June 11, 2018 at 7:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale: 

1.  Review monthly bills using the EMeetings Software.

2.  Review all credit card transactions for the month.

3.  Finance Committee Members Sign-off on review of monthly bills, credit card transactions, and district fund balances.

4.  Approve superintendent's expenses (credit card transactions, mileage, cell phone reimbursement).

5.  Account Structure Change Process-Hilary

6.  Activity Fund Balance & Estimated Transfer Required Before End of Business Year-$20,000 transfer from the General Fund to the Activity Fund will likely be required to "zero out" the account balance.  Currently, it has a negative balance of $14,600.  $15,000 was budgeted for transfers from GF to Activity Fund, but this increase of $5,000 in transfers to the Activity Fund will not cause you to exceed your total budgeted transfers. 

7.  Depreciation Fund Transfer for Wrestling Mat-$9,396.74

8.  Lunch Fund Balance Review & Payment from Opaa!

• Working with the company to calculate the amount of the guarantee due to us for this year.
• Guarantee if for the program, based on 178 student days (176 actual student days, due to weather)
• Projected and guaranteed profit for the account was $117 or better
• Actual profit/loss on the account is projected to be $15,005.42 (est. based on actual July payroll).
• So, the lunch fund actually lost $15,005.42.
• Subsidized by the General Fund: $18,195 (2017); $40,000 (2016); $12,000 (2015)
• You have a program that even with the expertise provided by the company is engaged in deficit spending.  The deficit spending is less (approximately $3000) than the previous year, but still running a deficit.
• The guarantee is only good for the 2017-18 school year.
• Budget for transfers for the 2018-19 school year.
• The company says they will design a plan to increase student participation, and in turn, increase program revenue for the 2018-19 school year to help eliminate the deficit.
• Options: (1)Take the program back over for the 2019-20 school year and subsidize it as in the past, while trying to reduce costs as much as possible; (2) Bid the account again midway through the 2018-19 school year for the 2019-20 school year and see if another food service management company could do better than Opaa!.
• Consideration: District-owned kitchen staff are paid out over 12-months, even though they work 10.  Paying employees for work during the month they earn the pay would make tracking operating expenses much easier and for more accurate.
• Consideration: The onus to improve is on the company.  If the company can't cut the deficit, the school may need to look to another company to provide contracted food services and in turn lose the account. 
• Consideration: If the school can't work with the company to improve the profit margin, it is unlikely the school is going to be able to do so on its own.  The primary reason for contracting for food service management was to get assistance and expertise in managing resources within the school's nutrition program to increase revenue.  To date, this doesn't look like it has made a considerable difference in the bottom line of the school lunch fund.
• Consideration: We've learned a lot about working with a food service management company.
• After being provided the guarantee, we will have substantially reduced our deficit spending in the lunch fund for the 2017-18 school year.
• Consideration: We have time to make our decision and are locked into the decision for the 2018-19 school year.  We'll need to make a decision on how to move forward by December of 2018.

 

Rationale:  Mr. Hurtya is recommending the attached items (pictures/descriptions) be declared as surplus for immediate sale or disposal.  He will try to sell some of the items locally first, then create an eBay store if he still has some left over. 

Rationale:  Mrs. Jarzynka and Mr. Christensen have been cleaning out the science room and have many items that have not been used for many years and recommend that they be declared as surplus for immediate sale or disposal.

Rationale: 

Members of the Public, 

This is the portion of the board meeting when we invite anyone in attendance to address the board of education. If you would like to speak to the board regarding any of the items on tonight's agenda or a public concern, now is your opportunity to do so.  Please review the orange sheet (found on the visitors' chairs) of paper that contains the guidelines for public participation.  If you wish to speak to the board at this time, please let me know.  "Would anyone like to address the board at this time?"

 

AFTER THE PERSON(S) INDICATE(S) THEY WISH TO SPEAK

1.  Please stand and state your name?

2.  What topic will you be speaking on?

3.  Are there others in the room who wish to speak to the same topic? (If so, ask that they be recognized so that 30 minutes of time for public comment can be apportioned as per the policy-5 minutes per person).

