October 14, 2019 at 8:00 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.  Audit Follow Up-Coding changes is the only feedback thus far (10/9).

6.  Lunch Fund Monthly Review

• Lunch Fund Worksheet
• Breakfast & Lunch Meals Goals
• Transition & Data Points

7.  Activity Account-The Ravenna Public Schools Foundation has made a sizable donation of $8,000 for the purchase of outdoor and indoor/portable Gaga Pits.  This will be an "in and out" through the activity account, with the reimbursement check(s) coming from the Kearney Area Community Foundation on behalf of the Ravenna Public Schools Foundation.

 

Rationale:  The stainless steel sink has been sitting in storage for many years and not been used.  The superintendent is asking that it be declared as surplus for immediate sale or disposal.  A photo of the sink is attached.

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:  Congratulation to Mrs. Barb Ellis, Ravenna Public School's ABC Bluejay Staff Member of the Month.  Mrs. Ellis recently lead the band to victory at the "Harvest of Harmony Parade".  They were the best of 30 bands in Class C competition.  The time and dedication she is investing in our instrumental music program at RHS is paying big dividends for our students and for our school.  Rock on, Mrs. Ellis!

Other Nominees Included: 

Jean Luth-I would like to nominate Jean Luth for the ABC Bluejay of the Month. Jean is a very dedicated, hardworking paraprofessional. She is always willing to lend a helping hand in and out of the classroom. Jean develops great working relationships with teachers and other staff, as well as students. She is kind-hearted, empathetic, and truly cares about the students as well as co-workers. Jean will arrive early and stay late to help students that need some extra help, she attends all meetings regarding students she works with, and addresses concerns she may have about a student. Jean is an outstanding paraprofessional who always gives 110%.

Custodial & Maintenance Staff-I have a group nomination. I would like to nominate the Janitorial and Maintenance staff. They are probably the hardest working, yet most unnoticed part of our school. They do such a good job of keeping the grounds, classrooms, gyms, lunchroom, and building looking great. They're always in a good mood, easy to work with, happy to help, and you never hear them complain

Heidi Kjar-I would like to nominate Heidi Kjar.  Since joining our staff Mrs. Kjar has shown tremendous dedication and work ethic.  She does her best to work with all students to challenge them and hold them accountable.  She has been a great addition to our staff.

 

Rationale:  In the past, Marilyn Bohn has been appointed as the Delegate Assembly Representative for the School.  The board will need to decide whether to appoint Marilyn or another board member to this post.

Rationale: 

Agenda for Negotiations Between REA & Board of Education:

1.  Review the timeline for negotiations process

2.  Review and discuss ground rules for negotiations process

3.  Review proposed list of schools to be used for array comparability calculation.  Those proposed schools include:
Centura
Wood River
Shelton
St. Paul
Loup City
Amherst
Gibbon
Pleasanton
Ravenna
 

4.  Provide Board of Education & REA of current "2019-20 Negotiated Agreement" for review

5.  Discuss items that need to be researched by the Board of Education or by the REA for consideration at future negotiations meetings

Rationale:  The school has discussed replacing the 60-ton condenser and coil that services the high school, as it is ending its service life and needs to be replaced.  The superintendent advertised for engineering services in the Kearney Hub for engineering services in conjunction with the project.

The school district received one bid.  The bid is attached for review.  The bid tabulation is below.

Bid Tabulation:
ETI-$8,100

Rationale:  The board and the administrative team have had conversation at previous board meetings regarding whether or not to continue being an NCA accredited school or being accredited through the state.  With the next 5-year school improvement cycle starting, the district needs to decide whether to continue to be NCA accredited or state accredited.


 

Rationale:  The board expressed an interest in engaging stakeholders in strategic planning in concert with the 5-year cycle of the school improvement process.  Attached is a proposal from NASB to provide strategic planning services with the school district for the board's review and consideration.  Also attached is a sample of a district's plan aligned to the AQuESTT Tenants, as request by the board.  Kori will join the board meeting at 9:00 to answer questions from Board Members regarding the services NASB is proposing.

Rationale:  The school district's updated Capital Improvement Plan is attached to this agenda item.  Mr. Cyboron & Mr. Schroeder have been working on securing budget pricing for the project scheduled to be competed during the 2019-20 budget cycle.  Projects to be briefly reviewed include:

• 60-Ton Condenser & Coil Replacement-$99,976
• Locker Room Locker Replacement-$20,463.50
• Track Event (Long Jump, Pole Vault, & High Jump) Resurfacing-$23,000 (Midwest)- $36,500 (Pro Track)- $51,000 (Hellas)
• Water Heater(s) Replacement in High School-$26,500
• Retaining Wall & West Entry Gates to Improve Drainage on West End of the Football Field-$14,900 ($4900 for retaining wall-after insurance payment from ALICAP; $10,000 (est.) for entry gates

Rationale:  The school district was awarded another NDEQ Grant to purchase a school bus.  The board needs to decide whether or not to pursue this grant and purchse a new route bus.

Van #5 (Chrysler Town & Country with 167,687 miles) needs to be replaced.  It used primarily for "in town only use" by the SPED staff.  It is on its second heater core and its last leg.  The superintendent also wants to make the board aware of the number of miles that are being put on the SPED Van #4 that was purchased in 2017 for daily SPED transportation (two trips daily from Ravenna to Axtell).

Rationale:  Student Artist of the Month-Colton Hervert (Art Attached)

1.  Building Projects/Updates

• Football Field Retaining Wall & Drainage
• Parking Lot-Seams need to be re-tarred because of erosion due to excessive rainfall.  Waiting on bid.

2.  Audit Follow Up-No major findings, only a couple of coding adjustments.  The school is still awaiting a draft of the audit report, which will be shared with board members when it is received.  The finance committee will be able to review it with the superintendent at the November Finance Committee Meeting.

3.  Window Update (Possible Executive Session)

Monthly Superintendent Goals Update (Goals Document Attached):

Academic Achievement

• Attended Superintendent's Meeting at ESU 10 on October 9th to learn about the TSI (Targeted Support & Improvement) designation the middle school received.  I heard from Lane Carr at NDE regarding the requirements the school will need to meet to comply with and improve the designation.
• Coordinated with NWEA to secure specialized reporting of student data to be used for school improvement purposes.  This will save the school improvement team leadership time and make for more time to research and implement strategies for improvement.
• Attended a training to learn how to access NSCAS, NSCAS-Alt, & NSCAS-ACT data through NSSRS for the purpose of harvesting that data and using it to help increase student academic performance.

Vision

• Administrative Retreat with ESU Staff and the Ravenna Admnistration at ESU 10 on Friday October 4th, to plan for the continuous improvement cycle for the first  and second year.  During this session, we strategically mapped out the remaining tasks we need to complete during "year 1" of the school improvement cycle.  We also determined solid data points to use to monitor student academic growth during our upcoming cycle.

Community Relations

• Agree to serve as an ad hoc member of Buffalo County Community Health Partners Advisory Board and offered them assistance in orchestrating a future presentation in the community by this group for the purpose of providing input from the community of Ravenna and being informed about BCCHP's county-wide plan for the upcoming years.  This meeting will be held on October 28th @ 11:30 AM
• Attending fall school activities and being visible and approachable at events and in the community.
• Monthly newsletter.
• I have been asked to serve as a member of the ESU 10 Continuous Improvement Team, as a stakeholder to provide input.  I will be volunteering my time on weekends to do so throughout the school year.