April 10, 2015 at 4:00 PM - Superintendent's Weekly Update to the Board of Education

Description: 
On Tuesday we had another design planning meeting with ARY and Winkelman.  The attached floor plans were used to guide the discussion.  And as a result they've been massaged again.  The changes, however, are becoming less drastic and we're getting closer to the finish line.

Next Thursday is a daylong meeting with several teachers and support staff to take one last look at their related components of the master plan (e.g., classroom teachers, food service, etc.).

  8:15-  9:00—Science
  8:45-  9:30—Tech Ed/AG
  9:30-10:15—PE/Health/AD
10:15-11:00—Math/English/Social HS Teachers
11:00-11:45—SPED (HS/ELEM)
11:45-12:45—LUNCH BREAK
12:45-  1:30—Admin/Office (HS)
  1:30-  2:15—Pre-K/ Kindergarten teachers
  2:15-  3:30—Food Service/Custodial
  3:30-  4:15—Rep. Group of 1st-5th grade teachers
  4:15-  5:00—Community Ed/AD
  5:00—Review Day

We'll be ready for a special board meeting once we've updated the plans from next Thursday's employee meetings.  The special board meeting will be the board and public's opportunity for further ideas and suggestions.  To help move things along you may want to schedule a one-to-one meeting with me after next week.  

Description: 
We need to do come up with a solution to rainwater draining off our elementary playground and onto the neighbor's property.  We've thought about removing the hard (non-permeable) playground surface area and replacing it with green grass (permeable).  This would resolve the ongoing concern/complaint by the neighbor and provide our children a safe fun place to play.

One of the board members suggested we go with turf instead of grass.  To plant grass and install necessary water sprinklers it will cost over $100,000.  It is possible maintenance free turf may not cost all that much more.

I didn't think anytime in the near future I'd see an elementary playground with turf . . . and then it happened.  Attached are pics of a turf playground at an elementary school in La Crosse.  My family and I just happened to drive by this school on the way to lunch.  We were in town for Abby's college visit.

I'm going to have Winkelman price out both options for us.    

Description: 
Please see attached Winkelman's advertisement for bids to replace the elementary classroom unit ventilators.  We budgeted around $700,000 for this part of the project. 

Description: 
The new paging and bell system is up and running. David turned it on Monday.  The bell schedule is right on with cellphone time.  Once the new clock system is installed in the next few weeks everything will be on the same time.

Description: 
Of continued concern, while significant investing in new all-day, everyday, year round universal 4-year old preschool and other programs, the governor is proposing only 1% increases to the basic formula, which funds the foundation of K-12 programming in our schools.  Districts will spend down reserves and cut valuable opportunities for students over the next two years, all while the state has a $1.9 billion surplus.

Description: 
Please find attached the weekly bills for your approval.