March 18, 2024 at 5:30 PM - Regular Board of Education Meeting
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1. Call the Meeting to Order
Speaker(s):
Board President or Designee
Rationale:
LEADERSHIP • SERVICE • SUPPORT Notice of this meeting was given in advance according to State Law 84-1411, by giving notice of the meeting to the public on ESU 7 website www.esu7.org and posted at location of meeting. Notice of this meeting was also given in advance to all members of the Board of Education of Educational Service Unit 7. Availability of the agenda and purpose of the hearing was communicated in the advance notice of the meeting and in the notice to the members of this hearing. All proceedings of the Board of Education of Educational Service Unit 7 were taken while the convened hearing was open to the attendance of the public.
Discussion:
Roll call was taken at 5:30pm
Board Vice President conducted the meeting. Staff present: Larianne Polk, Administrator Linda Shefcyk, Business Manager Mindy Reed, Secretary to the Board of Directors Marci Ostmeyer, Professional Development Director Dan Ellsworth, Network Operations Director |
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1.1. Notification of Open Meetings Law
Speaker(s):
Board President or Designee
Rationale:
This meeting has been preceded by reasonable advance notice and is hereby declared to be in open session. A copy of the Open Meetings Act is posted in the meeting room.
Attachments:
()
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1.2. Roll Call
Speaker(s):
Board President or Designee
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1.3. Absent Board Members
Speaker(s):
Board President or Designee
Rationale:
Board President Doug Pauley will be absent. Board Secretary Jennifer Miller will be absent. Board member Dawn Lindsley will be absent. They notified the Administrator prior to the board meeting.
Recommended Motion(s):
Discuss, consider and take action to approve the Board member absences as presented Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
Board member Karen Gomez was also absent. She notified the Administrator prior to the meeting. Board member Richard Luebbe notified the Administrator he would be tardy. Board Secretary Jennifer Miller was not absent, she was in attendance.
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1.4. Pledge of Allegiance
Speaker(s):
Board President or Designee
Discussion:
All members present participated in the Pledge of Allegiance.
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2. Approval of Agenda
Speaker(s):
Board President or Designee
Rationale:
The sequence of agenda topics is subject to change at the discretion of the Board.
Recommended Motion(s):
Discuss, consider and take any necessary action to approve the agenda as presented Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
Board member Richard Stephens asked how he could have something added to the agenda. Administrator Polk let him know that agenda items can only be added to the agenda 24 hours or more before the board meeting.
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3. Welcome Visitors
Speaker(s):
Board President or Designee
Discussion:
There were two visitors present.
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4. Public Comment
Speaker(s):
Board President or Designee
Rationale:
The Board has the discretion to limit the amount of time set aside for public participation.
Citizens wishing to address the Board on a certain agenda item must complete the Request to be Heard Document prior to the start of the board meeting. Citizens wishing to present petitions to the Board may do so at this time. However, the Board will only receive the petitions and not act upon them or their contents.
Discussion:
No public comments were provided.
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5. Consent Agenda
Speaker(s):
Board President or Designee
Rationale:
Unless removed from the consent agenda, items identified within the consent agenda will be acted on at one time. If any Board member wishes to discuss an item, it must be removed from the consent agenda at which time the remaining items will be acted upon. Consent Agenda Includes:
Administrator Recommendation: Discuss, consider and take any action necessary to approve the consent agenda as presented.
Recommended Motion(s):
Discuss, consider and take any action necessary to approve the consent agenda as presented Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
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5.1. Minutes
Speaker(s):
Board President or Designee
Rationale:
This is a consent item.
Attachments:
()
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5.2. Presentation of Bills #77640 through #77787 totaling $914,610.55
Speaker(s):
Board President or Designee
Rationale:
The summary of bills for the current month total: $914,610.55 - Bills #77640 through #77787 Inservice bills total: $0
Attachments:
()
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5.3. Reading of Article III, Section 10, C Comments and Complaints of Parents and Patrons
Speaker(s):
Board President or Designee
Rationale:
This is a consent item.
Attachments:
()
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5.4. Reading of Article III, Section 10, D Complaints Involving Instructional Materials
Speaker(s):
Board President or Designee
Rationale:
This is a consent item.
Attachments:
()
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5.5. Reading of Article III, Section 11, A Media and Public Relations
Speaker(s):
Board President or Designee
Rationale:
This is a consent item.
Attachments:
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5.6. Reading of Article III, Section 11, B News Conferences and Interviews
Speaker(s):
Board President or Designee
Rationale:
This is a consent item.
Attachments:
()
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5.7. Reading of Article III, Section 11, C Community Relations
Speaker(s):
Board President or Designee
Rationale:
This is a consent item.
