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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-13-2023 Minutes Amended Regular Meeting Amended 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  Paul Jenkins  Carissa Coats  Randy Smith  Mindy Clayton  Richard Hess Bonneville Joint School District No. 93 is an Equal Opportunity Employer Amended Regular Meeting/Amended Executive Session September 13, 2023 Public portion of meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. District Office 3497 N Ammon Rd Idaho Falls, ID 83401 I. Chairman Jenkins welcomed everyone to the meeting II. The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. III. Amend the Agenda (Action Item) Chairman Jenkins stated that a board member moves that the Board pursuant to Idaho Code §74-204(4)(a) amend the agenda for this meeting as follows: To Add: Student 24-A as an Action Item under Student Recommendations This was received today and is time-sensitive. He then asked for a motion. Motion: Carissa Coats moved to amend the agenda. Randy Smith seconded. Motion carried. IV. Approve/Amended Agenda (Action Item) Motion: Randy Smith moved to approve the amended agenda. Carissa Coats seconded. Motion carried. V. Executive Session (Action Item) Chairman Jenkins stated that the Board will enter 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, wherein the respective qualities of individuals are to be evaluated in order to fill a particular vacancy or need. The Executive Session will be closed to the public as permitted by law. Motion: Randy Smith moved to enter Executive Session. Carissa Coats seconded. Roll Call Vote Carissa Coats yes Randy Smith yes Mindy Clayton yes Richard Hess excused Paul Jenkins yes The Board entered Executive Session at 6:03 p.m. A. Student Recommendations Chairman Jenkins invited Lance Miller to present his information on Student 24-A to the Board. After discussing Student 24-A, the recommendation was suspension only and conditionally admintted back to Lincoln High School. Chairman Jenkins asked for a motion. 1. Student 24-A (Action Item) Motion: Carissa Coats moved to approve suspension only and to conditionally readmit Student 24-A back to Lincoln High School. Mindy Clayton seconded. Motion carried. B. Claims, Complaints, and Litigations. The following items were discussed. No action was taken. 1. Case 24-02 2. Case 24-04 2 VI. Close Executive Session (Action Item) Chairman Jenkins asked for a motion to close Executive Session. Motion: Carissa Coats moved to close Executive Session. Mindy Clayton seconded. Motion carried. VII. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Chairman Jenkins VIII. The prayer was offered by Guy Wangsgard IX. The meeting was called to order at 7:02 p.m. X. Roll Call Carissa Coats present Randy Smith present Mindy Clayton present Richard Hess excused Paul Jenkins present XI. Board Opening Business A. Chairman Jenkins welcomed any Delegates and visitors to the meeting and reminded patron to sign the request to speak to the Board located at the back of the building. He also stated that due to their sensitive nature, complaints about personnel or an individual student must be submitted in accordance with Board Policy 4110 Public Complaints and Grievances. The complaint and grievance form (4110F1) are found on the District’s home webpage www.d93schools.org under School Board tab – Board Policies.” B. Amend the Agenda (Action Item) Chairman Jenkins stated that a Board member moves that the Board pursuant to Idaho Code §74-204(4)(a) amend the agenda for this meeting as follows: To Add: Special Needs Bus Purchase Request to the Consent Agenda under Financial To Add: Atria Government Entity Settlement Agreement as an Action Item under Superintendent Reports and Recommendations To Correct: Board Work Meeting on 9-27-2023 time and location to 11:30 a.m. and to the PLC Building. He then asked for a motion. Motion: Carissa Coats moved to amend the agenda. Mindy Clayton seconded. Motion carried. C. Approve the Amended Agenda (Action Item) Motion: Randy Smith moved to approve the amended agenda. Carissa Coats seconded. Motion carried. D. Approve Consent Agenda (Action Item) Chairman Jenkins asked theBoard Members if there were any items on the Consent Agenda that needed to be moved to the regular agenda. Chairman Jenkins requested that item 5C. Trip requests HHS - Boys Basketball to Orange County High School Basketball Invitational - Orange County California be moved to Item E. Items Moved from the Consent Agenda for further discussion. Motion: Randy Smith moved to approve the Consent Agenda with Item 5C removed. Mindy Clayton seconded. Motion carried. 1. Minutes of Previous Meetings Regular Meeting/Executive Session - 08-09-2023 - Draft Special Meeting/Executive Session - 08-09-2023 - Draft 2. Financial a. Accounts Payable $15,420,176.47 b. Surplus Items RMMS - Surplus - Serger Machine 3 Discovery - Surplus - Soda Vending Machine Falls Valley - Surplus - Books HHS - Surplus - Overhead Projector c. Special Needs Bus Purchase Request 3. 