November 14, 2019 at 5:30 PM - GIPS BOE Regular Meeting

Rationale: 

It is 5:30 PM and I now call to order the Grand Island Public Schools Board of Education Meeting.  This is the November 14, 2019 meeting.  Notice of this meeting has been advertised in the Grand Island Independent, which is the District's designated method of giving notice of these meetings.

We want those in attendance to know that copies of the Open Meetings Act are available at the entrance to the Board Room.  If anyone in attendance is interested in addressing our Board, you are welcome to do so.  We simply request that you complete the appropriate form and turn it in to us now so that you may be recognized during the Public Forum part of our meeting.  These forms are also located by the entry doors of this room.

Mrs. Suhr, will you please call the roll?

Rationale:  Roll Call.

Rationale: 

The Mission  

Every Student, Every Day, a Success!  In educating students, we teach hearts as well as minds. 

Student Commitments  

Within the Grand Island Public Schools, 
- Every student will be taught to read, write, and communicate effectively; solve problems; acquire and apply knowledge; and demonstrate mastery through performance to the best of the student's abilities; 
- Every student will be treated with fairness and dignity;
- Every student will be honored for their unique qualities and backgrounds;
- Every student will experience a sense of belonging, contribution, and success; and
- Every student will develop responsibility and show respect for others as well as oneself.   

 

 

Rationale: 

• Each individual addressing the board will be allowed 5 minutes. The Board of Education has the prerogative to limit speaking to 3 minutes when there are three or more patrons to allow speakers an opportunity to address the Board in a timely manner.
• We will not engage in dialogue with patrons presenting to the Board.
• The Board president and superintendent will identify staff to follow-up on information requested from patrons.
• The Board president may share a statement on behalf of the Board when addressing a major issue in the district.
• At regular business meetings any school district-related matter can be presented to the Board, but only agenda items can be acted upon during a given meeting. At special meetings, comments will be limited to the subject of action items of the meeting's agenda. 
• Speakers will not be permitted to make defamatory comments, or use abusive or vulgar language. Expressions of personal complaints about staff or students are discouraged at public meetings. Concerns about individuals should be brought to the attention of the appropriate administrative authority. Specific building or program concerns should be brought to the attention of the building principal or program supervisor. 

Rationale:  The first item on the agenda tonight is the Consent Agenda.  The Consent Agenda to be approved is as follows:

(items read.)

This is the Consent Agenda as published.  Would anyone like to remove any items or add any items to the Consent Agenda? (pause)

Does anyone have a potential conflict of interest on agenda item 5.2? If so, please state the check number that you will be abstaining from voting on.

Rationale:  Minutes of the special meeting - Board Retreat on October 8, 2019. 
Minutes of the regular meeting on October 10, 2019. 
Published notice of the regular meeting on November 14, 2019. 

Rationale:  Change Order No. 03 - Stolley Park

Rationale:  Dr. Toni Palmer will recognize Mr. Jacob Kosmicki for a perfect ACT score and Advanced Placement achievements. 

Rationale:  The Academy of Technical Sciences earned Model status from the National Career Academy Coalition (NCAC) based on the review conducted on October 4, 2019. The Freshman Academy also earned Model status. The academies, faculty, staff, students, and partners were commended for the great work they are doing. This certification is awarded to academies based on the National Standards of Practice. 

Rationale: 

Rationale:  Leah Michel has been selected to receive the Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year Award from the Nebraska Society for Health and Physical Education (SHAPE).  Leah is the Physical Education Teacher at Gates Elementary. She has also been a teacher leader in the development of the elementary physical education curriculum.

Rationale:  Lauren Rathman and Robin Dexter accepted the Sower Award for Grand Island Public Schools at the Employee Healthy Alliance Conference in Kearney on September 27, 2019. 
 

Rationale:  Members of the Ken Fischer family will be at the meeting to be introduced in reference to their efforts to fundraise for the naming rights of the Coach Ken Fischer Varsity Locker Room for the Memorial Stadium  Project.

