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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-12-2023 Minutes Regular Meeting Executive SessionDr. Scott Woolstenhulme, Superintendent 3497 North Ammon Road, Idaho Falls, Idaho, 83401  (208) 525-4400  Fax (208) 557-6800  www.d93schools.org Board of Trustees  Chad Dance  Paul Jenkins  Carissa Coats  Randy Smith  Mindy Clayton Bonneville Joint School District No. 93 is an Equal Opportunity Employer Regular Meeting/Executive Session July 12, 2023 7:00 PM District Office 3497 N Ammon Rd Idaho Falls, ID 83401 I. Chairman Dance welcomed everyone to the meeting II. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Chairman Dance III. The prayer was offered by Randy Smith IV. Chairman Dance called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. V. Roll Call Paul Jenkins present Carissa Coats present Randy Smith present Mindy Clayton present Chad Dance present VI. Board Opening Business A. Chairman Dance welcomed of Delegates and Visitors B. Amend/Approve the Agenda (Action Item) Motion: Carissa Coats moved to approve the agenda. Randy Smith seconded. Motion carried. C. Approve Consent Agenda (Action Item) Motion: Paul Jenkins moved to approve the Consent Agenda. Carissa Coats seconded. Motion carried. 1. Minutes of Previous Meetings Executive Session/Regular Board Meeting - 06-14-2023 2. Financial a. Accounts Payable June Board Report b. Contracts 1) Board Policy Review Work Agreement 2) Parcel Number: RPO2083004005O by Thunder Ridge High School Sales Agreement 3) Presence Service Order Contract 4) Provider Agreement for Special Education and/or Related Services 3. Employees a. Alternative Authorizations b. Conditional Employment c. Leave Requests 2 d. Resignations and Terminations e. Retirements f. Stipends g. Summer Hires h. Transfers 4. Students a. Club Requests HHS - Career Exploration Club b. Student Travel BHS - FY24 IHSAA Overnight Travel Requests TRHS - FY24 IHSAA Overnight Travel Requests D. Staff/Student Recognition TRHS - Hinkley Potter - State Saxophonist Champion Chairman Dance invited Principal Doug McLaren to present Hinkley Potter to the Board. Mr. McLaren praised Hinkley, a band member, for his achievements in the band. Hinkley is recognized for his dedication and performance in the band, which competes at the state level. The band director explains the competitive process and how Hinkley excelled in the state solo competition. Hinkley expresses gratitude for the honor and discusses their saxophone performance, explaining that he played classical music. Hinkley has been playing the saxophone since sixth grade and plans to major in music in college. He also plays other instruments like the bassoon and guitar. The Board presented Hinkley with a certificate of achievement. RMMS - Jackson Moreau - National History Day - First Place Historical Paper – Not in attendance Praxium - Izzy Leavitt - National History Day - First Place Individual Documentary – Not in attendance E. Zone 3 Trustee Appointment (Action Item) Chairman Dance Stated that a vacancy needs to be filled for Zone 3. The Board conducted four interviews and it was a decision that was not made lightly. He thanked all the candidates for their willingness to apply. Chairman Dance asked the Board members to make a recommendation. Randy Smith stated, that Richard Hess be appointed as the Trustee of Bonneville Joint School District Board of Trustees, Zone 3, to fill the vacant position of former Board member, Chad Dance, which term will expire on December 31, 2025. The appointment to assume responsibility of office will be upon taking the Oath of Office during the August 9, 2023 Regular Board Meeting. Carissa Coats Seconded the resolution. Roll Call Vote Paul Jenkins yes Carissa Coats yes Randy Smith yes Mindy Clayton yes Chad Dance yes The vote was unanimous and Richard Hess was named new trustee for Zone 3. He will take office on August 9, 2023. VII. Public Input: Chairman Dance stated that pursuant to Board Policy #4105 Public Participation in Board Meetings, Public Input shall be held to a maximum of one (1) hour and will provide an opportunity for any Board Member, administrator, staff member, student, or patron to raise issues of interest. The Board will receive such input without comment, except to ask germane questions of those speaking. Comments should be limited to three (3) minutes. The Board will take no action relative to any items during the meeting unless on the agenda but may direct the Superintendent to consider such items at a subsequent meeting. There was no public input provided during this meeting. 3 VIII. Superintendent Reports and Recommendations A. Continuous Improvement Plan Results Superintendent Woolstenhulme stated that the plan was to present the Improvement Plan results at the Board Retreat, but due to time constraints, we wanted to present the results tonight. He then turned the time over to Jason Lords, Executive Director of Learning and Instruction. 1. Early Reading/IRI Results Mr. Lords discussed the observations and experiences related to improving reading proficiency. He mentioned the challenges the district has faced over the years in trying different strategies and practices to enhance reading scores. Mr. Lords referred to the IRI or Idaho Reading Indicator assessment, which categorizes students into Tiers based on their reading proficiency. Tier 1 indicates proficiency, which is where the district would like all students to be. Tier 2 is referred to as below grade level, and Tier 3 is significantly below grade level. Mr. Lords highlighted the implementation of Phonics First as a useful strategy for teachers, but acknowledged that there isn’t a one size fits all solution for learning. Mr. Lords discussed data trends from the fall to the spring, showing growth in reading proficiency percentages for different grade levels, but not quite reaching the desired targets. He noted the ongoing effort to improve through initiatives like “Phonics First” and student centered coaching, along with addressing challenges in teacher training and program fidelity. Mr Lords mentiond that testing occurs in the fall so the results can be compared with the tests in the spring. Despite improvements that have been made, the district remains focused on finding better ways to enhance student reading. 