SCHOOL DISTRICT OF RIVER FALLS: 12/17/12 Board Meeting Minutes

Board of Education Regular Meeting Minutes - December 17, 2012

The regularly scheduled meeting of the River Falls Board of Education was called to order on Monday, December 17, 2012, at 7:00 p.m. by President Johnson Myers in the River Falls District Office conference room, 852 E Division Street. It was ascertained that notice of the meeting had been properly posted at the appointed locations, published in The River Falls Journal and announcements sent to WEVR Radio Station, the St Paul Pioneer Press, and the Eau Claire Telegram Leader.

PRESENT

President Stacy Johnson Myers, Vice President Dennis Behnke, Clerk Barbara Kolpin, Treasurer Manville Kenney, and members Rich Gerczak, Alan Tuchtenhagen, and student representative Maura Watson were present. Also present were Superintendent Tom Westerhaus, Finance and Facilities Director Chad Smurawa, Director of Academic Services Mike Johnson, and Director of Personnel Donna Hill. Board member Mike Miller was absent.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT/RECOGNITION

United Way Executive Director, John Coughlin, presented an award to the district for the great fall United Way campaign. 

Police Liaison Officer Chris Gottfredsen has been recognized for outstanding work and dedication at the Renaissance Academy.

The Community Ed Advisory Council was recognized for their diligent work in creating and maintaining excellent educational opportunities for the Community since the inception of the program in 2010.

Lisa Showers, High School Language Arts Teacher, was given recognition for renewal of her National Board Certification.

SPOTLIGHT ON EDUCATION

Nathan Wells from the Montessori Public Elementary Charter School and three students Otto Heuschele, Augustus Boles and Sid Score reported on the Montessori garden as funded by the St. Croix Master Gardening program.

HEARING OF VISITORS OR DELEGATIONS – None.

APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA

Johnson Myers reviewed the items on the Consent Agenda. Behnke moved, seconded by Tuchtenhagen, that the Board approve the Consent Agenda as presented. Motion carried unanimously (6-0). The Consent Agenda included the following items:

The minutes from the regular Board meeting of November 19, 2012,and the Joint Board/ Community Education meeting of November 29, 2012, were approved.

Checks numbered 156665 through 157015 had been prepared in the amount of $891,801.06, and there were automatic transfers of $549,363.14, and $609,253.39 for a total of $2,050,417.59. There were no voided checks.

Pursuant to Board Policy which references Wisconsin Statutes Sections 111, 118, and 121, approval of the following employment recommendations: 1) a request from Molly Scanlon, half-time School Counselor at River Falls High School, for a half-time family and medical leave of absence effective approximately February 21, 2013 through April 25, 2013; 2) employment of Jeanne Desilets as part-time (75%) long-term substitute Speech and Language Pathologist at Rocky Branch Elementary School effective December 13, 2012 through January 28, 2013 (replaces Karen Rodewald). Upon the conclusion of this long-term substitute position, Ms. Desilets will return to her part-time Special Education Aide position at Rocky Branch; 3) employment of Monica Reid as Wisconsin Improvement Program Secondary English Intern at River Falls High School effective September 13, 2012 through the end of first semester; 4) placement of the following holders of a Short-Term Substitute Teacher Permit (based on a non-teaching Bachelor’s degree), kindergarten-grade 12, on the substitute teacher list: Erin Culver and Deana Pass; 5) placement of the following certified teachers on the substitute teacher list: Justin DeLong (English, Early Adolescence-Adolescence, age 10-21), and Kelly Erickson (Broad Field Social Studies and Geography, Early Adolescence-Adolescence, age 10-21).

Accepted the report and recommendations from the Educational Program Committee from Monday, December 3, 2012, as follows: recommended approval of Youth Options applications, reviewed a full-time online options proposal for RF students, recommended revisions to the current Open Enrollment policy, and reviewed the School Report Card summary.

Accepted the reports and recommendations from the Building Committee from Wednesday, December 12, 2012, as follows: recommended the board approve the Kraus Anderson Gross Maximum Price for the Meyer Middle School project in the amount of $5,104,864.

ACTION/DISCUSSION AGENDA

Pulled Consent Agenda Items:

Tuchtenhagen moved, seconded by Behnke to approve the first reading of policy 423, Open Enrollment. Motion carried unanimously (6-0).

