Brandon Valley School District - Minutes
Brandon Valley School District
_________ Minutes _________
The regular meeting of the Brandon Valley Board of Education, Brandon, SD was held at 6:30 p.m. on the 24th of February, 2020 at the Brandon Valley High School Community Room with the following members present: Renee Ullom, Gregg Ode, Dan Klumper, and Gregg Talcott, via phone: Ellie Saxer, absent: none. Also present were Superintendent Jarod Larson, Business Manager Paul J. Lundberg, High School Principal Mark Schlekeway, Assistant High School Principal Bill Freking, Activities Director Randy Marso, Assistant Middle School Principal Amanda Nelson, Intermediate School Principal Nick Skibsted, Assistant Intermediate School Principal Rick Pearson, Robert Bennis Elementary Principal Kristin Hofkamp, Fred Assam Elementary Principal Susan Foster, and Special Services Director Kyle Babb.
Renee Ullom called the regular meeting to order at 6:30 p.m., beginning with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Motion by Talcott, seconded by Ode to approve the agenda as presented. On a roll call vote, the following voted aye: Talcott, Ode, Klumper, Saxer, Ullom. Voting nay: none. Motion carried.
The “Good News” report tonight was presented by Middle School Assistant Principal Amanda Nelson and Middle School Math Instructor Mallory Husher on Project Based Learning. Project Based Learning (PBL) is defined as students working collaboratively to design solutions for authentic and meaningful questions and problems in the real world. The benefits for math specifically include hands-on (interactive and collaborative), and minds-on (authentic problem solving and critical thinking). Advocates also claim students tend to be more motivated to learn information for their projects.
Administrative reports were presented. Superintendent Larson presented a Legislative update. The Legislative session is now in-progress with a Legislative Coffee just held at Bethany Meadows on February 22, 2020. The priority remains the State Aid calculation and Capital Outlay.
The Associated School Boards of South Dakota (ASBSD) is seeking an Executive Board position and has set a Declaration of Candidacy date of 2/19/2020. We would like to wish our own Board Member Ellie Saxer good luck in running for this position.
Larson outlined the Sparta Elementary School construction timeline as follows:
Fall 2019/Winter 2020: Construction planning meetings with Administration, Buildings and Grounds Committee, and Architect
February 20, 2020: Bid opening for the construction project
Peska Construction - $14,675,000 (currently under review/evaluation)
Scheduled for Board Approval at the regular Board of Education meeting of March 9, 2020
Spring 2020: Construction begins
Fall 2020: Elementary boundary line committee meets
2020-21 School year: Construction continues
Fall 2021: School opens
Kindergarten Screening registration is open. Contact your respective Elementary School for more information on how to register your student.
2020-21 Title I Budget. The BVSD has received notification from the South Dakota Department of Education-Office of the Grants Management on February 18, 2020 of the following:
- BVSD Poverty Rate has decreased - Census Poverty Data now 3.89% (down from 5.2%)
- 2020-21 Title I Allocation will be significantly reduced - $180,914 (57.62% reduction)
- Estimated 2020-21 Title I Allocation estimated to be $133,061 (that estimate supports two (2) Title I Tutors)
- Title I Tutor Staff reduction is necessary
Staff reduction will include one (1) retirement and three (3) current Title I staff reductions
Then 2020-21 negotiations time-line/wage recommendations will begin with a pre-negotiations meeting between the BVSD Admin and the Brandon Valley Education Association (BVEA) March 11, 2020. The Personnel Welfare and BVEA will begin negotiations Tuesday, March 17, 2020. The Administration/School Board will enter into Executive Session at the regular Board of Education meeting on Monday, March 23, 2020 for negotiations preparation. Mid-March to early April (as needed) we will hold Negotiation(s) meeting with the Personnel Welfare committee and BVEA as follows: Wednesday, March 25, 2020, Wednesday April 1, 2020 (if necessary) and Wednesday, April 15, 2020 (if necessary). At the April 14, 2020 Board of Education regular meeting we will plan to ratify the 2020-21 Master Contract, approve Classified wage recommendations/approve Administration Salary recommendations and enter into Superintendent contract negotiations.
The 2020-21 Budget process is underway with budget forms/documents distributed on January 6, 2020. The Business Office will compile and review by March 2020. The 5-year plan will be presented in this evening’s meeting. In March 2020, the preliminary Capital Outlay budget will be presented for approval in order for major items to be
bid in a timely manner. In May 2020, we will hold a preliminary budget presentation and in July 2020, we will hold the public budget hearing for potential action.
In the months to come, the following Good News Reports will be shared the second Board of Education meetings each month as follows: March – Brandon Valley Intermediate School; and April – Elementary schools.
BV Booster Club Video Board Update. The process/planning continues to secure a new video/score board at our outside athletic complex. The common practice and tax advantage includes the BV School District purchasing the video board and the Booster Club reimbursing for the purchase. Superintendent Larson stated that Coke has presented a potential sponsorship for the new video board. Larson has met with Activities Director Randy Marso, the Concessions Manager and the Coke representative who have presented a contract with coke to have exclusive rights to serve Coke at our concession stands. That contract will be presented to the Board for action in the future.
