HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020_08_20 Board Minutes
IDAHO FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 91
BOARD OF TRUSTEES – SPECIAL BOARD MEETING \[IDAHO CODE, §74-204 (2)\]
COMPASS ACADEMY AUDITORIUM
955 GARFIELD STREET, IDAHO FALLS, ID
7:00 P.M. THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2020
Present from the Board of Trustees: Present from the Administration:
Lara Hill, Chair George Boland, Superintendent
Hillary Radcliffe, Vice Chair Kelly Coughenour Assist Supt Elementary Education
Larry Wilson, Treasurer Dan Keck Assist Supt Secondary Education
Paul Haacke, Clerk Carrie Smith, Director of HR & Finance
Elizabeth Cogliati, Trustee Gail Rochelle, Director of Student Achievement &
School Improvement
Margaret Wimborne, Director of Communications &
Community Engagement
Brandi Moreno, Recording Clerk
Chairman Lara Hill, called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. per Idaho Code, §74-204 (2) Special Meeting and
thanked everyone for their input and stated it has been overwhelming and the comments and concerns are
of value. She stated the reasons for tonight’s board meeting are three-fold, there’s a special session in the
legislature that starts on Monday in regards to liability in school districts, the second piece are changes made
in the Eastern Idaho Public Health’s COVID Plan that were just released today, and the third very important
piece is the overwhelming response to online academy registration within the district. Chairman Hill
requested a motion to adopt the agenda. Trustee Radcliffe made a motion to adopt the agenda. Trustee
Cogliati provided the second. Motion carried 5 ayes, 0 nays.
ACTION ITEM
a. Modify the 2020-2021 School Calendar
Chairman Hill turned the time over to Carrie Smith, Director of HR & Finance. Carrie shared an
overview of the school calendar and teacher work calendars. Calendar information included three
different calendar options with start dates of August 26, 2020, August 31, 2020, and September 8,
2020. The overview included start and end dates, total instructional hours verses required
instructional hours, number of days per trimester, teacher calendars, non-instructional days, and paid
holidays. Discussion included increased instructional days, inclement weather emergency school
closure hours and the flexibility of remote instructional days during school closure days. Chairman
Hill asked each trustee to state their pros and cons for each calendar option.
Superintendent Boland stated during the special legislative session school districts’ liability will be
discussed. He stated that Eastern Idaho Public Health Board can close schools and require mandates,
such as the current non-discretionary mask mandate that applies to schools. He stated Eastern Idaho
Public Health made significant changes and clarifications to their plan which is relevant on how we
transition into different phases. With respect to the Online Academy, he stated we’ve had an
overwhelming number of enrollments that will challenge us in making sure we have the capacity to
meet this need and we’ll need to anticipate and prepare for a large number shift if later in the year
those students want to return to the classroom. Superintendent Boland then stated his pros and cons
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for each calendar option. He stated that everyone needs to appreciate and understand that change
can happen and, in all probability, will happen and we could be in school for a month and conditions
may change and we will have to shift. In terms of the start date, he stated we will be ready to go
with whatever decision the board makes. Discussion was held including calendar alignment with
Bonneville School District 93, the loss of Freshman day without upper classmen, when students can
transfer from the online academy and back into a classroom, and parent teacher conferences.
Trustee Radcliffe made a motion to change the school start date to the August 31, 2020 calendar as
presented. Chairman Hill provided the second. Trustee Radcliffe stated changing the calendar gives
teachers time to integrate the new skills they’ve learned to be prepared for the new normal, students
will start school with a full week, and finally this option maximizes the instructional days.
A ballot vote was taken: Lara Hill – aye
Hillary Radcliffe – aye
Larry Wilson – aye
Elizabeth Cogliati – aye
Paul Haacke – aye
Trustee Haacke made a statement that we are a community, we are Idaho and more importantly, we
are Idaho Falls. This is our community and we need to understand people are doing our best and are
looking at the data and looking at a lot of research. Trustees read the hundreds of emails and we
have to look at a large spectrum. We are doing our best to accommodate everyone, and putting our
children in class and doing it in a safe way for them, for our teachers, and for our Administrators.
Chairman Hill reminded everyone all five trustees are volunteers who have families, who have jobs
and are putting those aside to try and decide what’s best for our district.
Trustee Cogliati made a motion to adjourn. Trustee Wilson provided the second. Motion carried 5 ayes, 0
nays, the meeting adjourned at 7:59 PM.
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