Jan. 13, 2004

Board President Daren Reese poses with March board/teacher panel Superior Service Award recipient Lori Moore, activities director at Presbyterian Manor, at the April 12 board of education meeting. Moore was the volunteer award recipient Not pictured is certified staff award recipient Mark Richardson, technology lab teacher at the middle school.

Last night the USD 470 board of education discussed the 2004-2005 budget. Assistant Superintendent/Business Manager Dr. Ron Ballard gave the board members a three-column page outlining 1) projected expenditure increases, 2) possible revenue increases/decreases and 3) possible new monies through growth and taxation funds.

With the no concurrence from House/Senate committees on school finance, the figures are projections. It is possible that the current $25 per pupil shown on the page as a possible taxation and growth fund could be enhanced to $50 per pupil. However, if that does occur, Ballard said, the district may expect some other funding category (example: at-risk) to be lowered.

Dr. Ballard indicated that the three-column page is a “living document” and that nothing is binding. “The [budget] discussion has to begin somewhere,” he said.

Dr. Ballard said the administration is looking at adding a full-time school resource officer and sharing the cost with another agency. The administration is also looking at the possibility of other school safety projects such as cameras, monitors and a video system at the high school and possibly other schools in the district.

“ We have made a commitment to safe and orderly schools,” Dr. Ballard said. “We have reached an era in our schools where safety is at the forefront…. There are some needs that just can’t be bypassed for kids.”

By the first board meeting in May, Dr. Ballard said, the administration should have some printouts showing the results of a school finance bill, if the legislature can compromise and concur.

In relationship to the budget, the board also discussed the strategic plan. Board President Daren Reese said he feels like dollar amounts need to be put with the recommendations of the strategic planning committee.

Superintendent Dr. Perry L. Perkins said there are some other hardly mentioned but very powerful items the committee recommended, such as full-day kindergarten. He asked the board members how they would like the administration to proceed in analyzing the information.

Board members agreed that they wish to keep the committee members involved. Board members also feel that more work needs to be done in terms of costs and priorities. Dr. Perkins said he also would like to see the recommendations of the past blue ribbon committee incorporated into the plan.

Reese said he would come back to the board with some possible dates for a future special work session on the strategic plan with members of the strategic planning committee.

ACHS Activities Director Tom Hollingsworth updated the board last night on the organizing of the new league. The new league, the Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League currently is comprised of 24 schools divided into four divisions, although changes could still come. For example, Pratt has just petitioned to join the AVCTL.

Hollingsworth said activities directors from the schools represented in the new league have been meeting for more than a year to discuss the formation of this league. He said he has tried to do what was in the best interest of our community.

Board Vice President Gary Wilson complimented Hollingsworth on his continuing efforts. “It looks like you’ve met the goals you set out early in the year to accomplish,” he said. “Great job.”

Hollingsworth did recommend that the district start selling tickets on basketball nights prior to the start of the ninth grade games. The other member schools either do this already or they will start in the 2004-2005 year. He also said the BOE should consider charging admission for additional varsity and sub-varsity events.

In other business the board:

• Received a Good News Recognition from Kristen Martinez. She presented the March board/teacher panel Superior Service Award recipients to the board. Reese presented them with a district logo watch and a certificate. The following were the honorees:
  o Certified staff: Mark Richardson, technology lab teacher at ACMS
  o Community volunteer: Lori Moore, activities director at Presbyterian Manor
  
• Accepted certified resignations from Katherine Chance, library media specialist at C-4 and Roosevelt; Mark Chance, ACHS math teacher; Helen Cleveland, third grade teacher at IXL; Katherine Scraper, Title I at Frances Willard; and Kelly Shultz, ACHS English teacher.
  
• Approved the hiring of the following certified elementary staff members: Julina Beck, Sarah Boline, Rochelle Gray, Luann Hoskins and Teresa Whitener.
  
• Accepted classified resignations from Geydy Cruz, ESL tutor; Sandra Johnston, Title VII Native American tutor; and Mary Whitley, aide at ACES.
  
• Approved the hiring of the following classified staff members: Alma Muñoz, ESL tutor; Patricia Laughlin, ESL tutor; and Janice Thompson, aide at ACES.
  
• Approved the following items on consent agenda: bids for high school locker project and welders; 2004-2005 student and discipline handbooks; and accepted the Title IIB grant.
  
• Approved an inter-local agreement, with addenda, and adopted the authorizing resolution, contingent upon City of Arkansas City government action. This resolution would help facilitate the proposed expansion of the City Neighborhood Revitalization Program. The USD 470 BOE has taken similar action previously, when the city proposed a much smaller, limited revitalization program. This type of agreement by the city and related taxing units (such as the school district and college) abates taxes on ONLY the improvement, not the existing taxable property. City Manager Curt Freeland was at the meeting to take questions from the board.
  
• Approved the add/delete suggestions regarding middle school computer keyboarding course. The current required seventh-grade keyboarding class will be deleted. In its place will be an elective eighth-grade keyboarding/computer class. Students who have not met the proficiency guidelines at the seventh grade would be required to take the class in eighth grade. Students have the option of testing out of the class. The new class at the eighth-grade level meets the state’s requirement for a sequence of three classes, in combination with two classes at the high school.
  
• Discussed a book study rotation for board members. Board President Daren Reese asked all the board members to complete a one-page questionnaire from the book they are studying and return it to him. At the April 26 BOE meeting, Reese said he will compile the results and put it up for display. “A strong board and a strong leadership team lead to progress and increased student achievement,” Reese said when discussing why he asked the board to study the book.
  
• Met in executive session for consultation with the board’s attorney on a matter protected by the attorney-client privilege and to protect the privilege and the board’s position in litigation.

The next regular meeting of the board will be April 26, at 7 p.m. at C-4 Elementary School. PALS also will give a school report at that meeting. All meetings of the board are open to the public.