Board Briefs from December 14,2015 Business Meeting

This information includes highlights of information received by the Ladue Schools Board of Education at the Dec. 14, 2015, Business Meeting.  This is an unofficial record.  Official minutes of each Board meeting are posted on the district website and are available for viewing at the Administrative Center after the Board approves them, typically two weeks after the meeting.

December Excellence in Education Award
Claire Belz, Pre-Kindergarten Teacher, Ladue Early Childhood Center

Board President's Remarks

• Board President Jeff Kopolow announced that the period for filing for candidacy for the Board of Education begins on Dec. 15, 2015, at 8 a.m. and will continue until Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2016, at 5 p.m.  Two positions are available for three-year terms.  Additional information can be found on the home page of the district’s website.  

Superintendent Remarks

• Superintendent Dr. Donna Jahnke congratulated Claire Belz on receiving the December Excellence in Education Award, noting the importance of a great start in school and how much Ms. Belz’s work with our littlest learners at the early childhood center is valued and appreciated.
• Roger Scherk, a long-time champion of Character Education in the district, as well as a Ladue Middle School counselor, recently graduated from the Character Education Academy — a complex and comprehensive year-long professional development experience for school leaders to help develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to create, implement and evaluate programs and processes that make their schools true learning communities.
• Dr. Jahnke recently received a note from Superintendent Dr. Mike Fulton of the Pattonville School District, complimenting the Ladue Horton Watkins High School (LHWHS) debate team on their tournament last weekend. The Ladue Horton Watkins High School (LHWHS) Talking Rams had six tournament champions, with 21 different team members receiving awards, and the team taking second place in the sweepstakes.
• College acceptances for early admission are beginning to come in, with Dec. 15 being a significant date for Early Decision/Early Action acceptances to be announced.  However, many colleges released their decisions early this year.  LHWHS Class of 2016 Early Decision/Early Action acceptances from this past weekend include: Washington University (12), Harvard (2), Vanderbilt (2), Stanford, CalTech, Duke, Northeastern, Rhodes, Wooster and Tulane.

ACTION ITEM

2016-2017 High School Course Change Proposals. Dr. Jahnke and LHWHS Principal Brad Griffith presented, and the Board approved, the administration’s recommendations for additions, revisions, deletions and name changes for a number of high school courses.  This follows an annual review which resulted in three new courses, the deletion of seven courses and name changes for nine courses.  (Name changes do not involve a change in curriculum.)

2015-2016 Revised Budget. Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Dr. Jason Buckner presented, and the Board approved, the 2015-16 Revised Budget.  The 2015-16 Preliminary Budget was approved on June 22, 2015, and as happens each year, has been adjusted and revised based on the availability of more accurate revenue and expense data than is available in the summer prior to the school year beginning. This year’s budget includes a capital budget breakdown which has not been included in years past.  

The unrestricted operating budget will be a surplus budget with the district accumulating an unrestricted fund balance of approximately 49 percent when the budget year ends on June 30, 2016.  However, as planned after the passage of Proposition 1 in 2012, in the next budget year, the district will likely deficit spend as the district uses the funds it has built up to carry it through budget years with minimal  increases in operating revenue.   

Bond Referendum Discussion/Decision.  After nearly two years of research, discussion and gathering community feedback, the Board voted to place an $85.1 million bond referendum on the April 5, 2016, ballot with the primary purpose of renovating the district’s high school.  The name of the request will be Proposition R and is currently anticipated to increase the current debt service levy by $0.37 - $0.39.  If passed, the bond issue will allow for major renovation of the academic core of the building constructed in the 1950s and 1960s, and more moderate renovation of somewhat newer portions of the building.  In addition, the bond issue would also fund approximately $2 million in safety, security and technology upgrades in other district facilities.  

Approximately $9.5 million in other projects will be prioritized and funded through alternative sources, or from cost savings identified as the design of the academic core of the high school is further refined and as construction progresses.  Significant contingencies have been built into construction estimates for the project due to the age of the facility.  Extensive abatement of hazardous materials, such as asbestos and lead, is anticipated and currently unknown structural deficiencies may be identified as rebuilding and renovation take place.  As savings are identified, these other components will be incorporated into the project and include renovation of one of the newer sections of the high school built in 1971 and smaller projects at other district facilities.

In addition, the Ladue Education Foundation has raised nearly $2 million in pledges toward the high school renovation project, and the eventual sale of the property on Clayton Road (the former early childhood center) may also be available to assist in offsetting expenses for the high school renovation, less extensive projects at other district facilities, and the high school stadium and athletic fields.  

