HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020_12_09 Board Minutes
IDAHO FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 91
BOARD OF TRUSTEES -- BUSINESS MEETING
WEBEX VIDEO STREAM FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WEBSITE HTTPS://BIT.LY/3MXD0WB
DISTRICT OFFICE BOARD ROOM 690 JOHN ADAMS PARKWAY IDAHO FALLS, ID
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2020
Present from the Board of Trustees: Present from the Administration:
Lara Hill, Chair George Boland, Superintendent
Hillary Radcliffe, Vice Chair Brandi Moreno, Recording Clerk
Larry Wilson, Treasurer
Paul Haacke, Clerk Present via WebEx from the Administration:
Elizabeth Cogliati, Trustee Dan Keck Assist Supt Secondary Education
Kelly Coughenour Assist Supt Elementary Education
Present via WebEx from IFEA: Carrie Smith, Director of HR & Finance
Angela Gillman, President Gail Rochelle, Director of Student Achievement &
Julie Nawrocki, President-Elect School Improvement
Shannon Taylor, Director of Student Services
Guests via WebEx: Margaret Wimborne, Director of Communication
Misty Swanson, Chief Deputy ISBA & Community Engagement
Shelly Smede, Principal Compass Academy
Joshua Newell, Principal Skyline High School
Dave England, Principal Idaho Falls High School
Michael Keyes, Principal Emerson High School
Chairman Hill called the business meeting to order at 7:03 PM
ADOPT AGENDA
Trustee Radcliffe made a motion to adopt the agenda. Trustee Wilson provided the second. Motion
carried 5 ayes, 0 nays.
REPORTS/INPUT/INFORMATION
a. Student Reports
i. Compass Academy - Representative Landon Croft reported. This month they’ve had fun
activities for the Twelve Plus Days of Christmas. Their Sources of Strength group has
created a thankfulness video, done Instagram challenges, and are providing mental breaks
for students in the cybercafé with coloring activities.
ii. Skyline High School – no report provided
iii. Idaho Falls High School – no report provided
iv. Emerson High School – no report provided
b. Superintendent’s Report
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Superintendent Boland updated the board on the progress of the 49 Street Property practice
fields development proposal including the results of the environmental report, LWCF compliance,
and preliminary costs for basic infrastructure that included road, sewer and water. Superintendent
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Boland asked the board to email him questions so he can bring the questions to the group in their
meeting next week and the group will follow up with a presentation to the board in January.
Superintendent Boland provided the board with a student enrollment report comparing the 2019-
2020 school year compared to this 2020-2021 school year both on the first Friday of the 2nd
Trimester. He stated we are down 190 students at Elementary (grades K-6), we are up 25 students
in the Middle Schools (grades 7-8), and we are down 96 students at the High Schools (grades 9-12).
As of December 4, 2020, including Preschool and 3B lockdown, we are currently at 10,029 students.
He reported the Online Academy enrollment numbers including Elementary, Middle School and
High School at the start of this school year compared to December 4, 2020 and stated after the end
of the first trimester, the majority of students who dropped from the Online Academy enrolled
back into the brick and mortar schools
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Superintendent Boland shared some of the Secondary Grade Distributions for the end of 1
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Trimester last school year compared to the end of 1 Trimester this school year, with the most
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extreme example being 9 grade. He stated the 8 grade cohort typically doesn’t do as well
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moving into the high school 9 grade because there is a higher level of independence required. He
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shared grade distributions for the 11 grade cohort moving into the 12 grade. Superintendent
Boland stated he will email this data to the board.
Superintendent Boland shared COVID positive case numbers for students and staff. Discussion
included total number of students who’ve tested positive, students who are isolating parent and
district directed, unverified and verified student absences, number of staff who’ve tested positive,
substitute coverage and COVID test availability allocated from Eastern Idaho Public Health.
Superintendent Boland shared a substitute report that included substitute job fill rates and the
total number of substitutes in the district.
c. LCA Appeal Procedures
Superintendent Boland stated Dan Keck, Assistant Superintendent to Secondary Education met
with high school principals to revise the LCA Appeal policy and procedures. He reviewed the
revisions and stated there is an action item later in the meeting for these revisions so there’s an
alignment between our policies and procedures.
d. ISBA Superintendent Search Service – Misty Swanson, ISBA
Chairman Hill stated Superintendent Boland is retiring at the end of this school year, we are sad to
see him go and we have work ahead of us as a board. Chairman Hill then turned the time over to
Misty Swanson, Chief Deputy ISBA. Misty shared a brief overview of the ISBA Superintendent
Search services including ISBA’s experience, ISBA’s role, timelines, key qualifications, advertising
and promotions, the application process, candidate reference calls, finalist process options, and
contract negotiations. Misty then answered board questions including timeline concerns, fee
structure, the candidate interview process, examples of interview questions and next steps.
e. Patron Input – emailed written comments were provided to the board prior to the meeting.
Comments included changes to the COVID-19 Operational Plan, spectators at athletic events, the
Superintendent search, and support for teachers and the board of trustees.
f. IFEA Report – Angela Gillman, President reported. A written report is attached.
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g. Other Items
i. Monthly Budget Report – included in packet. No further questions.
CONSENT AGENDA
Trustee Radcliffe made a motion to accept the Consent Agenda as presented. Trustee Cogliati provided the
second. No further discussion. Motion carried 5 ayes, 0 nays.
