Special Board Meeting (Work Session) February 25, 2008

[Diane Blevins]

Proceedings of the Board of Trustees

District No. 2, Yellowstone County

High School District No. 2, Yellowstone County

Billings, Montana

 

February 25, 2008

 

CALL TO ORDER

 

The Special Board Meeting/Work Session 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, February 25, 2008, at 5:30 p.m.

 

Members present included Trustees Tim Trafford, Sandra Mossman, Mary Jo Fox, Joel Guthals, Katharin Kelker, Malcolm Goodrich, Kathy Aragon, Dawn Achten, Peter Gesuale, Superintendent Jack Copps, District Clerk Leo Hudetz, and COLT staff members Dan Martin, Rich Whitney, Nancy Hines, Kathy Olson, Gail Surwill, Scott Anderson, and David Munson.

 

Registered guests included Jerry Hansen.

 

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.

 

Jerry Hansen addressed the Board on building maintenance. He voiced his concern that ongoing maintenance is needed in the District’s buildings as the District is behind $85,000,000. He urged the Board to make more routine maintenance which would be more efficient. Mr. Hansen felt more money should be put into the general fund for maintenance.

 

BILLS PAID – JANUARY 2008

 

Trustee Kelker made the following motion with a second by Trustee Gesuale:

 

Motion to approve the bills paid for January 2008.

 

Those voting in favor were Peter Gesuale, Joel Guthals, Malcolm Goodrich, Katharin Kelker, Sandra Mossman, and Tim Trafford. The motion passed unanimously. Trustees Achten, Fox and Aragon arrived after the vote was taken.

 

DECISION MATRIX FOR WORK SESSION

 

The Chair set a time deadline for the discussion at 7:30 p.m. He believed this Board needs to make some strategic type decisions and figure out what the District should look like before putting figures on anything. Trustee Kelker stated that neighborhood schools used to be a school that students could walk to within a mile or so. The reality is something different now as new schools have been built but students are being bussed to other schools farther away from their neighborhood. There are some special education students who are not in their neighborhood school.

 

Superintendent Copps reported for him, the concept of neighborhood schools supports research that there are greater supportive communications between students, families and administrators in neighborhood schools, where students perform better and expectations are higher for students who attend that school. Trustee Goodrich asked how the District was doing sustaining the concept. Mr. Copps reported he sees somewhat of a concept of neighborhood schools. Sometimes students must be bussed when a school is full. There is a growing population on the west end and students are sometimes bussed passed a school to attend a school that is not at capacity. There are 584 K-6 students west of Shiloh Road where there are no elementary schools. Those students will have to be bussed into the center of the city where there is room. It might be time to consider building a neighborhood school in the area west of Shiloh. Young families are not moving to a city that is not public education friendly. Neighborhood schools are important for the economic growth of the community.

 

Kathy Olson, Elementary Executive Director, reported the 584 students west of Shiloh are bussed to Big Sky, Central Heights, Meadowlark, Arrowhead, Boulder, Burlington an Miles Avenue. There are 400 Arrowhead students who live west of Shiloh. Trustee Kelker stated schools are not in the right places in the Heights and the central city but Miles Avenue School has a smaller area that allows students to be bussed into that school.

 

Trustee Mossman gave a copy of the draft minutes of the Planning and Development Committee to those present. The definition of a neighborhood school could be ‘ a school where a group of children can be with the same peer group of children from grades K-6’. A committee member made the suggestion to add the ‘geographical concept’ to the definition. Safety issues should be discussed separately and the committee should remain realistic but visionary. There seemed to be an aversion to cluster schools and voiced their concerns over a definition of cluster schools.

 

Trustee Kelker felt the Board should also explore collection schools. The elementary template that was developed several years ago that called for no elementary schools over 500 students. Mr. Copps felt cluster schools should have no more than the maximum number of students per classroom by accreditation standards, which could save 48 teaching positions.

 

Rich Whitney, Facilities Director, stated McKinley and Broadwater are in drastic need of refurbishment. The biggest factor is the structures as the plumbing costs would be significant but the electricity would not be any more difficult. From a facilities standpoint, the buildings could be brought up to higher standards but there would still be challenges. The older buildings are not up to ADA standards for special needs students. Mr. Copps stated it is the older schools that need to be remodeled to provide those services for the special needs students in their neighborhood schools where those students are located. Trustee Guthals felt the biggest problem is the cost of personnel as they keep rising. Superintendent Copps felt a neighborhood school should have a teacher/student ratio of 1/25, then look at using 94% of capacity for that building, keeping 6% for growth. The national trend is to down size schools. Trustee Kelker stated, looking at Miles, Washington and Burlington areas, there are ways to reorganize that would allow for two schools instead of three. If operating costs are a factor, it might make sense to have two schools in very good shape to better serve those students that live in a big area.

 

Trustee Kelker stated the Board must also keep in mind equal opportunities for everyone. Mr. Copps stated that there are some schools that are Title I and there are some schools that do not qualify for special services. Dan Martin reported that equal opportunity for special education is better than it was years ago, as administration decided not to move classes around fifteen years ago. There is, however, no room to grow and it is not possible to have all special education students in their neighborhood schools. Kathy Olson stated another thing to keep in mind is that 500 students have been added in this year to the K-6 schools because of all day kindergarten. 500 students is bigger than any elementary school and some middle schools.

 

Mr. Copps reviewed his handout regarding the Cottonwood area. It would cost $9,626,047 to build an elementary school for 400 students. Subtracting the guaranteed tax base from the State for $4,354,824, the proceeds of the sale of Crossroads for $2,100,000, and $1,200,000 from the possible sale of Rimrock, the total cost to build the elementary school would be $1,971,223. That amount would not cost the taxpayers much as the last elementary bond of $10,000,000 was paid off in four years and the $1,971,223 could be paid off in one year. Operating costs would be $400,000 but closing Rimrock would save $300,000.

 

Kathy Olson was asked how many students are currently bussed from the west end into the city and how many students would be able to go into a neighborhood school. Ms. Olson will put those numbers together and bring them to the next work session.

 

Trustee Gesuale voiced his concern that building a new school would take away the needs of other schools. He felt it was important to consider the number of students being bussed.

 

The following is a definition of a neighborhood school as presented by Trustee Guthals during the work session:

 

A neighborhood elementary school is a school that has facilities to provide quality education for 450-500 K-6

students, with class sizes at accreditation standards, serving the students and families of a neighborhood. A

neighborhood is a geographical area in the District, within 3 miles of a neighborhood school, that has a population

of between 450-500 K-6 students. There may be more than one neighborhood school serving a neighborhood.

Neighborhood boundaries are subject to change in order to maintain a student population of 450-500 students

for the neighborhood school.

 

Trustee Goodrich reported the next work session would be scheduled to address facilities and the impact on the District. Trustee Kelker summarized the meeting stating that no decisions have been made and she sensed the interests were leaning toward a neighborhood school concept but size should be discussed. The Board did not seem to be working against equal opportunity for all students and there is flexibility in looking at new ways.

 

As there was no further business, the meeting at 7:35 p.m.

 

 

 

 

Malcolm Goodrich, Chair

 

 

 

Diane Blevins, Recorder