Brandon Valley Board of Education minutes
The regular meeting of the Brandon Valley Board of Education, Brandon, SD was held at 6:30 p.m. on the 14th of January, 2019 at the Brandon Valley High School Community Room with the following members present: Renee Ullom, Gregg Ode, Cary Schroeder, Ellie Saxer, and Dan Klumper. Absent: None. Also present were Superintendent Jarod Larson, Business Manager Paul J. Lundberg, Middle School Principal Brad Thorson, Middle School Assistant Principal Bill Freking, Intermediate School Principal Nick Skibsted, Brandon Elementary Principal Merle Horst, Valley Springs Elementary Principal Tanya Palmer, Robert Bennis Elementary Principal Kristin Hofkamp, Director of Instruction Sherri Nelson, Special Services Director Kyle Babb, and Operations Manager Ty Hentschel.
Renee Ullom called the regular meeting to order at 6:30 p.m., beginning with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Motion by Saxer, seconded by Ode to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried.
Motion by Schroeder, seconded by Saxer to approve the special meeting minutes from December 10, 2018, the regular meeting minutes from December 10, 2018, and the special meeting minutes from December 12, 2018 as presented. Motion carried.
Motion by Klumper, seconded by Schroeder to approve the bills and claims as submitted (see attached). Motion carried.
The cash report for the month of December, 2018 showed receipts of $5,434,019.50 and disbursements of $4,715,871.28, leaving a balance of $6,045,606.10. The General Fund had receipts of $3,085,228.11, received a temporary interfund transfer of $699,605.79 from the Capital Outlay Fund, received a temporary interfund transfer of $35,106.41 from the Special Education Fund, and sent a temporary interfund transfer of $473,636.31 to the Bond Fund, and disbursements of $2,549,168.16 leaving a balance of $5,410,026.97. Capital Outlay Fund had receipts of $1,023,914.70, sent a temporary interfund transfer of $699,605.79 to the General Fund, and disbursements of $58,924.95, leaving a balance of $265,924.95. Special Education Fund had receipts of $769,396.84, sent a temporary interfund transfer of $35,106.91 to the General Fund, and disbursements $452,904.42, leaving a balance of $281,385.51. Pension Fund had receipts of $0.00, and disbursements of $0.00, leaving a balance of $51,473.21. Bond Redemption Fund had receipts of $555,479.85, received a temporary interfund transfer of $473,636.31 from the General Fund, and disbursements of $1,654,873.75, leaving a balance of $0.00. Enterprise Fund had receipts of $0.00 and disbursements of $0.00, leaving a balance of $37,336.45.
The December 2018 payroll totaled $1,894,126.35 of which $979,541.33 was instructional, $464,271.37 was support services, $32,752.69 was co-curricular, $319,550.72 was Special Education, and $98,010.24 was Food Service.
Motion by Ode, seconded by Saxer to approve the financial reports as presented for the month of December, 2018. Motion carried.
Administrative reports were presented. BVSD is currently engaged in the development of our staff work environment, tagged as “BV Listens”. Within our strategic plan we talk about staff development and evaluating our work environment; therefore “BV Listens” is a work environment survey. Both Certified and Classified staff will be participating in this survey. The “BV Listens!” survey is scheduled to be conducted on January 21, 2019, at the staff in-service day.
The Student Activities, Curriculum & Technology Committee in addition to BVHS Administration and Curriculum Director, Sherri Nelson, are working through a variety of items in regard to the newest South Dakota Graduation Requirements. We are planning a committee report in the near future.
The January focus of the LYNX-way is “we are kind”. We are planning a “Tour of Kindness” presented by Justine Kougl District-wide January 16-18, 2019. There will also be a BV staff random acts of kindness activity on January 21, 2019. Lastly, Larson issued a special thank you to BV staff who raised over $1,000 to support our local communities and organizations.
Kindergarten Screening registration is open – contact your respective elementary school for information.
