MINUTES -
REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
November 8, 2006 6:30 P.M.
The Board of Education of
the
Ms. Marianne Clancy, Board Secretary, established
a quorum and the following Members were present: Mr. Joseph Butcher, Mrs.
Cheryl Jackson, Mr. John Dirks, Mr. Michael Harrison and Mrs. Millicent Roth. Mr. Keith Davis was absent.
Present from the administrative staff
were Dr. Robert Nielsen, Mr. David Wood, Mr. Barry Reilly, and Mrs. Teresa Hill.
Ms. Linda
Aschenbrener, Public Relations Facilitator, was also in attendance.
Present from the news media was Ms. Sharon Wolfe, The Pantagraph.
Mrs. Smith presented the
Minutes for approval. It was moved by
Mrs. Jackson, seconded by Mrs. Roth, that the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the
Board of Education held on October 11, 2006 and the Minutes of the Regular
Meeting of the Board of Education held on October 25, 2006 be approved. Upon a roll call vote, all Members
present voted “Aye”. Motion carried.
Mr.
Butcher stated that he attended a Public Hearing for the McLean County Regional
Planning Commission this evening in regards to a group home ordinance which may
be enacted by the City of
Mrs. Roth reported, as the District 87 Board Delegate to the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) at the Annual Conference in November, on the following proposed resolutions and asked for any comments on the Resolutions Committee recommendations:
▪
School board members in the state receive a "per meeting" rate of
compensation; Resolutions Committee recommends that this not be adopted.
▪
As part of the bidding process Districts should support legislation to allow a
qualified bidder, under certain circumstances, that may not be the lowest
responsible bidder but is a local bidder, the consideration of the bid as long
as they are not more than 2% over the lowest responsible bid; Resolutions Committee
recommends that this be adopted. Mrs. Roth recommended that the Board agree
with the committee.
▪
Promote the consolidation of all
Mrs.
Jackson stated that some districts are quite small and other districts are huge
e.g.
▪
School Board Member Terms – Board Members would commit the end of their term to
the end of the current school year, therefore seating the new
Board Meeting
November 8, 2006
Page 2
Board Member at or around June 30; Resolutions Committee
recommends that this not be adopted.
Mrs.
Jackson supports not adopting the resolution since it is noted that in most
cases School Boards allow such outgoing Board Members the courtesy to
participate in graduation ceremonies even though they have officially left the
School Board.
Mrs.
Roth stated that she is following the recommendations of the Resolutions Committee
for all other resolutions.
Mr.
Dirks stated that the Achievement Gap Task Force continues to work. The subcommittee he is on is dealing with the
technology issue and trying to get a system in place for the two districts that
would allow more ready access to student data so we can make early
identification of places where we may have needs. He stated that the entire taskforce meets
again next week and the sub groups are making good progress.
Mrs.
Smith stated that she received an invitation for an intergovernmental meeting
on December 5, 2006 at noon at the Illinois Education Association (IEA) office. She stated that she would like Mrs. Jackson
to attend also.
Mr. Wood,
Chief Financial and Legal Officer, presented the 2006 Levy Report to explain
the assumptions behind the property tax levy which will fund the 2008
budget. Mr. Wood pointed out that property tax revenues are approximately
60% of total education fund revenues and they arrive early in the year and can
be invested. Mr. Wood explained that the levy is the maximum amount the
Board estimates it needs from the property tax in 2008. He stated that the County will ultimately
calculate a lower amount to extend in tax bills once it knows the actual Equalized
Assessed Valuation (EAV) of the district. He noted that the Board must
estimate this amount well before the budget year in which it will be used and
must make many assumptions and estimates of expenditures and revenues from
other sources to calculate the levy amount. The fiscal outlook for state
and federal funds is bleak and the District is likely to become increasingly
reliant on the property tax. Mr. Wood estimated that the District needed
a minimum of $26.5 M from the property tax in 2008. He noted that the
levy assumes 6% EAV growth but actual growth will probably be closer to 3%, the
amount it grew in the current year. At 6% EAV growth, the District will
receive approximately $26.6 M for the education fund and the tax rate will go
down a few cents. At 3% EAV growth the District will receive
approximately $25.9 M and the tax rate will remain the same as this year.
Mr. Reilly presented the Fall Housing Report
which included current and projected enrollments. In summary:
▪ Total enrollment this fall is 5,496 students and is
expected to be 5,411 next year
▪ Current enrollment at the elementary level is 2,425
students; BJHS enrolls 1,266 students and BHS enrolls 1,539 students
▪ Bent,
Board Meeting
November 8, 2006
Page 3
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
Mrs. Hill reported on the
District's new fall assessment program. This year, the District tested all
students in grades 1-8 in reading, math, spelling, language and science /social
studies using the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT). During previous years, the
Terra Nova test was administered. Teachers received training on reading and
using the test results and were able to share this information to parents
during the recent Parent/Teacher Conferences. Teachers are using the assessment
information, along with classroom information to help plan instruction and to
plan programs and extra instruction for students requiring more individualized
attention. The SAT will be administered again in the spring to assess student
proficiency.
