Special Meeting of January 31, 2006

[Diane Blevins]

Proceedings of the Board of Trustees

District No. 2, Yellowstone County

High School District No. 2, Yellowstone County

Billings, Montana

 

January 31, 2006

 

Call to Order

 

The Special Meeting of the Board of Trustees of School District No. 2, Yellowstone County, Montana, and High School District, Yellowstone County, Montana, was duly held at The Lincoln Center, 415 North 30th Street, Billings, Montana, January 31, 2006, at 5:30 p.m.

 

Those present included: Trustees Joel Guthals, Mary Jo Fox, Dale Getz, Conrad Stroebe, Katharin Kelker, Karen Moses, Dawn Achten, Sandra Mossman, Malcolm Goodrich, Superintendent Rod Svee, and District Clerk Leo Hudetz.

 

Registered guests included Scott Atwood, Robert Lubbers, Laura Tode, Barbara Bryan, Teresa Stroebe, Tim Cranston, Jerry Hansen, Beverly McHugh, and Connie Wardell.

 

The Chair reported the meeting would be a study session only and no voting action would be taken.

 

Communication from the Public

 

The Board recognizes the value of public comment on educational issues and the importance of listening to members of the public in its meetings. The Board also recognizes the statutory and constitutional right of the public to participate in governmental operations. The Board encourages members of the public to participate in and express opinions about issues important to the District. This part of the Board’s meeting is dedicated to public comment on any public matter that is not on the agenda of this meeting and is within the jurisdiction of the Board of Trustees. Members of the public may also address particular items on this agenda either now or at the time the Board considers the particular item.

 

Scott Atwood encouraged the Board to take the Long-Term Facilities Planning Committee’s recommendations. Connie Wardell stated she was impressed by the diversity of the abilities of the Long-Term Facilities Planning Committee and the fact they took into consideration the input from various community groups. Robert Lubbers reported he served on several conservation groups and supported the on-going work of the 20-Year Committee. He urged the Board to consider the alternative savings ideas to aide in the cost of utilities. Bruce Simon urged the Board to go to the public in order to make changes, which would help the Board’s credibility. He asked the Board to use the 20-Year Facilities Committee’s report as a starting point. Joan Hurdell stated she was impressed with the process used by the 20-Year Facilities Committee and urged the Board to listen to the committee’s recommendations.

 

Study Session

 

The Chair reported the Board asked the sub-committee to look at the information from the 20-Year Planning study and consolidate the items contained in the report. The sub-committee consisted of Conrad Stroebe, Joel Guthals, Dale Getz and Katharin Kelker. The members present reviewed the handout on facilities repair and renovation. Trustee Guthals had requested Crossroads High School be added to the problem statement as it is a building in need of repairs. Trustee Guthals stated the consultant that would be hired by the District would evaluate the recommendations of the 20-Year Committee.

 

Trustee Stroebe felt an issue to be tackled is the involvement of Crossroads’ students in activities. The School/Community Committee will review the issue. Trustee Mossman requested a change to the flexibility statement to include the school to work study program and service learning programs to prepare students for a trade. The words ‘or exceed’ will also be added to the statement that addressing students meeting the required instructional curriculum.

 

Trustees Goodrich and Getz did not agree to the financing statement as it could be a contradiction and it is the duty of the school district to provide education regardless of taxpayers approving a bond. It was agreed the statement would be removed.

 

Trustee Stroebe suggested transportation needed to be one of the criteria when developing a bond, as there is a trade-off in the transportation dollars. Is the taxpayer dollar better spent getting the students to school or used in the classroom. Trustee Goodrich felt the concept of innovative delivery of education should be dovetailed with the smaller learning community.

Trustee Getz stated he liked the process that was being used at this meeting and felt the Board was doing what the public had requested. He did not believe the Board had disparaged anything the 20-Year Facilities Committee had done. In the process, the committee’s recommendations have to be laid out in order to be acted upon and build a good foundation. Trustee Getz felt the Board was moving in the right direction. Trustee Getz was excused at 6:45.