We will have two (2) three-year seats open on the school board this upcoming year. Important election dates to remember are as follows: April 9, 2019 ~ Earliest date to circulate a petition; May 10, 2019 ~ Deadline for petitions to be returned. Candidates must also file a Financial Interest Statement within 15 days of filing a nominating petition; June 18, 2019 ~ School Board Election. Please contact the Brandon Valley Business Office if interested or need more information.
The 2019-20 staffing request timeline is as follows: late February, additional 2019-20 staffing recommendations will be presented. Late February to early March, those positions will be posted for applications; recommendations to hire for those positions will be determined as applications/interviews are reviewed and finalized.
Tentative 2019-20 Teacher Negotiations time-line/wage recommendations will begin in January with contract language meeting(s) between BVSD Administration and BVEA. A pre-negotiation meeting will be held in March with a Negotiations meeting between the Personnel Welfare Committee and BVEA will be held in mid-March to early April. We plan to ratify the 2019-20 Master Contract, approve Classified wage recommendations, approve Administration salary recommendations, and hold Superintendent contract negotiations at the April 8, 2019 regular Board of Education meeting.
The 2019-20 budget process is underway. Following is the timeline for the budget process: January-March: Budget forms/documents distributed, completed, compiled and reviewed by the Central Office. March: Preliminary Capital Outlay Budget Presented/Approved (this is necessary for major items to be bid in a timely manner). May 27. 2019: Preliminary Budget Presentation to the Board of Education. July 15, 2019: Public Budget Hearing with potential action at this Annual Board of Education meeting.
The Superintendent Evaluation/Contract timeline is as follows: February 11, 2019 ~ Distribute Evaluation Tool; February 25, 2019 ~ Evaluations are due to Board President Renee Ullom; March 11, 2019 ~ Discuss performance evaluation; April 8, 2019 ~ Contract negotiations.
Good new presentations are scheduled with a 1:1 update from Brandon Valley Middle School on January 28, 2019, and a Post-secondary night and career night update from Brandon Valley High School on February 25, 2019.
Looking ahead at the academic calendar, 2018-19 school year important dates to remember: no school for in-service ~ January 21, 2019; no school for President’s Day holiday ~ February 15 and February 18.
Superintendent Larson reported on the proposed 2019-20 school year calendar. This calendar has been through a review with the Administration, Teacher Liaison Committee, and the Classified Council. Important dates to highlight are August 14, 2019 as new staff in-service, August 15, 2019 with all new staff returning. August 21, 2019 is the scheduled first day of classes and May 21, 2020 as the last day of classes for all BV students. This calendar will be presented for adoption on the January 28, 2019 regular Board of Education meeting.
Motion by Schroeder, seconded by Klumper to approve the following general business items:
1. Approve contract by and between the Brandon Valley School District and Frontline Education for Employee Absence and Substitute Management implementation and usage in the amount of $4,900 start-up fee and $9,000 annual subscription fee (2018-19 prorated), effective December 12, 2018 through June 30, 2021 as presented.
2. Approve membership agreement by and between the Brandon Valley School District and the South Dakota Food Buying Group for the 2019-20 school year as presented.
3. Approve tuition agreement by and between the Brandon Valley School District and Children’s Home Society for one student, $106.61/day for five days/week for the 2018-19 school year as presented.
4. Acknowledge the Brandon Valley Education Association notification of contract negotiations for 2019 and beyond.
5. Approve application for funding for Alliance Communications Keep the Change Grant to educate students on the dangers of destructive decisions (drug abuse and distracted driving), in the amount of $600 for the 2018-19 school year.
6. Approve application for Sioux Valley Energy Donation to education students on the dangers of destructive decisions (drug abuse and distracted driving) in the amount of $600 for the 2018-19 school year.
7. Approve 2019 School Board Election date of June 18, 2019.
8. Approve 2019 Summer Lunch Program Participation.
Motion carried.
Motion by Saxer, seconded by Ode to approve the following personnel items:
1. Approve recommendation to hire Chelsea Oehlerts, long-term substitute for Sarah Schroeder, VSE 4th grade teacher, effective on around April 23, 2019 through the end of the 2018-19 school year.