Attachments:
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5.8. Reading of Article III, Section 11, D Crisis Management Communications
Speaker(s):
Board President or Designee
Rationale:
This is a consent item.
Attachments:
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5.9. Reading of Article IV, Section 1, A Recruitment and Selection
Speaker(s):
Board President or Designee
Rationale:
This is a consent item.
Attachments:
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5.10. Reading of Article IV, Section 1, B Equal Opportunity Employment
Speaker(s):
Board President or Designee
Rationale:
This is a consent item.
Attachments:
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5.11. Reading of Article IV, Section 1, C Salary Schedule Advancement
Speaker(s):
Board President or Designee
Rationale:
This is a consent item.
Attachments:
()
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5.12. Reading of Article IV, Section 1, D Employee Benefits
Speaker(s):
Board President or Designee
Rationale:
This is a consent item.
Attachments:
()
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6. Treasurer's Report
Speaker(s):
Board President or Designee
Rationale:
Review the breakdown of the Treasurer's Report.
Administrator Recommendation: Discuss, consider and take any action necessary to approve the Treasurer's Report as presented.
Recommended Motion(s):
Discuss, consider and take any action necessary to approve the Treasurer's Report as presented. Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Attachments:
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Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
Board member Gary Wieser questioned why the cash on hand continues to grow as it has been increasing over the past couple of months. Administrator Polk explained the earmarked money to be set aside for larger projects, one of which will be the North Building HVAC project.
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7. Retirement Notice - Amy Mazankowski
Speaker(s):
Board President or designee
Rationale:
Retirement:
Administrator Recommendation: Discuss, consider and take any necessary action to accept the retirement letter as presented.
Recommended Motion(s):
Discuss, consider and take any necessary action to accept the retirement letter as presented Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Attachments:
()
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
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8. ESU 7 Administrator Resignation
Speaker(s):
Board President or Designee
Rationale:
Administrator Polk is submitting her resignation to be accepted by the Board. Administrator Recommendation: Discuss, consider and take any necessary action to accept the resignation as presented.
Recommended Motion(s):
Discuss, consider and take any necessary action to accept the resignation as presented. Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Attachments:
()
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
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9. Discussion with NASB Search Firm
Speaker(s):
Administrator or designee
Rationale:
NASB will provide information to ESU 7 Board.
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
Administrator Polk spoke with the Board President, Doug Pauley, after which she requested the Nebraska Association of School Boards (NASB) attend the board meeting to help answer questions about the Administrator search process and the board's responsibilities. Marcia Herring, the Director of Board Leadership, attended the board meeting to go over the process. Shari Becker, Director of Leadership Search Service, would lead the process but was unable to attend the board meeting due to a prior commitment with another school. Marcia has been with NASB for 19 years. She started doing the leadership search work prior to her position as the Director of Board Leadership. Mrs. Herring provided each board member present with an Administrator Search Proposal for ESU 7 booklet. NASB has conducted searches for Educational Service Units (ESUs) in the past. Administrator searches have been conducted for ESU 9, ESU 11, and ESU 13. Should the board decide to move forward with NASB, the process would start immediately. The board would have three options: advertise and hire a full-time Administrator, advertise and place an interim Administrator if applications are not to the board's liking with a second advertisement in the Fall, or appoint an interim Administrator for this year and advertise next Fall. NASB wants the board to have a voice in how to proceed with the Administrator search.
NASB would send a survey that will be sent out to all the board members asking about qualities and characteristics the board is looking for in an Administrator and the short and long term goals. Shari will create a profile based on the information received. Internal and external stakeholders will also be asked for feedback. The only stakeholders who will not be questioned are those who are interested in applying for the Administrator position. NASB would provide all the stakeholder feedback to the board. Opening up the Administrator search to internal and external candidates would be a benefit to all candidates. Advertising would also allow the board to see who is engaged in the process. The board would have the ability to operate the Administrator search with a committee or as a board committee as a whole. There are different parts a committee could carry out, reviewing the candidates to select the top few and then interview as a whole. Board member Dawn Lindsley would like to be on the committee, if that is the route the board would like to go. Board President Doug Pauley would like to see the Administrator position advertised and open to internal and external candidates. There were in depth discussions regarding board member's opinions of utilizing a search firm or proceeding with the work as a board. NASB is one of three organizations who can advertise and conduct a search for Administrators. NASB would not dictate to the board who should be considered, it is the board's search. A formal background check will be conducted for anyone the board decides to interview. Shari would help schedule interviews, help set up interview questions, and assist with vetting candidates. NASB has a two-year guarantee. If the individual hired leaves within two years, another full search would be conducted at no expense, except for travel. In order for the guarantee, there needs to be a goal planning session. Questions asked: - Is there a cost? Yes, should the board decide to just go with an interim, the cost is $1,000. A full search is $9,000. - Do we have to advertise? It is not mandatory but highly suggested. - What if I do not want to interview? Can you not advertise? You do not have to do a search. - Does the Administrator participate in the search with the Board? No, it is not typical for the outgoing Administrator to participate. - Are the NASB fees comparable to those of the other organizations? Yes, fees are comparable. - What is the timeline? The board would need to have someone hired before July 1, 2024. - If there is an interim, could that individual apply for the full-time position when it opens up? Yes |
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10. New Hire: Nicole Chiles, Early Childhood Speech Language Pathologist
Speaker(s):
Board President or designee
Rationale:
New Hire: Nicole Chiles, Early Childhood Speech Language Pathologist for the 2024-2025 school year.
