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, Mr. Keith Davis and Mrs. Janet Smith, Board
President.
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.
Mrs. Smith
stated “ This Public Hearing concerning the 2003 Tax
Levy for Bloomington Public Schools is required by the Truth-in-Taxation Act as
the proposed levy is an increase of more than 5% over the extension of the
prior year’s levy. Public notice of the
proposed tax increase published in the local newspaper on
Dr.
Kilpatrick stated that this is the maximum that we could receive from the
levy. If the full amount of the tax levy
is realized, it would change the tax rate less than $.01 per $100 Equalized Assessed
Value (EAV).
Mrs. Smith
asked if there were any comments from the audience? Mrs. Smith stated, “Hearing none, this
hearing is over.”
Mrs. Smith
presented the Minutes for approval. Mr. Dirks stated that on Page 3 the second
sentence should state that Mr. Dirks wanted the administration to look into
increasing the requirements of core courses for graduation. It was moved by Mrs. Jackson, seconded by Mr.
Hanson that the Minutes of the Regular Meeting held on
Dr. Sue Silvey, Bloomington Junior High School (BJHS) Principal,
introduced BJHS Art teacher, Ms. Sandy Holt and student Jeff Lawson. Jeff is one of 40 students
to represent the State of
Dr. Silvey introduced BJHS teachers, Ms. Mary Passini and Ms. Kathy
Irvin. Both sponsored the Literary Team at the school. The team competed
at the
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2
Elementary
School Association (IESA) State Speech Contest in November. All 19 students who
competed received 1st place Superior Ratings. They included: Amanda Lawler
(also won the Judges Choice Award), Keaton Richard, Jessica Wilcox, Paige
Bolek, Lauren Lapinski, Miranda Buob, Christine Stroink-Pickering, Hamsika
Santana, Ivette Bekker, Alex Kraft, Jackie Saenz, Cassandra Cox, Christine
Snyder, Shannon Vilmin, Brianna Hart, Annmarie Franklin, Dustyn Bennett and Ben
Johnson. Mrs. Smith congratulated everyone on their accomplishments and asked
the students, their parents and the teachers to come forward and receive
congratulations from the Board.
Mr. Jim Cooper, Sheridan School Principal, introduced Ms. Phyllis Pederson,
1st grade teacher at
Mr. John Szabo, District 87 Athletic Director, introduced Mr. Rigo Schmelzer,
BHS head football coach. The team finished the season as the 6A State Runner
Up and compiled a 13-1 record. The coaches, teams and Mr. Szabo all received
Sporting a Winning Attitude awards (SAWA) from the Illinois High School
Association (IHSA) during the season. Mr. Schmelzer now has the 2nd highest
number of wins in the program's 106 year history with an overall record of 105
wins and 23 losses in eleven years.
The team included 18 seniors.
Present for recognition were: Jeremy Peden, Dan Nathan, Jeremy Byrd, Brandon
Hughes, James Wade, Rod Castillo, Adam Bishop, Ryan Esch, Tanner Pachis, Justin
Harrison, Dan Pettie, Arturo Salazar and Mark Spence. Mrs. Smith congratulated the coaches and team
and asked everyone, including parents to come forward and receive
congratulations from the Board.
Mrs. Smith stated that Board
Action A, Bloomington Educational Support Personnel (BESP) Contract, will be
moved to this point on the agenda. It
was moved by Mr. Davis, seconded by Mr. Dirks that the Board approve
the BESP Contract. Upon a roll call
vote, all Members present, voted “Aye”.
Motion carried. (See with Original Minutes, Attachment 12-10-03/1)
Representatives of the BESP and the Board signed
the contract.
Mr. Hanson attended the Beyond the
Books Educational Foundation meeting on
Mrs. Jackson attended the Illinois School Board Association's (IASB)
annual conference in
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3
Mrs. Smith stated she also attended the IASB conference in
Mrs. Roth stated she attended the IASB conference and sat in on
sessions regarding legislation and bullying.
Mrs. Smith introduced a letter she plans to send to The Pantagraph
clarifying the downtown arena and District 87 funding issues.
Dr. Nielsen presented Programmatic Changes and Deficit Reductions for
2004-2005.
