MINUTES
- REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
The Board of Education of the
Ms. Marianne
Clancy, Board Secretary, established a quorum and the following Members were
present: Mr. John Hanson, Mr. Uvaldo Herrera, Mrs. Cheryl Jackson, Mr. John
Dirks, Mrs. Millicent Roth and Mrs. Janet Smith, Board President. Mr. Keith Davis was absent.
Present from
the administrative staff were Dr. Robert Nielsen, Dr. Roger Kilpatrick, Mr.
Barry Reilly and Mrs. Sally Tucker.
Present from
the news media was Ms. Michele Steinbacher from The Pantagraph and Mr. Russ
Eisenberger from WJBC Radio Station.
Mrs. Smith stated, At this time, the Board of
Education will hold a Public Hearing on Bloomington Public Schools District #87
use of Health/Life Safety funds for Paving Work. In accordance with Section
17-2.11 of the School Code, the Illinois State Board of Education has been
authorized to approve the use of Health/Life Safety Funds for repairing school
sidewalks, playgrounds, parking lots, and school bus turnarounds if the funds
are not needed for fire prevention and safety purposes. A notice for the Public Hearing on the use of
Health/Life Safety Funds for Paving Work was published in the Pantagraph on
Mrs. Smith stated, At this time, Dr. Nielsen will
present a summary on the use of Health/Life Safety Funds for Paving Work.
Dr. Nielsen introduced Mr. Colin Manahan,
Director of Grounds and Facilities Management to provide a summary of the work
that would be done using Health Life/Safety Funds. Mr. Manahan referenced the paving repairs that are
necessary due to ongoing safety issues with the current paving situation at our
buildings, including all concrete, sidewalks, bus lanes, parking lots and
drives. A complete summary was provided in the Board Minutes of
Mrs. Smith asked, Is there any discussion on the
use of Health/Life Safety Funds for Paving Work from the Board of Education?
There were no questions from the Board.
Mrs. Smith asked, Is there any discussion from the
public?
There were no questions from the public.
Mrs. Smith stated, This Public Hearing
is now concluded.
Mrs. Smith
presented the Minutes for approval. It was moved by Mr. Dirks, seconded by Mrs.
Jackson that the Minutes of the Regular Meeting held on
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voted Aye. Mr. Herrera abstained due to not having
attended the
Ms. Kathy Philpott, Ms. Susan Trower, and Ms. Evelyn
Fairbanks from
the Bloomington Delphi organization presented the Board with a $500 check for
the Summer School Scholarship Fund. Mrs.
Smith thanked the group for the donation and asked the three women to come
forward and receive appreciation from the Board.
Mr.
Rich Stempinski, Sarah Raymond
School Principal, along with Ms. Maureen
Sollars from A-OK Early Childhood Network and Ms. Erin Rogers from Easter Seals-UPC, presented
the Board with a copy of the Communities
of Excellence Award they received in
Mrs. Jackson, who volunteers at the
Mrs. Jackson reported she attended an
Insurance Committee meeting on November 3rd to discuss the current status of
the insurance trust and various changes that have been made since Blue
Cross/Blue Shield took over.
As the Illinois Association of School
Boards (IASB) Convention Delegate, Mrs. Jackson reviewed the IASB proposed
resolutions and stated she was in agreement with the Resolutions Committee's
recommendations. Mr. Dirks stated that
he didnt agree with the resolution to repeal the No Child Left Behind
legislation. He stated he felt it should be amended instead.
Mrs. Smith reported that she and Mrs.
Jackson met with the Negotiating team for the Bloomington Education Association
(BEA) and stated the two parties came to a tentative agreement.
Mrs. Smith reported she also attended a
Judge John M. Scott Vocational Trust meeting and mentioned that some funds are
doing better than last year.
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Mr.
Dirks brought
up a concern from last Board meeting's Prairie State Achievement Exam (PSAE)
report regarding the disparities in ACT scores from students enrolled in core
and non-core curriculum. Mr. Dirks would like the administration to look into
defining the core curriculum. Dr.
Nielsen stated this would be done and information would be brought back at the
December or one of the January Board meetings.
Mrs. Tucker
reported on the District's Learning Centers. A $4,500 grant was awarded
this year. The grant is funding:
World Book Online subscription for our elementary schools
purchase of library materials in support of the curriculum, books to support
teacher requests and to replace worn or outdated materials.
Ms. Joan Brown, media specialist from Irving, and Mrs. Tucker participated on
a panel at the Illinois School Library Media Conference in
A partnership through Illinois State University's (ISU) Milner Library has
resulted in grade level meetings focused on web searching and web page
evaluation
Another series of grade level meetings will be held in the spring, focusing
on web sites to support the curriculum at each grade level.
