This information includes highlights of information received by the Ladue Schools Board of Education at the Aug. 29, 2022 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 Aug. 29 Board Meeting
Board President Remarks
Due to technical difficulties, the first portion of Kisha Lee’s comments were not recorded
As liaison to Ladue Middle School, I took part in welcoming staff back to the building with a “Survivor” flair. With me was Natasha Fox, a friend and former contestant on two seasons of Survivor. The LMS team, led by Dr. Angela Thompson, is off to a great start while accommodating the vast construction projects going on at the school. The Fifth Grade Center also held a Survivor-themed welcome back event for staff.
I had the pleasure of touring our buildings with Dr. Wipke earlier this month and saw many of our staff getting their rooms ready for the first day of school. It’s always amazing to see the transformation in the rooms by the time school begins.
We have once again added the Liaison Committee reports back to our agenda. This allows the board members to provide updates on their assigned schools and any updates from the individual committees that we serve.
Last Saturday, I had the pleasure of serving as a docent for the Class of 1982 on their tour of the high school. This was my second time leading the tour and it gets better each time. It’s always great to see classmates catch up with one another after so many years away. I learned about the Ladue Gun Club on the tour and was able to find a mention of it on the new timeline. Speaking of the timeline, kudos to Carolyn Jaeger, Jeff Kopolow, Ladue alumni, the Communications Department, high school administration, and many others who contributed to this fascinating addition to our high school.
The SSD Parent Advisory Council will host a Family Engagement Night on Sept. 14 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the SSD Central Office.
Superintendent Remarks
We have had a fabulous start to our school year; we are all so happy and filled with joy to have our students walking our hallways again.
Last week I spent a lot of time on bus duty and parking lot patrol. Yes, we had some late buses and re-routing to handle, but kids were smiling at each school I visited. I rode bus L7 on the first day of school with bus driver Ms. Sarah. That was an adventure, to say the least. Thank you to all of our bus drivers for the job they do.
I want to highlight our Old Bonhomme teaching staff for their patience as they currently use a commuter shuttle to get to school each morning. They are awaiting the completion of the staff parking lot which should happen by the end of this week. We can learn a lot from our Old Bonhomme teachers for their positivity and understanding of the situation. Director of Facilities Mike Noonan volunteers to drive the shuttle in the morning; thank you, Mike.
I want to highlight the work of Dr. Geoff Macy who oversees our transportation vendor and works closely with our bus depot. He handles the questions and suggestions from our community on how to improve our bus routes. Thank you, Geoff, for all the extra time and energy you put into this responsibility.
Our Prop L work continues as crews work to get new sections of our buildings ready. We have heard a lot of positive comments from Old Bonhomme students about the new 3rd- and 4th-grade wing, as well as the renovated sections of the 2nd-grade wing. The renovated sections at LMS have also received high praise from students. It’s so much fun to see their faces when they walk into a new facility.
Our day custodial staff and ABBCO evening custodial staff should be commended for their extra efforts in getting our buildings prepared for students.
Congratulations to Instructional Coach Leah Crawford, who will soon be honored by the St. Louis American Foundation.
I want to recognize Director of Communications Kimberly McKenzie for taking over the timeline project after it had started, then it stalled out with COVID, but now that it is complete and on display in our high school it is remarkable to see.
Our teachers are doing amazing things each day. The amount of time they’ve spent getting their rooms ready is evident when you walk through the hallways. I really enjoyed our Meet the Teacher events as well. It has been an outstanding start to the year; I can’t thank our teachers and staff enough, along with our Board of Education for all of its support.
ACTION ITEMS
SM Wilson Presentation, Change Order Requests, and Pay Application
Representatives from S.M. Wilson provided an update on Prop L construction progress along with information about the most recent change order requests and the July pay application. The Board approved all items.
Wachter Change Orders and Pay Application
Assistant Superintendent of Business and Finance Dr. Geoff Macy recommended approval of change orders 4, 5, and 6 and the latest pay application from Wachter and Hoener. The Board approved both items.
Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Dr. Julie Helm and Director of Student Services Dr. Derrick Wallace recommended approval of updates to board policies GCBDA, GDBDA, IGD, JHDE, and JGA. The Board approved the updates.
Board Advisory Committee Updates
Director of Facilities Mike Noonan provided information on two prospective appointees to the Facilities Board Advisory Committee. The Board approved the appointments.
INFORMATION ITEMS
Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) III
Dr. Macy provided information on the district’s Safe Return to Learn Continuity of Services Plan 2022-23 as required by ESSER III.
Return to School Mitigation Measures
Dr. Wipke and District Lead Nurse Ann Body presented the Mitigating Measures Plan 2022-23.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
The next Board of Education regular business meeting is Monday, Sept. 12, 2022. The Meeting ID will be posted on the Featured tab of BoardDocs when the meeting information is officially posted.
