This information includes highlights of information received by the Ladue Schools Board of Education at the April 26, 2021 regular Board of Education 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.
Click here to view a recording from the April 26 Board Meeting
Board President Remarks
Our community might like to know that the Board holds one-hour closed sessions prior to our public meetings.
It’s also good for our community to know that oftentimes the Board members will have two screens available during these virtual meetings, one for the Zoom and another for the meeting agenda and notes. If you see a Board member looking to the side during a meeting, they are looking at their other screen and keeping up with that meeting’s business items.
Superintendent Remarks
Thank you to Jamie Strauss, April’s Excellence in Education recipient, for joining us tonight and congratulations on your award.
Congratulations to the LHWHS Speech and Debate Team on its many successes, including two top-5 team finishes and two individual state championships earned at the state tournament over the weekend. I want to recognize their coach Molly Beck for all of her hard work leading the team.
Last week I met with our counselors and SEB (Social Emotional Behavior) Team to talk about the past year, put closure on this school year, and to prepare for welcoming students back in the fall. We have a wonderful group of counselors and mental health professionals on our staff, and we know our students will need us as they return to school. We’re all motivated to let our students know they are loved, cared for, and each of them has an adult that they can feel comfortable speaking with as they return to school.
It’s vital for students to have a voice, and I had the opportunity to meet with our Student Advisory Groups last week. There is one group at the middle school and one group at the high school. This was our second meeting and we talked about social emotional needs for students and COVID-19 topics. Lead Nurse Ann Body joined us as well and answered many questions from the students. Thank you, Ann, for taking the time to meet with our students.
As recently as today I attended a webinar to pick up on ideas that other districts are doing to support student social emotional needs. A few of the ideas we’ve discussed on our DEI committee came up in the webinar.
Many in our community might be curious about the latest news with Prop L since it passed. We are moving ahead with our timeline as we have projects going out to bid for Old Bonhomme, LMS, followed by Spoede. We’re excited to get those bids back and will look at that information at a special meeting on June 2.
The LEF will have an announcement coming soon regarding some updates on the way to the middle school thanks to an LEF donation.
Flyers for summer school have been sent out. Be on the lookout for a new partnership with Camp Invention.
Questions about Ladue Online Academy can be asked at our Ask Amy event on April 28 from 6 to 7 p.m.
Thanks to our Board for its leadership in relation to our DEI efforts and training, and thanks to our community as well for its support of our DEI work. There are a number of ways that we continue to focus on being more culturally proficient. We will soon begin working with Jamie Wellhorn, president of JWE Educational Consultants, on goal-setting with our principals in terms of becoming more culturally proficient.
ACTION ITEMS
Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Dr. Julie Helm presented, and the Board approved, the proposed support staff salary schedule for 2021-22.
Termination of Technology Board Advisory Committee
Director of Technology Services Rob Highfill recommended the termination of the Technology Board Advisory Committee. The Board approved the recommendation.
Board Member Committee Assignments
The Board discussed designation of delegates and alternates for MSBA, SSD Governing Council, EdPlus Legislative Liaison, School Liaison, and Board Advisory Committee assignments.
INFORMATION ITEMS
Dr. Wipke and Director of Facilities Mike Noonan discussed the potential turf field replacement at the Fifth Grade Center.
Gifted Coordinator Brooke Bilby provided an update on the district’s gifted education program.
Assistant Superintendent of Business and Finance Dr. Jason Buckner presented the recommended school meal prices for the 2021-22 school year.
Dr. Buckner shared information about the district’s Benefits Consultant.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
The next Board of Education meeting will be a regular Business Meeting on Monday, May 10, 2021. The meeting will be held virtually using Zoom and the Meeting ID will be posted on the Featured tab of BoardDocs when the meeting information is officially posted.
TENTATIVE AGENDA ITEMS FOR MAY 10
ACTION
Benefits Consultant agreement
2021-22 Meal Prices
INFORMATION
Recommended Patron Appointments to Board Advisory Committees
2021-22 Testing Schedule
2021-22 Preliminary Budget Introduction & Financial Planning
Social Emotional Behavior Report and Update
School Counseling Program Update
Board Goals