Administrator Recommendation: Discuss, consider and take any action necessary to approve the 2024-2025 contract for Nicole Chiles as presented.
Recommended Motion(s):
Discuss, consider and take any action necessary to approve the 2024-2025 contract for Nicole Chiles as presented Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Attachments:
()
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
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11. April 2024 Board Meeting Time
Speaker(s):
Board President
Rationale:
The Board - Employee Recognition Dinner is scheduled on April 15, 2024, beginning at 5:00pm. It is recommended to change the Board Meeting time to 4:00pm to accommodate the Annual Board Recognition Dinner. Recommendation: Discuss, consider and take any action necessary to approve an April 15, 2024, Board Meeting Time of 4:00pm.
Recommended Motion(s):
Discuss, consider and take any action necessary to approve an April 15, 2024, Board Meeting Time of 4:00pm Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Attachments:
()
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
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12. Reading of Article III, Section 8, A Disposal of Property
Speaker(s):
Board President or Designee
Rationale:
Adding: Disposed Technology Purchase Procedure for Employees Computers purchased for ESU 7 employee use and deemed at the end of useful life by the Technology Director, may be offered to ESU 7 employees for fair market value. Once the computer has followed the procedures for disposal, including ESU 7 Board approval, a fair market value will be determined by the Technology Director, approved by the Chief Administrator, and communicated to the employee before the purchase. Procedures and guidelines for employee purchase of end of life computers will then be followed. Related procedure - Computer End of Life Purchase Procedure for Employees.
Recommended Motion(s):
Discuss, consider and take all necessary action to approve Article III, Section 8, A Disposal of Property as presented Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Attachments:
()
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
Administrator Polk reviewed the added language. The computers available to staff will be seven years old or older. Normally, the technology department sells end of life computers to a reseller. Board President Doug Pauley asked if the board could be added to the list as well. The policy will be updated to reflect a board member can also purchase end of life computers.
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13. Administrator's Report General
Speaker(s):
Administrator or Designee
Rationale:
Attachments:
()
Goals:
Discussion:
Administrator Polk had the chance to talk to all the board members, with the exception of Karen Gomez, about her upcoming Executive Director position with the Educational Service Unit Coordinating Council (ESUCC). The position became available quickly and the ESUCC approached Administrator Polk about applying.
Administrator Polk provided to the board that a school district outside the ESU 7 area inquired about leaving their ESU and coming to ESU 7. Board President Doug Pauley was contacted by Administrator Polk to discuss the inquiry. It was determined it would not be in the best interest of the ESUs and the school district. Administrator Polk encouraged the Superintendent to have a planning discussion with his ESU. The plaque in recognition of Donald Ellison will be available for the April Board Recognition dinner. Mr. Ellison's family will be invited to the recognition dinner. |
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13.1. Goal Update
Speaker(s):
Administrator or Designee
Rationale:
Attachments:
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Goals:
Discussion:
Professional Development Director Ostmeyer and board member Don Graff attended the Shelby-Rising City board meeting on March 14, 2024.
The Twin River board meeting is still being scheduled. Director Ellsworth and Board Secretary Jennifer Miller will attend. |
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13.2. Services Update
Speaker(s):
Administrator or Designee
Rationale:
Attachments:
()
Discussion:
Director Ostmeyer provided an update on the Regional PD Day. The Agency Team met on March 15, 2024, and broke up into three different committees. The event is going to offer opportunities for professional development, no matter the position. There is a general RSVP of around 1,100 staff members. There will be an agreement with Columbus Public Schools to rent their facility for the event.
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13.3. Personnel
Speaker(s):
Administrator or designee
Rationale:
Resignations:
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13.4. Legislative Update
Speaker(s):
Administrator or Designee
Rationale:
During this item, the Administrator will provide a Legislative Update to members of the Board.
