OFFICIAL MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING
OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
BOX ELDER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Work Session
A work session was held at 5:30 p.m. Principals Colleen Shaffer, Kristi Capener, and Scott Hunsaker reported on their schools. The Box Elder Education Association had representatives from Alice C. Harris Intermediate and Bear River High School who presented to the Board at 6:45 about good things they are doing.
Tentative minutes of a Regular Meeting of the Board of Education, Box Elder County School District, held Wednesday evening December 9, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. at Bear River Middle School in Garland, Utah.
Those in attendance at the meeting included Board President Lynn Capener, Vice President Wade Hyde, Members Nancy Kennedy, Bryan Smith, Karen Cronin, and Carrie Ann Johnson and student board member Madison Wight. Also present were Superintendent Ron Tolman, Assistant Superintendents, Darin Nielsen and Terry Jackson, Business Administrator Rod Cook, officers of the Box Elder Education Association, district employees, representatives of the press and interested citizens.
President Capener welcomed those in attendance and conducted the business of the meeting. After the prayer, which was offered by Terry Jackson, Lynn Capener led the audience in the pledge of allegiance.
Recognitions
Wade Hyde recognized the following people:
Jim Pugsley - Bear River High School Volunteer
Sonya Spackman - Park Valley Volunteer
Melanie Day - Box Elder High School Drama Footloose Production
Jeffrey Scott Parsons - Choreographer of Footloose
Hayden Adams - National AP Scholar
Bear River High School FFA Greenhouse - Poinsettia plants
Hayden Adams - National AP Scholar at BEHS
Justin Griffiths - public comment last month
JeuneElle Jefferies - Organizing and promoting the STEM with AG event
Norm Nelson & David Kilfoyle - VFW representatives
Lee Perry - State Legislator
Peter Knudson - State Senator
Scott Sandall - State Legislator
Celebration of 50 Years of Bear River Middle School
The Board recessed to attend a short portion of a program in the BRMS gym celebrating the 50-year anniversary for the school.
Approval of Agenda
Nancy Kennedy made the motion to accept the agenda. Bryan Smith seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Public Comment
Sally Bitner of Garland addressed the board about her concern regarding the planned change from a wood floor to a VCT floor at Bear River Middle. She would like the board to reconsider keeping the current floor.
Action Items
Approval of the 2016-17 School Calendar
The responsibility for setting the school calendar rests with the Board of Education. The administration, with the approval of the Board of Education, surveyed students, parents, and staff regarding their suggestions and preferences for the calendar. As one might imagine, there was a wide variety of opinions regarding the optimal school calendar. Three calendars were developed by the administration for the survey. The survey was tabulated and analyzed on December 2, 2015. Based on the results of the survey, it was determined that Option C (with a 10 day Christmas break, 2 day fall break, 2 day Spring break, and classes ending on Friday, May 26, before Memorial Day) was the first choice for approximately 56% of those completing the survey (a total of 2,745 respondents compared to last year when there were 1,639 respondents). It should be noted that this calendar begins later in August and should help mitigate the difficulties associated with holding school during August when the temperatures are typically higher than in September. There are shorter and fewer vacation days in this calendar, but school concludes prior to Memorial Day. A summary of the data follows.
2016-2017 School Calendar Survey Summary
As of 3 p.m. on Tuesday, December 2, we had 2,745 responses to the school calendar survey. Of the 2,745 voting, 1,719 were parents, 583 were certified staff, 50 were administrators or those associated with administration, 216 were support staff, and 177 were students. Option C was the first choice of each group surveyed.
The Board should be aware that in recent years, but not last year, the State Legislature has allowed some flexibility in the number of days of instruction required by permitting some latitude (typically 4-5 days) in substituting professional development days for instructional days. If that should occur, it is possible that some minor changes could be recommended in the future pending Legislative action. Currently the two added professional development days are scheduled at the beginning of the year but that may change if schools feel they would be more valuable at other times than all at the front of the calendar.