INFORMATION ITEMS

District Solicited Proposal for Bond Counsel. Dr. Buckner updated the Board on the Request for Proposal the administration issued for Bond Counsel Services to be used if the Board decided to move forward with a bond referendum in April 2016.  The final date for proposals to be submitted was Dec. 11, 2015, and the administration is in the process of reviewing the proposals and determining the selection process.  A recommendation to the Board is anticipated on Jan. 12, 2016.  One of the first functions of the company selected will be to assist the district with final ballot language to be filed with the St. Louis County Board of Elections no later than Jan. 26, 2016.  

Second Semester Board Agenda Calendar. Dr. Jahnke reviewed the Tentative Board Agenda Calendar for the second semester.  This calendar provides a general outline of the topics to be discussed by the Board and is amended, as needed, as new topics and issues arise.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

The next Board of Education meeting will be a Work Session on Jan. 12, 2016, at the Administrative Center, 9703 Conway Road.  The following meeting will be a Business Meeting at 7 p.m. on Jan. 25, 2016, in the library of Ladue Horton Watkins High School (1201 S. Warson Road).  Tentative agenda items include the following.   

Tentative Agenda Items for Work Session Jan. 12, 2016:

ACTION

• Bond Counsel Agreement
• Ballot Language

INFORMATION

• Update on High School Building Project
• Curriculum Objectives for Band and Orchestra
• SSD Partnership Agreement

Tentative Agenda Items for Business Meeting Jan. 25, 2016:

School Board Recognition Week

Announcement of School Board Candidates

ACTION

• Annual Renewal of Agreement to Participate in PEGS
• Curriculum Objectives for Band and Orchestra
• SSD Partnership Agreement

INFORMATION

• 2016 District Summer Programs
• 2017-18 School Calendar
• Update on High School Building Project

Board Briefs from December 8, 2015 Work Session

This information includes highlights of information received by the Ladue Schools Board of Education at the December 8, 2015 Work Session.  This is an unofficial record.  Official minutes of each Board meeting are posted on the district website and are available for viewing at the Administrative Center after the Board approves them, typically two weeks after the meeting.

DISCUSSION ITEM

High School Renovation Initiative

Results from the Community Survey were presented to the Board at the November 23, 2015, meeting and are linked here.  The purpose of the survey was to gauge residents’ overall satisfaction with the performance of the school district, as well as their level of support for a significant high school renovation and more modest improvements to other district facilities.  

In light of the survey results, the Board of Education and administration met on December 8 to discuss the various components of the projects under consideration in order to continue the process of prioritizing needs and to work toward reaching consensus on whether to move forward with a bond referendum in April 2016 and in what amount.  The Board also discussed alternative sources of funding for these projects, including the utilization of funds raised through the Ladue Education Foundation’s capital campaign which is focused on supporting a high school renovation, the use of funds generated from the eventual sale of the district’s property on Clayton Road, and the use of funds in the district’s operating budget set aside for capital (building) projects and improvements.

The Board is anticipated to make a decision on whether to move forward with an April 2016 bond referendum at their meeting on Monday, December 14, 2015.  The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in the library of Ladue Horton Watkins High School (1201 South Warson Road, 63124).

Tentative Agenda Items for Business Meeting December 14, 2015:

ACTION

• 2016-17 High School Course Change Proposal(s)
• 2015-16 Revised Budget
• Bond Referendum Discussion/Decision

INFORMATION

• Second Semester Board Agenda Calendar (January - August)

Board Briefs from November 23, 2015 Business Meeting

This information includes highlights of information received by the Ladue Schools Board of Education at the November 23, 2015 Business Meeting.  This is an unofficial record.  Official minutes of each Board meeting are posted on the district website and are available for viewing at the Administrative Center after the Board approves them, typically two weeks after the meeting.

November Excellence in Education Award
Kathie Dolan, Idea Lab Teacher, Spoede Elementary

Board President's Remarks

• Board President Jeff Kopolow spoke about the terrorism attacks taking place and shared his confidence in the ability of the Ladue Schools’ staff to support our students in times of crisis and uncertainty.  President Kopolow said he is proud to be associated with the Ladue School District where students are encouraged to share their views respectfully and honor the differences between us.

Superintendent Remarks

• Dr. Jahnke also shared her gratitude and pride in working for the Ladue School District.  She said she is grateful to her colleagues, the Board of Education and the community the district serves, and wished everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.  

ACTION ITEM

Acceptance of Auditor’s Report. The Board approved the Fiscal Year 2015 Audit.  Assistant Superintendent for Business & Finance Dr. Jason Buckner introduced a representative of Daniel Jones & Associates, who presented the district’s annual Independent Auditor’s Report which states all financial statements reviewed, in all material respects, fairly represent the respective financial activities, and each major fund, of the district, as of June 30, 2015.   The district received an “unqualified opinion,” the highest opinion a district can receive, and remains one of the few public school districts in Missouri, and one of less than a hundred in the nation, to hold a stand-alone AAA rating from Standard and Poor's.  

2016-2017 LECC Tuition and BASK/TAS Rates. Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Ken Rossics and Ladue Early Childhood Center (LECC) Director Kerri Wetzel reviewed rate recommendations presented at the last meeting for the LECC’s current offerings which include: enrichment, toddler programming, preschool programming, Parents as Teachers (PAT), Parent and Child Together (PACT), and BASK (before and after school care).  (The LECC also houses the St. Louis County Preschool for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.)  The Board approved maintaining the current year’s rates for enrichment programming, toddler programming and BASK/TAS next year.  For pre-school programs, the Board approved a tuition increase for the 2016-17 school year of 1% for residents and 2% for non-residents.

Board Policy Changes.  In the district’s ongoing efforts to maintain policies which accurately represent district expectations, incorporate current legislative requirements, and take into account recommendations by the Missouri School Board Association (MSBA), the Board approved fourteen policy revisions.

INFORMATION ITEMS

2016-2017 High School Course Change Proposals. High school teachers and administrators annually review courses to make additions, revisions, deletions and name changes based on research, best practices, and student interests and needs.  Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction Dr. Jennifer Allen introduced LHWHS Principal Brad Griffith who reviewed the course change proposals for the 2016-17 school year.   These changes include the addition of three new courses, the deletion of seven courses and name changes for nine courses.  (Name changes do not involve a change in curriculum.)   In addition, seven courses in which students are enrolled do not currently appear in the scheduling handbook, and will be added going forward.  Additional details can be found by clicking on the heading to this paragraph.  

2015-2016 Revised Budget. The Board of Education approved the 2015-16 Preliminary Budget on June 22, 2015.  Each year, the annual budget is adjusted and revised based on the availability of more accurate revenue and expense data than is available in the summer before the school year begins.  Dr. Buckner presented the revised budget which the Board will approve at the December 14, 2015, Business Meeting.  The unrestricted operating budget will be a surplus budget with the district accumulating an unrestricted fund balance of approximately 49% when the budget year ends on June 30, 2016.  However, as planned after the passage of Proposition 1 in 2012, the next budget year the district will deficit spend as the district uses the funds it has built up to carry it through budget years with continued minor revenue increases.  

Community Survey Results and Analysis. Dr. Jahnke introduced Ken DeSieghardt of Patron Insight, LLC, the company that recently surveyed the Ladue Schools community to gauge overall perceptions of the district, as well as more specific views regarding the possibility of a significant high school renovation.  General perceptions of the district have improved notably since the last community survey was conducted in 2011.  In addition, there is overall support for a high school renovation, with specific components and funding methods being of greater or lesser importance.  Results are available by clicking on the heading to this paragraph.  

Master Facilities Plan Phase I. Dr. Jahnke and Dr. Buckner reviewed the costs of various components of a potential high school renovation, projects at other district buildings, and athletic field improvements.  The Board will utilize this information in order to determine which components should be included in the total project should the Board decide to move forward with a bond referendum in April 2016.  Dr. Buckner also reviewed the district’s overall current debt structure, as well as how that structure could be impacted by a future bond referendum.  

Architect Contract and Schematic Design. Dr. Buckner reviewed the contract currently being negotiated with Hastings and Chivetta Architecture, as Architect of Record, for the high school renovation project.  According to the contract under consideration, Hastings and Chivetta plan to collaborate with Bond Architects as the Associate Architect for Design.  The signing of this contract would allow the architects to move forward with schematic designs for a high school renovation so that necessary preparation for the project can take place in the late spring and summer of 2016 should the Board decide to move forward with a bond referendum in April, and the request is approved by the community.  Beginning schematic design now would allow for a target completion date of new construction to be August 1, 2018.

Construction Management Agency Process Timeline. Dr. Buckner outlined the process for the selection of Construction Management-Agency Services.  Specifically, administration requested specific direction for beginning the Request for Proposal process and how final determinations will be made in order to have a recommendation for presentation to the Board on January 25, 2016.  

UPCOMING MEETINGS

The next Board of Education meeting will be a Business Meeting on December 14, 2015 at 7 p.m. at the Administrative Center, 9703 Conway Road.  Tentative agenda items include the following.  

Tentative Agenda Items for Business Meeting December 14, 2015:

Announcement of Filing for Board Election

ACTION

• 2016-2017 High School Course Change Proposal(s)
• 2015-2016 Revised Budget
• Bond Referendum Discussion/Decision

INFORMATION

• Second Semester Board Agenda Calendar (January - August)

Board Briefs from November 10, 2015 Work Session

This information includes highlights of information received by the Ladue Schools Board of Education at the November 10, 2015 Work Session.  This is an unofficial record.  Official minutes of each Board meeting are posted on the district website and are available for viewing at the Administrative Center after the Board approves them, typically two weeks after the meeting.

Superintendent Remarks

• Superintendent Dr. Donna Jahnke congratulated the Ladue Middle School on having officially received the National Blue Ribbon Award at a presentation in Washington, D.C., earlier in the day.  

REPORTS

2016-2017 LECC Tuition and BASK/TAS Rates. Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Ken Rossics and Ladue Early Childhood Center (LECC) Director Kerri Wetzel presented summary information about the LECC’s current offerings which include: enrichment, toddler programming, preschool programming, Parents as Teachers (PAT), Parent and Child Together (PACT), and BASK (before and after school care).  In addition, the LECC houses the St. Louis County Preschool for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.  A tuition increase for the 2016-17 school year of 1% for residents and 2% for non-residents was recommended.  The tuition rates will be an Action Item at the November 23, 2015, Board of Education meeting.

Update on Master Facilities Plan Phase I. Dr. Jahnke and Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Dr. Jason Buckner led a discussion with the Board regarding the status of the high school renovation project.  The Board reviewed potential architectural and construction contracts going forward, a potential construction timeline, current debt and potential bond structures, and potential construction scenarios based on survey results.  Community Survey results will be presented at the November 23 meeting, and the Board is anticipated to make a decision on whether to move forward with a bond referendum in April 2016 at their meeting on December 14.  

High School Initiatives. Ladue Horton Watkins High School Principal Brad Griffith updated the Board on three major initiatives currently underway at the high school.  Details can be found by clicking on the heading of this section.  

• Scheduling.  The high school integrated a new schedule configuration in the 2015-16 school year.  While it is still early in the implementation process, data from the first six weeks of schools reflect that average daily attendance has increased, instances of students being tardy have decreased, behavioral referrals have decreased, the number of D’s and F’s has decreased in every grade, and the number of A’s and B’s has increased.  Mr. Griffith cautioned that while it is not possible to tie each of these changes directly to changes in the schedule, it is the only major variable that has changed this year.  Academic and behavioral performance will continue to be tracked and reported as it becomes available, and adjustments will be made, as necessary, once more long term trends are defined.
• Reading Plus.  Mr. Griffith provided an update on this computer-based, silent reading program aimed at increasing the speed of reading, as well as comprehension and vocabulary.  Initial results from students participating in pilot programs reflects success in all three areas, in addition to score improvements in the reading section of the ACT.
• Credit Recovery.  Mr. Griffith reported that the high school currently has 12 students enrolled in the program and all of them are making progress towards course completion and several have completed  a full semester, earning credit towards graduation.
• Limitless Learning.  Instructional Technology Coordinator Adam Stirrat reviewed the status of the high school’s one-to-one technology program, including teacher utilization, electronic textbooks, and systems under consideration for managing appropriate access and usage.
• High School Renovation.  Mr. Griffith expressed the high school staff’s enthusiasm for the renovation efforts, explaining that a great deal of time and energy has been put behind ensuring both student needs and programming needs are being appropriately addressed in the designs under consideration.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

The next Board of Education meeting will be a Business Meeting on November 23, 2015, at 7 p.m. in the Ladue Horton Watkins High School library (1201 South Warson Road, 63124).  Tentative agenda items include the following.  

Tentative Agenda Items for Business Meeting November 23, 2015:

ACTION

• Board Policy Changes
• Acceptance of Auditor’s Report
• 2016-17 LECC Tuition and BASK/TAS Rates

INFORMATION

• 2016-17 High School Course Change Proposal(s)
• 2015-16 Revised Budget
• Community Survey Results and Analysis

Board Briefs from October 26, 2015 Business Meeting

This information includes highlights of information received by the Ladue Schools Board of Education at the October 26, 2015 Business Meeting.  This is an unofficial record.  Official minutes of each Board meeting are posted on the district website and are available for viewing at the Administrative Center after the Board approves them, typically two weeks after the meeting.

