SWINKSCHOOL DISTRICT
BOARD OF EDUCATION
REGULAR BOARD MEETING
April 14, 2014 7:00p.m.
Present:Dianna Milenski, Matt Gardner, Scott Amrhein, Robert Bamberand Christine Whalen
Others Present: Libby Hiza, Superintendent;Callista Unruh, Principal;
Velva Addington, Business Manager; Todd Redner, Athletic Director
Audience Present:Sherry Wallin, Mike, Carolanna and Bethann Traver, Brianna, Joni and Dustin Wilk, Leah Roberson, Marvin, Jerod and Danelle Berg, Dale and Bethany Horiuchi, Bruce, Regina and Blake Denton, Jadyn Bevington, Kylie Krueger, Torrey Davis, Bonnie Grossen, Brad Unruh, Dominick Gregory, Carrie and Emma Brown, Joseph and Carly McCormack, Betty Gage
1.Roll Call/Pledge of Allegiance/Additions or Corrections to Agenda
2.Audience
2.1Sign up List Speakers
None
2.2OJC Arts Festival Winners
Mrs. Wallin presented the students who were winners at the 58th Otero Arts Creative Writing winners with 57 students placing in essays, portfolios, short stories and poetry. Carly McCormack received and OJC Art scholarship; Bethany Horiuchi was Judge’s Choice in the Junior Division; Leah Roberson received Best of Show with her scratch art; Bethann Traver received Judge’s Best Representative Work in the senior division; Marie Mora-Menges received an OJC Scholarship, and Torrey Davis was an alternate; the first, second, third and fourth place winners respectively for Creative Writing Senior Portfolio were Marie Mora-Menges, Torrey Davis, Lindsey Tatum and Jessie Smith. Mrs. Milenski stated that the achievement and success of Swink students at the OJC Art Festival has been remarkable over the past several decades. On behalf of the Board, she congratulated the students and their families and commended the Swink staff for their efforts and their representation of Swink School in the finest of ways.
2.3Europe Trip
Mrs. Bonnie Grossen stated that this year, several students traveled to the Mediterranean and three students shared their stories of the trip. Those attending were Jerod Berg, Torrey Davis and Emma Brown. They all thanked the Board for the opportunity to go and the support they received from them.
3.Accountability Committee
The committee met on March 26th and looked at the budget for 2015. In regards to the student fee, they felt we needed to consider getting everything into it and that $15 was too low. Maybe it should be $20 but does not include class dues or project fees. The staff will review it tomorrow. The committee did feel it was necessary to keep the athletic fee.
4.Board Reports/Requests
The request from the Lamar School District to join the SFTBOCES is now off the table.
5.Superintendent’s Report
Mrs.Hiza reported on the following:
~ Kindergarten round-up number was 28, with 8 being in district.
~ 8th Grade Promotion – Scott Amrhein and Kindergarten also
~ Budget – Work Session Date: April 28th at 6:00 p.m.
~ Staffing Interviews – at the CSU Pueblo job fair, only one interview. She will be in Denver later for several interviews for Science and Business.
~ Sponsorship Projects – there have been requests for some to put money towards a special project with their official logo, but it is outside of the Corporate Sponsorship Program. The Board will review and discuss at the next work session.
~ Activity Accounts – A year to date accounting of the activity fund was reviewed by Mrs. Addington, showing where gates, officials, uniforms, were in general athletics. Also, the clubs and classes and fundraising were reviewed to give the Board a better understanding of the Activity Fund. There aren’t any salaries paid out of the activity fund.
6.Principal’s Report
None
7.Consent Agenda
7.1Minutes of March 10 and 31, 2014
7.2Financial Claims – March, 2014 – General Fund - $248,798.17; and Hot Lunch - $6,046.62 for a total of $254,844.49, check numbers - Direct Deposit, 18240-18309, 16003-16004.
7.3Hires/Resignations – Curt Lewis – Girls Basketball Coach resigned. Approve Brett Rusler for Head Boys’ Basketball Coach and Andrew Froes as his assistant. He also requested Mackey and Candy O’Neal as volunteer assistants for the summer. Mrs. Callista Unruh submitted her letter of resignation as Principal effective at the end of her 2013-2014 contract.
7.4Overnight/Out-of-State Trips – Mrs. Lockhart, on behalf of the senior class has requested approval for the overnight trip to Denver at a date to be determined.
