July 8, 2019 at 6:30 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale: 
I.     Call Hearing to Order

II.   The purpose of the Hearing is to review, discuss, consider, and receive input, and or support, opposition, criticism, suggestions or observations of taxpayers relating to amending the 2018-19 budget.

III.  Adjourn Budget Amendment Hearing
 

Rationale: 

STRIVE  -  COMMIT  -  SUCCEED  -  District Mission Statement

Schuyler Community Schools in partnership with parents, students, and the community is committed to educate students to become skilled, knowledgeable and responsible citizens in a global society - District Vision Statement

Notice of this meeting was given in advance according to State Law 84-1411, by giving notice of the meeting to the public.  Notice of this meeting was also given in advance to all members of the Board of Education

Rationale: 

This meeting has been preceded by advance notice and is hereby declared to be in open session.  A copy of the Open Meetings Act is posted in the front of the meeting room.

Nebraska Open Meetings Act:  http://nitc.nebraska.gov/documents/statutes/NebraskaOpenMeetingsAct_current.pdf

Rationale:  Discuss, Consider and Take Action on the consent agenda

Rationale:  This committee is responsible for budget, finance, and contract negotiations with administration, certificated staff, and support staff.

Rationale: 
Recommended Budget Amendment
1.  General Fund:  We are recommending a $500,000 amendment to the general fund to prepay the list of 2019-20 bills/staff requisitions and to allow transfers to the activity and depreciation funds.

Attached is the recommended amended budget as advertised.  This amendment will not affect our current tax request for 2018-19.

 

Rationale:  Pekny and Associates have been doing Schuyler Community Schools' annual audit of financial statements, reviewing your schedule of assets, receipts, expenditures, and fund balances.  See attached contract for details included in the annual audit. 

Rationale:  Staff Resignations
1.  Bertha Juarez:  SMS Para Educator
2.  Martha Arroyo:  SMS Para Educator
3.  Deborah Zuelow:  Head Start Teacher

Rationale: 
New Hire Recommendations
1.  Maria Arciva:  Food Service
2.  Maria Quiedo:  Food Service
3.  Samantha Schreiber:  SES Afterschool Coordinator
4.  Evelin Pacas:  SMS High Needs Para Educator
5.  Kiara Lopez:  SMS Administrative Assistant
6.  Janett Diaz:  Dual Language Para Educator

Rationale:  This committee is responsible for recommending the annual district calendar, strategic planning process, technology, and promoting positive public relations and communications program.

Rationale:  See attached recommendation.

Rationale:  Attached is the annual membership renewal with the Nebraska Rural Community Schools Association (NRCSA).  See attached information for details on services provided by the Association. Dues for the 2019-20 school year are $850.00. (no increase)

Rationale:  This committee is responsible for annual review of board policies, handbooks, and crisis/safety plans.  This committee is also responsible for the support and development of support programs(nursing, food service) in the district.

Rationale: 
Attached are the new and amended policy recommendations for 2019-20.  Also attached are "redline" policies that outline current policy changes.
2019-20 Policy Updates
NDE is doing some fairly thorough Title 1 audits this year so policies and the three policies included below are presented in response to audits completed over the past year.
716.00 - Non-regulatory business requirements:  This policy is a summary of the non-regulatory business requirements under ESSA to which schools must agree. 
717.00 - Disposing of items acquired through government grants:  discusses acceptable procedures for disposing of items acquired through government grants and also the guidelines for an inventory of those assets.
503.09 Homeless Children:   This policy was updated a year ago but was not included in the policy update and often comes up in the discussion of NDE audits.

The recent Nebraska Legislative session passed numerous bills dealing with schools and they have resulted in several policy revisions.
LB 103:  changes some procedures for passing the district’s annual tax request and this has led to a revision of policy 702.03.
LB 115:  dealing with enrollment of children of military families, it has led to an update of policy 502.01.
LB 399:  deals with the teaching of civics and its oversight by the board, causing a major revision to policies 203.06 and 604.11 and thus, these are now very detailed and prescriptive.  Policy 203.06 has been completely rewritten from the fifth sentence forward.  Policy 604.11 has been entirely rewritten.  Redlines were not created to compare against the older versions due to the extent of changes.  Since there has been harsh criticism in the Legislature that boards are not fully aware of their responsibilities regarding civics and citizenship instruction, we have included the detailed statutory expectations rather than a broad summary.
LB 575:  dealing with directory information and access by military recruiters, it caused an update of policy 507.02.
LB 675:  dealing with the length of time a current board may obligate future boards in agreements, it led to revisions in policies 407.07 and 706.01.  Districts typically insert an amount between $10,000 and $25,000 in the blank space in paragraph four, but the amount should be set to meet your district’s needs.
LB 390:  directs the Nebraska Department of Education to develop a model Memo of Understanding (MOU) for use by districts between any local law enforcement unit or security agencies who will provide security personnel in the school.  By January 1, 2021 each district must have an MOU substantially similar and at least meeting the minimum standards of the model offered by NDE. We will wait to see NDE’s MOU and offer an alternative or recommend adoption of their model.  The bill also contains other requirements including the public distribution of each district’s MOU and new training standards for administrators and security guards in specific areas relating to school safety.
 
There may also be a few minor policy revisions coming out later this month, but these are the major ones resulting from this year’s changes to state statutes.
 

Rationale:  This committee is responsible for recommending approval of building/grounds and transportation programs, vehicle replacement schedule, building and maintenance and upgrade schedule.

Rationale: 
          Parents from Lonnie's Trailer Court brought a request last year for the board to consider expanding our morning and afternoon bus service.  The request was turned down at that time to see if there were other options available.
           I worked with the City and Jim McGowan to see if there was any option of opening the north fence to allow our students and their parents to walk to school.  After exhausting all options, we are back to asking you to reconsider this request. 
Lonnie’s Trailer Court Bus Service
1.  This is an unsupervised load/unload bus service.
2.  The morning bus route pickup: 18^th and Fort Street at 7:15 AM.
3.  The afternoon bus route drop off: 18^th and Fort Street at 4:15 PM.
4.  Regular bus route rules apply.
5.  Fee (per bus):  $450 per semester ($5 per day/ $1.66 per mile).
6.  First Semester bus payment due:  September 9, 2019.
7.  Second Semester bus payment due:  January 6, 2020.
8.  We will use the same buses that go to Richland Elementary.