Dr. Nielsen presented the following Board
of Education Policies for First Reading: 5.280, Educational Support Personnel; 6.130,
Services for Academically Talented Students; 6.320, High School Credit for
Proficiency;
6.340, Student Testing and
Assessment Program; 7.060, Residence; 7.100,
Health and Dental Examinations, Immunizations, and Exclusion of Students;
7.240, Conduct Code for
Participants In Extra Curricular Activities; 8.030, Visitors to and Conduct on
School Property; 8.090, Parent Organizations and Booster Clubs. He asked the Board for any suggestions or
comments on these policies.
Mrs. Jackson noted that on page 2 in the fifth line of Policy
6.320, the word “deeded” should be “deemed”.
Also she noted that on page 1 in the seventh line of the second
paragraph, the word “assistance” should be “assistant”. On that same page, in the fourth paragraph in
the fifth line, the “comma” after the word “present” should be omitted.
After a discussion on Board Policy 6.320, it was agreed upon to
reword this policy and bring it back for “First Reading” at the December 13,
2006 Board Meeting.
Dr. Nielsen stated that the remainder of the Board Policies will
be brought back for “Second Reading” at the December 13, 2006 Board Meeting and
brought back for Board consideration in January.
Mrs.
Cindy Helmers, Bloomington High School (BHS) Principal and Mr. Tim Moore, BHS
Associate Principal, proposed the following curriculum changes at BHS for the
2007-2008 school year:
New Courses proposed include:
Board Meeting
November 8, 2006
Page 4
• Techniques in
Algebra - This course is designed as a resource for Algebra
Prep students. Students would take both classes simultaneously.
• Trigonometry - This
semester-long course would provide an in-depth study of trigonometry that
currently cannot be covered in Algebra II/Trig due to time restraints.
• Applied Statistics
- (BHS currently offers Advanced Placement Statistics and
Probability.) This semester-long course would be a non-AP alternative for
juniors and seniors.
• Problem Solving
with Computer Programming
Also
proposed were the addition of three Advanced Placement (AP) courses: AP
Computer Science, AP Psychology and
AP Music Theory.
Curriculum changes proposed include:
• Year long classes with
the same teacher each semester to facilitate relationship building with
students.
• Taking Transition
Essential Level Courses out of the Bloomington Business Academy (BBA) and
replacing the courses with regular level courses. This change is the result of
having better prepared students entering the high school and being able to
offer more challenging courses. Currently, only one Essential Level Course is
offered in the program.
These course recommendations will be brought back for Board consideration in December.
Mrs.
Smith presented the Consent Agenda for Approval. It was moved by Mrs. Jackson, seconded by Mr. Butcher,
that the Consent Agenda (Human Resources Report, Bills, Payroll, Chestnut
Health Systems and District 87 Public Schools Agreement and HMO Rates for 2007)
be approved. Upon a roll call vote, all
Members present voted “Aye”. Motion carried. (See with Original Minutes,
Attachment 11-08-06/1)
It was moved by Mr. Dirks, seconded by Mrs.
Jackson, that the Resolution to Estimate Necessary Property Tax Revenues, 2007 be approved.
Upon a roll call vote, all Members present voted “Aye”. Motion
carried. (See with Original Minutes, Attachment 11-08-06/2)
It
was moved by Mrs. Jackson, seconded by Mrs. Roth, that the Resolution: Amending
Board Policies Manual: 4.060, Purchases and Contracts; 4.17, Safety Program;
5.090, Abused and Neglected Child Reporting; 5.100, Staff Development Program;
5.186, Temporary Illness or Temporary Incapacity, be approved. Upon a roll call
vote, all Members present voted “Aye”.
Motion carried. (See with Original Minutes, Attachment 11-08-06/3)
It was moved by Mrs.
Jackson, seconded by Mrs. Roth, that the Board go into Closed Session for the
purpose of considering 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; and to consider an action against, affecting or on
behalf of the District that has been filed and is pending before a court or
administrative tribunal, or when the District finds that an action is probable
or imminent, in which case the
Board Meeting
November 8, 2006
Page 5
basis for the finding shall
be recorded and entered into the minutes of the closed 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.
APPPROVED: ATTEST:
______________________ ___________________________
President Secretary