Hears website, technology update from Steve Christensen, school’s IT supervisor
At the regular monthly meeting of the Butterfield-Odin Public School (B-OPS) School Board on Monday, November 21, board members adopted the school district’s 2015-2016 World’s Best Workforce Report Summary for submission to the Minnesota Department of Education’s Commissioner of Education.
The action followed the annual public meeting held just prior to the November meeting.
The World’s Best Workforce is a comprehensive, long-term strategic plan to support and improve teaching and learning for grades re-kindergarten through grade 12 that is aligned with creating the world’s best workforce.
Adoption and publication of the annual report on the previous year’s plan, as well as holding an annual public meeting to review goals, outcomes and strategies is required. The World’s Best Workforce Annual Report for Butterfield-Odin Public School may be found on the district’s website: www.butterfield.k12.mn.us.
The World’s Best Workforce addresses the following goals (and the results from the past school year):
+ Having all students ready for kindergarten.
+ Having all students in third grade achieving grade-level literacy.
+ Closing the achievement gap(s) among all groups of students.
+ Having all students career and college-ready by graduation.
+ Having all students graduate.
The report also addresses identified needs based on data; lists systems, strategies, support and evaluations for students, teachers and principals and the district itself and includes an achievement integration report on the district’s relationship with the school districts of Comfrey and Martin County West.
Schoolwide technology update
Steve Christensen presented a schoolwide technology update, including an overview of the new school website that he is in the process of building. Christensen is utilizing free software in the creation of a site that he describes as, “easy to build, visually appealing and easy to use. The new website will be capable of being published off of the school’s own server.
A need for a new server has already been identified as critical, and the updated website requires the use of a new server.
A proposal from CTS (Computer Technology Solutions, Inc.) for server switches has been received. The overall cost for implementing, monitoring the system and training is $16,384. This does not include any infrastructure work.
If approved, Christensen is projecting the installation could take place over Christmas break. The new server will be built offsite at CTS, with the transfer from server-to-server and software installation completed onsite.
The school board will hold a special meeting prior the Monday, December 5 elementary concert to make a decision on the proposal. Board members requested information on where the district is in its technology levy for the December 5 special meeting.
It was also noted that Christensen, along with Toeun Chiet of Mankato, the school’s technical adviser, have been through every piece of software and hardware in the school. Firewalls and wireless has been updated.
In other business
+ Approved a Daycare rate increase of 20 cents per hour (from $2.30 to $2.50; includes meals), effective January 1, 2017, and to run through June 30, 2017. At that time, a review will be completed for the 2017-2018 school year.
+ Approved the district’s July Revised Policies (change in the heading) for:
- School weapons.
- Student searches.
- Student discipline.
- Bullying prohibition.
- Protection and privacy of pupil records.
- Student medication.
- Student disability nondiscrimination.
- Student sex nondiscrimination.
+ Approved the second reading for two new policies – expense reimbursement (mandatory) and workload limits for certain special education teachers (mandatory).
+ Approved the 2016-2018 non-certified wage schedule with a 2.5% annual increase for secretarial, custodial, food service assistants, paraprofessionals, translators and bus drivers.
+ Approved increased hours (up to 40 hours) for van driver/custodian, Louise Johnson, due to more time needed for routes.
+ Approved the hiring of Kay Wohlenhaus, custodian, for up to 20 hours per week as needed. Rate of pay is $12.71 an hour.
+ Accepted a $500 donation from Triumph State Bank-Butterfield towards the new school sign, “Butterfield-Odin School Saints Pride.
+ Set the board’s reorganizational meeting for Monday, January 9, 2017, at 6:30 p.m.
+ Heard a report from half-time B-OPS Interim Superintendent Allen Stoeckman. Stoeckman noted that:
- It is time to start thinking about transition, as “I am a substitute” in the position of half-time superintendent.
- Auditors from the accounting firm of Abdo, Eick and Meyers of Mankato will present their findings at the 5 p.m., Monday, December 19 board meeting.
- Tiffany Sandbo (school social worker) and Tammi Samuelson (school guidance counselor) secured an agreement – at no cost – with Sioux Trails Mental Health Center in New Ulm to provide School Linked Mental Health Services to students. The school district only needs to supply confidential space, a phone and internet access.
- Due to confusion regarding past data entered into the Minnesota Department of Transportation website to calculate the tax levy, it would be beneficial for a representative from Springsted Incorporated (the school’s financial consultants), will be at the Truth in Taxation portion of the regular board meeting on Monday, December 19, to explain the changing tax impact from a -11.86 in FY2015, -5.31 in FY2016 – to a +8.15 in FY2017. The cost would be $800.
- There are three maple trees in front of the school that have rotting trunks (including one that has electrical wires among its branches), and are a danger to the safety of students and others walking on the sidewalk as well as students enjoying the front lawn after lunch. In addition, there is the liability of branches falling on parked vehicles.
+ B-OPS K-12 Principal Barry Schmidt reported on the new transportation program (working well), teacher variances (all are up-to-date), reading (reading is going up and classroom libraries play an important role), test specs (are in and being looked at for sixth-through-eighth-grade math) and Minnesota State Class A Cross Country Meet (Butterfield-Odin Public High School junior Lukas Pierson qualified for state and finished 51st.
+ Heard an October 2016 enrollment report:
- Pre-Kindergarten – remained stable at 19 students.
- Kindergarten – remained stable at 15 students.
- First Grade – was up one student from September to 14.
- Second Grade – remained stable at nine students.
- Third Grade – remained stable at 17 students.
- Fourth Grade – was up one student from September to 22.
- Fifth Grade – remained stable at 19 students.
- Sixth Grade – remained stable at 10 students.
- Seventh Grade – remained stable at 13 students.
- Eighth Grade- remained stable at nine students.
- Ninth Grade – was down two students from September to 27.
- Tenth Grade – was down one student from September to 17.
- Eleventh Grade – remained stable at 17 students.
- Twelfth Grade – remained stable at 12 students.
- Total – was down one from September to 220 students.
+ Heard committee reports from:
- Community Education. B-OPS School Board Director Kristy Haseman reported that Sandy Melheim had been elected the new chair.
- Meet and Confer. B-OPS School Board Chair Joel Penner shared that a meeting will be held Thursday, December 15.
- Riverbend Education District. B-OPS School Board Director Diane Peterson updated the board with information on the alternative learning center.
- Staff Development. B-OPS School Board Director Renae Meyer relayed that the committee had met November 8. Meetings are held the second Wednesday of each month at 3:30 p.m. if necessary.
- Building and Grounds/Health and Safety/Transportation. Director Meyer reported on what improvements have been completed, situations addressed and upcoming projects.
- Watonwan County Collaborative. Director Peterson stated that the current director is retiring and the search is one for a candidate that can develop a good relationship among the cities in the county.
- World’s Best Workforce. Director Haseman relayed the results of the annual public meeting held prior to this board meeting.
+ Reported that the school board will be serving refreshments in the gymnasium lobby following both the kindergarten-to-grade four Holiday Concert on Monday, December 5, as well as the Holiday Band/Choir Concert on Monday, December 19.
+ Learned that the 96th Annual Leadership Conference of the Minnesota School Boards Association will be held January 12-13, 2017, at the Minneapolis Convention Center under the theme, “Courageous Leadership.”
+ Set the next regular school board meeting for Monday, December 19, beginning at 5 p.m., with the Truth and Taxation hearing at 6 p.m. The meeting will be held in the school’s Media Center.
