Board approves orchestral strings program, 8th grade math changes and 2002-2003 school calendar
PV Board Minutes - January 14 Workshop Meeting & January 21 Regular
Meeting
JANUARY 14, 2002 BOARD WORKSHOP MEETING: Special meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. by President Phyllis Ahlstrand. Members present:Ahlstrand, Barsness, Dayman, O'Hara, Romans, and Thornton. Absent:
Coon. Also present: Dale Barber, Jim Spelhaug, and Chris Harvey.
Motion by Barsness, second by Thornton that the Agenda be approved as presented. All ayes. Motion carried.
The meeting then focused on a general discussion of the School
Improvement Plan and long range planning issues.
Dr. Barber will work with the district's architect on future facility
needs including additional classroom space and remodeling projects.
The meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m.
JANUARY 21, 2002 REGULAR BOARD MEETING:
MEMBERS PRESENT: Regular meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by
President Phyllis Ahlstrand. Members present: Ahlstrand, Barsness,
Dayman, Romans, Thornton. Absent: Coon and O'Hara. Also present: Dale Barber, Jim Spelhaug, Mike Clingingsmith, Keith Osborn, Don Dehner, Ray LaFrentz, Brian Strusz, Maury Betzel, Shelli Diedrich, Amanda Norman,Wendy DePover, Kaylen Dreyer, Laurie Skjerseth, Judy Booe, Steven Cotton, Chris Harvey, and others.
EXECUTIVE SESSION: Motion by Thornton, second by Barsness that the
Board hold a closed session as provided in Section 21.5(1)(i) of the
Open Meetings Law to evaluate the professional competency of an
individual whose performance is being considered to prevent needless and irreparable injury to that individual's reputation, and that individual
has requested a closed session. Roll call vote. Ayes - Thornton,
Ahlstrand, Barsness, Dayman, Romans. Nays - none. Motion carried.
AGENDA APPROVED: Motion by Dayman, second by Thornton that the Agenda
be approved as presented. All ayes. Motion carried.
COMMUNICATIONS: President Ahlstrand asked Dr. Barber to comment on the
Des Moines Public School District's shortfall related to their local
option sales tax. Dr. Barber responded that apparently Des Moines
Public School District had projected a higher rate of return than has
occurred by anticipating a 5% annual increase in sales tax revenues. At
the same time, the Des Moines School District has underestimated its
needs. In Pleasant Valley's case, the district uses the current year
figures of the local option sales tax and does not project an increase
for future planning. In Pleasant Valley, the revenues from the local
option sales tax are being used for property tax reduction, capital
projects, and the early retirement of the debt on of Riverdale Heights
Elementary in 2003 to enable the District to be debt free six years
ahead of schedule.
Dr. Spelhaug congratulated Tony Runkle who received Channel 4 News "Quad
Cities' Best Teacher" award.
CONSENT AGENDA: Motion by Romans second by Thornton that the Consent
Agenda be approved as presented. All
ayes. Motion carried.
The Consent Agenda consists of the
following: approval of the minutes of the January 7, 2002,
Regular Board meeting and the January 14, 2002, Board workshop meeting;
the resignations of Madelyn Cox as an elementary (only) art teacher for
the 2002-03 school year, Renee Maxa as a junior high and high school
foreign language teacher effective the end of the 2001-02 school year,
Diane Saul as an elementary nurse at Bridgeview effective the end of the
2001-02 school year, Sallie Donnelly as a special education aide at
Pleasant View, Tricia Leabo as a special education aide at the High
School, and Karen Spurrier as a librarian assistant at Bridgeview;
the
transfer of Bill Myatt from his current high school English teaching
position to Library Media Specialist for the 2002-03 school year;
the
regular employment of Kevin Jones as Assistant Vehicle Mechanic;
the
extra-curricular assignments of Darren Erickson as Assistant Sophomore
Baseball Coach, Rusty VanWetzinga as Assistant Boys Track Coach, and
Nicole Allbaugh as Assistant Varsity Soccer Coach;
the transfer of Dan
Bischoff from Assistant to Head Sophomore Baseball Coach,
and the
resignation of George Guy as Assistant Boys Track Coach;
two open
enrollment applications-out for 2001-02; one to Clinton Schools and one
to Bettendorf Schools.
EXPENSES APPROVED: Motion by Dayman, second by Romans that General Fund
warrants be issued in the total amount of $109,862.92 in payment of
invoices presented. All ayes. Motion carried.
Motion by Thornton, second by Dayman that Nutrition Fund warrants be
issued in the total amount of $28,909.87 in payment of invoices
presented. All ayes. Motion carried.
Motion by Barsness, second by Thornton that Elementary/Junior High
School Activity Fund warrants be issued in the total amount of $2,869.51
in payment of invoices presented. All ayes. Motion carried.
Motion by Dayman, second by Thornton that High School Activity Fund
warrants be issued in the total amount of $19,051.18 in payment of
invoices presented. All ayes. Motion carried.
Motion by Romans, second by Barsness that Schoolhouse Fund warrants be
issued in the total amount of $74,149.77 in payment of invoices
presented. All ayes. Motion carried.
8TH GRADE MATH RECOMMENDATION: Members of the 7-12 Math Team, Brian
Strusz, Amanda Norman, and Shelli Diedrich, recommended:
a.) renaming
the current 7th grade pre-algebra to Algebra Prep, and,
b.) adding a new
course to the 8th grade curriculum named Pre-Algebra. Seventh grade
math offerings would include Math 7 and Algebra Prep and 8th grade math
offerings would include Math 8, Pre-Algebra, and Algebra.