2. ISAT Results Mr. Lords continued by discussing the ISAT scores for different grade levels and subjects, expressing concerns about drops in scores and a desire for improvement. He highlighted frustrations and challenges in understanding why scores have declined despite efforts to enhance instruction. Mr. Lords mentioned conversations about outliers and successful practices in certain schools. Questions were raised about whether certain material might not be taught due to testing constraints and whether a longer testing format impacted results. The importance of aligning instruction with assessment was emphasized. The issue of student motivation for standardized tests was discussed, along with efforts to motivate students through incentives. The concept of understanding the story behind the data was highlighted, and the need to balance diverse student outcomes and measures of success was acknowledged. Mr. Lords concluded by stating the district wil continue having ongoing conversations and developing plans for improvement. 3. CTE Certifications Report Chairman Dance invited Lyndon Oswald, Principal at Technical Careers High School to present to the Board. Mr. Oswald discussed the Career Technical Education (CTE) programs and their focus on preparing students for the workforce. He mentioned the state's Workplace Readiness Career Technical Education diploma, which includes various requirements such as completing high school diploma, passing technical skills assessments, participating in a Capstone program, and more. Mr. Oswald highlighted certifications earned by students in different CTE pathways, such as business, culinary, automotive, welding, nursing, and more. These certifications allow students to enter the workforce with recognized skills and competencies. The importance of embedding math and language arts into tech classes to improve student skills was also mentioned. Mr. Oswald concluded by expressing excitement about the growth of CTE programs and their impact on students' career paths. 4. College Credits Earned Chairman Dance invited Corey Telford, Principal at Bonneville Online High School to present to the Board. Mr. Telford discussed the progress of students in earning college credits and CTE certifications. He highlighted the efforts to encourage middle school students to earn high school credits through programs like Jumpstart High School. Over the past year, students have earned around 6,000 high school credits through various courses, particularly during summer school. The district collaborates with multiple universities for dual credit and AP courses, and there has been a significant increase in the number of credits earned by students. He emphasized the importance of reinforcing fundamental skills, especially in math, before advancing to higher-level courses. Mr. Telford mentioned that students are earning both high school and middle school credits, and they are motivated by the potential cost savings in college. AP exam participation has slightly dropped as students opt for dual credit courses. The goal is to expose all students to college credit opportunities. The number of students 4 earning associate degrees and Gem certificates has increased, and he highlighted efforts to guide students towards applying for these advantages. The presentation concluded with a breakdown of credit earning across different high schools and an overall summary of the district's progress. B. 5-Step Plan to Address Growth (Action Item) Superintendent Woolstenhulme reviewed the five-step plan to address growth. The plan was initially presented in June and now needs official board action. The steps include holding a bond election in August 2023, reducing or eliminating all-day kindergarten programs, suspending open enrollment at schools without available classrooms, busing newly enrolled students to schools with space, and potentially implementing a hybrid learning schedule as a last resort. The plan was developed based on feedback from the community and addresses the need for more classrooms due to growth. The board is encouraged to take official action on this plan. Motion: Paul Jenkins moved to approve the 5-Step Program to address growth in the district. Mindy Clayton seconded. Motion carried. C. COVID Plan (Action Item) Superintendent Woolstenhulme explained that the State requires that the district have a COVID Plan in place in order to receive ESSER funds. The changes made to the plan for the 2023-2024 school year are eliminating sick leave for COVID for employees and students will no longer wipe down desks with Clorox or any disinfecting wipes. Chairman Dance entertained a motion. Motion: Mindy Clayton moved to approve the COVID Plan for the 2023-2024 school year. Randy Smith seconded. Motion carried. D. Policy 1100 Membership for Initial Consideration Superintendent Woolstenhulme presented Policy 1100 Membership for initial consideration. As of July 1st, there were some changes in the Board members zones following the Census. The Policy needed to be updated to reflect those changes. This is not an action item. It will be presented next month for 30-day review. IX. Planning and Personnel A. Construction Manager/General Contractor Scoring Rubric (Action Item) Chairman Dance invited John Pymm, Director of Maintenance and Facilites to present to the Board. Mr. Pymm discussed the construction manager general contractor (CMGC) selection