2. Approve recommendation to hire Sara Kiefer, RBE part-time child nutrition worker, $13,05/hour, effective January 2, 2019.
3. Approve resignation from Gloria Garza, BVIS night custodian, effective February 1, 2019.
4. Approve extra-duty pay to Bill Freking, Assistant MS Principal, for performing duties other than his normal assigned duties during the 2017-18 and 2018-19 school years in the amount of $4,000.
5. Approve recommendation to hire Brian Christiaansen, Van Driver Substitute, paid according to the driver trip schedule, effective January 15, 2019.
6. Approve recommendation to hire Trent Hartle, Custodial Substitute, $10.00/hour, effective January 15, 2019.
7. Approve recommendation to hire Heidi Gehrke, FAE Custodial Supervisor, full-time, $15.75/hour, effective January 14, 2019.
8. Approve resignation from Sara Schroeder, VSE 4th grade Teacher, effective at the end of the 2018-19 school year.
9. Approve recommendation to hire Hanna Guggisberg, long-term substitute for Sherri Rygh, BVIS orchestra Teacher, effective on or around February 21, 2019 for approximately twelve weeks.
10. Approve recommendation to hire Pam Hedman, long-term substitute for Kayla Miller, BE Speech Language Pathologist, $250.00/day, effective March 19, 2019 for ten weeks.
11. Approve recommendation to hire Daniel VanDeest, BVIS evening custodian, $14.60/hour plus $.50/hour night differential pay, effective February 6, 2019.
12. Approve recommendation to hire Mark Edeen, BVSD Bus Driver, paid according to the driver trip schedule, effective January 15, 2019.
13. Approve resignation from Samantha Cornelius, BVIS Special Education Educational Assistant, effective January 8, 2019.
14. Approve recommendation to hire Kelly Sandberg, Custodial Substitute, $10/hour, effective January 15, 2019.
15. Approve (half year) lane change requests for the following BVSD staff:
Mallory Jark – BA to BA+15
Mark Schlekeway – MA to MA+30
16. Approve recommendation to hire the following substitutes for the 2018-19 school year as follows: Kaitlyn Huska, Makenna Macdonald, Ilsa Neumiller, Meghan Vermeer
Motion carried.
The following personnel items were reviewed by the Board of Education for information only:
1. Request for maternity leave by Angie Olson, FAE 2nd Grade Teacher, on or around March 29, 2019 for approximately eight weeks.
2. Request for maternity leave by Brittany Green, BVHS Algebra Teacher, effective April 29, 2019 for the remainder of the 2018-19 school year.
3. Transfer Morgan Bobzien from BVIS Computer Teacher and Technology Integrationist to RBE and VSE Computer Teacher, effective with the 2019-20 school year.
Motion carried.
Communications received by the Central Office and Board of Education were reviewed. They included the following items:
1. Thank you from Bill Miller for the annual retired district employee holiday luncheon.
2. Thank you from Pam Hedman for the luncheon for the retired district employees.
3. Thank you from Ramona Watson for the luncheon for the retired district employees.
4. Thank you from Laurie Veld for the flowers sent for her recent surgery.
5. Thank you from Lesley Nelson and family for the plant sent in memory of her father, Rick Harmelink.
6. Thank you from Jennifer Chicoine and family for the flowers sent in honor of the girth of their daughter.
7. Thank you from Stephanie Jorgensen and family for the flowers sent in honor of the birth of their son.
Board Reports were presented. Board President Ullom reported that the Alternative Education Committee will be meeting this upcoming week.
Board Member Dan Klumper reported on the Student Activities, Curriculum & Technology Committee. This committee discussed the new SD State Graduation requirements along with preliminary discussion on revising the homework policy for the school district.
Board Member Ellie Saxer reported on the City Affairs & Legislation Committee. The new legislative session and newest members have been sworn in and the session is in full-swing.
Travel reports were reviewed.
Motion by Saxer, seconded by Klumper to adjourn the meeting at 6:55 p.m. Motion carried.
Signed
Business Manager
Approved by the Board of Education this 11th day of February, 2019
Signed
Chairperson
Published at the approximate cost of $127.10.