Attachments:
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Discussion:
Two education packages have come out, which include multiple bills. The second package has several bills related to recruiting and retention. There is a reading bill which will provide money for ESUs to hire reading coaches to provide high quality professional development for teachers. LB 304 is a bill that would require any public subdivision to publish any memberships and the amount of dues on their website. Business Manager Linda Shefcyk pulled a preliminary list and ESU 7 has 16 memberships which would need to be added. There are still questions about specifics which need to be answered.
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14. Committee Reports
Speaker(s):
Committee Chair
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14.1. Buildings and Grounds Committee Report
Speaker(s):
Buildings and Grounds Committee Chair
Rationale:
The Buildings and Grounds Committee Chairperson, Bob Arp, will provide an update.
Committee Recommendation:
Discussion:
Buildings and Grounds Committee Chairperson Bob Arp provided an update. The Buildings and Grounds Committee met on March 8th and talked about the HVAC system. The process for the HVAC project has begun. There was also extensive discussion about the facilities wants and needs feedback received from the internal stakeholders. One of the common themes was space. ESU 7 is currently landlocked with the current property, so there was a lot of brainstorming about different options. Some of the ideas were looking at the green space to the south of the campus, taking a building down and rebuilding, purchasing additional buildings, or moving around some services or departments. Chairperson Bob Arp asked Jeff Gokie to come in and speak with the Buildings and Grounds Committee to talk about real estate around the Columbus area. Since there is no time frame for any of these changes to occur, it is just in the brainstorming phase. Mike Kennedy from RVW will be taking our current spaces and seeing if there is a way to optimize them differently. Mike will come back with options for the Buildings and Grounds Committee. Prior to that, Mike will share a remodel proposal for the Bridges (complex disabilities program) with the committee for their recommendation to the full board. The parking situation was also discussed. The committee will keep working on and narrowing down options to bring them back to the board for discussion.
Administrator Polk spoke with the Park and Recreation Director regarding an overflow parking sign at the entrance of Gerard Park. She also contacted the city's Central Maintenance and Street Department about the flashing lights for the cross-walk. Administrator Polk will follow up with both after April 2, 2024. |
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14.2. Negotiations Committee Report
Speaker(s):
Negotiations Committee Chair
Rationale:
Negotiations Committee Chairperson, Jennifer Miller, will provide an update.
Committee Recommendation: Discuss, consider, and take any necessary action to approve one (1) additional personal day and 4% Total Package increase for all staff EXCEPT those who fall under the Negotiated Agreement, and authority to the administrator to distribute to those staff members based on experience, education, and supervisor recommendation.
Recommended Motion(s):
Discuss, consider, and take any necessary action to approve one (1) additional personal day and 4% Total Package increase for all staff EXCEPT those who fall under the Negotiated Agreement, and authority to the administrator to distribute to those staff members based on experience, education, and supervisor recommendation Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Attachments:
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Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
Negotiations Chairperson Jennifer Miller provided an update. The Negotiations Committee discussed the rest of the staff not on the negotiated agreement. After reviewing the results of the staff survey, the majority of those who responded to the survey wanted any increase to go to the salary. Board member Richard Stephens provided praise to Negotiations Committee Chairperson Jennifer Miller for all the work she does for the Negotiations Committee. Board Secretary Jennifer Miller thanks Business Manager Linda Shefcyk for all the work she does gathering the information and providing it to the Negotiations Committee. Negotiations Committee Chairperson thanked Secretary to the Board Mindy Reed for the organization and communication she manages for the committee.
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14.3. Handbook Committee Update
Speaker(s):
Handbook Committee Chairperson
Rationale:
Student Services Principal, Cara Neesen and Administrator Polk will meet with the Handbook Committee: Board Member Dawn Lindsley (Chair), Board Member Joyce Baumert, and Board Member Bob Arp. They will meet for two hours between the March and May Board Meetings. Committee to make a recommendation to the board in the May Board Meeting.
Draft Handbook copies will be emailed to your ESU email accounts on April 15, 2024. If hard copies are requested, they can be picked up at the ESU 7 office. Possible Meeting Dates:
Committee Recommendation:
Discussion:
Secretary to the Board, Mindy Reed, will reach out to Handbook Committee Chairperson Dawn Lindsley to get her availability for the Handbook Committee meeting date.
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15. Conference Report
Speaker(s):
Conference Attendees
Rationale:
Conference attendees will report on their learnings.
Goals:
Discussion:
Administrator Polk attended the NRCSA Spring Conference. On Thursday, March 14, NRCSA announced the award for Outstanding ESU Staff Member. ESU 7's very own Brooke Kavan won Outstanding ESU Staff Member. The board is very proud of Brooke Kavan and wanted to note their congratulations.
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16. Adjournment
Speaker(s):
Board President or Designee
Discussion:
Meeting adjourned at 7:31pm.
Minutes respectfully submitted by Mindy Reed, Recording Secretary to the ESU 7 Board. |
