SD2 Governance Special Meeting - July 28 2014

Committees:

• Board members, who have been on the board for a while, are presenting a history of committees the last 5-10 years. These committees became open to all members because of trust issues...which increased workload on board members. 
• They are looking at a committee to vet the budget before it gets to the monthly board meeting.
• Now there is no committee structure. Every thing is done in ad hoc.
• It was noted that the board as a group needs goals and a vision that unifies the group. Then committees can be trusted to do work on behalf of the board.
• They are considering committees...Shareholders...Planning and Development...Performance Monitoring.
• Motion made to make these committees and it passes.

Notes from SD2 Board Meeting 7/21/2014

Superintendent Report:

• There is an opportunity to raise more money for Project Lead The Way
• Plans are in place in getting all elementary schools and middle schools in the project in 4 years.
• If the graduation rate continues to go up, the school district is looking to make the career center a full high school. SD2 is putting together a planning team needed one trustee representative. 
• Naming of facilities...policy 9250...board will need to appoint a committee. 
• Aug 7th Strategic Planning...Ned talking to leadership team. This is a training session.
• Big Sky Games - SD2 had reps there.

Middle School Update:

• Offsite Development package - Bid comes in this week. Work starts on Aug 1 - through Nov.

Deferred Maintenance:

• 77 out 78 given to local contractors.
• McKinley and Broadwater only has one out of town contractor (brick restoration...none in town)

Cottonwood Land Site:

• 2007 SD2 purchased 10 acres of land. School district has 3 years to put a school on it per agreement. Better to put elementary school on existing middle school site (in addition) on 56th and Grand. 
• Board Approved meeting with parties involved. Superintendent wants a public hearing.

Redistricting Committee:

• Approved rescinding board reps to committee.
• Approved converting board reps to committee liaisons.
• Approved Committee members in board packet.
• 3 members are school employees...requested they act as community members.
• Approved Roles and Responsibilities of committee in board packet.
• Criteria/Guidelines in the board packet tabled to discussed at next Planning and Development Committee meeting.

Budget:

• Charter Disputing taxes caused a lower taxable value for them. Might cause an tax increase to other taxpayers.
• Budget is balanced and does not use one-time money. 
• Goal is to not spend 1% of the budget and put in reserves.
• Expanding capacity (teachers) to get ready for new middle schools.
• Added some money to capital improvements for high schools.
• Increased pay for substitutes. +$15 for Certified teachers and +$10 for non-certified.
• Prelim Budget approved.

Superintendent Contract:

• 2% raise and cell phone.
• Approved by the board.

Notes from SD2 7/7/14 Planning and Development Committee Meeting

On Bond Projects

• Stairwells in McKinley - Looking at converting one stairwell into breakout space. There were historic concerns, but utility of the space is more important for upper level classrooms. $70 a square foot to repurpose space and will cost $20,000 total. Community will not know that there used to be a stairwell there. Project budget may not allow this. Project needs bids to come below expectations to pay for this. Teachers want breakout space. Decision was made to delay to next board meeting.
• Annex in McKinley is gone. Boiler and Gym is gone. Working on restrooms on 1st floor and 2nd floor.
• Broadwater - Late permit created delays. Did some duct work and in process of re-roofing. Carpeting discussion has ensued. Restoring hard surfaces are not in the budget for classrooms. Suggestion to go with hard surfaces with a rugs. 
• Heights Middle School - Off site bid package is out - development of Barrett Road and utilities. Includes regrading of one site property. CTEP funding was received for path from school to bike path. Goal is to get baseball fields ready for Spring 2015. Grass seeding needs to get done soon enough.

Redistricting

• Approval of team members - Criteria for selection: Members spread out across the district. Rush hour considerations. 26 people were selected. Keller and Lundgren are chair and vice chair. Board approves sending this to full board.
• Roles and Responsibilities - School Board and Superintendent encouraged to stay hands-off. Showing the community that the board trusts the community. Cropper wants to let the committee to do the work. Board members expected to serve as a resource. District will provide information via website...everything. Looking to rescind board motion that put board members as part as the committee. Board approved the roles and responsibilities. Hoping to bring two scenarios to board to approve one.
• Guiding principles and criteria - Cropper wants to look at all criteria as a whole. Criteria is below. Question of feeders to middle schools. What if a county wants to send 6th graders to SD2 middle schools? Target of 92% capacity for middle schools. Lots of unknowns, so may have to develop scenarios. Bouck contacted all feeder school districts. He wants to keep them informed. Blue Creek will vote to go to K-5 once schools are opened. Might be others. Onus on school district to provide good assumptions in this area. Cropper will give a number of students impacted by each plan (change schools). Motion carries.

 Minimize impact on students: Move as few students as possible during the process. 

 

 Balance building utilization 

 

 Contiguous boundaries: Remove ‘satellite’ zones that exist in the district and create zones that are contiguous around the schools (1 zone per school) if possible. 

 

 Make all efforts to not split identifiable community components: Do not split apartments and/or subdivisions if at all possible 

 

 Maximize transportation efficiency and walk-ability whenever possible 

 

 Maximize safety of students by defining boundaries along major geographic features such as roads, rivers, and railroads. Try to minimize students crossing over major roads if possible. 

 

 Examine the impact on socio-economics of schools with any redistricting change 

 

 Try to have 100% feeder pattern continuity if possible: Try to feed entire elementary zones into a single middle school i.e. Minimize the number of times elementary school zones are split when continuing to middle school. 

 

 Be pro-active for future potential growth if at all possible 

Cottonwood Land Site

• 10 acre land site in the west end. Agreement in 2007 between some individuals, city, and SD2.
• November 2017 deadline to build elementary school or SD2 has to sell land back to city for $200,000. 
• Attorney that wrote the agreement thinks that SD2 cannot build an elementary school by Nov 2017. Agreement amendment unlikely to extend time.
• Not saying that west-end will not need an elementary school.
• Prefer elementary and middle school on the same site for cost savings.
• Demographics will be reviewed in 2016...in regrads to elementary school needs. SD2 does not know if an additional elementary in the west-end is needed. 
• Superintendent will be looking for direction at the next full school board meeting. 
• Middle school site a better location for an elementary school. 
• There is a high school piece on 48th and Central if a new high school is needed. 39 acres.

Planning Committee Schedule

• Redistricting committee meeting on the first Tuesday of the month. 
• Proposal to move Planning on the second Monday of the month starting August 2014. Passes.

Board Governance Meeting

• Look at August. Halter will recommend dates. Only 90 minute meeting. July 28 530 pm.

Technology Infrastructure RFP

• switches...wifi...etc. Motion passes
• bond funding source.

Chromebooks RFP

• Technology levy funding source. Motion passes.