2023-2024 Transportation Routes 4. Employees a. Alternative Authorizations b. Conditional Employment c. Resignations and Terminations d. Retirements e. Stipends f. Transfers 5. Students a. Early Graduation Requests b. Club Requests HHS - Knights Abroad Praxium - National Junior Honor Society TRHS - eSports Club c. Trip Requests HHS - FY2024 IHSAA Over Night Travel HHS - Volleyball - Twin Falls Tournament - Twin Falls, ID - 9-15-2023 to 9-16-2023 BHS - Debate at Canyon Ridge Debate Tournament -Twin Falls, Idaho - 12-8-2023 to 12-9-2023 BHS - Student Council to IASC Annual Conference - Boise, Idaho - 10-22-2023 to 10-24-2023 TRHS - Student Council to LEAD National Conference - Washington D.C. - 01-25-2024 to 01-29-2024 TRHS - National Honor Society to LEAD Conference - Washington, DC - 01-25-2024 to 01-29-2024 BHS and HHS - Combined Band To Marching Band Competition at Utah State University - Logan, Utah - 09-30-2023 to 09-30-2023 HHS - Boys Basketball to Orange County High School Basketball Invitational - Orange County California 6. School Support Organizations TRHS - Boys Basketball Boosters TRHS - Wrestling Boosters BHS - Cheer Booster Club E. Items Moved From the Consent Agenda 5C. HHS - Boys Basketball to Orange County High School Basketball Invitational - Orange County California. Superintendent Woolstenhulme stated that the district was informed today that the Board of Controls for Region 6 received a complaint against Hillcrest High School for violating their contract or at least their verbal agreement with Madison High School and Rigby High School to play games. The reason for that cancellation was to participate in a tournament in California that was on the consent agenda for approval. The Board decided to approve the trip with great reservation. Motion: Randy Smith moved to approve item 5C. HHS - Boys Basketball to Orange County High School Basketball Invitational - Orange County California with reservation. Mindy Clayton seconded. Motion carried. XII. Public Input: Chairman Jenkins 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. 4 No one signed up for public input, however, after the meeting commenced and the discussion moved to proposed Policy 2428, a parent requested to speak. She did not sign up, and was late to the meeting. Superintendent Woolstenhulme recommended the Board to let her speak. Lorinda Albread: Ms. Albread had some concerns with Policy 2428 Parental Rights. She has special needs foster children and was worried about not getting notifications from teachers especially if they send home paper notes. She was requesting that the policy require a parent signature indicating that the information was received or extending the time period in which parents can request alternate work or material. That way, parents have time to address their child’s needs. XIII. Superintendent Reports and Recommendations A. Continuous Improvement Plan (Action Item) Chairman Jenkins asked Superintendent Woolstenhulme to present to the Board. Dr. Woolstenhulme stated that In the August meeting, we presented the Continuous Improvement Plan to the Board as required by state law. The plan needs to be approve by the October meeting. The board requested that we solicit public comments on it, and we received very few responses, with just three comments from our employees, primarily upper elementary teachers. These comments suggested considering literacy coaches for upper elementary in addition to the K-3 coaches mentioned in our improvement plan. While it's positive that they recognize the value of these coaches for K-3 teachers, the challenge lies in funding, as the current support is specific to K-3 and literacy. To explore this further, a more extensive discussion involving many stakeholders would be necessary. Unless there are any other questions or comments on the improvement plan, we would like the board to consider approving it for this year. Chairman Jenkins asked if there were any questions. Hearing none, he asked for a motion. Motion: Carissa Coats moved to approve the Continuous Improvement Plan as presented. Randy Smith seconded. Motion carried. B. Atria Government Entity Settlement Agreement (Action Item) Superintendent Woolstenhulme stated the school district, like many others across the country, joined a class-action lawsuit against tobacco companies for marketing vape products to youth. Last year, we received one settlement, and in late fall, we received notification of a second settlement. The second defendant in the case also agreed to settle. We requested the board's approval for our district to accept this settlement, which amounted to just over $100,000. The previous settlement was approximately $300,000, give or take twenty thousand. He asked to Board to approve the settlement agreement. Chairman Jenkins asked for a motion. Motion: Randy Smith moved to approve the Atria Government Entity Settlement Agreement. Mindy Clayton seconded. Motion carried. C. Proposed Policy 1100 Membership for Final Adoption (Action Item) Superintendent Woolstenhulme stated that Policy 1100, which pertained to membership, underwent a technical update to align with revisions in state law. We requested the board's approval for the final adoption of this updated policy. Chairman Jenkins asked if there were any questions. Hearing none, he asked for a motion. Motion: Carissa Coats moved to