This information includes highlights of information received by the Ladue Schools Board of Education at the Feb. 26, 2018 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
Courtney Conway, Special Education Resource Teacher, Old Bonhomme Elementary
Superintendent Remarks
- Superintendent Dr. Donna Jahnke commended the high school for its outstanding performance of the musical The Addams Family. She said the student performances were exemplary and specifically thanked the following teachers for their assistance with the production: Director Mike Pecka, Pit Director Aaron Lehde, Vocal Director Tom Lowery, and Technical Director Daniel Raedeke.
- Dr. Jahnke shared that the Board of Education and she would soon begin their discussions regarding the selection process for the next Ladue Schools superintendent. The general timeline is to select a search firm in the spring, accept and analyze applications throughout the summer, and begin interviews in the fall once school is back in session, with the goal of selecting a new superintendent by the end of December 2018. Additional details will be provided when they are available.
PUBLIC HEARING
2019-20 School Calendar. Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction Dr. Jennifer Allen presented the administration’s recommendation for the 2019-20 School Calendar. The calendar is very similar to previous years’ calendars in terms of student contact days, teacher contact days and days incorporated for staff professional development. The approved calendar reflects the first day of school on Tuesday, Aug. 13, and the last day of school on Friday, May 22.
ACTION ITEM
2019-20 School Calendar. The Board approved the administration’s recommendation for the 2019-20 School Calendar. Details can be found by clicking on the header of this paragraph.
High School Building Project: Project Report #23; Contractor Payment Requests. Project Director for S. M. Wilson Kort Cole presented Construction Progress Report #23, which includes the January pay application and updates on the work completed, 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 million, which is not inclusive of the construction contingency of $763,831 in the construction budget for unidentified or unforeseen expenses incurred during the remainder of the project.
Meet & Confer Report/Recommendations. Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Ken Rossics presented the Meet & Confer Report along with Ladue Educators’ Association Meet & Confer representative Jesse McGlaughlin. The Meet and Confer process is used to discuss salary, benefits and working conditions between the teachers and the district. The Board approved the report. With this approval, appropriate updates to the Master Agreement will be completed.
Speech and Debate Day Resolution. The Board approved the request of Speech and Debate Club President Edward Wu and Vice President Levi Dyson to sign a resolution for the purpose of recognizing Friday, March 2, 2018, as National Speech and Debate Education Day. This event will be celebrated nationwide to promote speech and debate instruction across all grade levels and to highlight the pivotal roles these abilities play in personal advocacy, social movements and public policy making.
INFORMATION ITEMS
C&I Instruction Updates; Student Performance Data. Dr. Allen presented information regarding Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) performance data by grade. The presentation also included an assessment of the Curriculum and Instruction Department’s 2017-18 initiatives, along with outlining the 2018-19 goals. Details can be found by clicking on the header of this paragraph.
Social and Emotional Supports. The district already has a number of programs in place to support students academically, and these efforts will continue. In this presentation, with assistance from Mr. Rossics and Director of Student Services Dr. Derrick Wallace, Dr. Allen presented the multi-tiered system of supports for students with social and emotional needs. Some are already in place, and some are currently in development.
These social and emotional support programs include the integration of support mechanisms that apply to all students, as well as those developed specifically for more intensive support for specific groups and individual students. Implementation will require extensive staff training, as well as potential reallocation of staff. Details can be found by clicking on the header of this paragraph.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
The next Board of Education meeting will be a Business Meeting on March 12, 2018, at 6 p.m. at the Administrative Center, 9703 Conway Road. Tentative agenda items include the following.
Tentative Agenda Items for Business Meeting March 12, 2018:
ACTION
- High School Building Project
- Project Report #24
- Contractor Payment Requests
INFORMATION
- Policy Review
- Board Advisory Committee Re-Appointments
