This document includes highlights of information received by the Ladue Schools Board of Education at the September 23, 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
Erin Heckendorn, Math Interventionist, Ladue Middle School
Students and Teachers as Research Scientists (STARS) Program Participants Recognized for Excellence in Research
Hannah Abraham, Connie Chen, Shelei Pan, Allison Rea and Jacob Shelton
Board President's Remarks
- Board President Carolyn Jaeger announced a “Happy Birthday!” to Board Secretary Kisha Lee. Additionally, she shared a special thank you to Board Vice President Sheri Glantz for hosting the Administrative Council at her home.
Superintendent Remarks
- Superintendent Dr. Jim Wipke described his first experience with Sixth Grade Camp and thanked Mark Bierbaum for organizing this annual trip. Dr. Wipke went on to praise the execution of the first football games of the 2019 season. Lastly, he shared that due to a positive financial turn with EducationPlus, Ladue School District will receive $.30 back per student in dues.
ACTION ITEMS
Approval of 2019-20 Tax Rates Dr. Jason Buckner presented, and the Board approved, the 2019-20 operating tax levy as the following per $100 assessed valuation for each class of property:
- $2.7625 Residential
- $2.7500 Agricultural
- $2.7500 Commercial
- $3.2400 Personal Property
(These rates would result in a $2.8020 operating levy if St. Louis County used a single rate method.)
The Board also approved the 2019-20 debt service levy at $.78 per $100 assessed valuation. By law, the Board of Education could set the levy for 2019 at $1.1826. However, the district can meet interest payments by keeping the rate at $0.78 where it has been since 2016. This continues to keep the district on track for a potential 2021 no levy increase bond referendum.
2019B Policy Updates. Dr. Jim Wipke presented, and the Board approved, changes to12 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.
2020-21 Board Meeting Dates. President Jaeger noted that the current proposed board meeting dates reflect all Tuesday meetings. This is a conflict for some board members and approval of this item is being postponed until the Oct. 28 meeting. Additionally, moving forward, all meetings will be business meetings, and the Board will no longer hold Work Sessions which were used in the past for subjects requiring discussion only (no decisions) by the Board.
INFORMATION ITEMS
Transportation/2019-20 Bus Routes/Mileage Dr. Buckner presented an overview of the current transportation program. The district runs 122 regular routes with 3,515 students scheduled for transportation twice per day for 175 school days. The linked information also provides additional information about bus capacities and individual bus ridership counts. (These are unofficial counts, as the official Ridership Count Day is in October.
2020-21 School Calendar Dr. Zielinski introduced the proposal for the revised 2020-21 school calendar year. The calendar is being revised due to a recently passed Missouri law that states that public schools can have class no earlier than 14 calendar days prior to the first Monday in September (Labor Day). Priority was given to completing the first semester prior to Winter Break and having students finished with school by Memorial Day. Details can be found by clicking on the header to this paragraph. This calendar will be presented for approval at the Oct. 28, 2019 Board of Education meeting.
Process for Moving Forward; Request for Proposals/Request for Qualifications Dr. Wipke and President Jaegar updated the Board on the next steps following the completion of the feasibility reports presented at the Sept. 20, 2019 Board meeting. Requests for Proposals and/or Requests for Qualifications are in the process of being developed so the district has the ability to further refine the improvements needed at the four K-4 elementary schools, the middle school and the Administrative Center. In addition, at an upcoming meeting, Director of Facilities Mike Noonan will describe the potential construction methods that could be used for these projects.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
The next Board of Education meeting will be a Business Meeting on Oct. 28, 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 October 28, 2019:
ACTION
- 2020-21 School Calendar
INFORMATION
- Ladue Education Foundation Report
- Enrollment and Residency Report
- 2021 LECC Tuition and BASK/TAS Rates
- Summer School Programs Update
