USD 231 Board Briefs (August 2022)
August 15, 2022
USD 231 is proud of our partnerships with many stakeholders (students, parents, employees, churches, local vendors, etc.). Often, due to these partnerships, our students and employees are the recipients of generous donations. This month, the Board of Education took time to recognize individuals, groups, and vendors for their support of our students, staff, and district. The complete list can be found in the picture on the right.
Building Needs Assessment (10.1)
Kansas House Bill 2567 requires local Boards of Education to complete a needs assessment for each school when approving the budget. The needs assessment should cover monitoring the progress of each building and evaluating curriculum, staffing, and facility needs.
Tiffany Morawiec, Director of Business and Finance, and Christi Whitter, Director of Elementary Education, presented the assessments conducted by each building.
After a thorough analysis, the following budget considerations could have the biggest impact on student achievement:
- A strategic plan to more adequately identify the needs and goals of all stakeholders.
- Implementation of a safety plan to ensure students and staff are not only physically safe but also focus on prevention, identification, and intervention concerning trauma and mental health issues.
- Ensure resources are allocated efficiently.
- Increase salary to recruit and retain high-quality certified and classified staff.
- Increased funding to expand additional learning opportunities (i.e., before/after school, summer, etc.).
- Additional substitutes or paid time for work outside the contract day allows staff time to collaborate, plan, and continue their professional development.
- Additional funding addresses the social-emotional welfare and needs of students and their families.
- Purchasing instructional resources to address the specific needs of students with gaps in their learning.
- Saving funds for future curriculum resource adoptions.
Special Education Retention Proposals (10.2)
Special Education Retention Proposals (10.2)
Shay Carter, Director of Special Education, Dr. Jody Marshall, Director of Human Resources, and Tiffany Morawiec, Director of Business and Finance, shared a proposal to attract and retain hard-to-fill special education positions.
The USD 231 Board of Education and administrative team have already taken several steps to address staffing issues within the special education department, including:
Classified staff - paraeducator pay adjustments (more to do)
Premium pay retention bonus for all staff for the last two years
Continuity in Special Education Department - Coordinators and Support Staff at District Office
Hired a Special Education Director
Held a BOE Listening Session (May 2022)
Formed a 2022-23 Negotiations Subcommittee
Conducting a Special Education Organizational Scan
Operating with an ongoing awareness that Special Education is BOE/Superintendent/Admin Team's top PRIORITY.
The incentive plan includes the following components for special education certified staff for the 2022-2023 school Year:
- $500.00 hard-to-fill stipend for all certified staff regardless of FTE.
- Up to $250.00 to special education-related service providers in the form of reimbursement for re-licensure, either application for the actual license renewal or course work to qualify for re-licensure.
- Up to $1000.00 tuition reimbursement for certified staff currently employed in a special education position and concurrently enrolled in a KSDE-approved alternative special education licensure program.
The slide deck can be found HERE.
Recommended Policy Updates per KASB Legal/Policy Services (10.3)
The Board discussed the recommended policy updates as provided by KASB. A plan was developed to review a few of these each meeting. No action was taken.
Annual Resolution to Adopt Local Option Budget Percentage (10.4)
Tiffany Morawiec, Director of Business and Finance, reminded the Board that they must adopt annually a local option budget percentage resolution.
The maximum percent that may be authorized is the statewide average (31%) unless the district has adopted a resolution to exceed the statewide average up to the maximum state prescribed percent (33%).
USD231 voted to have a 33% Local Option Budget on April 11, 2016.
The Board passed the resolution.
Budget Notice Hearing and Revenue Neutral Tax Rate Notice Hearing (10.5)
Tiffany Morawiec, Director of Business and Finance, requested approval to publish the 2022-23 Budget Notice Hearing and Revenue Neutral Tax Rate Notice Hearing in the Gardner News on Wednesday, August 17, 2022.
The Board approved this action.
- 6.1 - 6.7 - Approved Consent Agenda consisting of: Minutes of the regular meeting held on July 25, 2022; Financial Statements; Bond Underwriter RFQ Results; Revised Online Fees for MySchoolBucks; Transportation Lease Agreement with First Student; GEHS Out-of-State Field Trip (Cross Country); and Approval of Claims.
- 9.1 - Approved the recommendation for USD 231 to follow the exclusion requirements as provided by JCHE. “Exclude for 5 days following onset of symptoms or test date if asymptomatic, take precautions through day 10; susceptible contacts should quarantine from the date of last exposure. Layering mitigation strategies should be utilized.”
- 10.2 - Approved the special education incentive plan detailed above.
- 10.4 - Approved the annual resolution to adopt the Local Option Budget percentage.
- 10.5 - Approved for Publication the 2022-23 Budget Notice Hearing and Revenue Neutral Tax Rate Notice Hearing in the Gardner News on Wednesday, August 17, 2022.
- 10.7 - Approved the Superintendent's Evaluation Process for 2022-2023 as presented.
- 10.9 - Approved Personnel Report
Tom Reddin
PRESIDENT
PRESENT
Lana Sutton
VICE PRESIDENT
PRESENT
Greg Chapman
MEMBER
PRESENT
Russ Ellis
MEMBER
PRESENT
Jeff Miller
MEMBER
PRESENT
Nick Robinson
MEMBER
PRESENT
Monday, September 12, 2022 - 6:00 p.m.