EXCERPTS of USD #384 Regular Board of Education Meeting

A Regular Board of Education meeting for USD #384 Blue Valley was held on June 12, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. in the Board Room. Members present were Mitch Innes, Jason Hartman, Reo Shultz, Amy Cassel, Tim Innes, and Melissa Geisler. Administration present was John Cox, Superintendent, and Alison Moore, Board Clerk.

CALL TO ORDER:  President, Jason Hartman called the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m.

APPROVE THE AGENDA: The Board approved the agenda with the following changes: move 11c to executive session with potential action at 13b.

Stephen Corkill joined the meeting at 6:04pm.

Mitch moved to accept the agenda with the changes; Reo second; motion passed 7-0.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Board and guests recited the Pledge of Allegiance. 

WELCOME GUESTS: President, Jason Hartman welcomed our guests.

 

POSITIVE BOARD COMMENTS: 

  1. Jason attended the FFA Convention and Blue Valley had high energy while there.

  2. Reo congratulated the state track meet participants and the high number of athletes that Blue Valley took.

  3. Amy said it was great to see the baseball team get honors: Landon, Lincoln, and Brock.

  4. Mitch said the grounds are looking good; the baseball field is being taken care during rec league.

SPECIAL REPORTS: 

  1. VoiceConnex – Twin Valley cable/wiring and intercom system estimate is $37,073 for all buildings

    1. Company won’t get to install until this fall but won’t be disruptive to students

    2. System will incorporate bells and intercoms

    3. Based on VOIP and Twin Valley said they can integrate together

    4. If the internet is down, the system will still work as long as there is still power

    5. Intercoms are also planned to be placed outside

  2. eRate – applied, approved, and can only be used for technology

    1. approved for $22,468 (applied for ~$44,000 but only approved for half of application amount)

    2. estimated to need ~$57,000-60,000 if district leaves k12

    3. to use all of $22,468 funds, district must match funding dollar for dollar; all money doesn’t have to be used in one year, but eRate is good for 5 years and Farren is unsure what year the district is on – however, once the eRate is done, the district loses the money

    4. Farren would like to start building skeleton and have most everything in place before leaving k12

    5. Farren manages the system when it’s put in place, but what happens if he leaves? Farren assures that anybody with IT background can run the system

    6. District pays k12 $35,000/yr but Farren can get infrastructure for ~$60,000

Move action to 13g with classroom technology.

RECOGNITION OF STUDENTS/STAFF: 

  1. KS Board of Regents All-Star High School – complete 3 events to earn recognition

    1. 1 out of 97 to be awarded

    2. Already planning next year to work toward more recognition


PRINCIPAL REPORTS: 

  1. Anthony presented requesting the Board consider a raise for classified staff member, Becky Brenner, to receive a raise. Classified raises are based on teacher raises. Becky has been with Blue Valley for 27 years and has held every secretary capacity but Board Clerk. When there was a raise freeze, teachers were compensated steps when it was lifted but there was no classified compensation. Anthony would like to see her raised to $23/hr.

SUPERINTENDENT REPORT: 

  • Summer Help – the summer help is doing great with all the projects that have been taken on this summer. The elementary school has new paint and moved rooms.

  • Dental Insurance – BCBS has orthodontic rider and it at, or just above, what Delta charges 

  • Food Service – current price is $3.83 and need to look at increasing price to cover costs for future; OPAA was the only contractor to submit a bid; discussed looking at going back internal

  • Free and Reduced enrollment fees – consent form for free and reduced food status on enrollment status needs to be signed to use; will send out letters for families to return and if not returned, students will be charged full amount

  • Workman’s Comp Ins – went from $9,000 to $22,060; on a 3 year cycle for premium prices so after 3 years, premium should go down if no catastrophic events.


OPEN FORUM: No one addressed the Board during open forum.

