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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-09-2024 Minutes Executive Session Regular Board MeetingDr. Scott Woolstenhulme, Superintendent 3497 North Ammon Road, Idaho Falls, Idaho, 83401  (208) 525-4400  Fax (208) 557-6800  www.d93schools.org Board of Trustees  Paul Jenkins  Carissa Coats  Randy Smith  Mindy Clayton  Richard Hess Bonneville Joint School District No. 93 is an Equal Opportunity Employer Executive Session / Work Meeting / Regular Meeting Wednesday, October 9, 2024 The Board will enter Executive Session at 6:00 p.m. They will hold a Work Meeting at 6:15 p.m. The Regular Board meeting portion will begin at 7:00 p.m. District Office 3497 N Ammon Rd Idaho Falls, ID 83401 I. Call to Order Chairman Jenkins called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m. II. Roll Call Mindy Clayton: Present Carissa Coats: Present Richard Hess: Present Paul Jenkins: Present Randy Smith: Present Randy Smith and Richard Hess joined the meeting via Zoom. III. Items on the Consent Agenda to Discuss in Executive Session The Board asked if any items on the Consent Agenda needed to be discussed in the Executive Session. There were no items requested to be discussed. IV. Approve/Amend the Agenda (Action Item) Motion: To approve the agenda. This motion, made by Mindy Clayton and seconded by Carissa Coats, Passed. V. Executive Session (Action Item) The Board will enter into an 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: To enter Executive Session. This motion, made by Carissa Coats and seconded by Mindy Clayton, Passed. Roll Call Vote Carissa Coats yes Randy Smith yes Mindy Clayton yes Richard Hess yes Paul Jenkins yes The Board entered Executive Session at 6:07 p.m. V.A. Leave Without Pay Employee E-2025 (2) Employee F-2025 Employee G-2025 Employee H-2025 The following employees were discussed in Executive Session. There was no action taken. However, these are items on the consent agenda. VI. Close Executive Session (Action Item) Motion: To close Executive Session. This motion, made by Mindy Clayton and seconded by Carissa Coats, Passed. VII. Work Meeting VII.A. Supplemental Levy Discussion The district will be running a Supplemental Levy on November 5th. The Board, the Executive Team, and the Communications Team discussed the possible and legal ways to get the information out to the public. Phil Campbell provided the Board with talking points to help get the correct information out to the public. There was some discussion of fliers at Parent Teacher Conferences and Career Night. The Board wants to emphasize that this is a renewal, not an increase. The information has been in the Family Update for the last month and the district will hold a D93 Live on Monday, October 14th on Facebook. VII.B. Upcoming School Board Conferences VII.B.1. ISBA Convention Travel The Board Clerk asked the Board members about their travel plans for the upcoming ISBA (Idaho School Boards Association) convention so she could finalize the itinerary. VII.B.2. COSSBA and NSBA Conventions The Board Clerk asked Board members to let her know if any of them would like to attend one of the National School Board conferences. The board members will let her know after they check their schedules. VIII. Pledge of Allegiance The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Chairman Jenkins. IX. Invocation The invocation was offered by John Pymm. X. Call to Order Chairman Jenkins called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. XI. Roll Call Roll Call Carissa Coats present Randy Smith present via Zoom Mindy Clayton present Richard Hess present via Zoom Paul Jenkins present XII. Board Opening Business XII.A. Welcoming of Delegates and Visitors Chairman Jenkins welcomed those in attendance to the meeting and invited those who would like to speak to the Board during public input to sign the register on the table. XII.B. Amend/Approve the Agenda (Action Item) Motion: To approve the agenda. This motion, made by Mindy Clayton and seconded by Carissa Coats, Passed. XII.C. Staff/Student/Patron Recognition Deb Sorenson - The Voice of D93 Sports TRHS - Roman Stonhill - Commended List Merit Scholar TRHS - National Honor Society - Chapter Pillar Award Deb Sorenson: Heath Jackson, Executive Director of Planning and Personnel expressed gratitude to Chairman Jenkins and the board for the opportunity to recognize Deb Sorensen, a long-time member of the Bonneville School District community. Deb had served as the voice of Bonneville School District athletics for over 40 years, calling games for Bonneville High School, Hillcrest, and Thunder Ridge. He retired recently, having broadcast thousands of games. Deb shared his appreciation for his time in broadcasting, reminisced about working with local youth, and thanked his family for their support. He also recounted how he started broadcasting, acknowledging his mentors and partners along the way. Finally, he thanked his wife for all her support throughout his 40 years of broadcasting. Roman Stonhill: Trent Dabell, Principal at Thunder Ridge High School introduced Roman Stonhill as a commended student in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship program. Principal Dabell read a statement from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, highlighting Roman's exceptional academic performance on the qualifying test. Though Roman's journey with the program ended with a commendable status, his