MEETING MINUTES…WHITEHALL BOARD OF EDUCATION…October 27, 2014
The October 27, 2014 meeting of the Whitehall Board of Education was held at Whitehall Memorial Conference Room. President, David Skoyen called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. Roll was called and a quorum established. Other Board members present: George Everson, Byron Fields, Kristen Carroll, Julie Dokkestul (6:32 p.m.) and Jason Molis. Absent: Leah Johnson. Others present: Superintendent/6-12 Principal, Mike Beighley; Elementary Principal, Damon Lisowski; Special Ed Director, Vickie O’Dell; Director of Curriculum & Assessment, Beth Lisowski; Sue Speltz; Finance Manager, Cheryl Maug; Reporter, Scott Thomson.
Everson moved to approve vouchers as presented. Fields seconded. Aye – All Members. Motion carried.
Carroll moved to approve the following items of the Motion Calendar:
- Approve minutes of September 22, 2104 Regular Meeting
- Approve minutes of September 22, 2104 Executive Session
- Approve additional Extra-Curricular Contracts for 2014-15 (see list) – Girls C-team basketball contract will only be filled if necessary as there may not be enough girls for a team
- Approve employment of new custodian: Kevin Zimmerman
Molis seconded. Aye – All Members. Motion carried.
Molis moved to approve Resolution Authorizing Taxable Tax and Revenue Anticipation Promissory Note for Cash Flow purposes in an amount not to exceed $1,500,000.00. Fields seconded. Aye – All Members. Motion carried.
Everson moved to certify property tax levy of $2,799,690 for the 2014-15 school year (all funds) and to approve related budget revisions for 2014-15. Dokkestul seconded. Aye – All Members. Motion carried.
Beighley reviewed the Revenue Limit and General State Aid worksheets.
Beighley presented the bids for razing the two elementary buildings. The lowest total for both buildings was Erickson but district could save approximately $12,000 by splitting the bids. Robinson was lowest bid for Pigeon Falls but wanted to fill the hole with the brick. Alliance Steel was 2nd lowest bid but would only do both buildings. The 3rd lowest bid was Erickson Excavating. The lowest bid for Sunset Elementary was from Legacy Construction Services. Everson moved to approve razing bid from Erickson Excavating $75,000 for Pigeon Falls Elementary; Legacy Construction Services $93,750 for Sunset Elementary for a total cost of $168,750. Fields seconded. Aye – All Members. Motion carried.
B. Lisowski reported on Student Assessments. An examples of a Smarter Balance performance task for 6th grade was reviewed. Students can take as long as they want on the test as it is not timed. They must answer the questions and show their work and need to have explanations for the answers. It is all done on the computer. All juniors will be required to take the ACT. State of Wisconsin set the date for March 3, 2015 for all juniors to take it and all must begin at 9 a.m. The test will take about 4 ½ hours. A makeup day must also be scheduled for the students absent on the original testing day. The state also requires specific spacing for the students taking the test. The day after the ACT test is given, juniors must also take the ACT Job Skills Assessment test with the same testing room arrangements. This test will take about 2 ½ hours. The makeup day for this test must be the next day after the makeup day for the ACT. Grades 9-10 will take the Aspire test.
Administrative Reports:
Speltz –
The District chose to pilot Educator Effectiveness during the past two years. It now goes into full effect for this school year. The Principals are required to make School Learning Objectives (SLO). D. Lisowski chose Literacy and will use data from MAPS testing for the elementary. Beighley chose Writing and the new English teachers will come up with the district assessment criteria.
O’Dell –
Every few years a Civil Rights audit must be performed in order to continue to receive Federal Funds. We are required to review our student information on gender and ethnicity to verify that we provide equal opportunity to all students.
B. Lisowski –
Community Learning Center (CLC) after school program has begun and is held Monday through Thursday until 6 p.m. There are 151 students registered with an attendance average of 73 per day. Thursday is community outreach with someone coming to present or students going out into the community. There has been great response from the community to volunteer for these presentations and some have signed up to come more than one time.
D. Lisowski –
Explained the changes to the Elementary report card. It will now be modeled after the Common Core Standards and will be skill based specific. Teachers will use assessments and observations. It will also now be tri-mester based.
Skoyen recessed to Executive session pursuant to S.S. 19.85 (1) (c) to discuss WTA and WESPA base wage negotiations and review new draft of teacher pay model. Time: 7:27 p.m.
Cheryl Maug
Reporting Secretary
(Pending Board Approval)