents information about VR services and encourage them to sign up. Once they are juniors and seniors, VR gets more involved. Jenny Vosburg is our VR specialist. Jenny helps students with job exploration counseling, transition assessments, instruction in self-advocacy, counseling on post-secondary training opportunities, and advice on post-secondary education and training opportunities based on the student’s interests and abilities including discussions about college education requirements, financial aid and student accommodations. VR staff works with students on preparing for the workforce by practicing job applications, creating resumes, teaching interview skills, and completing mock interviews. VR also advises families to learn about resources in the community (developmental disabilities, social security and medicaid and long-term supports in the community). This is a great, free resource for our students and families. |
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8.2. Student Board Member
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Submitted by Rosalie Tvrdy, Student Body President
Hello and happy December! As the semester is winding down, I want to talk about some of the key highlights of the semester. When we came back to school, we were greeted by a new set of rules regarding phones and hats, and this rule was that teachers would decide whether or not it was a "green zone" or "red zone" for the phones or hats. Throughout the semester, these rules have proven very effective, and the environment for students has been a lot more enjoyable. Students are happy that they are able to wear hats to school, and many teachers are happy that they do not have to bother students about taking their hats off. Throughout the semester, we had many fun activities during homecoming week that the student council had planned, and we also had many speakers come in and talk to students about pressing issues that we face. Student council has also been starting and completing different food drives, and the items donated go right back into the community to students through the Caring Shelves here at the high school. For the student council’s winter food drive, we are collecting toys and winter wear items, and those things will be donated right back into the school to the Caring Shelves. Each student council member was required to bring two things. For each person that brings something to donate, they will get their name entered into a drawing for a gift card of their choice. Another thing that I wanted to highlight was the sports and activities around the school. One Act this year did very well, considering the conflicts that they had, and one person, Ellie White, had to pick up three different parts during the show when someone got sick. Quiz Bowl has also qualified for the national quiz bowl competition in Chicago, Illinois. The wrestling and basketball teams have also been working hard and winning games and matches. Last week the pep band also played at the basketball games and played really well. There were also many people that came to the high school for the elementary Christmas concert, and families were able to see the artwork of their students. FBLA has also been working on getting more kids to attend the State Leadership Conference in April. We have been decorating Christmas cards, and we are going to donate them to a nursing home so that the residents can send Christmas cards to their families. Throughout the semester, there have been many good things that have been happening and things that have been accomplished. I want to say Happy Holidays, and let’s have an even better semester when we come back next year! |
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8.3. Superintendent's Report
Discussion:
State Education Conference - I attended on November 16-17 with three other board members. Princess Sarah Culberson was the keynote speaker on Thursday and she shared her story of how she reunited with her birth father and became the current Princess of Sierra Leone in doing so. As an adopted child in a bi-racial family, she focuses on the importance of building a culture of acceptance and belonging. Our second keynote speaker was Richard Hight who is an internationally known artist and who was able to create two phenomenal drawings minutes before and during his presentation. He introduced us to his daughter and shared how her challenges in life have helped him to find the real beauty in others and in life in general and how that has inspired his creative talents. Governor Jim Pillen was our final keynote speaker. He talked about his vision and priorities for K-12 education and he reminded us that he is an education friendly governor. He did express his concerns that so many school districts raised the tax levy after the state dollars that he arranged to feed into the state aid formula.