high score placed him on the finalized list. His principal praised him as a mature, professional, and outstanding young man, expressing confidence in Roman's future success. Roman, in turn, thanked his teachers and staff for their support and shared his excitement about applying to service academies and ROTC programs. Thunder Ridge Honor Society: Trent Dabell, once again introduced Natalie Woods to the Board. The Thunder Ridge High School National Honor Society (NHS) club, led by advisor Natalie Woods, was recognized for receiving the Chapter Pillar Award of Excellence in Service. Ms. Woods spoke about the students' efforts and their application for the award, which included writing essays on their impact and achievements. She shared one of the essays, emphasizing how the group came together from diverse backgrounds, built a shared vision, and embarked on service projects, including helping a village in Ukraine, organizing blood drives, and volunteering in the community. She highlighted the development of leadership within the club and its goal of creating more leaders. The students were invited on stage for recognition, and Daniel Stark, the NHS president, expressed his gratitude to the students, Ms. Woods, and everyone who contributed to their success. XII.D. Public Input: Pursuant to Board Policy #4105 Public Participation in Board Meetings, The Board will accept public input on any item listed on tonight's agenda. State law prohibits comments on matters not on the agenda. Public input will be heard at the start of each agenda section and before any action is taken. Please limit comments to three minutes to allow everyone who desires the opportunity to participate. The Board will listen but will not engage in discussion, though members may ask clarifying questions. XII.D.1. Consent Agenda Public Input There was no one signed up for Consent Agenda public input. XII.E. Approve Consent Agenda (Action Item) Motion: To approve the Consent Agenda. This motion, made by Mindy Clayton and seconded by Carissa Coats, Passed. Mindy Clayton: Yea, Carissa Coats: Yea, Richard Hess: Yea, Paul Jenkins: Yea, Randy Smith: Yea Yea: 5, Nay: 0 XII.E.1. Minutes of Previous Meetings Regular Board Meeting / Executive Session - 09-11-2024 Board Work Meeting - 09-24-2024 XII.E.2. Financial XII.E.2.a. Accounts Payable $14,914,962.32 XII.E.2.b. Contracts Willow Creek Construction and Planning Agreement with Bonneville County Commissioners XII.E.2.c. Surplus Items Curriculum - Books - Surplus Discovery Elementary - Books - Surplus Falls Valley Elementary - Books - Surplus Falls Valley Elementary - Shelving Carts - Surplus Maintenance - Dodge Truck - Surplus Bridgewater Elementary - Books - Surplus Cloverdale Elementary - Books - Surplus XII.E.3. Employees XII.E.3.a. Alternative Authorizations XII.E.3.b. Conditional Employment XII.E.3.c. Leave Requests Employee F-2025 Employee E-2025 (2) Employee G-2025 Employee H-2025 XII.E.3.d. Resignations and Terminations XII.E.3.e. Retirements XII.E.3.f. Stipends XII.E.3.g. Transfers XII.E.4. Students XII.E.4.a. Early Graduation Requests XII.E.4.b. Club Requests BCMS - Art Club TRHS - Financial Markets and Trading Management Club TCHS Clubs 2024-2025 XII.E.4.c. Trip Requests TRHS Debate and Speech to Competition - Pocatello, Idaho - 11-01-2024 to 11-02-2024 BHS Hope Squad Leadership Training - Provo, UT - 11-01-2024 to 11-02-2024 BHS Cheer to Varsity Football Game - Meridian, ID - 10-18-2024 to 10-19-2024 XII.E.5. School Support Organizations HHS Hillcrest High School Girls Basketball Boosters HHS Hillcrest High School Volleyball Boosters HHS Hillcrest High School Boys Basketball Iona PTO Mountain Valley PTO Praxium Mastery Academy PTO XIII. Items Moved From the Consent Agenda XIV. Learning and Instruction Reports and Recommendations XIV.A. Learning and Instruction Reports and Recommendations Public Input There was no one who signed up for Learning and Instruction public input. XIV.B. Pine Basin Report Darren Guthrie, a teacher at Thunder Ridge High School and director of the Pine Basin camp for 23 years, reported on the camp’s three programs. The elementary program offered a week-long overnight camping experience for 4th-6th graders, teaching outdoor skills and group activities. The secondary program, added recently, provided similar experiences for middle and high school students, allowing them to earn high school credit. The camp also had a leadership program where freshmen and sophomores were trained as junior counselors. Mr. Guthrie highlighted the camp’s success, with high participation rates and effective merging of the elementary and secondary programs. The camp celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. XIV.C. Proposed Update to Policy 3270 Network and Device Responsible Use Agreement Employees and Students for Final Adoption (Action Item) Gordon Howard, Director of Technology and Safe Schools explained that Policy 3270 Network and Device Responsible Use Agreement for Employees and Students needed to be updated to provide clearer guidelines on handling accounts when students or staff leave the district. Previously, there was no clear direction on this issue. The changes include deactivating staff accounts through HR and student accounts through the student information system once they leave. Additionally, accounts will be deleted after being inactive for one year. This change addresses the large number of inactive accounts and helps manage Microsoft