This information includes highlights of information received by the Ladue Schools Board of Education at the May 8, 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.
May Excellence in Education Award
Tonee Simmons, Math Teacher, Fifth Grade Center
Superintendent Remarks
Superintendent Dr. Donna Jahnke said the district was on the “home stretch” of the 2017-18 school year, with only nine days remaining for students. She reminded Board members that Ladue Middle School’s graduation is on Friday, May 19, 2017, beginning at 9:30 a.m. High School graduation is on Sunday, May 21, 2017, at 7:30 p.m. at the Chaifetz Arena.
ACTION ITEM
Support Staff Salary Ranges. Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Ken Rossics presented, and the Board approved, salary ranges and associated increase recommendations for the 2017-18 school year. These recommendations are based on the Support Staff Employee Council (SSEC) Report presented at the April 24, 2017 Board Business Meeting.
Kelly Waller was appointed to the Facilities Board Advisory Committee
Johanna Schillinger, Steve Spratt and David Weiss were appointed to the Finance Board Advisory Committee
Administrators also thanked those whose terms on Board Advisory Committees have expired for their service to the district. These include: Roger Levy (Finance), Kelly Waller (Finance), and Lisa Witzofsky (Facilities).
Summer Capital Projects. Facilities Director Mike Noonan presented, and the Board approved, recommendations for contractors to complete projects at district buildings during the summer of 2017, as follows:
Taylor Roofing: Portions of the roofs at Old Bonhomme and Reed Elementary Schools. These projects, totaling $296,166, will be funded through the district’s 2016-17 Capital Budget.
BEX Construction Services will modify entryways at Old Bonhomme and Reed Elementary Schools. These projects, totaling $155,744, will be funded through the Proposition R Referendum funds.
High School Building Project Approvals. Project Director for S. M. Wilson Kort Cole presented, and the Board approved, the administration’s recommendation for awarding two bids related to the high school renovation project. The bid process was coordinated by S. M. Wilson, the district’s construction management firm.
Asphalt Shingles: Taylor Roofing for $172,101
Balance of Structural Steel: Kupferer Brothers Iron Works, Inc. for $1,195,384
Art Bond and Haley Kell of Bond Architects, Inc. updated the Board on interior design progress for the high school renovation project.
INFORMATION ITEMS
High School Course Change Proposal. Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction Dr. Jennifer Allen presented the administration’s recommendation for changing the name of the current Foundations of History course to Foundations of American History. The curriculum for Foundations of History will be revised to cover more areas of social studies and can be repeated. The purpose behind these changes is to make this course accessible to students in special education programs who cannot access the social studies curriculum in a general education setting.
2017-18 Testing Schedule. Dr. Allen presented the administration’s recommendations for assessment changes for the 2017-18 school year. Details can be found by clicking on the header to this paragraph and include changes to benchmark assessments, gifted screenings, math diagnostics and reading assessments.
Extra Duty Stipend Amounts. Mr. Rossics presented a draft of the administration’s recommendation for stipends to be paid for extra duties performed by staff members. The outlined changes are within the established budget parameters, have been developed in collaboration with the Ladue Educators’ Association, and are based on variety of factors. The Board will vote on the approval of Extra Duty Stipend Amounts at the June 26, 2017 Board Business Meeting.
Food Service Contract. Dr. Buckner informed the Board that, as soon as the district’s Request for Proposal is approved by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), the district will issue the request and begin accepting bids for the district’s Food Service Contract. A recommendation for the provider will be made at the June 26, 2017 Board Business Meeting.
2017-18 School Lunch Prices. At this time, the district does not anticipate increasing meal prices for the 2017-18 school year. A final recommendation will be made at the June 26, 2017 Board Business Meeting.
School Bus Contract Agreement. The buses currently used by the district were all purchased in the same year. Therefore, Dr. Buckner outlined the district’s plans to replace the six buses with the highest mileage, for no price increase, in order to begin a rotating bus replacement cycle.
2017-18 Budget Introduction and Financial Planning. Dr. Buckner outlined the initial steps taken by the administration to begin drafting the 2017-18 Preliminary Budget. The board and administration will continue these discussions at workshops and meetings scheduled for June 6, 13 and 26, 2017. The Board is required to approve a preliminary budget for the upcoming year by July 1 of each year.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
The next Board of Education meeting will be a Special Business Meeting on May 18, 2017. The following meeting will be a Special Work Session at 7 p.m. on June 6, 2017. Both meetings will be held at the Administrative Center, 9703 Conway Road. Tentative agenda items include the following.
Tentative Agenda Items for Special Business Meeting, May 18, 2017:
ACTION
Tentative Agenda Items for Special Work Session June 6, 2017:
ACTION
Comprehensive School Improvement Program Review
Performance-Based Evaluation Program Updates
Board Policies
Consolidated Application for Federal Grants
Financial Review
Facilities Report