The goal is
to encourage students to take four years of math and to better prepare
them for the college level. The addition of the pre-algebra course at
the 8th grade level will provide improved placement and better learning
opportunities for students.
Motion by Dayman, second by Thornton that the Board approve the changes
to the Junior High math curriculum as presented. Roll call vote. Ayes
- Dayman, Romans, Thornton, Ahlstrand, Barsness. Nays - none. Motion
carried.
ORCHESTRAL STRINGS RECOMMENDATION:
Don Dehner presented the Orchestral
Strings Study Committee's implementation plan for the new orchestra
program. Their goal for the first year is to offer strings
opportunities to as many students as possible.
Elementary ensemble
rehearsals will be held at the junior high and students will be bused
back to their home schools. Students will have a lesson each week in
their home school. The district plans to partner with the Quad City
Symphony orchestra in various ways including writing grants to the SCRA
and RDA for the purchase of instruments.
Efforts are currently underway
to hire a director. Student recruitment will begin in the Fall at the
elementary level. Experienced junior and senior high students will
register for strings as a course. The Board thanked Laurie Skjerseth,
Judy Booe, and the Orchestra Committee for their efforts in developing
the proposal.
Motion by Thornton, second by Barsness that the Board approve the
orchestral strings implementation plan as presented. Roll call vote.
Ayes - Thornton, Ahlstrand, Barsness, Dayman, Romans. Nays - none.
Motion carried.
BUS BIDS: Ray LaFrentz, Director of Operations, presented bids for
replacement of two 84 passenger regular education route buses and one 15
passenger handicapped bus for special education transportation. He
recommended not accepting the low bid submitted by Hogland Bus Company
of Marshalltown, Iowa, for two International/Amtran buses due to
numerous structural problems with the district's existing
International/Amtran buses and the fact that International/Amtran is
still manufacturing the same 84 passenger model that has experienced the
problems.
He recommended that the Board accept the second low bid from
Thomas Bus Sales for two Thomas/Thomas 84 passenger buses at a per unit
price of $71,398 with a $5,000 per unit trade in allowance for a net per
unit price of $66,398. The net difference between the bids is
$746/unit which the district believes can easily be recovered during the
life of the vehicle.
Mr. LaFrentz also recommended the purchase of a handicapped unit from
Thomas/River City Ford for a Thomas/Ford 15 passenger unit at a price of
$53,191.00 with a trade in allowance of $900 for a net price of
$52,291.00.
The cost of this unit will be charged to the special
education program as it is used exclusively for transportation of
special education students.
Motion by Romans, second by Thornton that the Board accept the bid of
Thomas Bus Sales of Des Moines for two Thomas/Thomas 84 passenger buses
with a net per unit price after trade-in of $66,398 or a total of
$132,796 and that we accept the bid of Thomas/River City Ford for a
Thomas/Ford 15 passenger handicapped bus for a per unit price of $53,191
less $900 trade-in for a net price of $52,291. Roll call vote. Ayes -
Romans, Thornton, Ahlstrand, Barsness, Dayman. Nays - none. Motion
carried.
COOPERATIVE SHARING AGREEMENT: Brian Strusz reviewed the district's
cooperative agreement with North Scott Schools for girls and boys
swimming. We currently have 9 girls and 3 boys at the high school level
and 3 girls and
1 boy at the junior high level participating from North Scott North
Scott is responsible for transporting their students and is billed $225
per student for costs related to the program. He said that the
cooperative program continues to operate on a very positive basis and
recommended that the
Board approve continuing the program for 2002-03.
Motion by Barsness, second by Dayman that the Board approve the
cooperative swimming agreement for high school and junior high boys and
girls with North Scott for 2002-03. Roll call vote. Ayes - Barsness,
Dayman, Romans, Thornton, Ahlstrand. Nays - none. Motion carried.
PUBLIC HEARING - 2002-03 CALENDAR: President Ahlstrand opened a public
hearing at 8:07 p.m. for input into the 2002-03 school calendar. There
were no comments from the public and the hearing was closed at 8:08 p.m.
2002-03 DISTRICT CALENDAR: Keith Osborn, who is responsible for
coordinating the school year calendar, explained that Pleasant Valley
will start on August 21 while the other three districts will start on
August 22. Pleasant Valley, Davenport, and North Scott will be on
Winter Break from December 23 through January 3 and Bettendorf will hold
their Winter Break from December 23 through January 1.
All four
districts plan to hold their Spring Break from March 24 through 28.
Barring inclement weather days, PV, Bettendorf and North Scott's last
day of school will be June 5 and Davenport will end the school year on
June 3. The calendar will also allow us to have an in-service day on
Martin Luther King Day and we will again be able to observe Presidents
Day.
Motion by Dayman, second by Romans that the Board approve the 2002-2003
school year calendar as presented. Roll call vote. Ayes - Dayman,
Romans, Thornton, Ahlstrand, Barsness. Nays - none. Motion carried.
MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORTS: Mr. Clingingsmith presented the monthly
financial report for December. Through December, general fund receipts
totaled $8,980,464 (46.4%) and expenses totaled $9,269,316 (45.9%) The
December target for receipts and expenditures was 50%. He also
presented reports on the Management, PPEL, Capital Projects, Debt
Service, Hot Lunch, Revolving, and Activity funds.
Motion by Thornton, second by Romans that the Board accept the monthly
financial reports for December as presented. All ayes. Motion carried.
EXECUTIVE SESSION: The Board met in executive session from 8:38 p.m. to
9:12 p.m.
