Brandon Valley School District: April 7
_________ Minutes _________
The regular meeting of the Brandon Valley Board of Education, Brandon, SD was held at 6:30 p.m. on the 22nd of March, 2021 at the Brandon Valley High School Community Room with the following members present: Renee Ullom, Gregg Ode, Ellie Saxer, and Nick Scott. Absent: Gregg Talcott. Also present were Superintendent Jarod Larson, Business Manager Paul Lundberg, Brandon Valley High School Principal Mark Schlekeway, Brandon Valley High School Assistant Principal Bill Freking, Brandon Valley Middle School Principal Brad Thorson, Brandon Valley Middle School Assistant Principal Amanda Nelson, Brandon Valley Intermediate School Principal Nick Skibsted, Brandon Valley Intermediate Assistant Principal Rick Pearson, Special Service Director Kyle Babb, and Director of Instruction Sherri Nelson.
Renee Ullom called the regular meeting to order at 6:30 p.m., beginning with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Motion by Saxer, seconded by Scott to approve the agenda as revised, adding one additional Personnel Item, resignation of BVHS Boys Basketball coach Brent Deckert. Motion carried.
Administrative reports were presented. Superintendent Jarod Larson outlined the Inspiration Elementary School construction timeline:
Spring 2020:
° Construction in progress
° Collaborative BVSD/Sioux Falls Playground/Park Development/Expense Agreement ($336,823)
Fall 2020: Naming Facilities Committee: November 23, 2020 recommendation; Process completed
Fall 2020: Elementary boundary line committee: Process completed
2020-21 School year: Construction continues
Fall 2021: School opens
The new elementary school staffing continues, with a majority of the teaching staff hiring (regular and special education) complete. All encore staffing will be provided through other building staff while the Classified staff assignments/hiring is in progress.
The 2021-22 Budget process has begun with budget forms/documents distributed early January, 2021. The Business Office is currently compiling and reviewing the completed budget requests. In February 2021, the 5-year plan was presented, and at the March 8, 2021 regular Board of Education meeting, the preliminary Capital Outlay budget was presented and approved for major items to be bid in a timely manner. In May 2021, we will hold a preliminary budget presentation and in July 2021, we will hold the public budget hearing.
Dr. Jarod Larson reviewed the updated COVID-19 Pandemic Response Plan. The CDC/SD DOH Close Contact Quarantine Update protocols include two alternative timelines for 7-day and 10-day quarantine that both require specific criteria. Quarters 3 and 4 COVID-19 restrictions remain the same as Quarters 1 and 2 of this same school year; Summer Facility Use COVID-19 restrictions will be announced after administrative evaluation (in-progress). Superintendent Evaluation process underway with the following timeline: February 8, 2021 – Distribute evaluation tool; February 22, 2021 – Evaluation due to School Board President, Renee Ullom; March 8, 2021 – Discuss performance evaluation (executive session); and April 12, 2021 – Tentative contract negotiations (executive session).
Tentative 2021-22 negotiations timeline/wage recommendations has begun with a pre-negotiation meeting between the BVSD Administration and the Brandon Valley Education Association (BVEA) recently held on March 10, 2021. The Personnel Welfare and BVEA plan to meet on March 24, 2021. Tentatively, at the April 12, 2021 Board of Education regular meeting we will plan to ratify the 2021-22 Master Contract, approve Classified wage recommendation/approve Administration Salary recommendations, and enter Superintendent contract negotiations.
Brandon Valley High School addition priorities have been reviewed and discussed as follows:
- General Classrooms, Ground Floor Special Education, Science Lab Classrooms, Maximize Land Usage/ Upgrade East Facility Face, Minimize Impact to parking.
The tentative BVHS Addition timeline is as follows:
- Preliminary planning in-progress: Preliminary planning with the Building and Grounds Board Committee, Central Office Administration and BVHS Administration
- Fall 2021 – Information sharing as follows: Community with Board of Education, Administrative Council, Teacher Liaison Council, Classified Council, and the Brandon Valley High School Staff
- January 2022 – Bid the project
- Spring/Summer 2022 – BVHS Additional begins
- 2022-2023 School year – Construction in-progress
- Fall 2023 – Addition opens
The 2021 Summer Lunch Program has been approved for June and July of 2021. The format will be “Grab & Go” on Tuesdays (5 breakfasts/lunches provided every Tuesday) from June 1 – July 27, 2021 with location(s) and time(s) to be announced. There will be lunch provided on-site for EL Summer School and Boys & Girls Club summer programs.
Current School Calendar items include the following: Thursday, April 1, 2021-two-hour early dismissal; Friday, April 2, 2021-no school (spring break); and Monday, April 3, 2021-no school (spring break).
Superintendent Jarod Larson presented a 2020-21 academic calendar modification at tonight meeting. With three (3) school days cancelled due to weather, school was in-session on the previously scheduled “snow day” of Thursday, March 19, 2021. Dr. Larson’s recommendation is no change to the last day of school (May 19, 2021) for students; change Thursday, May 20, 2021 to a teacher in-service day; and schedule Friday, May 21, 2021 to a teacher workshop day (extra paid day). Motion by Scott, seconded by Ode to approve the 2020-21 academic calendar modification as presented. Motion carried.
