Friday, May 15, 2015

Board Briefs from May 13, 2015 Board Work Session

This information includes highlights of information received by the Ladue School Board of Education at the May 13, 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 announced that graduation will take place this Sunday, May 17 at the high school stadium, weather permitting, at 5 p.m.  If weather or field conditions do not allow for the ceremony to take place outdoors, the event will take place in the Nielson Gym.  She congratulated graduating seniors on their accomplishments and wished them well in their next phase of life.

      WORK SESSION

      Extra Duty Stipend Amounts.  Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Mr. Ken Rossics presented the stipends that will be paid for extra assigned duties in the 2015-16 school year.  Only three changes to this list are recommended to be made for the upcoming school year.  A District Lead Counselor Coordinator position and Middle School Department Chairs were added, and the District Benefit Coordinator position was eliminated.  The staff members who will fill these extra duty assignments will be presented for approval beginning at the next Board meeting on May 27, 2015.  

      Bid for Community Survey.  Dr. Jahnke presented the administration's recommendation for Patron Insight, Inc. to perform a community survey this fall which will be designed to gauge community support for a high school renovation project, as well as measure the community's perceptions and satisfaction with the district's educational effectiveness, management and communications.  Patron Insight, Inc. has worked successfully with the district in the last two community surveys which were performed in 2009 and 2011.  

      Math Review.  Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction Dr. Laura Brock, along with Elementary Math Consultant Kathy Anderson and STEM Coordinator Dr. Kevin McColgan, provided the Board with an update on the district's K-12 Math Review by outlining current action plan goals, accomplishments to date, and work currently in progress.

      K-12 Math Objectives.  Dr. Brock, along with Mrs. Anderson and Dr. McColgan, outlined how the district's K-12 Math Program Objectives have been reviewed, rewritten, and updated to support and exceed the expectations and mandates of the Missouri Learning Standards.

      Gifted Report.  District Gifted Coordinator Brooke Bilby presented the annual Gifted Report.  The report included an overview of the district's philosophy behind gifted programming, an outline of the identification processes used, a program outline by grade/building level, and information regarding the district's enrichment programming.  The report also included recent student and staff accomplishments, as well as goals for the 2015-16 school year.


      UPCOMING MEETING

      The next Board of Education meeting will be a Business Meeting on Wednesday, May 27, 2015, at 7 p.m. and will be held at the Administrative Center, 9703 Conway Road.  Tentative agenda items include the following.  

      ACTION
      • K-12 Math Objectives
      • 2015-16 Extra Duty Stipend Amounts
      • 2015-16 Board Meeting Dates
      • Bid for Community Survey
      INFORMATION
      • Consolidated Application for Federal Grants
      • 2015-16 School Lunch Prices
      • 2015-16 Budget Introduction
      • Board Member Assignment to Board Advisory and Other Committees


      Friday, May 1, 2015

      Board Briefs from April 27, 2015, Business Meeting

      This information includes highlights of action taken and information received by the Ladue Schools Board of Education at the April 27, 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.


      Excellence in Education Award
      Lynda Guthrie
      Communication Arts & Social Studies Teacher, Fifth Grade Center

      Board President's Remarks
      • Jeff Kopolow shared in the congratulations of Lynda Guthrie, stating that he is just as proud now of the outstanding educators within our district as he was when he began teaching here in 1966.  
      Superintendent's Remarks
      • Dr. Donna Jahnke welcomed Dr. Jennifer Allen to the meeting.  Dr. Allen will be joining the district as the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction on July 1, 2015.  Dr. Jahnke explained that Dr. Allen has extensive administrative experience at both the district and building level, as well as classroom teaching experience.
      • Ladue Horton Watkins High School (LHWHS) Senior Annie Donnell attended the meeting and Dr. Jahnke congratulated her on recently being awarded the Special School District (SSD) Rosemary Zander Award, the highest recognition given to students who receive services from SSD.  Annie is an excellent student, an outstanding athlete and an inspiration to anyone who meets her. 
      • Dr. Jahnke congratulated Fran Erwin, business and marketing teacher at LHWHS, on receiving the DECA Diamond Award for the 2014-15 school year.  The award is given to the DECA advisor who has contributed the most during the school year.
      • Five Speech and Debate Team students have been named National Speech and Debate Association Academic All Americans in recognition of their speech and debate excellence, as well as their academic success.  Dr. Jahnke noted the rigorous requirements for achieving this designation and thanked teachers Molly Beck and Kathleen Mercury for their contributions to the Speech and Debate programs in the district.
      ACTION ITEMS
      Support Staff Salary Range RecommendationAssistant Superintendent for Human Resources Ken Rossics presented, and the Board approved, the administration's recommendation for setting support staff salary ranges for the 2015-16 school year.  The ranges are 20% above and below midpoints established using St. Louis County school districts for similar positions and will be used in determining salary adjustments for the 2015-16 school year.

      Designation of Delegates and Alternates for MSBA, SSD Governing Council and EDPlus Legislation Liaison. Board members will serve in the following liaison positions for the 2015-16 school year.

      Missouri School Board Association: Jeff Kopolow, with Sheri Glantz as alternate
      Special School District: Dan Regelean, with Sheri Glantz as alternate
      EdPlus Legislative Liaison: Dan Regelean

      District Naming Rights Procedure.  Dr. Jahnke and Communications Director Susan Dielmann presented, and the Board approved, the administration's recommendation for the Naming Rights documents to be used in conjunction with the Ladue Education Foundation's capital campaign to raise private and corporate funds for the potential upcoming high school renovation project.  

      2015-2016 Board Meeting Dates.  The Board approved their meeting dates for the 2015-16 school year.  Work Sessions will generally occur on the second Tuesday of each month beginning at 6 p.m.  Business Meetings will generally occur on the fourth Monday of each month beginning at 7 p.m.  (Some adjustments may be made to accommodate holidays and days when school is not in session.)  

      Tentative Agenda Items for Work Session, Wednesday, May 13, 2015:
      • Extra Duty Stipend Amounts
      • CSIP Review
      • Math Review Report
      • K-12 Math Objectives Overview
      • Gifted Report
      • Technology Report on Limitless Learning
      • Bid for Community Survey

      Tentative Agenda Items for Business Meeting, Wednesday, May 27, 2015:

      ACTION
      • K-12 Math Objectives
      • 2015-2016 Extra Duty Stipend Amounts
      • 2015-2016 Board Meeting Dates
      • Comprehensive School Improvement Plan
      • Bid for Community Survey
      INFORMATION
      • Consolidated Application for Federal Grants
      • 2015-2016 School Lunch Prices
      • 2015-2016 Budget Introduction
      • Board Member Assignment to Board Advisory and Other Committees
      The next meeting of the Ladue Schools Board of Education will be a Work Session on Wednesday, May 13, 2015, at 6 p.m. at the Ladue Schools Administrative Center, 9703 Conway Road, 63124.