4.  Optional-"Please understand that public comment is your opportunity to speak to the board and present your concerns, thoughts, feelings, ideas, and observations.  Members of the board are happy to hear from members of the public, but the board will not engage in conversation or dialogue with you during public comment."

4.  "You'll have approximately 5 minutes to address the board, as we allow 5 minutes per person and a total of 30 minutes for public comment.  You may begin when you are ready?"

 

 

 

Rationale:  The substitute teacher pay rate for Ravenna is slightly lower than surrounding schools.  The superintendent would suggest increasing this rate by $10 to $120 for the 2018-19 school year.

For the 2017-18 school year, there were 545 substitute teacher days.
For the 2016-17 school year, there were 457 substitute teacher days.
Based on 2017-18 substitute teacher days, the total substitute teacher pay would increase approximately $5450.

Ravenna Current Substitute Teacher Pay Rate: $110

Arcadia: $110
Central City: $120
Centura: $125
Doniphan-Trumball: $115
Gibbon: $125
Loup City: $115
Ord: $110 (Just increased to $120)
St. Paul: $115
Wood River: $125
 

Rationale:  The wrestling mat the school board approved the purchase of earlier in the year has arrived.  The school has been invoiced for the mat in the agreed upon amount of $9,396.74 by Resilite.  A transfer of this amount will be necessary to pay for the mat from the depreciation fund.

Rationale:  Attached is a copy of the updated student handbook for the 2018-19 school year and a summary of the proposed changes.  Mr. Kjar and Mr. Anderson will be in attendance at the meeting to discuss the changes, which are highlighted in the attached copy.

Rationale:  The attorney's memo regarding the recommended policy updates for 2018 is attached to this agenda item.  As appropriate, the superintendent went through each of the policies that required information to be updated, to make the new versions of the policies be consistent with previous versions of the policies.

There are four policies which the board must make decisions on regarding which options they want to be selected for each of the four policies.  Those four policies and the options for each of the four policies are outlined below:

#2002 "Organization of Board"-There are two choices for this policy regarding deciding how to break a tie for the vote of the board presidency.  Option 1: Flip a coin to break the tie for the presidency;  Option 2: Each of the president candidates split the duties, each serving a 6-month term as president.

#3040 "School Safety & Security"-There are two choices for this policy regarding how to handle memorials.  Option 1: No memorials displayed on school grounds; Option 2: Memorials are allowed with the approval of the board of education.

#4013 "Grievance Procedure"-The grievance procedure is part of the school district's "Negotiated Agreement".  The attorney recommends that if this is the case, the school board work with the LEA (Local Education Association) during the negotiations process to update the grievance procedure in accordance with the policy offered by the school district's attorney.  Does the board wish to send a copy of this grievance policy to the LEA Leadership and make them aware of the fact that we would like to consider adding it's language to the "Negotiated Agreement" as part of the negotiations process this year.

#5062 "Lice & Nits"-There are two options regarding nits in this policy.  The school district originally chose "Option A," which indicates that a student cannot return to school if they still have nits.  The board can continue to use "Option A" or use "Option B" which would allow students with nits to return to school.

Rationale:  The board is required to hold an annual hearing and review its parental involvement policy (Policy #5018).  After the review they may adopt it in its current form or make changes as needed.  The school district's attorney and the administration are not recommending any changes to the policy.

Rationale:  The school board must review its Title I Parental Policy Annually and provide input from parents during the policy review.  The attached copy contains required changes suggested by the school district's attorney.  Input from the parents who reviewed the policy and provided input, in conjunction with Mr. Anderson, are attached to this agenda item.

Rationale:  The board must review its bullying policy (#5054) annually.  The current copy and recommended and revised copy of the policy from the school district's attorney is attached.  The revised version of the policy further clarifies the definition of what "bullying" is and provides additional language to allow school administrators to address bullying that does NOT take place on school grounds, but still has the potential to affect the victim's access to education.