Administration recommended that the Board approve proposed calendar C for the 2016-2017 school year
Karen Cronin made the motion to approve the recommended calendar (option C). Wade Hyde seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Information/Discussion Items
Bear River Health Department - Sharp Survey Data
David Watkins, from Bear River Health Department, presented the SHARP survey data to the Board concerning drug and alcohol use among students in the district.
Evaluation Process for the Superintendent
Terry Jackson discussed the evaluation process and timeline for the superintendent with the Board.
Policy review
The following policies were presented for approval on third reading:
2040 Audits
2135 Capital Outlay Reporting
3092 Nursing Mothers in the workplace
4015 Adoption of Textbooks/Digital Curriculum and Instructional Materials
4060 High School Graduation,
4188 Animals on School Premises
4190 Driver Training
5055 Vision Screening
5275 Sexual Harassment
6015 School Community Councils
Karen Cronin made the motion that policy 4060 be approved on third reading with the deletion of item 6 on policy 4060. Item 6 should have already been deleted in this draft. Bryan Smith seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Nancy Kennedy approved the remaining of the above policies on third reading. Carrie Ann Johnson seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
The following policies were presented for approval on second reading:
2030 Procurement/Purchasing
4030 Elementary School Curriculum
4050 Middle School Requirements 7th & 8th Grade
5003 Parent Rights to Academic Accommodations
5035 Attendance Requirements
5070 Communicable Diseases
5100 Student Records
Bryan Smith made the motion to approve the above policies on second reading. Wade Hyde seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
The following policies were presented for approval on first reading:
1025 Administration Relations
1037 Employment Assignment of Relatives
1070 Board Meetings Procedures
1072 Board Meetings Notice Requirements
1074 Board Meetings and Closed Meetings
3100 Employee References and Letters of Recommendation
5140 Education and Family Privacy Rights
5270 Bullying and Hazing
5350 Student Complains - Resolution
6000 Public Records Access Management
Lynn Capener expressed concern about policy 5270 the possibility of bullying of employee families. The superintendent took on the assignment to check into his concerns and report back.
Carrie Ann Johnson wanted to make sure that students would be made aware of their rights to have an adult present when they are pursuing a complaint.
Nancy Kennedy made the motion to approve the above policies on second reading. Bryan Smith seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Board Discussion Items
The Board reviewed goals and there were no suggested changes. They also reviewed school visits for December and January.
The Board discussed Chapters 3 and 4 of the 'Mindset the New Psychology of Success'
Monthly Financial Report
Financial Report
Rod Cook, Business Administrator reviewed the November Financial Report with the board.
Consent Calendar
Bryan Smith moved to accept the consent items. Carrie Ann Johnson seconded the motion , which passed unanimously. The Consent Calendar included the following items:
Approval of the minutes of the regular board meeting of November 11, 2015.
Approval of claims numbered 00015248-00015558, 08113015, 09112015, 09113015, 01100013-01100043 and the school activity checks for the month of November.
Personnel Items
Site Employee Position Replacing Reason
BRMS Ryan Hannah Spanish teacher Bobbie Hannah Temporary until Bobbie can return
BEMS Paul Hancock Math teacher Megan Bushnell Temporary
District Office Tara Johnston Special Ed New Position Temporary
Adjournment
With the announcement that the next meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 13, 2016 at the District Office. A closed session will be held from 5:30 to 6:15 for the purpose of completing the evaluation of the Superintendent. President Capener adjourned the meeting at 8:35 p.m.
APPROVED: January 13, 2016
ATTESTED:
School Business Administrator Vice President, Board of Education
Box Elder School District
Notice of Special Accommodations (ADA)
Contact Mr. Rodney Cook, Business Administrator at 435-734-4800 eight or more hours before the scheduled starting time and efforts will be made to provide the needed assistance.