Rationale:  Dr. Kenneth DeFrank will share information about Success Academy Partnerships and projects that are impacting student connectedness and social-emotional learning needs.

Rationale:  Mr. Covarrubias, Asia Berg, Gear Up and two Barr parents will present
Barr Parent Advisory Committee. Barr has a great group of parents who are excited to partner with them and move the vision forward. 

Rationale:  Starr Student Council representatives will be sharing how their projects improve their school and our community.

Rationale:  Mr. Phillips and Mr. Gilbertson will present an update on the Academies of Grand Island Senior High.

Rationale:  By NE Statute 79-724, School Districts are required to hold two public meetings each year to ensure that the social studies curriculum used in the district is aligned with the social studies standards adopted by the NE Dept of Education. Mrs. Bills will present an overview of the GIPS Social Studies Curriculum. 

Rationale:  This memorandum of understanding ("MOU") contains all of the items of agreement between the National Center for Families Learning (NCFL, the "Consortium" and "Party") and with Grand Island Public Schools at Lincoln Elementary ("Partner" and "Party") (jointly, the "Parties") for the production and delivery of the MOU products and services to support implementation of 4- component family literacy and additional research-based family engagement activities during SY 2018-2023 in support of the Statewide Family Engagement Centers, CFDA Number: 84.310A (the "Program") in Nebraska.  Mrs. Worthington will update the Board of the revised MOU with NCFL.
 
 

Rationale:  Per current state statute, Nebraska school districts are required to have an independent audit conducted annually. Grand Island Public Schools contracts with the independent audit firm of Almquist, Maltzahn, Galloway, & Luth, P.C. to conduct the annual audit. Marcy Luth will give an executive overview of the 2018 - 2019 audit report and answer questions. An action item to accept and place the 2018 - 2019 audit report on file will appear on the December 2019 meeting agenda. Additionally, the audit report is posted on the District's website along with past years' reports.

Rationale:  Memorial Stadium will soon be the out state crown jewel sports complex in the Midwest. Every effort has been made to put into place exceptional high quality ‘value for the money’ activities complex with  new west stadium, new and renovated east stadium, seating, lighting, field turf, sound, track timing equipment, etc. The one piece missing is a modern video display board and updated scoreboard. In an effort to put this asset in place, much like we did for the GISH west gym, we are proposing the largest "Class A" video display board and scoreboard in the State of Nebraska and the region. In order to pay for this we are proposing three level of partnerships with local vendors who would sponsor and support the endeavor. Mrs. Worthington will review the sponsorships and Mr. Harden will review the financial plan for the project. This is informational only as the financing and purchase order will not happen until all sponsorship levels are ‘sold’ prior to placing the order. This item will not come up for action until such time as that stipulation has been met.

Rationale:  Dr. Dexter will present the proposed District Calendar for 2020 2021 and share the committee decision-making processes that went into the proposal.

Rationale:  Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) were created in 2003 so that individuals covered by high-deductible health plans could receive tax-preferred treatment of money saved for medical expenses.  Generally, an adult who is covered by a high-deductible health plan (and has no other first-dollar coverage) may establish an HSA. In order to manage individuial employee accounts Grand Island Public Schools needs to work with a Third Party Administrator (TPA). This way individual employees can manage their own health care expenses within the Health Savings Account structure provided by Internal Revenue Service rules and regulations.

Rationale:  Removal of the Templeton Institutional Fund International Equity Series Primary Shares and addition of the DFA International Value Portfolio (I) (Ticker: DFIVX) ("DFA Fund").

Union Bank & Trust Company ("Union Bank") has made Grand Island Public Schools aware of a change to its mutual fund platform that affects the Grand Island Public Schools 403(b)/457(b) Plan (the "Plans") for the investment option "Templeton Institutional Fund International Equity Series Primary Shares".
The removal of Templeton Institutional Fund International Equity Series Primary Shares (Ticker: TFEQX) ("Templeton Fund") and addition of DFA International Value Portfolio (I) (Ticker: DFIVX) ("DFA Fund").