approve Proposed Policy 1100 Membership for final adoption. Mindy Clayton seconded. Motion carried. D. Proposed Policy 2428 Parent Rights for Final Adoption (Action Item) Superintendent Woolstenhulme explained that Policy 2428, concerning parental rights, underwent extensive revisions following a 30-day review period. One significant change involved addressing concerns from the Bonneville Education Association regarding the original language, particularly related to parental notification of curricular resources beyond officially adopted curriculum. To strike a balance between parental rights and teacher workload, adjustments were made. The key changes included streamlining the process. Instead of teachers having to provide all curricular resources to parents via email or syllabus, they would notify parents about key topics within a unit plan or syllabus. Parents could then request to review specific curricular materials through a formal request process. Both the principal and the teacher would be involved in facilitating the review within three days. The only area where teachers still needed to provide advance notice to parents was if the content fell within the controversial issues and academic freedom policy. Feedback from teachers centered mainly on this specific issue, with no significant comments on the rest of the policy. Overall, these changes aimed to find a practical and balanced approach to a challenging situation. Chairman Jenkins asked for a motion. 5 Motion: Randy Smith moved to approve Policy 2428 Parental Rights for final adoption. Mindy Clayton seconded. Motoin carried. E. Proposed Policy 5260 Reporting Abuse, Abandonment, or Neglect for Final Adoption (Action Item) Superintendent Woolstenhulme stated that policy 5260 on reporting abuse and neglect was updated to provide additional clarification. It emphasized the importance of communicating with school principals or their supervisors when teachers or staff became aware of or had concerns about potential child neglect or abuse. Additionally, it highlighted the need to involve individuals responsible for managing students' IEPs or 504 plans in these discussions. The aim was to facilitate a thorough assessment before reporting any concerns to authorities, especially when physical signs like bruising might be related to a medical condition or have other rational explanations. These changes were influenced by revisions in the parental rights policy. Chairman Jenkins asked for a motion. Motion: Carissa Coats moved to approve Policy 5260 Reporting Abuse, Abandonment, or Neglect for Final Adoption. Mindy Clayton seconded. Motion carried. F. Proposed Policy 2140 Student and Family Privacy Rights for Final Adoption (Action Item) Superintendent Woolstenhulme explained that Policy 2140, which pertained to student surveys, was updated to align with changes in the parental rights statute. These changes required parental opt-ins for surveys that asked for specific personal information. The policy was adjusted accordingly to reflect these requirements. Chairman Jenkins asked for a motion. Motion: Mindy Clayton moved to approve Policy 2140 Student and Family Privacy Rights for final adoption. Carissa Coats seconded. Motion carried. G. Proposed Policy 2340 Controversial Issues and Academic Freedom for Final Adoption (Action Item) Motion: Mindy Clayton moved to approve Proposed Policy 2340 Controversial Issues and Academic Freedom for final adoption. Randy Smith seconded. Motion carried. H. Proposed Policy 4165 Parental Involvement for Final Adoption (Action Item) Motion: Carissa Coats moved to approve Proposed Policy 4165 Parental Involvement for final adoption. Randy Smith seconded. Motion carried. I. Proposed Policy 4312 School Visitations for Initial Consideration – no action needed J. Proposed Policy 3010 Open Enrollment for 30-day Review (Action Item) Motion: Carissa Coats moved to approve Proposed Policy 3010 Open Enrollment for 30-day review. Mindy Clayton seconded. Motion carried. K. Proposed Policy 2240 Class Size for 30-day Review (Action Item) Motion: Randy Smith moved to approve Proposed Policy 2240 Class Size for 30-day review. Carissa Coats seconded. Motion carried. XIV. Planning and Personnel Reports and Recommendations A. Employee Staff Turnover Report Chairman Jenkins invited Heath Jackson, Executive Director of Planning and Personnel to present his report to the Board. Mr. Jackson addressed several key points related to employee turnover and hiring in the school district. He discussed certified staff turnover, retirements, and resignations, emphasizing the need to understand the reasons behind resignations. Mr. Jackson also proposed shifting the responsibility for terminations back to principals to gather more specific feedback. An increase in employee pay, particularly the minimum wage, was noted as a positive change to attract and retain staff. Concerns were raised about teacher retention, especially within the first few years of a teacher's career, and the importance of support and clear expectations. The fluctuation in the number of teachers with alternate authorizations and staffing efforts in various departments were highlighted. Lastly, Mr. Jackson expressed employee appreciation for recent pay increases and progress in hiring within the special education department were mentioned. Chairman Jenkins thanked Mr. Jackson for his report. 