process. A scoring rubric was developed for ranking the respondents' qualifications. An adjustment was made to the rubric based on a suggestion from a facilities committee member to request information about past fees for similar projects. Legal counsel confirmed that this was a viable addition. The board will review the scoring rubric at the Board Retreat. Therefore, no immediate action took place. The timeline for this process involves receiving responses by August 30th and presenting the recommended ranking to the board in the September Regular Board meeting, contingent on the bond's outcome. No action was taken at this time. B. Employee Evaluations Report Chairman Dance invited Heath Jackson, Executive Director of Planning and Personnel, to present the evaluation process to the Board. Mr. Jackson explained the process for both classified and certified employees, focusing on teachers. Evaluation criteria include classroom observations, instructional effectiveness, student interaction, planning, and professional growth. Continuous improvement is emphasized, offering support, second evaluations, and development. He detailed the career ladder with different endorsement levels. Most teachers meet professional and advanced professional criteria. Assistant principals and athletic directors are evaluated by building principals; directors by the Superintendent. Management checklists set evaluation bases, with levels of effectiveness. Leadership evaluation covers professional communities, collaboration, learning, and results. Consistency and reliability are emphasized, even for administrators. Jackson explained occasional inconsistencies and the option for second evaluations. Board members praised the detailed report, dispelling misconceptions about teacher evaluations and job security. Chairman Dance thanked Mr. Jackson for his report. 5 X. Learning and Instruction A. Policy 3345 Corporal Punishment and Reasonable Physical Force for 30-day Review (Action Item) Mr. Lords was asked to present Policy 3345, concerning corporal punishment and reasonable physical force to the Board. The Initial proposal was presented last month and now a 30-day review is being sought. A question was raised about past behavior leading to physical intervention. A constructive dialogue led to changes. The guidelines now include considering the level of physical aggression or violent behavior. A significant addition is the introduction of a "safety plan" for students with a history of physical aggression. This plan involves collaboration between the principal, parents, and school team. The aim is to provide a proactive strategy for managing such situations. The presentation concluded with these modifications. Chairman Dance asked for a motion. Motion: Carissa Coats moved to approve Policy 3345 Corporal Punishment and Reasonable Physical Force for 30- day review. Mindy Clayton seconded. Motion carried. B. Policy 3115 Physical Restraint and Seclusion for 30-day Review (Action Item) Mr. Lords stated that there were no changes made to Policy 3115 from the previous month. Chairman Dance asked for a motion. Motion: Carissa Coats moved to approve Policy 3115 Physical Restraint and Seclusion for 30-day review. Mindy Clayton seconded. Motion carried. C. Policy 3515 Managing Anaphylaxis for 30-day Review (Action Item) Mr. Lords explaned Policy 3515, which addresses anaphylaxis management, this was introduced to the board for the first time last month. The 30-day review was sought to collect patron feedback. Concerns about the prohibition of latex prompted changes. The initial policy banned latex balloons, gloves, and materials. However, after research and discussions, the specific mention of latex was removed. The revised policy highlights allergens causing anaphylactic reactions: food, insect venom, medications, and latex. It advocates individualized approaches for students with allergies, allowing accommodations. Balloons are permitted for events, and students can opt out or inform about latex allergies. The board can review the policy to address concerns and finalize it for the upcoming school year. Motion: Randy Smith moved to approve Policy 3515 Managing Anaphylaxis for 30-day review. Carissa Coats seconded. Motion carried. XI. Board Closing Business A. Items Moved From the Consent Agenda There were no items moved from the Consent to Regular agenda. B. Bond Communication Discussion Board members made some suggestions on what to include on the informational postcard. C. Executive Session (Action Item) Chairman Dance stated that the Board will enter into Executive Session pursuant to Idaho Code 74-206 (1)(b) to consider the evaluation, dismissal, or disciplining of, or to hear complaints or charges brought against, a public officer, employee, staff member, or individual agent, or public school student. The Executive Session will be closed to the public as permitted by law. Motion: Carissa Coats moved to enter Executive Session. Randy Smith seconded. Roll Call Vote Paul Jenkins yes Carissa Coats yes Randy Smith yes Mindy Clayton yes Chad Dance yes 6 1. Superintendent Recommendations a. OCR Complaint Informal Resolution Chairman Dance and the Board were updated and informed of the OCR complaint and reviewed the informal resolution. 2. Close Executive Session (Action Item) Motion: Paul Jenkins moved to close Executive Session. Carissa Coats seconded. D. OCR Complaint Informal Resolution (Action Item) Motion: Randy Smith moved to ratify the OCR Complaint Informal Resolution as presented. Carissa Coats seconded. Motion carried. E. Call for Agenda Items for Upcoming Meetings Chairman Dance asked if there were any items for upcoming meetings. Hearing none, he asked for a motion to adjourn. F. Adjournment (Action Item) Motion: Carissa Coats moved to adjourn the meeting. Randy Smith seconded. Motion carried. Adjourned at 10:35 p.m.