Teacher Shorage: I attended a session on teacher shortage. My takeaway was that the state is continuing to seek creative ways to incentivize teaching as a profession (offering grants, shortened pathways, etc.). Individual school districts are creating pay structures, housing provisions and other incentives. Personnel Matters: I attended a session with legal counsel who shared examples of how to effectively work with and/or separate from teachers who are not a good fit for the district. The focus was on how to use the evaluation process and hearings effectively. Dueling Piano's, School Law Style: This session focused on a variety of personnel and student issues relative to First Amendment Rights and a variety of other relevant school hot topics including the use of social media. Importance of having clear policies and evaluation practices and following them. Pain in the App: This presentation shared the most relevant and recent cases about students use of social media and technology. It is important to know when the intersection of the two is an actual impediment to education and that is when schools can take action. Nearly 1/2 of teens report that they have been a victim of bullying on social media (namely name calling) and You Tube is used by highest percentage of teens. The surgeon general warns of the dangers of social media on developing minds. Social media use at a young age is predictive of a subsequent decrease in life satisfaction for certain developmental stages ? Specifically a concern for girls 11-13 and boys 14-15 ? Youth who spend more than 3 hours a day on social media face two times the risk of experiencing poor mental health outcomes (including depression and anxiety) ? "Social media may also perpetuate body dissatisfaction, disordered eating behaviors, social comparison, and low self-esteem, especially among adolescent girls." QCPUF Fund - Peggy and I would like to get the $10,000 that has been left in this fund expended. We consulted with NDE to obtain a list of ideas of permissible expenditures for this $10,000 to drop the account balance to zero. Any project that includes accessibility modifications would qualify. We will likely expend it on the playground surfacing which is an accessibility item. The NDE told us that the other approach would be for the board to take action to transfer the funds to the general fund and eliminate the account. |
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8.3.1. NASB and NRCSA Monthly Update
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8.3.2. Update on Superintendent Goals
Goal I. Student Performance: Continue the development and initial implementation of the district Instructional Model Framework. (G1.PI3) (G6.PF1) Goal II. Student Performance: Continue the implementation of the Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS-B) model in K-12 is implemented with fidelity to support student learning and social-emotional/ behavior instructional support. (G1.PI3) (G7.PF1.PF2) Goal III. Facility/Student Performance: Continue the development of a 10 year facility master priority list that addresses maintenance and improvements for existing buildings and grounds and to determine configuration of students to maximize use of facilities and instruction. (G4.PF1) Goal IV. Continue the development of safety and security practices for Raymond Central Public Schools. (G8.PF1.PF2.PF3.PF4)
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Review Months: September, December, March, July
Goal I. Student Performance: Continue the development and initial implementation of the district Instructional Model Framework. (G1.PI3) (G6.PF1)
Goal II. Student Performance: Continue the implementation of the Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS-B) model in K-12 is implemented with fidelity to support student learning and social-emotional/ behavior instructional support. (G1.PI3) (G7.PF1.PF2)
Goal III. Facility/Student Performance: Continue the development of a 10 year facility master priority list that addresses maintenance and improvements for existing buildings and grounds and to determine configuration of students to maximize use of facilities and instruction. (G4.PF1)
Goal IV. Continue the development of safety and security practices for Raymond Central Public Schools. (G8.PF1.PF2.PF3.PF4)
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8.3.3. Safety Report
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8.3.4. Facilities Report
Discussion:
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8.3.5. Important Upcoming Dates:
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8.4. Board Committee Reports
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8.4.1. Curriculum & American Civics Committee (Burklund-chair, Lange, Matulka)
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8.4.2. Facilities & Transportation Committee (Blanchard-chair, Burklund, Matulka)
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8.4.3. Finance Committee (Blanchard-chair, Breitkreutz, Burklund)
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8.4.4. Negotiations Committee (Blanchard-chair, Benes, Lange)
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8.4.5. Policy Committee (Breitkreutz-chair, Benes, Lange)
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9. New Business
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9.1. Discuss, Consider and Take Necessary Action to approve the Annual Audit
Discussion:
Motion by Lange, second by Matulka to approve the Annual Audit. RCV 6-0. Motion carried.
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9.2. Discuss, Consider and Take Necessary Action to Approve Multiple Policies as Amended in Series 5000-Students
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Discussion:
Motion by Burklund, second by Lange to approve the amended 5000 policies as presented: 5001A-Forms for Health Related Admission Requirements; 5002A-Affidavit and Parent Release; 5003-Assignment of Students: Grade Placement and Transfer of Students; 5006-Option Enrollment; 5007A-Application for Foreign Exchange Student; 5008-Student Attendance; 5010-School Census; 5012-Military Recruiters; 5103-Extracurricular Activity; 5204-Grading System; 5205-Graduation; 5206-Early Completion Plan; 5305-School Dances; 5306-Drug and Alcohol Testing; 5402-Child Abuse and Neglect; 5403-Married Students; 5406-Search and Seizures; 5408-Health Inspections; 5411-Law Violations; 5415-Anti-Bullying Policy; 5417-School Wellness Policy; 5418-Homeless Students; 5419-Use of Restraints and Seclusion; 5421-Student Privacy Protection Policy; 5501-Bus Transportation; 5505-Safe Pupil Transportation Plan; 5601-Asthma and Allergic Reaction Protocol with Waiver of Emergency Response to Life Threathening Asthma. Superintendent Johnson shared that many of the changes in these policies were to make policy and practice consistent. The one policy that has substantial change policy 5103 Student Discipline in Activities. RCV 6-0. Motion carried.
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9.3. Discuss and Consider the Review of Board Policies with no changes in Series 5000-Students be noted with Review Date of December 13, 2023
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The following 5000 policies were reviewed with no changes: 5000-Introductory Statement; 5001-Admission Requirements; 5002-Discontinuance of Enrollment for Children Younger Than Six Years of Age; 5004-Full-time and Part-time Enrollment; 5004A-Application of Non-Public School Student for Part-time Enrollment; 5005-Student Residence, Admission and Contracting for Educational Services; 5006A-Resolution and Appendix "1" Form; 5007-Foreign Exchange Students; 5008A-Attendance Improvement Plan; 5009-Attendance During The School Day (Dismissals and Field Trips); 5011-Parent-Student Handbook; 5101-Student Discipline; 5102-Alternative Education Programs or Plans For Expelled Students; 5104-Drug and Substance Use and Prevention; 5201-Promotion and Retention; 5202-Student Records; 5202A-Notification of Rights Under FERPA; 5203-Academic Progress; 5205A-Graduation Requirements Standard Diploma; 5207-Make-Up Work; 5208-High School Credit for Middle School Courses; 5301-Association Activities; 5302-Student Organizations; 5303-Student Activities; Hazing, Fund-Raising and Supervision; 5304-Selection of Students for Participation in Activities; 5401-Anti-discrimination, Anti-harassment, and Anti-retaliation; 5401A-Complaint Form; 5405-Corporal Punishment; 5407-Vandalism; 5409-Communicable Diseases; 5412-Missing Persons; 5413-Requests to Contact Students and Student Interviews by Non-School Personnel; 5414-Identification of Learners with High Ability; 5416-Student Fees Policy; 5416A-Student Fees; 5418A-Homeless Student Policy - Forms; 5420-Dating Violence; 5422-Pregnant and Parenting Students; 5503-Use of School Buses; 5504-Special Education Transportation; 5506-RCPS Safe Pupil Transportation Plan; 5602-Naloxone in School.
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9.4. Discuss, Consider and Take Necessary Action to approve the PK Handbook and set fee charges for preschool for the 2024-25 school year
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Discussion:
The board discussed that we have not increased tuition since the preschool was started. Increasing to $100 would still have our tuition on the low side. There was some discussion about whether this would negatively impact enrollment. The board shared that this is an expensive program for the district and the increased tuition helps to offset this burden and also sends the message that it is valued service. Motion by Benes, second by Matulka to approve the Preschool Handbook as presented and set the tuition fee of $100.00 per month for the 2024-2025 school year. RCV 6-0. Motion carried.
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10. Old Business
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10.1. Discuss, Consider and Take Necessary Action to approve selection of superintendent interview candidates
Discussion:
Search firm consultants Fred Helmink and Rob Hanger highlighted the strengths of each of the Superintendent candidates with the Board of Education.
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10.1.1. <Potential> Closed Session to evaluate superintendent candidates, credentials, and background information
Discussion:
Motion by Matulka, second by Blanchard to enter closed session at 7:07 PM to discuss any weaknesses of the candidates presented, noting that it is clearly necessary for the protection of the public interest and for the prevention of needless injury to the reputation of an individual. RCV 6-0. Motion carried.
The Board returned to regular session at 8:15 PM. Motion by Matulka, second by Lange to approve Scott Axt, Jason Brown, Bryon Hanson and Andrew Offner as Superintendent candidates to be interviewed on Saturday, December 16, 2023. RCV 6-0. Motion carried. |
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11. Next Regular Board Meeting
Discussion:
The next regular Board of Education Meeting will be held Wednesday, January 10, 2024.
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12. Adjournment
Discussion:
Motion by Breitkreutz, second by Matulka to adjourn the meeting at 8:20 PM. RCV 6-0. Motion carried.
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