6 B. Construction Manager/General Contractor Ranking (Action Item) Chairman Jenkins invited John Pymm, Director of Maintenance and Facilities to present his recommendation to the Board. Mr. Pymm discussed the process undertaken by the committee and the ranking of Headwaters for a school construction project. The committee ranked the construction firms and found Headwaters to be the unanimous top choice, citing their impressive track record and presentation. The committee members were also listed. If the board approves this ranking, negotiations will begin with Headwaters for the project. The speaker explained the fee structure and contingency in the contract, addressing potential change orders. The fencing of the property and traffic flow for parents picking up students were discussed, with plans to explore various options. The groundbreaking is expected in the spring, with no specific date yet. Mr. Pymm highlighted the robust discussion in the committee about the second- ranked firm and praised all four firms for their excellence in the field. Superintendent Woolstenhulme stated that the Board is not only approve the ranking, but also authorizing Mr. Pymm to enter into negotiations with Headwaters Construction. Motion: Mindy Clayton moved to approve the construction manager/general contractor ranking as presented and to authorize John Pymm to enter into negotiations with Headwaters Construction. Randy Smith seconded. Motion carried. C. School Safety Grants (Action Item) Chairman Jenkins invited Gordon Howard, Director of School Safety and Technology to present his recommendation to the Board. Mr. Howard discussed the school safety funds allocated to the district during the last legislative session. These funds require an application process, and the grants are specific to physical safety improvements for schools. Each school in the district receives $20,000, with the option to reallocate funds if needed. The deadline for applications is October 15th, 2023. The major projects funded include upgrading to digital radios, adding safety film to entrances, replacing old cameras and intercom systems, and improving door security. Mr. Howard emphasized the careful consideration and planning that went into these projects to ensure that the allocated funds are used effectively, as unused funds would go back to the state. Chairman Jenkins asked for a motion. Motion: Randy Smith moved to approve the school safety grants as presented. Carissa Coats seconded. Motion carried. D. School Naming and Boundary Policy and Process Chairman Jenkins invited Dr. Woolstenhulme to present his recommendation on the process of naming the new elementary school and boundary decisions to the Board. Dr. Woolstenhulme recommended naming the newly funded school early, involving the entire community in the process. He explained the naming policy and highlighted the board's authority in the decision. Starting the process early was emphasized to ensure the name is known before construction begins.The second part of the discussion revolved around the need to address school boundaries due to the new school's construction. He proposed forming a committee to review boundaries, considering factors like alignment with high school boundaries and safety. Involving the community and addressing the issue promptly were key points in ensuring a smooth transition for students and parents. A survey will be send through ThoughtExchange in the Family and Employee Update newsletters. Chairman Jenkins thanked Dr. Woolstenhulme for his report. XV. Learning and Instruction Reports and Recommendations A. Professional Learning Report Chairman Jenkins invited Jason Lords, Executive Director of Learning and Instruction to present to the Board. Mr. Lords discussed the evolution of professional development opportunities in the school district, emphasizing alignment with the district's focus on learning communities. He mentioned teacher certification and recertification requirements, two funding sources for professional development, and highlighted the recent Solution Tree Professional Learning Community Conference in August. In off years when the district doesn't host the Solution Tree Conference, they organize other conferences with support from state and federal funds. The district's investment in such conferences has positively impacted teacher understanding and collaboration. September includes various training sessions and the start of the fall PD calendar, with opportunities for teachers to earn credits. October and November continue with JPass classes, student-centered coaching, and other professional development activities. The district actively participates in conferences and training events throughout the year, including the Rocky Mountain Suicide Prevention Conference in January. Principals and leadership teams collaborate to identify school-specific professional development needs, promoting autonomy. Overall, the district places importance on ongoing professional development, credits earned by teachers, and the support provided for recertification. Chairman Jenkins thanked Mr. Lords for his presentation. 