licensing costs. The district plans to communicate this policy clearly to students and staff, allowing time for individuals to retrieve any necessary files before account deletion. Motion: To approve the updates to Policy 3270 Network and Device Responsible Use Agreement for Employees and Students for final adoption. This motion, made by Carissa Coats and seconded by Mindy Clayton, Passed. XIV.D. Proposed 2600 Promotion-Retention (K-6) for Final Adoption (Action Item) Jason Lords, Executive Director of Learning and Instruction explained that Policy 2600, concerning the promotion and retention of K-6 students, needed some changes to align with state law. The key change in the policy stemmed from the parental rights in education law passed 3-4 years ago. Previously, decisions regarding student grade advancement or retention were made by a team that included teachers, counselors, and parents. However, with the new law, parents gained the right to make reasonable accommodation requests for their children. The updated policy now emphasizes that, while the team still provides input, the final decision rests with the parent regarding their child's grade placement. Motion: To approve proposed Policy 2600 Promotion-Retention (K-6) for final adoption. This motion, made by Carissa Coats and seconded by Mindy Clayton, Passed. XIV.E. Curriculum Committee Recommendations XIV.E.1. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (Action Item) Mr. Lords explained to the Board that a teacher submitted a request to be able to teach the book "The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind", in their middle school English Arts class. The Learning and Instruction team and parents reviewed it, and they found it appropriate for use in a middle school classroom. Motion: To approve the Curriculum Committee's recommendation of using "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind" for middle school English Arts. This motion, made by Carissa Coats and seconded by Mindy Clayton, Passed. XIV.E.2. Red Scare (Action Item) Mr. Lords explained to the Board that a teacher submitted a request to be able to teach the book "Red Scare", in their high school English Arts class. The Learning and Instruction team and parents reviewed it, and they found it appropriate for use in a high school English Arts class. Motion: To approve the novel "Red Scare" to be used in a high school English Arts class. This motion, made by Carissa Coats and seconded by Mindy Clayton, Passed. XIV.E.3. Calvin (Action Item) Mr. Lords explained to the Board that a teacher submitted a request to be able to teach the book "Calvin", in their high school English Arts class. The Learning and Instruction team and parents reviewed it, and they found it appropriate for use in a high school English Arts classroom. Motion: To approve the novel "Calvin' to be used in a high school English Arts class. This motion, made by Carissa Coats and seconded by Mindy Clayton, Passed. XIV.E.4. When My Name was Keoko (Action Item) Mr. Lords explained to the Board that a teacher submitted a request to be able to teach the book "My Name was Keoko", in their high school English Arts class. The Learning and Instruction team and parents reviewed it, and they found it appropriate for use in a high school English Arts classroom. Motion: To approve the novel "My Name is Keoko" to be used in a high school English Arts class. This motion, made by Carissa Coats and seconded by Mindy Clayton, Passed. XIV.E.5. Matched (Action Item) Mr. Lords explained to the Board that a teacher submitted a request to be able to teach the book "Matched", in their middle school English Language Arts class. The Learning and Instruction team and parents reviewed it, and they found it appropriate for use in a middle school English Arts classroom. Motion: To approve the novel "Matched" to be used in a middle school English Language Arts class. This motion, made by Carissa Coats and seconded by Mindy Clayton, Passed. XIV.E.6. Freaky Friday: One-Act Play (Action Item) Mr. Lords explained to the Board that a teacher submitted a request for the play "Freaky Friday: One-Act Play" to be used in a middle school drama class. The Learning and Instruction team and parents reviewed it, and they found it appropriate for use in a middle school drama class. Motion: To approve the play, "Freaky Friday: One-Act Play" for use in a middle school drama class. This motion, made by Carissa Coats and seconded by Mindy Clayton, Passed. XV. Finance and Operations Reports and Recommendations XV.A. Finance and Operations Reports and Recommendations Public Input There wasn't anyone signed up for Finance and Operations Reports and Recommendations public input. XV.B. FY2024 Audit (Action Item) Guy Wangsgard, Executive Director of Finance and Operations introduced Becca Powell from WIPFLI to the Board. Ms. Powell presented a financial audit report for the district. She explained that the audit, although still in draft form, showed no significant changes were expected. The audit consisted of three clean reports: one on the district’s financial statements, one on internal controls, and one on federal program compliance, with no issues found in any area. Powell highlighted key financial aspects, including strong state aid, a decrease in federal aid due to the winding down of COVID-19 funds, and an increase in investment earnings. She also discussed the district’s healthy fund balance and budgeted increases in operational