Minutes -- May 11, 2009 -- 7:30 Regular Meeting
by Veryle Winter
May 15, 2009
NORFOLK
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Board
of Education Regular Meeting
May
11, 2009 07:30PM
City
Council Chambers
Attendance
Taken at 7:30 PM:
Present
Board Members:
Joel
Carlson
Clark
Froehlich
Dr.
Brad Krivohlavek
Julee
Pfeil
Alfredo
Ramirez
Absent
Board Members:
Paul
Cazabon
I.
Call to Order
President
Krivohlavek called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
II.
Declaration of a Legal Meeting
Brad
Krivohlavek, President, declared a legal meeting of the Board of
Education and announced that the Open Meetings Act was posted on
the wall for review. A copy of the agenda is available at the
desk of the recording secretary.
III.
Vision/Mission/Strategic Goals of the Norfolk Public School
District
IV.
Welcome, Public Comments, Communication
President
Krivohlavek welcomed the visitors to the meeting and asked if
anyone wished to speak to an agenda item. They were asked to
state their name at this time and to state the item they wish to
address. No one asked to speak.
V.
Amendments to Agenda/Approval of Consent Agenda
Items
No
amendments were offered.
Primary
Motion Passed: Motion to approve the Consent Agenda
passed with a motion by Clark Froehlich and a second by Julee
Pfeil.
Joel
Carlson
Yes
Paul
Cazabon
Absent
Clark
Froehlich
Yes
Dr.
Brad Krivohlavek
Yes
Julee
Pfeil
Yes
Alfredo
Ramirez
Yes
V.A.
Minutes of Previous Meetings
Approved
the following minutes as presented:
April
13, 2009 -- 4:30 Study Session
April
13, 2009 -- 7:30 Regular Session
April
23, 2009 -- 2nd Meeting of the Month (12:00 noon)
V.B.
Excused Absences
No
excused absences were necessary. Paul Cazabon was present in
the audience to accept his recognition plaque.
V.C.
Personnel
Approved
the resignations of Craig Schmeckpeper, Senior High physical
education, and Bobette Ferguson, elementary special education,
effective at the close of the 2008-2009 school year.
V.D.
Claims
Approved
claims in the amount of $329,531.20 for General Fund; $5,535.29 for
Cooperative Fund; $35,250.19 for Lunch Fund; and $23,084.77 for
Reserve/Depreciation Fund.
VI.
Award for Excellence
Chuck
Hughes, Middle School math teacher, was recognized as the May Award
for Excellence recipient.
VII.
Focus on Students/Best of the Best
Presentation
of American Tears by Northern Hills 5th grade students of Mr.
Woeppel, Mrs. Blakeman, and Mrs. Korth.
VIII.
Reports and Discussion Items
VIII.A.
Superintendent's Report
Dr.
Marlene Uhing, Superintendent, shared information on:
1.
Shaping the Future recommendations
2.
Related School Finance Issues
3.
Process to replace board member
VIII.B.
Financial Report
Bob
Waite gave the financial report.
VIII.C.
Instruction/Personnel Reports
Mr.
Hastings, Director of Teaching and Learning, reported on
instructional time requirements and curriculum projects that will
take place over the summer months.
VIII.D.
Student Services Report
Mr.
Witte, Director of Student Services, reported on the following
topics: summer school session, JOM Awards Banquet, TeamMates
Walk-A-Thon, May 19 is last day of school with May 20 as certified
staff clean up day, and NPS master calendar activities.
VIII.E.
Finance/Activities Committee Reports
Finance
Meeting – No
report
Activities
Meeting -
The Activities Committee met on Monday, April 27, 2009.
Topics discussed were: coaching vacancies, Memorial Field
upkeep, extra duty salary schedule survey results, and
cooping.
IX.
Action Items
IX.A.
Resignation of Board Member Paul Cazabon
Primary
Motion Passed: Acceptance of the resignation of Paul
Cazabon from the Board of Education passed with a motion by Clark
Froehlich and a second by Julee Pfeil.
Joel
Carlson
Yes
Paul
Cazabon
Absent
Clark
Froehlich
Yes
Dr.
Brad Krivohlavek
Yes
Julee
Pfeil
Yes
Alfredo
Ramirez
Yes
IX.B.
Policy
IX.B.1.
Conflict of Interest Policy No. 201.7
Primary
Motion Passed: Approval on second reading passed
with a motion by Joel Carlson and a second by Julee
Pfeil.
Joel
Carlson
Yes
Paul
Cazabon
Absent
Clark
Froehlich
Yes
Dr.
Brad Krivohlavek
Yes
Julee
Pfeil
Yes
Alfredo
Ramirez
Yes
(Insert
Copy of Conflict of Interest Policy 201.7) – Exhibit A
IX.B.2.
Code of Ethics Policy No. 201.8
Primary
Motion Passed: Approval on second reading passed
with passed with a motion by Clark Froehlich and a second by
Alfredo Ramirez.