POLICY SECOND READINGS

Kolpin moved, seconded by Gerczak to approve the second reading of policy 527 Employee Grievances. Motion carried unanimously (6-0).

Tuchtenhagen moved, seconded by Gerczak to approve the second reading of policy 546.1 Resignation of Support Staff Members. Motion carried unanimously (6-0).

BUS DRIVERS’ CONTRACT

Kolpin moved, seconded by Behnke to approve the 2012-2013 Agreement between the School District of River Falls and the WCEA-Bus Driver Unit. Motion carried unanimously (6-0).

TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVES

Mike Johnson and Darrell Anderson provided an update to the Board on a new Learning Management System, the Virtual Schools program and one-to-one deployment. No action was taken at this time, but the Ed Program and Business Affairs committees will take up the specifics at the January meetings.

TELEPHONE REPLACEMENT

The High School and Westside Elementary are scheduled from referendum funds to get a new phone system that works with the rest of the school district. The remaining buildings are on a phone system that is at least 10 years old and out of date. We are having a difficult time trying to find replacement phones and components for the current system because the company is no longer in business.

Kenney moved, Gerczak seconded, for the Board of Education to delegate authority to the Building Committee to give final approval for the District-wide Phone System funded with, A) Referendum Funds and, B)  District Funds, and for ATSR to commence district wide phone system design and planning. Motion carried unanimously (6-0).

RF4C UPDATE

Becky McAleavey, RF4C Coordinator, and Rita Humbert, Westside Elementary Principal, provided an update on the RF4C Program since its conception in September.

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

The following progress report was given on the Building construction process and design update by Building Committee Chair Kenney.

• Johnson Myers and Kenney met with the Greenwood PTO to review building project on December 4th. Good questions, well received.

• Bill Martin (ATS&R), Supt. Westerhaus, Smurawa and Kenney met with neighbors of Greenwood and Westside on December 12th to present and discuss parking lot changes. No issues arose.

• The building committee approved bids for $5,104,864 for the Meyer Middle School project at the December 12th meeting. This is $332,152 under budget not including contingency of $490,000.

• Initial bid review of Westside project estimated to be $350,000 below budget. This does not include approximately $166,000 to complete air conditioning and cost of other alternates.

• Greenwood will be issued for bids in January with results to committee in February.

• Recommendation for district wide telephone system separate agenda item to board.

• Next committee meeting: January 16, 2013, to approve bids and alternates for Westside.

WASB RESOLUTIONS

The Board reviewed the proposed amendments and resolutions to be voted on at the Annual WASB/WASDA Joint State Education Convention to be held on January 22-25, 2013. Each eligible school district may cast one vote on the resolutions. Barb Kolpin is the appointed delegate to the 2013 convention.

Gerczak moved, seconded by Tuchtenhagen, to direct Barb Kolpin as our WASB delegate to vote in the best interest of the School District of River Falls. Motion carried unanimously (6-0).

FUTURE MEETINGS

An Educational Program Committee meeting is scheduled for Monday, Jan 7, 2013, at 6:00 p.m. in the District Administrative Office Building, 852 East Division;

A Business Affairs Committee meeting is scheduled for Monday, Jan 14, 2013, at 6:00 p.m. in the District Administrative Office Building, 852 East Division;

A Personnel Committee meeting is scheduled for Monday, Jan 14, 2013, at 7:30 p.m. in the District Administrative Office Building, 852 East Division;

A Building Committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan 16, 2013 at 3:00 pm in the District Administrative Office Building, 852 East Division;

An Academy Citizens’ Advisory Committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Jan 17, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. in the District Administrative Office Building, 852 East Division;

A Regular Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Monday, Jan 21, 2013, at 7:00 p.m. in the District Administrative Office Building, 852 East Division.

SUPERINTENDENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS

Superintendent Westerhaus reported on safety and security planning, a listening session with St. Croix County Superintendents and Senator Sheila Harsdorf, and the retirement of Rocky Branch head cook Mary Babler. Regarding the recent shooting at Sandy Hook elementary school in Connecticut, Student representative Maura Watson expressed gratitude for having held the Active Shooter Drill at the High School last year.

ADJOURNMENT

President Johnson Myers declared the meeting adjourned at 8:07 p.m.

Barbara E. Kolpin, Clerk

(Pub. 02/07/13) WNAXLP

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