Rationale:  The board is required to annually review its student fees policy (#5045).  A revised version of the policy is being offered by the attorney, as the school can no longer charge students for course projects that are required in the curriculum cannot have a fee associated with them.  Student meal prices for the 2018-19 school year have also been updated in the revised policy.

Rationale:  The board must review its attendance and excessive absenteeism policy (#5001) annually.  The school district attorney and administration are not recommending any changes to this policy.

Rationale:  NASB asked to share this with you each month.  Are board members getting this emailed directly to them?  If so, I will not include it as a monthly agenda item.

Rationale:  1.  Summer Project Update
     Track Repair-Midwest Tennis & Track-Still waiting to hear back.
     Window Warranty Work in Elementary-Still trying to get someone here.
     Special Systems (Fire Alarm, PA, Bell)-Progress meeting  June 21;       
     Change order to add 5 external speakers to the PA system in the amount
     of $2,599.44.
     HVAC in Elementary-Rutt's not on site yet.
     Playground Equipment has arrive-July installation date.
     Wrestling Mat has arrived and is curing in elementary gym.
     Hallway door and walls are being installed by Dan & Todd in elementary
     gym.

2.  Technology Department-CJ McCoy & Markel Miigrel sharing the position in assisting Mr. Huryta this summer and doing a great job.  Dave is happy to have the additional help.

3.  Random Drug Testing Policy Update-Bids are currently being solicited based on bid specifications that Mr. Kjar and Mr. Schroeder put together.  A vendor should be selected and their name offered to the board for approval at the July Board Meeting.

4.  Bus Purchase Opportunity NDEQ-The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality is offering an incentive program for buses, diesel and propane replacement buses.  I'm pursuing this opportunity and plan to budget as if we are going to get the grant.  Not all grant requests are met.  Information regarding the grant is attached.  This gets a little tricky, as the bid for the bus to be purchased needs to be submitted at the time of the application, which is Friday, August 5th.  So, we may be advertising and soliciting bids for a bus in July/August of 2018, that we won't actually purchase until August of 2019.

5.  Lunch Fund Balance Review & Payment from Opaa!

• Working with the company to calculate the amount of the guarantee due to us for this year.
• Guarantee if for the program, based on 178 student days (176 actual student days, due to weather)
• Projected and guaranteed profit for the account was $117 or better
• Actual profit/loss on the account is projected to be $15,005.42 (est. based on actual July payroll).
• So, the lunch fund actually lost $15,005.42.
• Subsidized by the General Fund: $18,195 (2017); $40,000 (2016); $12,000 (2015)
• You have a program that even with the expertise provided by the company is engaged in deficit spending.  The deficit spending is less (approximately $3000) than the previous year, but still running a deficit.
• The guarantee is only good for the 2017-18 school year.
• Budget for transfers for the 2018-19 school year.
• The company says they will design a plan to increase student participation, and in turn, increase program revenue for the 2018-19 school year to help eliminate the deficit.
• Options: (1)Take the program back over for the 2019-20 school year and subsidize it as in the past, while trying to reduce costs as much as possible; (2) Bid the account again midway through the 2018-19 school year for the 2019-20 school year and see if another food service management company could do better than Opaa!.
• Consideration: District-owned kitchen staff are paid out over 12-months, even though they work 10.  Paying employees for work during the month they earn the pay would make tracking operating expenses much easier and for more accurate.
• Consideration: The onus to improve is on the company.  If the company can't cut the deficit, the school may need to look to another company to provide contracted food services and in turn lose the account. 
• Consideration: If the school can't work with the company to improve the profit margin, it is unlikely the school is going to be able to do so on its own.  The primary reason for contracting for food service management was to get assistance and expertise in managing resources within the school's nutrition program to increase revenue.  To date, this doesn't look like it has made a considerable difference in the bottom line of the school lunch fund.
• Consideration: We've learned a lot about working with a food service management company.
• After being provided the guarantee, we will have substantially reduced our deficit spending in the lunch fund for the 2017-18 school year.
• Consideration: We have time to make our decision and are locked into the decision for the 2018-19 school year.  We'll need to make a decision on how to move forward by December of 2018.