7 B. Proposed Policy 3050 Attendance for Final Adoption (Action Item) Motion: Mindy Clayton moved to approve Proposed Policy 3050 Attendance for final adoption. Carissa Coats seconded. Motion carried. C. Proposed Policy 2110 Lesson Plans for 30-day Review (Action Item) Motion: Carissa Coats moved to approve Proposed Policy 2110 Lesson Plans for 30-day review. Randy Smith seconded. Motion carried. D. 2023-2024 District Calendar Change (Action Item) Dr. Woolstenhulme explained that on February 2nd, there was originally a scheduled comp day (teacher conference day). The plan was to align parent-teacher conferences with this day. However, due to a professional development opportunity and concerns from principals about being absent during parent-teacher conferences, the district propossed that the comp day be moved to February 26th. Parent-teacher conferences will now take place on the 23rd and 25th for elementary schools, and on the 22nd for secondary schools. This change is the only modification to the adopted calendar. Chairman Jenkins asked for a motion. Motion: E. InFocus Curriculum and Survey Pilot Adoption (Action Item) Chairman Jenkins invited Ken Marlowe, Director of Social Emotional Learning to present to the Board. The school district has recently adopted the Pyramid of Success, focusing on five core competencies: self-awareness, self- management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. To support the development of these competencies, the district has explored various materials and programming options. They aimed to find a program that aligns with these competencies, is easy to implement, and grows with students. The criteria for the chosen program include scalability across grade levels, fresh and engaging content, intuitiveness for both teachers and students, and alignment with the essential standards. Recognizing that counselors alone can't provide tier 1 programming interventions to all students, the district intends to involve teachers in delivering cross-curricular instruction. After narrowing down the options, the district proposes a pilot program called "InFocus," which is computer-based and offers materials, prompts, and activities for teaching core competencies. This program allows for flexibility, ensuring that lessons remain relevant to students over time. The goal is to develop student resiliency, self- esteem, confidence, and a sense of safety, connection, and care within the school district. A committee comprising individuals from various schools, including administrators, parents, students, teachers, and counselors, has recommended moving forward with the pilot program. The schools involved in the pilot include Thunder Ridge, Sandcreek Middle School, Woodland Hills, Iona, Summit, and Bridgewater elementaries. The program's content will go through the curriculum approval process, be available for parent review, and will be accessible via school websites and the district level. The district seeks approval from the board to proceed with this pilot program. Motion: Carissa Coats moved to approve the adoption of InFocus Curriculum and survey Pilot as presented. Mindy Clayton seconded. Motion carried. F. Restraint and De-escalation Procedures Approval (Action Item) Ukero CPI The school district has been using CPI (Crisis Prevention Institute) training for several years, along with another deescalation procedure called "Ukeru." The focus of these programs is to deescalate situations involving students in crisis by providing strategies to calm them down. While restraining a student may be necessary in extreme cases, the primary emphasis of both training programs is on deescalation. CPI stands for Crisis Prevention Institute, and it's a nationally recognized organization that sets standards for crisis prevention, widely adopted in various sectors, including education and healthcare. The district has six trainers qualified to provide CPI training to staff, especially those working in special education. The recommendation for the School Board is to approve CPI and Ukuru as the official restraining and deescalation procedures for the district, ensuring that staff members receive the necessary training to handle crisis situations effectively and safely. Motion: Mindy Clayton moved to approve the restraint and de-escalation procedures (Ukero, CPI) as the official restraining and de-escalation procedures for the district. Randy Smith seconded. Motion carried. 8 XVI. Board Closing Business A. Call for Agenda Items for Upcoming Meetings Board Work Meeting - 09-27-2023 - 11:30 a.m. - PLC Building ISBA Regional Meeting - 10-3-2023 - 5:30 p.m. - Jefferson School District Regular Board Meeting - 10-11-2023 - 6:00 p.m. - District Office Board Work Meeting - 10-25-2023 - 11:30 a.m. - PLC Building B. Adjournment (Action Item) Motion: Randy Smith moved to adjourn the meeting. Carissa Coats seconded. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 9:43 p.m. APPROVED: ______________________________________ Chairman ATTESTED: _______________________________________ Clerk DATE: ___________________________________