Guiding principles include:
• Maintaining direct instructional services to students will be of the highest
priority
• Reductions in programs are preferable to the elimination of programs
• Reductions should be equitable across the K-12 program
• The safety of our students and staff will not be jeopardized as a result of
our reductions
• Grant funds will be used to pay teacher salaries the greatest extent possible
Reductions (District):
Administrative $120,000
OTE/Supervisory: $20,000
Instructional materials: $45,000
Reduce O&M costs: $50,000
Reduce Schedule B: (extra curricular positions) $25,000
Reduce Schedule C: (salaries for additional assignments such as committee work)
$50,000
Technology equipment: $50,000
Contracted Services (Xerox restructuring): $30,000
Revise District testing program: $20,000
Retirement savings (3@$35,000 each): $105,000
Attrition: $40,000
Reductions (Elementary):
6 FTE's @ $35,000 each $210,000
Suspend full day kindergarten at Oakland and Washington (Bent, Irving, Sheridan
and Stevenson will continue to provide full day because their schools are
funded by Title I monies). $105,000
Projected Average Class Size for
04-05
|
Gr. |
Bent |
|
|
|
Stev. |
Wash. |
Dist. Ave. |
|
K |
21.0 |
19.7 |
16.3 |
19.8 |
18.4 |
19.7 |
19.0 |
|
1 |
20.3 |
20.0 |
23.3 |
18.8 |
23.3 |
22.7 |
21.4 |
|
2 |
26.5 |
20.3 |
21.0 |
25.0 |
21.8 |
24.0 |
22.7 |
|
3 |
22.5 |
18.7 |
26.0 |
20.7 |
23.8 |
22.0 |
22.3 |
|
4 |
24.5 |
20.7 |
24.7 |
24.3 |
25.3 |
24.0 |
23.9 |
|
5 |
23.5 |
24.5 |
23.7 |
23.7 |
25.3 |
23.7 |
24.1 |
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4
Reductions (BJHS):
5 FTE's @
$35,000 each $175,000
Reductions (BHS):
5 FTE's @ $35,000 each $175,000
Total Reductions
$1,220,000.00
Increases (District):
Levy increase ($.03) $225,000
Technology lease costs
Liability and Workers Compensation Insurance increases
Increases (BHS):
Drivers Ed. (from $50.00 to $200.00) This amount is comparable to Unit 5
and Olympia) $52,500
Total Increases
$277,500.00
Combined total
$1,497,500
Timeline:
January 14, 2004 - Discussion and input
January 28, 2004 - Discussion and input
February 11, 2004 - Administrative Reports on Five Year Maintenance Plan,
Curriculum Summary, Technology Summary, Life Safety, Spring Supplies Order and
Special Projects along with the Bid Matrix will be presented.
Dr. Kilpatrick presented a Risk Management Plan Update. This plan
provides detail in the support for the tort levy, including the type of items
that are covered for the tax levy such as: our liability insurances, our
workers' compensation and insurances, some of the safety and security programs
we have within the schools. The revisions pertain to job descriptions for some
of the people who are partially covered under the Risk Management Plan and also
provides for the continuation of the types of insurances covered in the tax
levy.
Mrs. Smith presented the
Consent Agenda for consideration. Mrs.
Smith stated that Item A, Personnel Report, is being
pulled and moved to Board Action G. It was moved by Mr. Davis, seconded by Mrs.
Jackson that the Consent Agenda (Bills, Payroll, Treasurer’s Report, Financial
Summary, Group Medical Plan Recommendations, Letter of Understanding:
Elementary After School Reading Program, Letter of Understanding: BJHS Outdoor
Education, and Letter of Understanding: Substitutes for Head Custodians) be
approved. Upon a roll call vote, all Members present, voted “Aye”. Motion carried. (See with Original
Minutes, Attachment 12-10-03/2)
Dr.
Nielsen wished everyone a happy holiday season and expressed his appreciation
of the staff of District 87 for the work that they do everyday.
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5
It was moved by Mrs.
Jackson, seconded by Mr. Dirks that the Board approve
the Salary Adjustments for Non-Bargaining Unit Staff. Upon a roll call vote, all Members present,
voted “Aye”. Motion carried. (See
with Original Minutes, Attachment 12-10-03/3)
It was moved
by Mrs. Jackson, seconded by Mrs. Roth that the Board approve
the Superintendent’s Contract. Upon a
roll call vote, all Members present, voted “Aye”. Motion carried. (See with Original
Minutes, Attachment 12-10-03/4)
It
was moved by Mrs. Jackson, seconded by Mr. Hanson that the Board approve the Chapman
Cutler Contract. Upon a roll call
vote, all Members present, voted “Aye”.
Motion carried. (See with Original Minutes, Attachment 12-10-03/5)
It
was moved by Mr. Davis, seconded by Mr. Dirks that the Board approve
the First Mid-State Contract. Upon a roll call vote, all Members present,
voted “Aye”. Motion carried. (See
with Original Minutes, Attachment 12-10-03/6)
It
was moved by Mr. Davis, seconded by Mrs. Jackson that the Board approve the 2003
Tax Levy. Upon a roll call vote,
all Members present, voted “Aye”. Motion
carried. (See with Original Minutes, Attachment 12-10-03/7)
Mr.
Reilly stated that Ms. Stephanie Ferguson’s name should be pulled from the
Personnel Report. The contract does not
reflect an 80% contract and should be corrected and brought back in January.
It
was moved by Mr. Dirks, seconded by Mr. Hanson that the Board approve the amended Personnel Report. Upon a roll call vote,
all Members present, voted “Aye”. Motion
carried. (See with Original Minutes, Attachment 12-10-03/8)
Mrs. Vickie Slagell, Stevenson School Principal, acknowledged
the appreciation the administrators in our district have for Dr. Nielsen, the
Assistant Superintendents and the Board members for treating them
professionally, for listening to their ideas and for acting on those ideas.
There being no further business to come before the Board, Mrs.
Smith adjourned the meeting.
APPROVED:
_________________________________
President
ATTEST:
_______________________________
Secretary