The Plan currently offers the Templeton Fund, which seeks long-term capital growth by investing primarily in companies located outside the United States, including companies located in developing market countries. Union Bank is removing the Templeton Fund from its mutual fund platform and replacing it with the DFA Fund. The Templeton Fund has experienced significant analyst turnover recently, has shown disappointing risk adjusted return results in recent periods, and has a higher expense ratio compared to the DFA Fund.

The DFA Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation by investing in securities of non-U.S. companies in countries with developed markets considered to be value stocks.

Rationale:  Ray O'Connor has approached Grand Island Public Schools with an offer to donate part of the old ShopKo building for the express purpose of converting the space into a new "O'Connor Early Learning Center" to replace the old Early Learning Center space in the old Engleman Elementary Building. Mr. Harden will review a draft of the resources and uses of funds to renovate the donated space and the timeline, scope, and sequence of the proposal as currently envisioned.

Rationale:  Grand Island Public Schools annually prepares and reviews a budgeting development process calendar for the subsequent fiscal year in order to properly communicate, plan, and administer the various duties associated with the budgeting process.  The Facilities and Finance Committee of the Board of Education has reviewed the proposed fiscal year 2020 - 2021 budget calendar for review in November and adoption in December.

Rationale:  The current four year transportation services agreement ends at the end of the 2019 - 2020 school year. Over the years the agreement has bifurcated into some vehicles being owned by Grand Island Public Schools (i.e. type "A" mini buses used for transporting students with physical disabilities) and some vehicles being owned by the services provider (i.e. all other buses). As the age of the vehicles and the cost of replacement looms large it is the recommendation of the administration to divest of the District owned (i.e. type "A" mini buses) and seek to administer any future transportation services agreement(s) with the vendor providing all aspects of the services (i.e. drivers, vehicles, fuel, insurance, etc.). Additionally, administration recommends selling the current assets (i.e. type "A" mini buses) as a single group (all eleven vehicles) via a highest bid process.

Rationale:  Grand Island Public Schools currently offers employees who qualify the dual option of enrolling in a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) or a High Deductible Health Savings Plan Eligible (HDHSAE) option.  Currently the price difference between the two options is roughly $100 per month or $1,200 annually. The current benefit does not allow for the savings to be passed on to the employee as this is the first calendar year we have offered the HSA option. The change would be to have the District place the savings for employees who enroll directly into the employees HSA account. There would be no additional cost to the District since the amounts would match with this change in benefit.

Rationale: 

Madison Lane, student representative, will present a report on GISH activities.

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Mr. Petsch will present the construction update. 

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Dr. Grover will present the superintendent report. 

Rationale:  The Grand Island Education Association continues to represent the bargaining unit covered by the 2019-20 Master Agreement and is recognized as the exclusive bargaining agent for negotiations for the 2020-21 contract year.
The Association requests that Grand Island Public Schools recognize the Association as the exclusive bargaining agent for the 2021-2022 contract year for the unit it presently represents. 

Rationale:  Mrs. Skalberg will present information on Memorial Stadium Naming Rights. 

Rationale:  A monthly report to the Board and community on the major items discussed and under consideration in the Facility and Finance Committee. 

Rationale:  A monthly report to the Board and community on the major items discussed and under consideration in the Leading for Learning Committee.

Rationale:  A monthly report to the Board and community on the major items discussed and under consideration in the Personnel Committee.

Rationale:  A monthly report to the Board and community on the major items discussed and under consideration in the Policy Committee.

Rationale:  A monthly report to the Board and community on the major items discussed and under consideration in the Public Relations and Partnership Development Committee.

Rationale:  A monthly report to the Board and community on the major items discussed and under consideration in the Board Governance Committee. 

Rationale:  A monthly report to the Board and community on the major items discussed and under consideration by the Grand Island Public Schools Foundation.

Rationale:  A monthly report to the Board and community on the major items discussed and under consideration by The Greater Nebraska Schools Association and Legislative Updates.

Rationale:  A monthly update from the Nebraska Association of School Boards.  

Rationale: 

The Board will convene into executive session for the purpose of discussing real estate and negotiations.