October Excellence in Education Award
Erika Niles, Literacy Coach, Ladue Middle School

National Merit Semifinalists
Claire Allen, Spencer Chen, Royce Dong, Greg Farn, Huayu Gao, Henok Getahun,
Jacob Granick, Kathryne Lamkin, Tom Liu, Rasika Sant, Rachel Steiner,
Steele Stewart, Rachel Wagner-Muns, and Hunter Wallace

Board President's Remarks

• Board President Jeff Kopolow congratulated this year’s National Merit Semi-Finalists, an elite group of students scoring in the top 1% of all students nationwide taking the PSAT.  Mr. Kopolow said he anticipates this group will continue a long tradition of Ladue Horton Watkins High School graduates who have gone on to do great things.  

Superintendent Remarks

• Superintendent Dr. Donna Jahnke welcomed Julia Burke to the meeting.  Ms. Burke is the associate superintendent for human resources in the Hazelwood School District and visited the meeting as part of her work toward her doctorate degree at St. Louis University.

INFORMATION ITEMS

Requisition Over $25,000.    Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Dr. Jason Buckner introduced Facilities Director Mike Noonan to present information regarding the administration’s recommendation for the purchase of a Toolcat to replace the district’s current machine which was purchased in 2006 and is increasingly in need of repair.  The cost of the new machine is $61,217 and is being offset by a trade-in of the current machine for $16,000 and a rebate of $11,440, for a total cost to the district of $33,770.  

Enrollment and Residency Report. Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Ken Rossics presented the Enrollment and Residency Report for the 2015-16 school year.  The report includes information about current enrollment, as well as enrollment projections.  Following are a few highlights to the report.  For the full report, please click the header of this section.  

• As of Count Day 2015, the district has 4,165 students, reflecting an increase of 10 students over the 2014-15 school year. Similar minimal increases are anticipated for the next two school years.  
• The district currently has 81 students attending from unaccredited districts.  Projections do not include students from unaccredited districts, as the future of this program remains uncertain.
• The district’s English Language Learners (ELL) population continues to grow with 168 total students receiving services this year.  This is an increase of 21% over the 2014-15 school year.  There are 61 different languages spoken by students in the Ladue School District.
• Average elementary grade class sizes fall within the district’s current class size guidelines with the exception of the Fifth Grade Center.  Enrollment in fifth grade increased slightly after the deadline for hiring classroom teachers and a teacher assistant was hired to provide additional support.  Space limitations are beginning to become a factor at two of the elementary schools and at the middle school.

Update on Master Facilities Plan. Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Dr. Jason Buckner updated the Board on current efforts regarding the high school renovation initiative.  The current focus is the pre-construction timeline that will be used. The Board and administration discussed how much preparation can and should be done prior to the Board’s anticipated decision in December on whether to move forward with a bond referendum in April 2016.   Similarly, there was discussion regarding how much preparation can and should be done prior to a potential April 5, 2016, vote, should the Board to decide to move forward with a referendum in December.  The goal of these discussions is to find the appropriate balance between being prepared to move expeditiously if the project is ultimately approved by voters, and the use of district resources if the project should not be moved forward in the short-term.  

The Board of Education will continue this discussion at the November 10, 2015, Work Session.  Results from the Community Survey currently underway are anticipated to be presented at the November 23, 2015, Business Meeting.  The survey is being used to gauge support for a high school renovation, as well as the community’s overall satisfaction with the district’s performance.  

Board Policy Changes.  In the district’s ongoing efforts to maintain policies which accurately represent district expectations, incorporate current legislative requirements, and take into account recommendations by the Missouri School Board Association (MSBA), Dr. Jahnke presented fourteen revised policies for the Board of Education’s discussion and review.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

The next Board of Education meeting will be a Work Session on November 10, 2015, at the Administrative Center, 9703 Conway Road.  The following meeting will be a Business Meeting at 7 p.m. on November 23, 2015, in the library of Ladue Horton Watkins High School (1201 S. Warson Road).  Tentative agenda items include the following.   

Tentative Agenda Items for Work Session November 10, 2015:

INFORMATION

• Curriculum & Instruction Initiatives
• Update on Master Facilities Plan Phase I
• High School Initiatives
• 2016-17 LECC Tuition and BASK/TAS Rates
• SSD Educational Partnership Agreement

Tentative Agenda Items for Business Meeting November 23, 2015:

ACTION

• Board Policy Changes
• Acceptance of Auditor’s Report
• 2016-2017 LECC Tuition and BASK/TAS Rates
• SSD Educational Partnership Agreement
• SSD Reimbursement of Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Costs

INFORMATION

• 2016-17 High School Course Change Proposal(s)
• 2015-16 Revised Budget
• Community Survey Results and Analysis