A grant was co-written with Milner librarians to the Secretary of State,
which was not funded, but will be re-submitted in the upcoming year. The grant
would have funded additional in-service in the area of web searching
evaluation, a projection device and a laptop to work with the mobile computer
labs already in use on our classrooms.
Media specialists have set up an internal list serve for problem solving
purposes.
Library automation is in its third year of operation.
Dr. Kilpatrick presented the
Tentative Levy.
Dr. Kilpatrick reiterated that setting the tax Levy
is not the same as setting the tax rate. We estimate the rate based on what we
think the Estimated Assessed Valuation (EAV) will be for the district. The county
calculates what the rate will be based on the actual EAV of the district when
they determine the new assessed valuation next spring or summer. The tax rate
equals the portion of the Levy that is extended divided by the district's EAV.
Some of the funds that we Levy have capped rates. For example: the Education Fund
is capped at $3.12 per $100 EAV. This cannot be raised without a voter
referendum. The same is true for Special Education, Operations &
Maintenance, Working Cash and our lease Levy funds.
What is levied is not necessarily what we receive in tax monies
Our Technology Levy will increase to 5’ per $100 EAV
Our Tort Immunity (Workers' Comp) Levy will increase
Our Life/Safety Levy will not be in effect this year because we will issue
Life/Safety bonds.
The increase in the Technology and Tort Levy and the decrease in the
Life/Safety Levy will likely result in a 1’ increase in the tax rate if the EAV
increases by 3.5%.
A Tax Levy Hearing is required if the current amount levied is greater
than 105% of the amount extended from the previous year.
Mr. Reilly presented the District's HMO Rates and Benefits for 2004.
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An HMO option is
available for District staff through Health Alliance
Rates will increase to $348 per single; Employee + 1 will be $589 and family:
$853
Co-pay office visits will increase from $20 to $30 per visit
Co-insurance will increase from 80/20 to 70/30
Prescription drug costs remain the same for generic ($10) and for brand name
($20), but increase from $30 to $40 for preferred brand name
Mr. Reilly recommended that the Board limit its contribution to the employees
to $330 and the employee be responsible for the remaining $18 for HMO coverage.
Mrs. Smith presented the Consent Agenda
for consideration. It was moved by Mrs.
Jackson, seconded by Mr. Hanson that the Consent Agenda (Personnel Report,
Bills, Payroll, Health/Life Safety Amendments for Paving Work, Health/Life
Safety Amendments for General Work, Second Cycle Bills for November and
December, 2003, and Tuition Based Enrollments) be approved. Upon a roll call
vote, all Members present, voted Aye.
Motion carried. (See with Original Minutes, Attachment 11-12-03/1)
It was moved
by Mrs. Jackson, seconded by Mr. Hanson that the Board approve the Resolutions
for Paving Work Funded by Health/Life Safety Funds. Upon a roll call vote, all Members present,
voted Aye. Motion carried. (See
with Original Minutes, Attachment 11-12-03/2)
It was moved
by Mr. Dirks, seconded by Mrs. Jackson that the Board approve the HMO Rates and
Benefits for 2004. Upon a roll call
vote, all Members present, voted Aye.
Motion carried. (See with Original Minutes, Attachment 11-12-03/3)
It
was moved by Mrs. Jackson, seconded by Mrs. Roth that the Board approve the Resolution for Proposed, Estimated Tax Levy
and Hearing. Upon a roll call
vote, all Members present, voted Aye.
Motion carried. (See with Original Minutes, Attachment 11-12-03/4)
Ms. Willie Halbert, a District 87 employee and resident, spoke
regarding The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn being taught at
Mrs. Elizabeth Halbert-Edwards, a BHS graduate and current
Ms. Joan Travis, District 87 employee and Native American, informed
the Board of National Native American History Month. Ms. Travis
announced she is donating a two-year subscription of Native Peoples magazine and the book, Black Indians to
It was moved by Mrs. Jackson, seconded by Mr.
Hanson that the Board go into Closed Session to consider collective negotiating
matters between the District and the Bloomington Education Association (BEA)
and the Bloomington Education Support Personnel (BESP), or deliberations
concerning salary schedules for one or more
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classes
of employees; and to consider and to consider the appointment, employment,
compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of
District 87, including hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against an
employee to determine its validity. Upon
a roll call vote, all Members present voted Aye. Motion carried.
It was moved by Ms. Roth, seconded by Mr. Dirks that the Board return
to the Regular Meeting. Upon a roll call
vote all members present voted Aye. Motion carried.
There being no further business to come before the Board, Mrs.
Smith adjourned the meeting.
APPROVED:
_________________________________
President
ATTEST:
_______________________________
Secretary