NEW FEATURE! You can now listen to Board of Eduction meetings in their entirety. The audio for the Feb. 25, 2019 Board meeting is linked here.
This information includes highlights of information received by the Ladue Schools Board of Education at the Feb. 25, 2019 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
Tammy MacLean - Gifted Instruction
Old Bonhomme Elementary School
Board President's Remarks
- Board President Andy Bresler reminded those in attendance that there are three people running for two open seats on the Board of Education. The community will have an opportunity to “Meet the Candidates” on March 6, 2019, at a forum beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room of Ladue Horton Watkins High School and facilitated by National Honor Society students. The election will be held on April 2, 2019, and voters have the opportunity to cast ballots for two of the three candidates. More information about the candidates can be found here.
Superintendent Remarks
- Superintendent Dr. Donna Jahnke congratulated Tammy MacLean on receiving the February Excellence in Education Award, noting her significant contributions as a teacher, as well the leadership she has provided to the district’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts.
- Dr. Jahnke encouraged everyone to check Spotlight on Ladue on a regular basis. As we enter the spring, the amazing recognitions and accomplishments of our students and staff are plentiful and archived here for all to celebrate!
- The district’s next edition of Link will be arriving in all district resident mailboxes prior to Spring Break. Dr. Jahnke encouraged everyone to read it thoroughly, as it updates our community on some of the most significant efforts and accomplishments of the district.
ACTION ITEM
2019-20 and 2020-21 School Calendar. Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Amy Zielinski presented, and the Board approved, a proposed revision to the 2019-20 school calendar to move Spring Break to the third week of March (March 16-20) as it has been scheduled traditionally and to coincide with the vast majority of area districts’ spring breaks. The Board also approved the administration’s recommendation for the 2020-21 school calendar. The calendar is similar to previous years in terms of student contact days, teacher contact days and days incorporated for staff professional development.
Final High School Building Project: Project Report #30; Contractor Payment Requests. The Board approved payment applications in the amount of $532,316.09. Project Director for S. M. Wilson, Kort Cole, presented a report on the status of project completion, noting that while the punch list lingered a little longer than expected, everything is complete. Financially, the project is at a projected net savings of $4,000,148. (Details can be found by clicking on the header above.)
Dr. Jahnke, President Bresler and fellow Board members thanked the construction management team and architectural teams (Hastings + Chivetta and Bond Architects) for their expertise, hard work and collaboration during the course of the project, noting the building is not only beautiful, but highly functional, and will serve the students of the Ladue School District well for many years to come.
Mr. Cole also updated the Board on the status of the grandstand construction at the high school. The project is moving along as well as possible, given significantly more delays due to weather than anticipated. The project is currently predicted to be finished in April.
Assistant Superintendent for Business & Finance Dr. Jason Buckner presented an update on the summer construction projects being planned for the Fifth Grade Center and the high school.
- Work on the Fifth Grade Center will include upgrades to safety and security features, as well as building infrastructure (fire suppression, air conditioning, accessibility for persons with disabilities). The final cost for these upgrades is anticipated to be approximately $6 million.
- Projects at the high school include the addition of restrooms and concessions in the Nielson Gym lobby, a renovated Fitness Center and a dedicated classroom for Health, among others. The project is anticipated to cost $1.8 to $2 million and will be funded primarily by donations garnered by the Ladue Education Foundation (LEF) and the interest earned on Prop R’s bond funds.
INFORMATION ITEMS
Curriculum & Instruction Updates. Dr. Zielinski presented the district’s 2018 Annual Performance Report (APR) and MAP scores. The APR provides an overview of how Missouri public schools are performing and is comprised of five categories of data—academic achievement, subgroup achievement, college and career readiness, attendance rates and graduation rates.
This year’s proficiency rates were lower in English-language arts (ELA) and Math across the state because these two assessments are aligned to new standards, which are more rigorous than the previous standards. However, overall, the district’s data looks similar to past years.
The district is not meeting the needs of all students equally, which is evident in the subgroup scores. To close the education gap, the district must focus on first best instructional strategies, non-traditional approaches to teaching and learning and social and emotional supports through the Professional Learning Community (PLC) process.
Finance Update. Dr. Buckner presented an update on the status of the district’s finances, including an overview of financial data from the 1992-1993 school year to present, and the scheduled 2020 fiscal year budget development calendar. Click on the header of this paragraph to review this information in detail.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
The next Board of Education meeting will be a Business Meeting on March 11, 2019, at the Ladue Horton Watkins High School Multipurpose Room, 1201 S. Warson Road, at 6 p.m. Tentative agenda items include the following.
Tentative Agenda Items for Business Meeting March 11, 2019:
ACTION
- Meet and Confer Report and Recommendations
- Summer Construction Projects
- Fifth Grade Center
- High School
INFORMATION
- Board Advisory Committee Re-Appointments
- Policy Review
