This document includes highlights of information received by the Ladue Schools Board of Education at the Nov. 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.
Board President's Remarks
- Board President Carolyn Jaeger announced that filing for candidacy in the 2020 Board of Education elections will begin on Dec. 17, 2019 at 8 a.m. and will close on Jan. 21, 2020 at 5 p.m. This year there are three positions available. Click here for additional details posted on the district website.
- President Jaeger commented on the Board’s discussion at the previous meeting regarding assessments, specifically the disparity in scores between African-American students and other racial groups. She assured the community that these important conversations do not stop when the Board meeting is over. In fact, she has spoken with all Board members about this topic since the last meeting and they are united in their dedication to addressing this problem with a sense of seriousness and urgency.
Superintendent Remarks
- Superintendent Dr. Jim Wipke followed up on President Jaeger’s comments regarding the Board’s commitment to closing the district’s education gap and is appreciative of their sustained support of district resources and programs targeted toward this vital goal.
- At the beginning of the meeting, the Board and audience viewed a compilation of the pictures and videos which resulted from the district’s GooseChase competition which took place last week in celebration of American Education Week. Dr. Wipke thanked the Communications Department for their creativity and work in putting the competition together and documenting the results. He jokingly remarked on the staff’s “relentless competitiveness”, but more importantly, how important it is for our students to see our staff having fun together.
- Dr. Wipke gave a shout out to Lisa Roth, art teacher at Old Bonhomme Elementary School. The schools in the district take turns displaying student artwork in the Superintendent’s Conference Room and this month has been Old Bonhomme’s month. The theme was Asian Cultural Studies, with each student depicting the cultures of various parts of Asia. Dr. Wipke has enjoyed having the students whose artwork is displayed come in to visit with him and see their artwork.
- Dr. Wipke had the opportunity to go back to his alma mater, Harris-Stowe University, to visit with seniors who are about to begin their student teaching.
- Dr. Wipke thanked the principals in attendance in advance for the work and time they have given to developing the presentations they would be giving later in the meeting.
- Finally, Dr. Wipke shared that he is participating in a Superintendent’s Learning Lab along with superintendents from Kirkwood, Affton, and Northwest school districts, and he expressed his gratitude for being able to share and learn with these talented colleagues.
ACTION ITEMS
2020-21 Secondary Course Change Proposals. Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction Dr. Amy Zielinski presented, and the Board approved, the administration’s recommendation for 2020-21 course changes for the high school and middle school. These include the following, and details can be reviewed in detail by clicking on the header to this paragraph.
- Due to the renovation of the high school, physical spaces are now available to offer additional course opportunities, such as Computer Science Essentials, CAPS Humanities, Biomedical Innovations and Comparative Anatomy.
- New Project Lead the Way (PLTW) courses, including Flight and Space, as well as Design and Modeling, are being added at the middle school in 2020-21.
2020-21 LECC Tuition and BASK/TAS Rates. Assistant Superintendent for Business & Finance Dr. Jason Buckner presented, and the Board approved, the administration’s recommendations for rate changes for 2020-21 preschool programming. (Currently, the district alternates years for rate changes between preschool programing and BASK/TAS, the district’s after school care program.) Tuition for district residents will remain the same and tuition for nonresidents will be increased by 5%. (Resident students currently account for approximately 87% of current preschool enrollment.)
INFORMATION ITEMS
Surplus Property. Facilities Director Mike Noonan outlined how textbooks identified as no longer compatible with course offerings will be surplused. (A list of these books as determined by the Curriculum & Instruction Department can be found by clicking on the header to this paragraph.) The books will be offered for sale on govdeals.com. If not sold, they will be donated. Any remaining books will be recycled. Approval for disposal by the above methods will be approved at the Dec. 9 Board meeting.
Secondary School Presentations. Fifth Grade Center Principal Dr. Patricia Wilson, Ladue Middle School Principal Dr. Tiffany Taylor-Johnson and Ladue Horton Watkins High School Principal Brad Griffith shared information about their schools with the Board. These presentations can be found by clicking on the header to this paragraph and include: points of pride, demographics, assessment data and goals.
Benefits Consultant Agreement. Dr. Buckner reviewed the administration’s recommendation that the district extend the contract of its current benefits consultant, HM Benefits, for an additional two years under the same terms and conditions.
Board Goals Review. Board President Carolyn Jaeger led the Board in a review of their 2019-20 goals, noting they are on track to meet the majority of these goals as outlined.
UPCOMING MEETING
ACTION ITEMS
The next Board of Education meeting will be a Board Business Meeting on Dec. 9, 2019, in 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.
ACTION
- Acceptance of Auditor's Report
- Surplus Property
- Benefits Consultant Agreement
INFORMATION
- Elementary School Presentations
- 2019-20 Updated Budget
- Second Semester Board Agenda Calendar (January-August)
