Notes from Dec 2 2014 SD2 Redistricting Committee Meeting

Goals for the night: Review new data and handouts. Discuss 5 scenarios. Chose top 4 for community information session.

Enrollment forecast update: Previous forecast 366 too high. Grades K,1,2,3 had biggest losses. Some students even went to Laurel. Due to migration to private schools and outlying school districts. Once families migrate to outlying districts, they will stay there and SD2 will not see them until middle or high school. Rate can change once middle schools come online and elementary schools are less crowded.

Students east of west end schools are generating complaints from community for being moved out of walkable schools.

Presentation of options:

• Option 1 has area from Lake Hills Golf Course to Lake Elmo going to Sandstone. Other 4 options have them going to Eagle Cliffs. 
• Option 1 has McKinley feeding into Riverside middle school...concerns of too much free and reduced lunch demographics.
• Lots of discussion about area just east of Arrowhead and west of 32nd street. If Ironwood and Copper Ridge kids go to Arrowhead, then these students have to cross 32nd street to Boulder.

Dec 2 2014 SD2 Board Operations Committee Meeting Notes

Superintendent recommends that school district not put a mill levy on the ballot May 2015. Too busy to properly promote it.

Committee Policies: Discussion on what to do if a committee member doesn't attend 2-3 consecutive meetings. They took all language related to this out of policy. Requirement of committee chairs to be on the board for one year before being appointed.

Sending trustees to national convention:  do not want to send someone up for election or are planning to leave board. Want to limit to 3 members. Priority to those that didn't go the previous year. Give priority to committee chairs.

Nov 17 2014 SD2 Board Meeting Notes

Superintendent Report:

• Career Center funding - SD2 wants to work with the legislature to get more funding for tech education.
• Strategic Planning - Community input will be in January at the 4 middle schools

Bond:

• Dick Anderson came up with numbers $2 million higher than A&E for East Heights Middle School. Local contractors raising prices because of supply and demand. Water line $250,000 and Heights Water District would not come down. 

Revised Enrollment Forecast:

• Cropper reviewed their assumptions that didn't work out. 300 students moved to outlying districts than expected and 200 students moved to private schools than expected.
• These forecasts are used for the 5 year financial forecasts.
• Elementary capacity looks good given the latest student enrollment forecast.
• Elder Grove got 34 BPS students. Billings Christian got ~52 students from BPS.
• Blue Creek might send 6th graders (35) to BPS middle schools.

Safety:

• Schools do 5 evacuation drills a year...1 offsite. 1 shelter in place drill. One lock down and one intruder.
• Worried about communication...thinking of purchasing radios, because cells may not work.
• $220,000 spent on Elementary and Middle Schools for security systems.

Redistricting:

• Cropper provided a 2nd round of drafts.
• Dec 16th is a community forum. 
• Transportation time - Matt is working with Sondra Baker to account for this. It will be available for the Dec 2nd meeting.
• They have to account special needs kids moving back to their regions. Will open up 8 classrooms in the Career Center.

Deferred Maintenance:

• 14 million dollars of projects done in 47 days. 90% local contractors. $14 million expected again this summer as long as they get good pricing. They expect to do more than promised.

Performance Monitoring:

• Accreditation - Still issues at K-2. Much improved from 2 years ago, but still work to do.

Stake Holders:

• Each elementary school in the Heights has a representative in school naming committee.

Board Operations:

• Motion made to approve superintendent goals for this school year. Approved 9-0

Nov 11 2014 Notes from Stakeholder relations Committee Meeting

SHAC report:

• Meeting 2nd Wed of the month
• Had a meeting with vendors to discuss the new standards. Vendors had no problems.
• Team will be setting goals for this year...mainly related to policy.

School Naming Committee Update:

• Only two applications...extended to Friday
• Tuesday Nov 18th 6 pm Room 213 Lincoln Center

Nov 11 2014 notes for SD2 planning development committee.

Middle School Construction Report:

• 90 percent complete with grading of site.
• Getting a head start on building footings.
• Storm drain complete.
• Documents are almost complete.
• A&E, Dick Anderson Construction, and Halting are resolving cost estimates.
• Within $1 million spread in estimates and they are trying to resolve.
• 1-2 million above budget right now.
• Concession stand for ballparks might be on the chopping block. Storage could be appended to dugouts.
• They want to make sure that K-2 playground equipment is re-installed.
• Site costs are driving overage costs.

Revised Enrollment Forecast:

• Bubble has been replaced with sustained growth. 
• Numbers will be input in revised 5 year financial plan (Dec).
• 2012 forecast was 2.3 percent higher than actual.
• The wave of kids are there, but not in our public schools.
• Rate of private schools 1/3. Rate of moving to surrounding districts 2/3.
• Revised forecast still show increases at all levels, but magnitude not as high.
• Elementary schools running at 103% capacity now...going to 93%.
• Migration rates may go back once redistricting is implemented.

Safety:

• Cameras and lockdowns. Keypads at high schools. Access via cards. 

Deferred Maintenance:

• Bids going out. On track to get all promised projects done.

Broadwater and McKinley:

• On schedule and on budget. Normal delays with winter weather. 

Redistricting:

• Lots more community input in last meeting.
• Concerns of amount of time students are on buses.

Notes for Nov 4 2014 SD2 board operations Committee meeting

Superintendent Goals:

• Board will approve a goals document at the board meeting. Some discussion on Math Proficiency Rates.

Notes for Nov 4 2014 SD2 Performance Monitoring Committee Meeting

Budget:

• 91 student increase for K-8. Anticipated ~343 increase. Still have Dec and Feb counts. SB75 money was put into contingency.
• Mils increased 3.67 to 7.03 for special education - SB191 brings in ~$600,000 into the tuition fund.  Assessed already on Property tax bills.

Enrollment:

• 250 students short of projections in K-8
• 50 students above of projections in 9-12

Class size and accreditation standards:

• 24.3 times teaching station determines capacity of building.