October 9, 2008 at 6:30 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale:  It is 6:30 PM and I now call to order the Grand Island Public Schools Board of Education Meeting.  This is the October 9, 2008 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.

May we please call the roll?

Rationale:  Mrs. Wagner, will you please call the roll.

Rationale: 

The Mission

Every Student, Every Day, a Success

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 experience a sense of belonging, contribution, and success; and

every student will develop responsibility and show respect for others as well as oneself.

In educating students, we teach hearts as well as minds.

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? 

Rationale: 

Annually, the Grand Island Education Association (GIEA) seeks to be recognized as the sole bargaining unit for the Districts certificated staff members.  The Board of Education by recognizing the Grand Island Education Association as such officially allows the administration to enter into contract negotiations for the following school year and beyond.

Rationale:  Compared to state averages Grand Island Public Schools offers two less academic days than other comparable districts.   Through the negotiation process the District has added one of those days into the 2008-09 calendar.  By making April 13th (the day after Easter) an instructional day and April 10th (Good Friday) a professional development day for performance assessment scoring the number of instructional days will be increased by one for the 2008 - 2009 academic year.   

Rationale: 

Annually all Nebraska school districts must pass a resolution setting the tax levy for the operation of the district's budget.  Earlier tonight we conducted a public hearing regarding the levy with the rate changes as noted below;

FUND                    FY08-09        FY07-08        CHANGE
General                 $1.000000       $0.945000     +$0.055000
Bond                     $0.125692       $0.137474      -$0.011783
Special Building      $0.050785       $0.105809      -$0.055024
QCPUF                   $0.021211       $0.021941      -$0.000729
Totals                    $1.197688       $1.210225     -$0.012537

Rationale: 

Engleman Elementary School Utility Easement is necessary so the City of Grand Island Utilities Department can own, maintain, and repair the water line and hydrant that were placed to the north of the building.

Rationale: 

Current school bus transportation route utilization indicates that all secondary bus routes are well balanced and full while the elementary route is getting more usage and should increase between now and the end of the school year.  A fifth route needs to be added for Walnut to serve areas currently un-served.

 

Current routes are costing $245,000 an additional bus route is estimated to cost $45,000, while the total transportation budget for FY08-09 is $300,000.

 

Busing appears to help with truancy issues but more analytical data will be developed as the year progresses and a year end review on the effectiveness of busing to reduce truancy issues will be conducted.

Rationale: 

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) passed new rules and regulations in 2007 that all school districts in the United States must have an 403(b) plan in place on or before January 1, 2009.  This document needs to be approved and signed in order to have the plan in fully in place by January 1, 2009. There are a few remaining items that need to be clarified by legal council before the plan can be signed and fully in place.  Therefore, administration is seeking BOE approval of the 403(b) plan with implementation after final legal council review.

Rationale:  Three responses to our bid letting for the building addition and alterations to Shoemaker Elementary Building were received and open on Tuesday, September 30, 2008 at 2:00 P.M.  The lowest bidder is Try-Valley Builders.

Base Bid – Addition & Alterations              $3,468,000

Alt. No. 1a – New Gym Floor – Poured      $     51,000

Alt. No. 2 – Gym Ceiling Tile                       $       4,644

Alt. No. 3 - Acoustical Panel Ceiling           $              0

Alt. No. 4 – No Coordination Drawings      ($    20,850)

    Grand Total                                             $3,502,794

Rationale:  November 13, 2008 - 6:30 pm - Regular Board Meeting - Kneale Administration Building