costs. The audit included testing of the district's Federal Program, which showed no compliance issues. Powell concluded the presentation by inviting questions, but there were none. The Board thanked Ms. Powell and Mr. Wangsgard for their hard work and dedication to the district. Mr. Wangsgard credited his accounting department and teamwork. Motion: To approve the FY2024 Audit as presented. This motion, made by Carissa Coats and seconded by Mindy Clayton, Passed XVI. Planning and Personnel Reports and Recommendations XVI.A. Planning and Personnel Reports and Recommendations Public Input There was no one who signed up for Planning and Personnel Reports and Recommendations public input. XVI.B. Summer Maintenance and Grounds report John Pymm, Director of Facilities and Maintenance, presented his report on summer maintenance and grounds. Mr. Pymm explained that during the summer, significant improvements were made to the grounds and facilities. The irrigation system at Hillcrest was upgraded, including new filter systems and a pump maintenance program to ensure longevity. Fertilization of grounds at high schools and middle schools was done through sprinkler systems, saving time and improving conditions. A full summer crew was hired, allowing them to replace 2,360 sprinkler heads and maintain the grounds efficiently. New mowers and internet-capable sprinkler controls were introduced, helping manage the heavy use of the grounds by various sports teams. The crew also implemented LED lighting upgrades and installed new irrigation systems at several schools. Other improvements included new shingles, fire alarms, and HVAC updates across multiple facilities, along with significant work on sidewalks and other deferred maintenance tasks. Additionally, Thunder Ridge received a new turf infield for its baseball diamond. Overall, the summer improvements were extensive and well-coordinated, significantly enhancing the district's facilities. XVI.C. Modernization Funds CMGC RFQ Committee (Action Item) John Pymm, Superintendent Woolstenhulme, and the Board discussed handling a large number of upcoming projects over the next three years as part of their modernization funds. It was recommended to group these projects under a Construction Manager/General Contractor (CMGC) delivery method. The board considered whether to assign the responsibility of forming a committee to rank contractors to the district administration or manage it themselves. The discussion highlighted the need for transparency and fair consideration of local contractors, even though current contractors had been used for previous projects without needing a new selection process. Ultimately, the board debated whether to continue with the same contractors or seek new proposals to ensure fairness and expertise for different types of projects. The Board decided to authorize the district to form a committee. Motion: To adopt the resolution to appoint a committee to develop a present a ranked list of CM/GC firms to the Board. This motion, made by Carissa Coats and seconded by Mindy Clayton, Passed. XVII. Superintendent Reports and Recommendations XVII.A. Superintendent Reports and Recommendation Public Input There was no one who signed up for Superintendent Reports and Recommendations public input. XVII.B. Proposed Policy 5240 Professional Conduct for Initial Consideration Superintendent Woolstenhulme stated to the Board that the personal conduct policy needed to be updated and renamed as the Professional Conduct policy to outline expectations for employee behavior in the school district. The changes addressed four main areas. First, employee relationships with students were clarified, expanding restrictions to cover both physical and media-based interactions. Second, the policy was adjusted to promote mutual respect between employees and supervisors, emphasizing professionalism from both sides. Third, the use of public spaces, like classrooms, was revised to ensure that classrooms are used appropriately as district property. Lastly, guidelines were established for displaying items in classrooms, requiring a neutral approach unless addressing specific academic topics. These revisions were presented for initial consideration, with plans for further discussion with the Bonneville Education Association. This policy is for initial consideration. No action was needed. XVII.C. Proposed Policy 2180 Flag Displays for Initial Consideration A policy on conflict of interest will be proposed for deletion because it was short and redundant. The conflict-of-interest content was already covered in another policy, and having two separate policies on the same issue could cause confusion. The plan is to consolidate conflict-of-interest information into a single policy. Additionally, a reference to the policy on flag displays was to be included to ensure clarity in the rules governing flag displays. Policy 2180 would remain as its own policy. This is also for initial consideration. No action was needed. XVIII. Board Closing Business XVIII.A. Request for Agenda Items for Upcoming Meetings (Action Item) There were no requests for agenda items submitted by the public. No action needed. The Board would like to wait until they attend ISBA (Idaho State Board Association) before they begin to rework the Superintendent Evaluation. XVIII.B. Adjournment (Action Item) Motion: To adjourn the meeting. This motion, made by Carissa Coats and seconded by Mindy Clayton, Passed.