RECORD
OF MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
MORRISON
COMMUNITY UNIT DISTRICT #6
September
11, 2007
The
regular meeting of the Board of Education of Morrison Community Unit District
#6,
On
roll call, the following were present: Greg Houldson, Jim Prombo, Jim Ridley,
Kevin Schlueter, Steve Swanstrom, Ted Tilton and Sally Gray. Also present were Superintendent Jody Ware,
Karla Green, Christine Schlegel, Bonnie Stralow, Melisa Gonzales, Carmen
Church, Shelli Sibley, Joan VanderBleek, Paula Welsh, Nancy Sitzmore, Susan
Wiersema, Tara Shoup, Tonia Ernst, Wendy Davis, Dwayne Davis, Angela Sheddan,
Liz Hamilton, Karla Norman, Martina Maxfield, Louise Clark, Jill Vegter, Tim
Vegter, Jeannie Kull, Libby Goodman, Dan Goodman, Harvey Zuidema, Jim Ferry,
Recording Secretary Wendy Krajnovich, and one media representative.
Dr.
Jody Ware requested that one item be added to the Informational Reports as Item
F-Distribution of Flyers.
President
Sally Gray called for any changes or corrections to the minutes of the last
regular Board meeting held on August 28, 2007.
Hearing none, she asked for a motion to approve the previous minutes.
Motion:
Ridley; Second: Schlueter; to approve the minutes for the regular meeting of
August 28, 2007. Ayes: seven; Nays:
none. Motion carried.
COMMUNICATIONS/PUBLIC
COMMENTS
Superintendent’s
Report
Dr.
Jody Ware reported that there were several items to celebrate. First was the gift to the Board of an ice
cream cake from Ellen and Bart Smith to
celebrate the beginning of the school year.
Next was the acceptance of a check for $3,000.00 from the Morrison Youth
Wrestling Club towards a new wrestling mat.
Also she announced that $500.00 had been received from Cal Vandermyde
through the Morrison Athletic Boosters for new practice jerseys for the
football team. She reminded the Board
members to make reservations through her by September 18th if they
wished to attend the Northwest Division Meeting which will be held in Forreston
on Thursday, October 4th. The program
will be on school safety issues. She
reviewed a Freedom of Information request from attorney Robert Slattery
regarding our taxing district making levies and expenditures in compliance with
the Tort Immunity Act. She also reported
that she had been contacted twice about the size of the fifth grade classes.
Building
Administration
There
were no building administrators present.
Public
Comments
There
were four requests to address the Board.
1) Libby Goodman addressed the large class sizes of fifth grade. She would like to see another fifth grade
teacher hired soon. This would reduce
the class sizes to approximately 22 students per class. 2) Jill Vegter also addressed the large fifth
grade classes and would like to see another teacher hired. 3) Louise Clark added her comments regarding
the size of the fifth grade classes, and she also requested that another fifth
grade teacher be hired to reduce the size of the classes. 4) Harvey Zuidema spoke on the district’s
yearly increase in the number of days that the district has of cash on
hand. He requested that the district
stop spending the remainder of the $1.2 million and that building the cash on
hand fund with borrowed money be stopped.
Board
Comments
There
were no comments from the Board.
INFORMATIONAL
REPORTS
Policies:
2:125; 2:140 E; 4:180; 5:130; 5:180; 6:40; 6:235; 7:90; 1:20 AP; 4:180 AP1;
4:180 AP2; 5:10 AP; 5:35 AP3;
5:130
AP; 6:120 E; 7:60 E3; 7:190 AP3; 7:190 AP4
The
Board reviewed and discussed potential changes to be made to policies,
administrative procedures, and exhibits.
The second reading of the revised policies, administrative procedures
and exhibits will be at the next regular meeting of the Board of Education on
September 25, 2007.
RECORD
OF MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
MORRISON
COMMUNITY UNIT DISTRICT #6
September
11, 2007
District
AYP Scores
Dr.
Ware reviewed our district AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) scores from the
state. Although buildings individually
met AYP, they failed to meet the state’s cut score in the subgroup of “students
with disabilities”. The students with
disabilities at Southside and Junior High did meet the state’s cut score of
55.5%, but the combination of all students with disabilities in the district
put it below the cut score, which resulted in putting the district in “status”
notification.
Superintendent’s
Performance Objectives
Dr.
Ware reviewed her performance objectives linked to student performance and
academic improvement with the Board.
They are: 1) to direct and assist each administrator in the school
district in the use of the strategic plan as the continuing focus of her
leadership efforts; 2) develop and carry out a plan to enhance student
achievement, increasing the number of students achieving at or above grade
level as measured by ISAT/PSAE and/or ACT; 3) continue to develop and closely
monitor the district’s budget and provide a series of activities and ongoing
information to enhance understanding of the budget; 4) continue to develop a
school district communications plan that enhanced the communications among
district employee groups, Board of Education, parents, and community; 5)
continue to use the strategies, methods, and ‘tools’ of continuous improvement in order to enhance
the organizational effectiveness of the school district; and 6) provide
leadership in the maintaining of district facilities through the implementation
of the district’s 10-Year Health/Life Safety planning and implementation.
**
reviewed corrected to distributed
Whiteside
Dr.
Ware is the chairperson of the Whiteside County Needs Assessment committee for
the
Consolidation
Meeting
Dr.
Ware reminded the Board of the meeting scheduled for Tuesday, September 18th
at
Distribution
of Flyers
Dr.
Ware informed the Board of a disclaimer that will now be put at the bottom of
all forms, flyers, etc. that the school district is asked to distribute to
students.
CONSENT
AGENDA
Motion:
Houldson; Second: Prombo; to approve the single item on the consent agenda of
personnel recommendations. Ayes: seven;
Nays: none. Motion carried.
COMMITTEE
REPORTS
The
only committee member that had a comment was Greg Houldson who noted that three
committee members from the community are still needed for the Citizens Advisory
Committee.
CLOSED
SESSION 8:42 P.M.
Motion:
Swanstrom; Second: Schlueter; to enter into a closed session for the purpose of
the biannual review of closed session minutes; the appointment, employment,
compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of an employee; and the
purchase or lease of real property for the use of the public body, including
discussing whether a particular piece of property should be acquired. Ayes: Houldson, Prombo, Ridley, Schlueter,
Swanstrom, Tilton, Gray. Nays:
none. Motion carried.
RETURN
FROM CLOSED SESSION 9:24 P.M.
Motion:
Ridley; Second: Schlueter; to conclude the closed session and return to open
session. Ayes: seven; Nays: none. Motion carried.
RECORD
OF MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
MORRISON
COMMUNITY UNIT DISTRICT #6
September
11, 2007
ACTION
FROM CLOSED SESSION
Motion:
Ridley; Second: Schlueter; to keep the closed session minutes closed. Ayes: Ridley, Schlueter, Swanstrom, Tilton,
Houldson, Prombo, Gray. Nays: none. Motion carried.
President
Sally Gray adjourned the meeting by consent at 9:24 P.M.
(President)
_____________________________________
(Secretary)
_____________________________________
Date Approved ____________________________