Items approved included:
a. Approval of Minutes
i. November 18, 2020 Board Business Meeting
b. Review of Payment of Claims
i. November 2020 Bill List $3,736,133.31
c. Staff Actions
Emergency Hires: A hiring emergency exists, as declared by the Board of Trustees, for the following positions:
Name Position Location
Sharon Eplion Teacher to New Pre-K Hawthorne Elementary
Tristan Bradshaw Alt Auth ABCTE Emerson High School
PROPOSALS
a. 2021-2022 School Calendar
Superintendent Boland stated the proposed calendar has been on the district website since the last
board meeting in November and we’ve sent out a quick data survey which he asked Margaret
Wimborne, Director of Communication and Community Engagement to share any survey results
and survey questions. Margaret stated the survey was sent to parents with a reminder yesterday
to complete the survey. The survey asked parents for general calendar input, specific questions
concerning Late Start Monday or Late Start Friday and options for student progress reporting since
we didn’t calendar parent teacher conferences on the proposed calendar. She stated the majority
of participants did prefer the Late Start Monday and they ranked various student progress
reporting options. Superintendent Boland stated this will be an action item in the January board
meeting.
ACTION ITEMS
a. Section 1002.0 Attendance – LCA Board Policy and Procedures
Superintendent Boland stated this policy is in reference to the LCA process and procedure, this
revision aligns the language with the procedure and it is the recommendation of the administration
the board waive the three readings and approve the policy and procedure revisions as presented.
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Trustee Haacke made a motion to waive the three readings and approve Section 1002.0 Attendance
– LCA Board Policy and Procedures as outlined. Trustee Radcliffe provided the second. No further
discussion. Motion carried 5 ayes, 0 nays.
b. Superintendent Search Process
Trustee Wilson made a motion to engage ISBA with Option 2 Superintendent Search. Trustee
Haacke provided the second. No further discussion. Motion carried 5 ayes, 0 nays.
Trustee Wilson made a motion to designate Trustee Haacke as the board liaison for the
Superintendent Search process. No second, motion fell.
Chairman Hill made a motion to designate Trustee Haacke and Trustee Radcliffe as the board
liaisons for the Superintendent Search process. Trustee Wilson provided the second. Motion
carried 5 ayes, 0 nays.
Chairman Hill made a motion to designate Margaret Wimborne as the district staff liaison for the
Superintendent Search process. Trustee Radcliffe proved the second. Discussion included a need
to add additional district staff to help facilitate the process. Motion carried 5 ayes, 0 nays.
b. Potential COVID-19 Operational Plan Changes
Superintendent Boland stated with the CDC changes to the quarantine guidelines from 14 days to
10 days or 7 days with documentation of a negative test result and symptom free, the district has
administratively adopted those new CDC guidelines and notified parents of this change and that
would be our process going forward. He stated one of the items to consider is to ratify the
quarantine procedures within the current plan.
Trustee Haacke made a motion to ratify the district’s COVID-19 Operational Plan quarantine
procedures per the current CDC guidelines. Trustee Wilson provided the second. Motion carried 5
ayes, 0 nays.
Trustee Haacke made a motion that on Monday December 14, 2020 the district move Compass
Academy and Idaho Falls and Skyline High Schools into the Blue Phase. Trustee Wilson provided
the second. Discussion included the date of December 14, 2020, comparing schools in Yellow and
Blue phases, timeline to prepare for the shift, mitigating staff concerns and high school principal
input. Trustee Haacke amended the motion changing the date to begin in Phase Blue on January 4,
2021. Trustee Wilson provided the second. Motion carried 5 ayes, 0 nays.
Chairman Hill stated we have families in need across the community including in our school district and she
is gathering information from all the school principals of those needs which she will send to the board and
post on her social media. She asked if you have the means to give, please do.
Trustee Wilson made a motion to adjourn. Trustee Radcliffe provided the second. Motion carried 5 ayes, 0
nays. Meeting adjourned at 9:17 PM.
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IFEA School Board Report December 2020
Local Legislative letters to Idaho Falls legislators
IFEA is gathering stories and realities of public education needs to
present to lawmakers this month before the 2021 legislative session
begins. We plan to present these stories without current legislators by
zoom or other communication in order to directly reach them. Laura
Milton, our past president, heads up our IFEA communication with our
legislators here in East Idaho. I personally thank her for all her work.
MEP Update
The Master Educator Premium (MEP) was a funding mechanism for
veteran teachers who demonstrated their efforts and contributions to
education beginning in 2019. Last year 34 Idaho Falls teachers received
this premium and this year 18 Idaho Falls teachers have applied. This
year’s MEPs are being graded as I give you this report which has been
delayed due to COVID. The premium is $4,000 for three years and is
being disbursed starting the end of this year for the 34 Idaho Falls
teachers from last year. The payment for this year’s recipients is
expected by this upcoming February.
Winning the Public Schools Students Deserve Community Outreach
IEA, our Association at the state level, is in the process of forming a
Community Coalition to work with the 2021 Legislative session to
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advocate for public schools for Idaho students. Being ranked 52 in the
nation now is unacceptable. We will be able to advocate for students
needs and a better education in Idaho through this
community/educator coalition. A meeting specific to Eastern Idaho will
be held this Saturday, December 12 from 1-3pm. I have sent each of
you the registration and hope you will be able to join in so we can work
together to speak up for public education. It’s time to step up funding
for students in public education in Idaho. I hope you’ll join us!