This information includes highlights of information received by the Ladue Schools Board of Education at the Aug. 28, 2017 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.
Superintendent Remarks
- Superintendent Dr. Donna Jahnke commented on the successful start of the school year, noting the hard work of staff at every level that was required in order to successfully prepare for the arrival of our students on Aug. 17.
- While the official Missouri “Count Day” is not until the last Wednesday in September, it appears that enrollment has increased by approximately 100 students across the district and Old Bonhomme Elementary School now has the largest enrollment of the four elementary schools.
- Students across the district participated in viewing the Total Solar Eclipse on Aug. 21. Dr. Jahnke thanked Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction Dr. Jennifer Allen and STEM Coordinator Dr. Kevin McColgan for their support of our teachers and schools for months in advance of the event to ensure it was both safe and memorable. Dr. Jahnke also thanked the Ladue Education Foundation for funding the solar viewing glasses used by staff and students across the district.
ACTION ITEM
Declaration of Surplus Property. Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Dr. Jason Buckner presented, and the Board approved, the administration’s recommendation for the following items to be designated as surplus property:
- District property at 10601 Clayton Road
- High school furniture
A Request for Proposal regarding the property will be released by the district on or before Sept. 15, 2017, with a due date for proposals of Oct. 31, 2017. The furniture will be further evaluated to determine what will be repurposed, sold or donated.
2017-18 Board Goals/Objectives. Following discussion, the Board approved their goals for the 2017-18 school year. These goals support the Board of Education’s role in implementing the district’s Strategic Plan, as also recently approved by the Board, as well as their mandated responsibilities for overseeing the superintendent and district finances.
High School Building Project: Report #17; Payment Applications; Northwest Section Buildout/Field and Campus. Project Director for S.M. Wilson Kort Cole presented Construction Progress Report #17, which includes the July pay application and updates on the work completed during the summer, the construction timeline and the project budget. Photos of various components of the project are included in the linked document.
At this time, anticipated savings identified on the project as originally defined are anticipated to be approximately $4.6 million, which is not inclusive of the Construction Contingency of $2.2 million still in reserve for unanticipated expenses incurred in completing the project. In light of this information, Dr. Jahnke shared that the Board of Education has given the administration approval to proceed with researching the logistics, timeline, and estimated costs for completing the remaining components of the full campus renovation.
In 2015, when the Board voted to put Proposition R on the ballot in April 2016, the determination was made that $82.2 million of the total $85.1 requested would be targeted to renovating the academic areas of the high school. In addition, the Board directed that any savings identified through the course of construction be utilized to fund improvements to other areas of the high school campus not included in this original scope of work, as well as other district projects.
INFORMATION ITEMS
First Semester Board Meeting Agenda Calendar. Dr. Jahnke presented a draft of the topics to be addressed by the Board of Education during the first semester of the 2017-18 school year. This is a tentative calendar, and topics will be added and potentially rescheduled during the course of the year.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
The next Board of Education meeting will be a Work Session on Sept. 12, 2017. The following meeting will be a Business Meeting at 7 p.m. on Sept. 25, 2017. Both meetings will be held at the Administrative Center, 9703 Conway Road. Tentative agenda items include the following.
Tentative Agenda Items for Work Session Sept. 12, 2017:
INFORMATION
- Tax Rate Hearing Discussion
- Strategic Plan Documents
- C&I Curriculum Review
- Comprehensive School Improvement Plan
- Board Policies
Tentative Agenda Items for Business Meeting Sept. 25, 2017:
- STARS Awards for Excellence in Research
ACTION
- Tax Rate and Debt Service Hearing and Approval
- Board Policies
- High School Building Project
- Project Report #18
- Payment Applications/Bid Approvals
INFORMATION
- Transportation/2017-18 Bus Routes/Mileage
- MAP Data and Report
