This document includes highlights of information received by the Ladue Schools Board of Education at the September 10, 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.
Board President's Remarks
- Board President Carolyn Jaeger announced that Superintendent Dr. Jim Wipke and she would begin hosting gatherings to give members of the Ladue Schools community an opportunity to have informal conversations with them on whatever district topics are on their minds. These gatherings will be held over the course of the school year on varying days and times of day in hopes that people who wish to attend will be able to find a time that is convenient for them.
Superintendent Remarks
- Superintendent Dr. Jim Wipke shared that the school year was continuing to go well. The challenges have been few and there were lots of highlights to celebrate.
- Beginning with the 2020-21 school year, Missouri law dictates that public schools cannot start sooner than 14 days prior to Labor Day. Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction Dr. Amy Zielinski is working with a committee to redraft the previously approved 2020-21 calendar and will be presenting a revised calendar to the Board for approval in the near future. Once the Board has approved the revised calendar, it will be shared immediately with parents and staff.
- Dr. Wipke recently had the opportunity to meet with MICDS Head of School Jay Rainey and Mayor of Creve Coeur Barry Glantz. He said he is enjoying getting to know other leaders in the community and noted that he knew he could learn a lot from both of these individuals.
- He shared that he had just had the opportunity to see the Ladue Horton Watkins High School (LHWHS) Girls Tennis Team triumph over Parkway West. The team Invited him to come by and practice with them sometime!
- This Friday, Sept. 13 will be the first home game for the LHWHS Varsity Football team since 2014. The team will take on Webster Groves. Game time is 7 p.m. with pregame activities beginning at 6:30 p.m.
INFORMATION ITEMS
District Finance and Tax Rate Discussion. Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Dr. Jason Buckner reviewed several documents related to the district’s finances. (All of these can be found by clicking on the linked header to this paragraph.)
Specifically, Dr. Buckner shared that the projected final expenses most recently provided to the Board for the 2018-19 operating budget, and also used to build the 2019-20 budget, were found to be highly accurate. Revenue for the 2018-19 school year came in approximately $1.2 million higher than anticipated. The result is an overall $1.5 million surplus for the 2018-19 budget. (The 2018-19 fiscal year ended on June 30, 2019.)
Dr. Buckner also reported that the district will complete the five-year budget planning cycle in June 2021. The Board required the district to adhere to a 2% expenditure increase parameter. Having succeeded in hitting these benchmarks the past four years, the district and Board will now begin to develop the next five-year plan.
Dr. Buckner also provided an update on St. Louis County’s most recent projections for property assessments in the district. Approximately 80% of the district’s operating revenue and 100% of the district’s debt service revenue is generated through local property tax assessments. As a result, fluctuations in assessments have a significant impact on the tax rates set by the Board. The Board is required to set the district’s tax rate prior to Oct. 1 each year, although finalized assessments are not known until later in the fall. Dr. Buckner said he hoped to have an additional update on projections prior to the Board’s Sept. 23, 2019 meeting.
The Board will set the district’s debt service levy on Sept. 23, as well. This levy is set each year in order to raise at least enough revenue to pay for what is owed in the coming year. Based on current estimates, Dr. Buckner believes that he will be recommending that the Board maintain the debt service levy at $.78 where it has been for a number of years.
The Board then reviewed the projected debt service payment schedule developed based on foreseeable assumptions, such as interest rates, property assessment growth, etc. Dr. Buckner noted that in 2021 it would likely be possible for the district to run a bond referendum of approximately $70 million without increasing the debt service levy.
Feasibility Study Report. Over the summer, feasibility studies were conducted on all of the districts K-8 buildings and Dr. Wipke asked Director of Facilities Mike Noonan to introduce the representatives who would be presenting this information to the Board. Mr. Noonan introduced: Scott Faller and Shawn Buerle from Ameresco, the company that performed feasibility studies for Conway Elementary School and Reed Elementary School, as well as Sue Pruchnicki from Bond Architects, the company that performed the feasibility studies for Old Bonhomme Elementary School, Spoede Elementary School and Ladue Middle School.
These feasibility studies can be found by clicking on the header in the previous paragraph. When considering the information found in the studies, please note:
- The cost estimates provided are “all in” costs, including all new furniture, technology, etc., as well as higher end finishes. From here, the Board and administration will work to refine the scope of the project, and cost estimates are anticipated to decrease significantly.
- Ameresco’s cost estimates do not include escalation projections and could increase depending on the timing of the project. Bond’s cost estimates include estimated escalation for two years.
- Labeled areas are presented to indicate the amount of space needed for various programs, classrooms, offices, etc. They do not reflect actual recommended locations.
2019B Policy Updates. Dr. Wipke introduced the first reading of recommendations for changing a number of district policies. These policies and the recommended changes can be viewed by clicking on the header of this paragraph. The majority of the changes are the result of recommendations by the Missouri School Boards’ Association (MSBA) in order to keep district policies in compliance with state and federal law.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
The next Board of Education meeting will be a Business Meeting on September 23, 2019, at the Ladue Horton Watkins High School Multipurpose Room, 1201 S. Warson Road, at 6 p.m. Tentative agenda items for that meeting include the following.
Tentative Agenda Items for Business Meeting Sept. 23, 2019:
ACTION
- Approval of 2019-20 Tax Rates
- 2019B Board Policy Updates
- 2021 Board Meeting Dates
INFORMATION
- Transportation/2019-20 Bus Routes/Mileage
- 2020-21 School Calendar
- Process for Moving Forward Requests for Proposals/Qualifications