The upcoming 2019-20 school year important dates to remember: Parent-Teacher conferences for the 2nd semester will be held on Monday, March 16, 2020 for the Elementary schools and the High School and on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 for the Intermediate and Middle School; school WILL BE in session on Thursday, March 19, 2020 (flood day make up); no school on Friday, March 20, 2020 as a teacher comp day; two hour early dismissal on Thursday April 9, 2020; no school on Friday April 10, 2020; and no school on Monday, April 13, 2020.
Business Manager Paul Lundberg reviewed the Brandon Valley School District’s 2020-25 Five Year Plan. This plan can be viewed in its entirety at www.brandonvalleyschools.com on the Business Office tab.
Superintendent Jarod Larson reviewed the following new positions for the 2020-21 school year as follows:
General fund requests:
1.0 FTE Kindergarten-4th grade Elementary School Teacher
1.0 FTE 5th-6th grade Intermediate School Computer Teacher
1.0 FTE High School Math Teacher
1.0 FTE High School English Teacher
1.0 FTE High School Science Teacher
0.6 FTE High School Art Teacher (increasing our current .4 FTE Art Position to 1.0 FTE)
$25,000 Additional Budget ~ General Education Teachwell Alternative School Placements
$30,000 Additional Budget ~ Paid Student Apprenticeships
Special Education fund requests:
1.0 FTE Elementary Special Education Teacher/District SPED Evaluator
1.0 FTE High School Special Education Teacher
2.0 FTE Special Education Educational Assistants
1.0 FTE Sign Language Interpreter
$35,000 Additional Budget ~ Special Education Teachwell Alternative School Placements
Motion by Talcott, seconded by Klumper to approve the 2020-21 new positions as presented. On a roll call vote, the following voted aye: Talcott, Klumper, Ode, Saxer, Ullom. Voting nay: none. Motion carried.
Motion by Klumper, seconded by Ode to approve the following personnel items:
1. Approve resignation from Shannon Heupel, BVHS Spanish Teacher, effective at the end of the 2019-20 school year.
2. Approve recommendation to hire Taylor Weiland, Custodial Substitute, $12.00/hour, effective February 25, 2020.
3. Approve recommendation to hire Angela Gingles, Long-term substitute for Mariah Koch, BVMS Family and Consumer Science/Health Teacher, effective on or around February 28, 2020, for approximately 8 weeks.
4. Approve request for unpaid leave by Bethany Waysman, BVHS Spanish Teacher, beginning April 22, 2020 for six days.
5. Approve resignation from Jackie Bogue, BVHS Agriculture Teacher and FFA Advisor, effective at the end of the 2019-20 school year.
6. Approve resignation from Carolyn Ebright, BVHS Prom Advisor, effective at the end of the 2019-20 school year, contingent on finding a suitable replacement.
7. Approve resignation from Alaina Cuka, BVHS Yearbook Advisor, effective at the end of the 2019-20 school year, contingent on finding a suitable replacement.
8. Approve recommendation to hire substitutes for the 2019-20 school year as follows: Elizabeth Duffy, Lanette Hendrickson, and Devon Melillo
On a roll call vote, the following voted aye: Klumper, Ode, Talcott, Saxer, Ullom. Voting nay: none. Motion carried.
The following personnel items were reviewed by the Board of Education for information only:
1. Request for maternity leave by Noel Sunne, FAE 4th Grade Teacher, on or around April 16, 2020 for approximately 6 weeks.
2. Transfer Chad Garrow from BVHS Math Teacher to BVHS PE Teacher, effective for the 2020-21 school year.
Communications received by the Central Office and the Board of Education were reviewed. They included the following items:
1. Thank you from Susan Nifong for the plant sent in memory of her father, George Rayford Hendrix.
2. Thank you from Debbie Arrowsmith for the flowers sent after her fall.
3. Thank you from George Gulson for the flowers sent to his wife, Dee, during her recovery.
Board President Renee Ullom reported on the Alternative Education Committee. Teachwell is made up of three separate member districts maintaining oversight of Teachwell programs: West Central (Hartford), Lennox, and Brandon Valley. Teachwell is looking into expanding their site and services and Mrs. Ullom will report more in April on the expansion of site and services.
Ullom also reported on the Child Nutrition/Wellness Committee. Child Nutrition Director Gay Anderson and President Ullom will be presenting at the “2020 No Kid Hungry’s Rural Child Hunger Summit” conference in Columbus, Ohio at the end of March. Brandon Valley is always proud to share what the School Board and School District have done for Child Nutrition.
Motion by Talcott, seconded by Klumper to adjourn the meeting at 7:50 p.m. On a roll call vote, the following voted aye: Talcott, Klumper, Ode, Saxer, Ullom. Voting nay: none. Motion carried.
Signed
Business Manager
Approved by the Board of Education this 9th day of March, 2020.
Signed
Chairperson
Published once at the approximate cost of $105.92
March 20, 2020
