This document includes highlights of information received by the Ladue Schools Board of Education at the Nov. 12, 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 several of the Board members were able to attend the St. Louis County School Boards’ Professional Learning Community this past Saturday at Kirkwood North Middle School. The speaker, Emily Luft, is a graduate of Washington University's Brown School of Social Work and on staff at Alive and Well STL. She gave an amazing presentation on the topic of Trauma Informed Schools. It was enlightening and may serve as a future topic for our district.
- President Jaeger announced that filing for candidacy in the 2020 Board of Education elections will begin on Dec. 17, 2019 at 8 a.m. and close on Jan. 21, 2010 at 5 p.m. This year there are three positions available. Click here for additional details posted on the district website.
Superintendent Remarks
- Superintendent Dr. Jim Wipke commented on the Late Start that took place on Tuesday, Nov. 12. Since our staff comes from far and wide, their ability to travel to school is an important component in making the decision to close school or have a Late Start. He also reiterated how working through the logistics of these processes is more complex than many think and it is truly a team effort.
- The Veterans Day assemblies across the district were outstanding. Dr. Wipke attended events at Reed Elementary School, Spoede Elementary School and the Ladue Early Childhood Center and enjoyed the singing, dancing, parades and heartwarming salutes to our veterans. Dr. Wipke commented on how honored the veterans in attendance were and how important it is for our students to understand the importance of the sacrifices these individuals make to the safety and security of our nation.
- Dr. Wipke had the opportunity to go ziplining with Ladue Middle School students and was particularly proud of Dr. Tiffany Taylor-Johnson for overcoming her fear of heights and joining in the activity with her students.
- Dr. Wipke congratulated Aaron Lehde high school and middle school students who recently earned places in the All-Suburban Honors Band. He also thanked Aaron for all he and our pep band are doing to bring extra spirit to our football games.
- Congratulations to the Varsity Boys Soccer team for winning Districts eight straight years in a row!
- Dr. Wipke enjoyed attending the World Language Department’s Honors Society event and shared how impressive it was that so many of our students are working toward their Seal of Biliteracy, meaning they will be graduating high school fluent in two or more languages.
- Dr. Wipke also attended the City of Creve Coeur’s “Coffee with the Mayor” where over 200 community members discussed what should be done to rectify the City’s Beirne Park being created in the 1950s as a way to keep black families out of the neighborhood. He said it warmed his heart to hear the community speaking with such a sense of unity. Creve Coeur literally means “broken heart” and that is exactly what those supporting this effort are attempting to do.
- Dr. Wipke congratulated Assistant Superintendent Dr. Amy Zielinski and all of the school principals on a very successful Professional Development Day on Nov. 5, 2019.
INFORMATION ITEMS
2020-21 LECC Tuition and BASK/TAS Rates. Assistant Superintendent for Business & Finance Dr. Jason Buckner introduced the Ladue Early Childhood Center’s director, Kerri Wetzel. Mrs. Wetzel presented the 2020-21 tuition rate recommendations for early childhood programming. (Currently, the district alternates years for rate changes between preschool programing and BASK/TAS, the district’s after school care program.) This year, it is being recommended that tuition for district residents remain the same and tuition for nonresidents be increased by 5%. (Resident students currently account for approximately 87% of current preschool enrollment.) These recommendations will be presented to the Board of approval on Nov. 25, 2019.
2020-21 Secondary Course Proposals. Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction Dr. Amy Zielinski introduced Ladue Horton Watkins High School Principal Mr. Brad Griffith and Ladue Middle School Principal Dr. Tiffany Taylor-Johnson who outlined proposed course changes for their schools for the 2020-21 school year. (These can be reviewed in detail by clicking on the header to this paragraph.)
- Mr. Griffith noted that with the improvements due to the renovation, physical spaces are now available to offer additional course opportunities. As examples, Mr. Griffith highlighted Computer Science Essentials, CAPS Humanities, Biomedical Innovations and Comparative Anatomy.
- Similarly, Dr. Tiffany Taylor-Johnson outlined Flight and Space and Design and Modeling as new Project Lead the Way (PLTW) courses being added in 2020-21.
MAP Data and Student Performance Report. Dr. Zielinski presented information on the district's Missouri Assessment Program and student performance data. Holistically, our scores continue to look very strong. However, there remains an education gap in the performance of subgroups, particularly students who are black, have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), and/or qualify for the Free and Reduced Lunch program. These students are not currently being reached satisfactorily given current programming.
Nationally Normed Benchmark Assessment (NWEA) is a very effective tool for identifying where growth is (or is not) happening and is given twice a year in English Language Arts and Math. It provides excellent data for identifying specific areas where improvements need to be made in Tier One “first best” instruction (meaning the most effective learning practices are employed first for all students).
Fountas & Pinnell is a reading assessment which reflects the percent of students who are reading at grade level. Reading is essential to overall academic success. Therefore, this assessment can provide an early indication of reading difficulty which allows instruction to be targeted to improve reading proficiency before it begins to impact success in other academic areas.
Additional information and action plans for improving student performance are outlined in the presentation linked through the header of this section.
Board Goals Review. Due to the length of the meeting at that point, President Jaeger asked to push discussion on this topic to the Nov. 25, 2019 Board meeting.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
The next Board of Education meeting will be a Board Work Session on Nov. 25, 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 Nov. 25, 2019:
ACTION
- 2020-21 LECC Tuition and BASK/TAS Rates
- 2020-21 Secondary Course Change Proposals
INFORMATION
- Secondary School Presentations
- Benefits Consultant Agreement
Tentative Agenda Items for Business Meeting Dec. 9, 2019:
ACTION
- Acceptance of Auditor's Report
- Benefits Consultant Agreement
INFORMATION
- Elementary School Presentations
- 2019-20 Updated Budget
- Second Semester Board Agenda Calendar (January-August)
