Board Briefs from July 24, 2018 Business Meeting

This information includes highlights of information received by the Ladue Schools Board of Education at the July 24, 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.

ACTION ITEM

Approval of 2018-19 Tuition Rate Per Policy JECA. Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Dr. Jason Buckner presented, and the Board approved, a tuition rate of $16,623.00 for the 2018-19 school year, a decrease of $374.82 from the previous year. The rate was calculated using the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's (DESE's) Suggested Worksheet for Determination of Basic Tuition Charge. This tuition rate includes the debt service levy. The Board is required by the state to set and approve a rate each year. The district does not accept students on a tuition basis except as noted in Policy JECA.

Resolution for Purchase/Sale of District Property. The Board of Education identified Dr. Buckner as the administrator who will sign the closing documents to purchase the property at 1039 Warson Road and Board President Andy Bresler as the Board member who will execute the closing documents for the sale of district property at 10601 and 10635 Clayton Road. The closing dates for both properties are anticipated to occur in August 2018.

High School Building Project Payment Applications, Change Order Request #342, High School Expansion Project Update. Project Director for S. M. Wilson, Kort Cole, presented Change Order Request (COR) 342, which includes a request for $96,295 for Byrne & Jones to construct asphalt repair and striping on the north and south lots of the high school prior to school starting. The original amount for this work was estimated to be $125,000, and the savings of $28,705 has been identified to be used for additional overtime to complete the project by the start school on Aug. 20, 2018.

INFORMATION ITEMS

Ladue Early Childhood Center Staff Evaluation Manual. During the course of the past school year, the leadership team at the LECC has made revisions to its evaluation program. The evaluation standards and criteria are complete; updates to the actual evaluation forms are still in progress. The entire manual will be provided for final review and approval at the Aug. 27, 2018, Board meeting.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

The next Board of Education meeting will be a Business Meeting on Aug. 27, 2018 at 6 p.m. at the Administrative Center, 9703 Conway Road. Tentative agenda items include the following.  

Tentative Agenda Items for Business Meeting Aug. 27, 2018:

ACTION

• Re-adoption of Board Policy BBFA — Board Member Conflict of Interest and Financial Disclosure
• LECC Staff Evaluation Manual
• 2018-19 Board Goals/Work Plan
• High School Building Project
• Project Report #27
• Payment Applications

INFORMATION

• First Semester Board Meeting Agenda Calendar
• Future Spending Parameters and Program Needs
• Budget Update: 2017-18 Actual; 2018-19 Preliminary
• Staff Attendance Report
• Strategic Plan Update

Board Briefs from June 25, 2018 Business Meeting

This information includes highlights of information received by the Ladue Schools Board of Education at the June 25, 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.

Board President's Remarks

• Board President Andy Bresler pointed out that this meeting was bittersweet as the district is saying goodbye to the Executive Assistant to the Superintendent Beth Hufford. Mr. Bresler spoke on behalf of the Board by thanking Mrs. Hufford for her calm, steady and knowledgeable support over the years and wished her a happy retirement.

Superintendent Remarks

• Superintendent Dr. Donna Jahnke shared that Beth Hufford’s support has been phenomenal throughout her time with the Ladue School District. Dr. Jahnke especially highlighted Beth’s historical knowledge and calm demeanor in tumultuous times and wished her well on her upcoming adventures.
• Dr. Jahnke also introduced Kasey McKee, the new executive director of CharacterPlus, who gave an overview of the organization’s relationship with the district.
• Highlights of Reed Elementary School’s recent recognition as a 2018 National School of Character were also shared.

PUBLIC HEARING

2018-19 Preliminary Budget. Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Dr. Jason Buckner presented the 2018-19 Preliminary Budget in its final form to the Board for approval. The preliminary budget for the 2018-19 school year totals approximately $62.4 million and keeps the district on track to meet the spending parameters set by the Board of Education. These spending parameters have been instituted to delay the need for requesting an increase in the operating tax levy for as long as possible, while meeting educational needs. At this time, projections indicate that an additional increase will not be needed until at least 2025.

ACTION ITEM

Approval of 2018-19 Preliminary Operating Budget. Dr. Buckner presented, and the Board approved, the 2018-19 Preliminary Budget. Details can be found by clicking on the header of this paragraph.

2018-19 Facilities Use Procedures and Fee Schedule. Dr. Buckner presented, and the Board approved, recommended changes to the 2018-19 Facility Usage Procedure and Fee Schedule. The most significant change is the addition of the turf field at the West Campus as a venue that can be rented at administrative discretion. Details can be found by clicking on the header of this paragraph.

High School Building Project: Project Report #26; Payment Applications. Project Director for S. M. Wilson Kort Cole presented Construction Progress Report #26, which includes the May 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 $316,664 for unidentified or unforeseen expenses incurred during the remainder of the project.

INFORMATION ITEMS

Spending Parameters and Program Needs. Dr. Jahnke presented an overview of the district’s efforts to keep spending within the parameters set by the Board while ensuring that current and future programing needs are met. To meet these programming objectives, the district has reprioritized needs, and reallocated positions, departments and resources in an intentional manner so as to efficiently use district resources wisely while also offering the best education possible for students. Areas in which the district will need to focus resources in the coming years were identified, including further formalizing social and emotional support, hiring an additional student resource officer and potentially implementing new start times, to name a few. The Board will continue to discuss strategies to meet these objectives during upcoming meetings.

School Bus Fleet Lease Agreement. Dr. Buckner presented the administration’s recommendations to enter a lease purchase for four new 2019 buses to replace four of the district’s 26 buses which have the highest mileage and would be returned to the vender. The total lease amount is $322,000.

2018-19 Board Goals. Mr. Bresler noted the Board of Education’s objectives for the 2017-18 school year were all fulfilled or moving toward completion, including a timely completion of the high school renovation within budget, developing a long-range facility improvement plan covering the period up to June 2030, managing spending parameters and compensation plan structures, and Board member training, including diversity training. The Board will create and refine the objectives for the 2018-19 school year in the coming weeks.

Board Member School Liaison Assignments. Mr. Bresler suggested that Board members rotate school assignments for those members who have represented the same school for several years.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

The next Board of Education meeting will be a Business Meeting at 8 a.m. on July 24, 2018. The following meeting will be a Business Meeting at 6 p.m. on Aug. 27, 2018. Both meetings will be held at the Administrative Center, 9703 Conway Road. Tentative agenda items include the following.   

Tentative Agenda Items for Business Meeting July 23, 2018:

ACTION

• 2018-19 Tuition Rate Per Policy JECA
• High School Building Project
• Payment Applications

Tentative Agenda Items for Business Meeting Aug. 27, 2018:

Opening of Schools Report

CONSENT

• SSD Carl Perkins Consortium Allocation Agreement
• SSD Contract for Homebound Services
• Consolidated Application for Federal Grants

ACTION

• Re-adoption of Board Policy BBFA — Board Member Conflict of Interest and Financial Disclosure
• High School Building Project
• Project Report #27
• Payment Applications

INFORMATION

• First Semester Board Meeting Agenda Calendar
• 2018-19 Board Goals/Work Plan
• Budget Update: 2017-18 Actual; 2018-19 Preliminary
• Staff Attendance Report