Motion by Ode, seconded by Scott to approve the Administrative recommendation for the 2021 Official Election Ballot for the Associated School Boards of South Dakota (ASBSD) contested election for Southeast Region Board of Director (700-1,399 enrollments) for Tom Farrell of Madison Central School District. Motion carried.
Motion by Saxer, seconded by Scott to approve the following General Business items:
1. Approve Memorandum of Understanding by and between the Brandon Valley High School and the South Dakota Board of Regents for transferrable university courses, effective August 1, 2021 through July 31, 2025 as presented.
2. Approve standard form of agreement by and between the Brandon Valley School District #49-2 and Architecture Incorporated for the Brandon Valley High School Additional project, as presented.
3. Approve request to purchase two new school buses (2022 Blue Bird T3FE All American Type D Bus) from the Sourcewell Contract, for a total amount of $239,410.00 ($119,705.00 each) for the 2021-22 school year.
Motion carried.
Superintendent Jarod Larson reviewed the request for additional General Fund staffing for the 2021-22 school year as follows:
General Fund staffing requests:
1.0 FTE Robert Bennis Elementary 4th Grade Teacher
1.0 FTE Inspiration Elementary 4th Grade Teacher
1.0 FTE K-12 Health/Physical Education Teacher
Motion by Saxer, seconded by Ode to approve the 2021-22 General Fund Additional Staffing request of $195,000 as presented (note: total 2021-22 General Fund staffing request current total is $1,544,500). Motion carried.
Motion by Saxer, seconded by Scott to approve the following Personnel items:
1. Accept resignation from Kimberly Moots, BE Kindergarten Teacher, effective at the end of the 2020-21 school year.
2. Approve recommendation to hire Emily Gacke, BE part-time Child Nutrition, $13.95/hour, effective April 15, 2021.
3. Approve recommendation to hire Alison Fenske, Registered Dietitian, full-time $42,000/annual salary, effective June 1, 2021.
4. Approve recommendation to hire Jennifer Funke, BVMS Computer Teacher, MA ~ Step 6, $49,390.00 for the 2021-22 school year, based on the 2020-21 hiring schedule.
5. Approve recommendation to hire Amanda Larson, Fred Assam/Inspiration Elementary long-term substitute School Nurse $125/day (first 15 days), $150 day (16+ days), no benefits, effective the 2021-22 school year.
6. Approve recommendation to hire Mitze Moore, BVHS Dean of Students, $70,000, 204-day contract, one-year contract period, effective for the 2021-22 school year.
7. Accept resignation from Brent Deckert as the Head BVHS Boys Basketball Coach, effective at the end of the 2020-21 school year.
8. Approve recommendation to hire the following substitutes for the 2020-21 school year: Mariah Aker, Peyton Heitkamp, Megan Krivarchka, Ashley Schwarz, and Kristi Tomic.
Motion carried.
The following personnel items were presented to the Board of Education as information only:
1. Transfer Erica Karl from BE 1st Kindergarten Teacher to VSE 4th Kindergarten Teacher, effective for the 2021-22 school year.
2. Transfer Judy Tschetter from RBE Educational Assistant to RBE Library Educational Assistant, effective for the 2021-22 school year.
3. Transfer Emily Harris, from RBE Junior Kindergarten Teacher to RBE First Grade Teacher, effective for the 2021-22 school year.
4. Transfer Chelsea Kroger from FAE Kindergarten Teacher to FAE newly added FAE Kindergarten section, effective for the 2021-22 school year.
5. Transfer Kim Becker from FAE Kindergarten Teacher to FAE Second Grade Teacher, effective for the 2021-22 school year.
6. Transfer Mary Gile from FAE Computer Teacher to BVIS/BVHS Computer Teacher, effective for the 2021-22 school year.
7. Transfer Matt Gappa from BE Third Grade Teacher to BE Computer Teacher, effective for the 2021-22 school year.
8. Transfer Morgan Bobzien from FAE Second Grade Teacher to RBE Computer Teacher, effective for the 2021-22 school year.
9. Transfer Lilian Keough from FAE English Language (EL) Teacher to BE English Language (EL) Teacher, effective for the 2021-22 school year.
10. Transfer Kim Skibsted from K-6 STEM/Technology Integrationist to BVMS ELA Teacher, effective for the 2021-22 school year.
11. Transfer Dawn Leenderts from FAE Special Education Teacher to Inspiration Elementary Special Education Teacher, effective for the 2021-22 school year.
12. Transfer Jennifer Chicoine from VSE Special Education Teacher to Inspiration Elementary Special Education Teacher (.5 FTE) and VSE Special Education Teacher (.5 FTE), effective for the 2021-22 school year.
Board reports were presented. Ellie Saxer reported on the City Affairs & Legislation Committee. Senate Bill 177 continues to be a primary legislative focus after the recent passing of this Bill. She, along with others, continue to field many questions regarding this bill and also are working with the Associated School Boards of South Dakota (ASBSD) in information gathering on how to progress forward.
Motion by Saxer, seconded by Ode to go into Executive Session at 6:47 p.m. per SDCL 1-25-2.4 ~ Teacher Contract Negotiation Preparations. Motion Carried.
The Board of Education came out of Executive Session and into Open Session at 7:08 p.m.
Motion by Saxer, seconded by Scott to adjourn at meeting at 7:09 p.m. Motion carried.
Signed
Business Manager
Approved by the Board of Education this 12th day of April 2021
Signed
Chairperson
Published at the approximate cost of $228.98
April 7, 2021