Upon Mrs. Hiza’s recommendation, Mr. Bamber made a motion, second by Mr. Amrhein to approve the consent agenda as presented.
Mr. AmrheinAyeMr. BamberAye
Mr. GardnerAyeMrs. MilenskiAye
Mrs. WhalenAye
Motion Carried.
EXECUTIVE SESSION – Personnel – C.R.S. 24-6-402(4) (f) - Personnel
Mrs. Whalen made a motion, second by Mr. Amrhein to go into Executive Session at 7:45 p.m. for Coaching and Staff Patterns. To include Bruce and Regina Denton, Mr. Redner and Mrs. Hiza.
Mr. AmrheinAyeMr. BamberAye
Mr. GardnerAyeMrs. MilenskiAye
Mrs. WhalenAye
Motion Carried.
Out of Executive Session at 8:57 p.m.
8.Old Business
8.1School Calendar FY 2015
Other than putting in the date of Prom, upon Mrs. Hiza’s recommendation,
Mr. Amrhein made a motion, second by Mr. Bamber, to approve the FY 2015 calendar as presented.
Mr. AmrheinAyeMr. BamberAye
Mr. GardnerAyeMrs. MilenskiAye
Mrs. WhalenAye
Motion Carried.
8.2Staff Leave
The staff had come to administration requesting information about having a different leave policy (paid time off) rather than the current leave policy. As it ended up, there were more No votes than Yes votes. The Board felt that the policy needs to be kept as is.
8.3Reduction In Force
To ensure we stay within the timeline of our RIF policy, upon Mrs. Hiza’s recommendation, Mr. Bamber made a motion, second by Mr. Gardner to approve the following Resolution 2014 - #9 as a worst case scenario:
Whereas, the Board of Education must prepare a statement for the Swink School District staff identifying the reasons for an instructional staff reduction in force and the number of positions to be reduced.
Whereas, the Swink School District I declaring a need to reduce the Instructional and Instructional Support Staff for the following reasons:
- The Swink School District has experienced a decline in student enrollment over the past three years.
- The national, state and local economy is in a recession which directly affects the school finances.
Therefore, it is resolved that the Swink School District Board of Education will cause a Reduction in Force for the 2014-2014 school year for:
- A maximum of 2 Elementary Certified Positions
AND/OR
- A maximum of 2 Instructional Classified Positions
Mr. AmrheinAyeMr. BamberAye
Mr. GardnerAyeMrs. MilenskiAye
Mrs. WhalenAye
Motion Carried.
9.New Business
9.1Lunch Prices
Upon Mrs. Hiza’s recommendation, Mr. Amrhein made a motion, second by Mrs. Whalen, to raise the lunch prices by five cents as follows:
Elementary:Breakfast - $1.10Lunch - $1.75
Secondary:Breakfast - $1.25Lunch - $1.90
Adults:Breakfast - $1.65Lunch - $2.40
Mr. AmrheinAyeMr. BamberAye
Mr. GardnerAyeMrs. MilenskiAye
Mrs. WhalenAye
Motion Carried.
9.2Stipend for Summer Work
A group of teachers have indicated they could work this summer regarding the PBIS (behavior) system. There is some money available with G.T funds. Upon Mrs. Hiza’s recommendation, Mr. Gardner made a motion, second by Mr. Bamber to approve the maximum of $150 per teacher with $50 coming from G/T funds.
Mr. AmrheinAyeMr. BamberAye
Mr. GardnerAyeMrs. MilenskiAye
Mrs. WhalenAye
Motion Carried.
9.3Approve 2014-2015 Student Fees
After discussion, it was determined this issue will need to be discussed at a work session at a later date. Tabled.
EXECUTIVE SESSION – Personnel – C.R.S. 24-6-402(4) (f) - Superintendent
Mrs. Whalen made a motion second by Mr. Bamberto go into Executive Session at 9:20 p.m. for Personnel – Superintendent.
Mr. AmrheinAyeMr. BamberAye
Mr. GardnerAyeMrs. MilenskiAye
Mrs. WhalenAye
Motion Carried.
Out of Executive Session at 9:58 p.m.
10.Adjourn
Mrs. Whalenmade a motion to adjourn at 9:59 p.m.
Dianna Milenski
President
Matt Gardner
Secretary