Joel
Carlson
Yes
Paul
Cazabon
Absent
Clark
Froehlich
Yes
Dr.
Brad Krivohlavek
Yes
Julee
Pfeil
Yes
Alfredo
Ramirez
Yes
(Insert
Copy of Code of Ethics Policy 201.8) – Exhibit B
IX.C.
Adoption of Shaping the Future
Recommendations
Primary
Motion Passed: Approval of the 5 recommendations as
listed passed with a motion by Clark Froehlich and a second by
Julee Pfeil.
Joel
Carlson
Yes
Paul
Cazabon
Yes
Dr.
Brad Krivohlavek
Yes
Julee
Pfeil
Yes
AlfredoRamirez
Yes
Shaping the Future
Recommendations
Shaping
the Future Committee Recommendation #1: Grade Configuration of K-4 elementary
schools, 5th
& 6th grade (at current middle school),
7th & 8th (at current Jr. High), and grades 9-12 in the
high school.
9th grade students are high
school students for all intents and purposes. This would give them
access to all high school programs, and a continuous 4-year
experience.
Shaping
the Future Recommendation #2: Appropriate amount of space at Sr. High
to accommodate the 9th grade. Strive to maintain a ratio of one
classroom per teacher and until adequate space and team building
has been created, no movement of the 9th grade should occur.
There is a need to balance the
amount of room needed with the enrollment trends for the future –
what is needed to make it work right now but not add so much that
in the future, there is space that is not utilized.
The recommendation is to use an
architect to assist in determining the correct amount of space, and
ideas as to how the “schools of the future” learning environments
may look.
There is a need to add special
education space for some special needs programs, such as the autism
program.
A room for each teacher is a goal
and planning will be done to try to meet this objective, however,
if moving the 9th
grade is the right thing
to do for students then this should not delay the move.
Shaping
the Future Recommendation #3: The Montessori Program should match the
other elementary schools grade configuration; a new home for the
program.
Shaping the Future
Recommendation #4:
Consolidate programs where appropriate. Consolidate elementary
buildings, elementary buildings should be 2-track. Consolidate
pre-school programs at a common location. Alternative program
located at a site close to the high school. Possibly integrate
Learning Center program into an elementary attendance
center.
In a new grade configuration, the
elementary schools would become K-4. There is also a need for a
place for Montessori, Early Childhood, pre-school, and the AFS
program – to address instructional issues. This scenario leads us
to recommend considering closing some buildings and to consider
using others for different programs.
Move the Learning Center into an
elementary building - there will be a need to modify an area to
meet the needs of these students. This will give those students who
are capable the ability to access regular elementary programs more
effectively.
Modify the Learning Center building and use
it for the 19-21 year old program. Students who have not graduated,
but are still in school via their IEP working on transition and
living skills will be utilizing that facility.
AFS -- locate closer to the high
school to provide students with better access to high school
services and programs where appropriate. This aspect is going to
require more discussion and research involving the staff and
administration.
Close Northern Hills as an
elementary attendance center.
Close Sunny Meadow as an elementary
attendance center at the end of the 2008-2009 school
year.
Close Lincoln as an elementary
attendance center.
Relocate the Early Childhood and
all pre-school programs to the first floor of the Lincoln Building.
Relocate the Montessori program to the second floor of Lincoln.
This centrally locates the pre-school programs and provides peer
models and improved facility access (like the gym) for the
ECC.
Shaping
the Future Recommendation #5: Development of transition plans
where changes will occur.
¡
Student Needs:
Planning for 9th grade transition and “academy”
options.
Jr. High to determine middle
school operations and programming (teaming, etc.?)
- Parents, staff, and
administration determine how 5th & 6th grade building will best serve students -- as
an intermediate school. Self-contained classrooms, specials,
programming.
¡ Staffing:
As students move to other buildings, staff will need to move to other buildings as well.
NPS will work with staff to meet the staffing needs if there is a new grade configuration for the district.
Interests of staff, retaining culture of schools will be a priority.
Principals, leadership teams will craft plans that encompass staff members’ strengths with the needs at grade levels.
Certification and compliance with highly qualified standards will need to be a significant factor.
¡ Building Plans:
Each building will need to
develop a plan to communicate with parents and staff.
Each building must develop
readiness and implementation plans, and a supporting
timeline.
¡
Elementary
Boundary:
Develop a plan for boundary
exceptions.
There will be a need to set new
boundaries if we have K-4 attendance centers. A boundary committee
may be formed and include stakeholders.
¡
Building
Preparation:
Evaluate building readiness and
needs for different grade configuration.
Arrange for any work to be
completed for additions, modifications, and safety and security
needs.
X.
Future Meetings
Next
regular meeting will be Monday, June 8, 2009 at 4:30 and 7:30
p.m. The second meeting of the month will be held on
Thursday, May 28, 2009 at 12:00 noon.
XI.
Adjournment
Brad
Krivohlavek, President, declared the meeting adjourned at 8:31
p.m.
_____________________________________
Superintendent
:
