January 14, 2020 at 5:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

Discussion:  Superintendent Hayes called the Annual Organization of the Board  open at 5:13. He called for nominations for Board President.

Discussion:  Don Pike nominated Steve Moose for President
Dewayne Wabasha nominated Don Pike for Vice-President
Don Pike nominated Cindy Whipple for Treasurer
Don Pike nominated Dewayne Wabasha for Board Secretary
 

Discussion: 

• Concern was brought forward concerning the purchasing of so much lumber and why are we going to so many different businesses. Supt. Hayes stated not always having supplies on hand, and so a run to local business is necessary to eliminate running to Yankton.
• Concern over  the amount  to D.R. Floors-Supt. Hayes  explained that it was for additional machines to clean school floors, it wasn't for any new flooring.

Discussion:  Linda Richards explained 1st-Summary; 2nd-Self-evaluation; 3rd-Actual Report

Discussion: 

 Presentation of Superintendent Hayes Board evaluation results NASB and Linda Richards will walk the Board through the results of our evaluation conducted in December

1. We are Skyping with two members of the Nebraska Association of School Boards. Melissa helped the team conduct the superintendent evaluation using this tool for the first time. Executive Summary: a "ten thousand foot view" or a broad overview; Melissa walks us through how to read it. The evaluation document has a six-point scale for each indicator. Two open-ended questions at the end: Support your choices above; and What evidence do you have to support a particular standard. Goal is to come together as a board and superintendent about commonalities in their evaluations (use their strengths to move forward). Also, how do we connect these evaluations to the Organizational and Cultural Leadership portion of our school priority plan?

2. From the Executive Summary, high points: Similar highest rating for board and superintendent: Policy. In the open-ended comments, members talked about the curriculum review policy being put into place. Also, Standard 4: Community Relations: Hayes attends and participates regularly in school events. 

3. From the Executive Summary, areas for growth:  Organizational and Cultural Leadership, Standard 5 (in the bottom 3 for both Hayes and the board). Two specific areas of note: Indicator H: Promotes an environment in which differing opinions are embraced from staff and students. Indicator D: Ensures a purposeful and equitable hiring process. Two open-ended: Hiring and termination decisions should incorporate community involvement. This is interesting because one of the highest areas on the evaluation is community relations - so it can get complicated. This evaluation is an affirmation that we have identified areas and strategies for improvement.

4. Mr. Hayes comment: He was rated high on board/super relations while he rated himself low; he did so because he knows there is a lot of trust that still needs to be built given the history here. Steve asks, Where is he at in relations with the staff, using the scoring system? Can Hayes feel it coming together? Hayes says there are strengths, and there are outliers - plenty aboard the ship, others still trying to get onboard, who are outspoken about certain things. Richards reads from Hayes’ comments: Continuing to monitor and agree to make changes when outcomes are not what is expected. Need to embed PD so staff can grow. Hayes says this is vital - it is how the staff gets our "why."

5. Improvement on professional leadership - comments from Hayes: Continue to set high expectations for all staff. Must engage staff through PD and get staff onboard with expectations.

6. Why is this process - both board and self-evaluation of superintendent - important? One of the biggest values of a superintendent evaluation are the conversations that arise because of it. The evaluation should drive conversation and help the board and super find a unified vision. It offers a moment of reflection upon the relationship.

7. Next steps: Standard 5 is the one area the board and super have in common - need to seek commonalities and set a goal aligned to the priority plan.

8. Next step: Hayes will work with Mausbach to develop a goal aligned to the priority plan derived from Standard 5 (leadership, generally). He will bring this goal to the February board meeting for the board to see.

9. June: Second evaluation with NASB, as per statute. Will compare the December evaluation as a baseline.

Discussion: 

V.B. *BOE Code of Ethics/Conduct (Policy 2012)

*Sign and File Conflict of Interest with Board Secretary (Policy 2005)

1. For a situation in which there is monetary gain for the district, it must be disclosed, and whenever you have a conflict of interest on any particular item (ie, forms that deal with immediate family members), the onus is on the board to abstain.

2. Code of ethics is how the board relates to and respects one another. There has not always been an expectation to notify in advance that you will not be attending - that needs to change. Board is asked to read the code of ethics. It is specifically pointed out that the meeting happens here in the school - do not discuss board business elsewhere.