 

CONSENT AGENDA: The Board approved the Consent Agenda as follows: 

  1. Approved Minutes: May 1, 2023 Special Board of Education Meeting and May 8, 2023 Regular Board of Education Meeting 

  2. Approved Receipts 

  3. Approved Resignations: Caley Brenner – MS Assistant Basketball and HS Assistant Track Coach; Quinton Cravens – MS Head Basketball; Lee Buchanan – MS Football Coach

Mitch moved to approve the consent agenda; Amy second; motion passed 7-0.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

  1. Negotiation Ratification – Mitch moved to accept; Tim second; motion passed 7-0.

  2. Food Service Contract – breakfast price is suggested at $3.97/meal; Food Service can’t be negative in charging; it was suggested to sign contract but start looking at ways to change to internal/regional option; the free and reduced program levels are set by state and the income levels have not been changed in the recent past. Amy moved to accept the contract; Stephen second; motion passed 6-1 with Tim opposing.

NEW BUSINESS:

  1. Approve Warrants/Transfers – No new checks to approve. 

The Board took a 5-minute break at 7:10pm. and reconvened at 7:15pm.

  1. Personnel - The Board held an executive session to discuss personnel. The purpose of the executive session is to protect the privacy interests of an identifiable individual.  

Meeting reconvened at 8:00p.m. and it was noted that no action was taken during the executive session. 

a)  Mitch moved to rollover excess money from 22-23 into the contingency fund; Stephen second; motion passed 7-0.

b)  Mitch moved to approve hirings (Trace Sump - Summer Help, Bryce Hoeltzel - Summer Help, Dale Hoch - Summer Help, April Brenner - Summer Help, Teresa Whearty - Summer Help, Colton Jones - Summer Help, Brandi Innes - Half-Time MES Library Aide School, Amanda Vathauer - District Nurse, Quinton Cravens - Summer Weights) with the exception of the half-time HS Library position; Tim second; motion passed 7-0.

  1. IXL – 5 year contract; HS level can do ACT prep and can use the program for that; the students have the ability to access it from home; looking at ways to encourage students to use the program at home; this year was pilot and the feedback was awesome; $28,190 for 5 year contract; integrated into schoolwork and district-wide K-12; will help assess students to build their learning; Fastbridge only allows testing 3 times a year – IXL allows unlimited testing; teachers were offered to use for pilot and those who used it, loved it, and those who didn’t, wished they had; 5 year contract allows up to 275 students. Tim moved to accept IXL contract; Mitch second; (Stephen asked about the state offering money to catch kids up from Covid students doing credit recovery Zoom online and receiving extra support, and tutoring over the summer; possibly it’s new state money in the past couple of months which applies to low income but possibly look into); motion passed after discussion 7-0.

  2. Worker’s Compensation Renewal – quote of $22,060 for the 23-24 SY; they are a great company to work with; very helpful and quick replies. Reo moved to accept Worker’s Comp policy for the 23-24 SY; Tim second; motion passed 7-0.

  3. Delta Dental –Delta has not responded to competing info; BCBS has $1500 and $2500 deductible with orthodontics. Tim moved to accept BCBS as new dental insurance; Stephen second; motion passed 7-0.

  4. KDHE air sensors – air sensors in buildings test the air quality; no cost to district – state sends us a check to cover the cost of the sensors; each building will have sensors that are wireless and report data to nurse and state. No action needed.

  5. New classroom tech – for 2 new classrooms the cost for iPads, cases, charging docks, teacher iMac’s, para Chromebooks, and cables the cost will be $15,040. The intercom system and eRate Farren presented earlier are $37,073 and $22,468. Table eRate to July and look at backloading it for the future. Reo moved to accept new classroom technology and intercom system; Melissa second; motion passed 7-0.

  6. MS/HS Handbook – Anthony went over the proposed changes for the 23-24 SY handbook. Table until July.

  7. Property and Casualty Insurance Quote – increase of 9% in buildings and 5% in property; EMC recommends 20% coverage of policy – would like to see better coverage for possible loss – board requests a quote to increase coverage amounts.

  8. Out of District and Returning Out of District Forms – information only; table until July.

  9. Fuel contracts – Diesel $2.879/gallon; E10 $3.029/gallon; 30,000 gallons at $1.029/gallon transport; 6,000 gallons at $1.129/gallon bobtail. Mitch moved to accept the fuel contracts; Stephen second; motion passed 7-0.

Future Agenda Items: 

  1. eRate budget

  2. Handbook

  3. Out of District forms

Adjournment: Reo moved to adjourn the meeting; Amy second; motion passed 6-1 with Mitch opposing. Meeting adjourned at 9:45 p.m. 

Alison Moore, Board Clerk