 

Trustee Fox suggested something be added to address security for facilities and all schools should be comparable across the district. Superintendent Svee stated the buildings are not equal in being able to handle technology. The Chair recommended it be included in the Improvement in Quality of Facilities. Trustee Fox also suggested the Board look at including the issue of teachers on carts. The Chair stated that issue would be addressed in the recommendations.

 

The members present agreed on the recommended capacities for West (1600), Senior (1500), Skyview (1600), and Crossroads (225). The numbers at Senior are smaller due to the fact Senior has smaller classrooms. The projected enrollments from the 20-Year Planning Committee for the next seven or eight years shows a decline in enrollments at Senior and West, with increased numbers at Skyview. Some of the students are not in their school all day as they may be at the academies or the Career Center. The 20-year committee recommends having on-site freshman academies within the schools but the subcommittee of the Board suggested that be done when there is room at the home school. Trustee Stroebe requested enrollment data tracking the assumptions on a monthly basis. The Chair reported, keeping the schools at the capacity that they were built for, would give us ten years to watch what the population does. Trustee Fox suggested the issue be added stating each teacher would have a home, which would do away with teachers on carts. Enrollment cannot be limited and the Chair was reluctant to promise anything in order to sell a bond issue.

 

The meeting recessed for ten minutes.

 

Theresa Stroebe addressed the Board with an update on facilities in the Lockwood district. The Lockwood district will need 6-8 more classrooms by September. She was questioning the prediction of decreasing enrollments for the Billings Public Schools as the Lockwood area is increasing. She urged the Board to do what is best for all of the students, educationally relevant issues, and facilities.

 

The Board reviewed the recommendations of the Twenty-Year School Facilities Planning Committee. The members agreed Senior, Skyview and West should continue operating as comprehensive high schools for grades 9-12. Trustee Achten was concerned where students would go when the ideal capacity for a high school is 1500. Additional space would have to be leased or additional space constructed. The Board felt the freshman academies should not be moved to Senior and West until there is room. It was the consensus of the Board to remove the bullet allowing Lockwood students to continue to choose either Skyview or Senior.

 

There was consensus on leaving the Career Center as a campus for part-time career technical education. The members felt the following should be implemented at the Career Center only when feasible: return to Career Center the use of the 12 classrooms currently used by the West High freshman academy; provide instruction for students in grades 10-12, adding limited elective and core classes designed for sophomores; and, increase staffing as needed to accommodate more students in current industrial elective classes. The fourth bullet under the Career Center was changed to: develop and implement an effective career education information program for students, teachers and parents.

 

The consensus of the Board in making the Lincoln Center a satellite campus of the Career Center might be feasible in the future. The recommendation from the 20-year committee to merge the Adult Education program into a community wide program is not legal, as the trustees must run the program.

 

The Board agreed to retain the alternative high school for School District #2 students. Superintendent Svee reported the District needs a policy that defines alternative education. He has drafted one and would bring it to the agenda setting meeting.

 

The recommendation by the 20-year committee to hire a construction project manager for any renovation work was agreed upon by the Board. Hiring a professional facilities manager for long-term planning, as preferred by the committee, might make sense if the District receives enough money.

 

Seeking more grant funding is not possible, as grant money cannot be used for facilities. The District has a maintenance/servicing plan but it is used only for desperation projects. An energy efficiency program has begun in the District at this time. The 20-year committee also suggested a trustee or administrative staff attend the city/county planning meetings on a regular basis, but the city/county planning discussions have nothing to do with the District. The District already responds to notices of new subdivisions and new homes being constructing.

 

The members felt they would consider the establishment of an ongoing facilities planning committee. Trustee Guthals felt there should be a standing facilities committee of the Board. The Board will also consider the sale of the property at 48th Street West and Monad. The 20-year committee also recommends the District pursue listing Senior High and the Lincoln Center on the National Register of Historic Buildings. Superintendent Svee advised against this recommendation, as it would not be possible to do any renovations on the building.

 

The Chair requested that Trustee Guthals prepare a document incorporating all the items proposed during this work session for presentation for approval at the February 20, 2006 Board meeting.

 

As there was no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:45 p.m.

 

 

 

 

Katharin Kelker, Chair

 

 

Diane Blevins, Recorder