3. Board members’ first and greatest concern must be the welfare of each student.

Discussion: 

1. Legal publisher: Crofton Journal (where we advertise budget, etc.)

2. Designated treasurer: Cindy Whipple

3. Official bank: Farmers and Merchants Bank

4. Auditing firm: Hayes recommends Nichols Rise out of South Sioux, which some of the other Native schools in NE utilize because they also get federal funds, which creates a unique auditing process. Steve also wishes to ensure that Hayes has a thorough understanding of Impact Aid, which is vital. Hayes says the application is nearly finished.

5. District legal counsel: KSB Law: Hayes recommends - a retired financial director that Richards also recommends. Cost for two-year contract is $1458/mo first year and $1500/mo following year (Jan-Jan). Board has a lot of important questions about district costs, and there is a lot to clean up. We could use some informed assistance on both sides of this. 

6. Teacherage matters: legal counsel - Anderson, Bressman, Hoffman & Jacobs

7. School legal counsel: KSB

8. Bond: Perry Law - all law counsel unchanged aside from KSB Law (see above)

Discussion: 

Bond Report: 

Quiet bids going out (Prochaska & Radec) pending no flooding or frost

• RaDec forwarded to bidders

• Lots of interest in this job and should get exceptional bids (at least 200+ interested in job)

• No cutouts except expensive items such as: no marble floors, net covering and no brick) space will remain the same. 

• Jan 30th is Bid opening for RaDec in Hartington

• Jan 16 meeting of interest in bids at Santee

• Under 2.8 million hoping to break ground March 30th (providing no flooding/frost)

• Time clock on spending the bond money

Discussion: 

Superintendent goals- The Board asks Superintendent Hayes to present the goal area discussed in the evaluation to the BOARD for approval at the February Board Meeting with action steps and timelines assigned.

Hayes is supposed to interface with Dr. Mausback in getting Standard 5 of his evaluation aligned with the priority plan and report back to the board at February’s meeting.

Discussion: 

1. Update: New Infant Room has been completed. When she submitted this to Hayes they had 5 infants; now we have 7. We have not heard back from 3 high school mothers on whether they will be attending school. Toddlers were 13, now 14 count. Three-Year-Old Room is at 14. Four-Year-Old Room is at 10. 

2. Observation is tomorrow; rating scale is 1-7. Stewart will share the results, if available, at the February board meeting.

3. Planning a fall daycare registration.

4. Daycare services will be provided for staff working over the summer.

5. Hayes: The evaluation looks for very specific things, such as they way people interact with children, label items, change diapers, etc. Joan gave her staff training for this evaluation recently.

6. What are our limits for childcare? Due to our new infant room (old Ag Room - thanks, Irene!), the license is 32 for Infants/Toddlers. However, we must hit our ratios, so we would have to add more staff if we accept more children. We must abide by Sixpence guidelines, which are stricter than normal Rule 11 guidelines. For example, in the Infant Room, ratio is 1 staff for 3 kids. Toddlers is 1 staff to 4 kids. Sixpence pays for part of our needs with the Early Learning Academy. Future students for our district!!

Discussion: 

•  First National Capital MarketsTraining
• Training being offered to Superintendent and Business Manager
• NASB recommends this company (help give advise/training); it would be a 2 year contract - 1st year $1458/month and 2nd year $1050 per month (Company assists with Macy, Winnebago and Walthill); the company is of retired financial advisor and other officials; watched concerns in financially weighs heavy on board and helps business office run legally; will assist with building budget but not doing the budget....strong emphasis that this company will not be doing the budget.

Discussion: 

• Buying a resource to replace outdated books in the 7-12 Science program. This is a purchase of a program, not a curriculum development. We are doing some things backward. This summer we rewrite ELA curriculum; next summer we rewrite Math curriculum
• Board President asked why this should supersede math. Newcomb and admin spoke about the free resource Newcomb is trained on and worked with NDE on, for 6-12 students. So this resource does not supersede our curricular building that will be happening.

Discussion:  We want to thank Tracy Medina for 28 years of dedication to Santee Community Schools.