RIVER VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Thursday, May 15, 2006
Regular Meeting
Middle School Library
8:00 p.m.
Board: Nelson, Pitts,
Taylor, Caraway, Roske, Pronold, Ferguson, Cates (arrived 8:05)
Absent: Peach
Admin: Benson, Hayek, Briehl, Kaukl, Palm-Leis
Others: Mary Lampman, Sue Sadler, Dawn Folland, Lisa Ruetten, David Giffey
(Home News), Paula Wedige (Secretary)
Caraway, as Acting President, opened the meeting. He noted that there was an amended agenda and that the meeting had been properly noticed and notice had been provided to the appropriate media and each School Board Member. Taylor moved to proceed with the legal meeting. Pronold seconded. Motion carried.
A welcome was extended to Cates and Ferguson as new Board members.
Legislative Update
Taylor noted that the Taxpayer
Protection Amendment (TPA) was defeated.
Board Training
Opportunities
Nelson stated that there is a WASB
finance seminar in mid-June and a Board Presidents’ seminar in July. Training
opportunities then cease until the fall.
Student Council Report
Applications are being submitted for
next year’s student council members. Also, the memorial bench with a plaque for
the 4 students who died last January has been ordered. The bench will be
located near the front entrance of the high school. Kaukl noted that they will
plan for all 9 Board members to be on stage for graduation.
Public Forum Regarding
School Funding – May 31
There will be a public forum on school
funding on May 31 at 7:00 pm in the high school study hall. The forum is being
sponsored by various organizations and hosted by River Valley School District.
The panel will consist of Senator Dale Schultz, Representative Steve Freese,
Representative Sondy Pope-Roberts, Tom Beebe (Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent
Schools), and Sam McGrew (Superintendent, Cuba City School District).
National Governors
Association Grant to Expand Advanced Placement Participation
River Valley is one of nine districts
to receive part of a $500,000 grant over a two-year period to expand advanced
placement courses in our middle and high schools. There are several avenues for
using the grant dollars to include teacher and administrator training, distance
learning, on-line courses, and ACT testing for all students.
District Host Site for
August 7 Circus to be Sponsored by Spring Green Area Chamber of Commerce
The Spring Green Chamber of Commerce
will be sponsoring a circus on August 7 and wants to use the school district
grounds for the event location. Benson will be in further contact with the
chamber.
Consent Agenda: Checks,
Invoices, Receipts – April 2006; Open Session Meeting Minutes –
March 16 and April 13, 2006
Pitts moved to approve the consent
agenda items as submitted. Taylor seconded. Motion carried.
Board Organizational
Meeting
Caraway encouraged Board members to
have discussion when nominating officer positions and for nominees to make
comments on why they should be elected for the positions.
President – Roske nominated Caraway and feels Caraway’s negotiations work has served the district well and would make Caraway a good President. Pitts nominated Taylor. Nelson moved to close nominations. Roske seconded. Taylor stated that she would serve as President but knows Caraway has more experience. Taylor feels she does see things from several angles. Caraway stated that the role of President is intimidating. However, Caraway’s goal would be to do something about school funding. Paper ballots were used and Caraway received 6 votes and Taylor received 2 votes. Caraway was elected President.
Vice President – Caraway nominated Taylor. Pitts moved to close nominations and cast a unanimous ballot for Taylor. Roske seconded. Motion carried. Taylor was elected Vice President and echoed Caraway’s comments for doing something about school funding.
Clerk – Taylor nominated Nelson. Pronold moved to close nominations and cast a unanimous ballot for Nelson. Ferguson seconded. Motion carried. Nelson was elected Clerk.
Treasurer – Roske nominated Pronold. Pitts moved to close nominations and cast a unanimous ballot for Pronold. Taylor seconded. Motion carried. Pronold was elected Treasurer.
Meeting Date, Time, and Place – Caraway moved to continue holding regular School Board meetings on the second Thursday of each month, in the Middle School Library, at 7:30 p.m. Pronold seconded. Motion carried 6-2 in the affirmative with 1 absent.
Consideration & Action on
Teacher Hirings
Roske moved to hire Jeff Sawyer as a
high school guidance counselor. Pitts seconded. Motion carried.
Pitts moved to hire Megan Nell as a Speech/Language Clinician. Pronold seconded. Motion carried.
Ferguson moved to hire Amanda Schanz as a Speech/Language Clinician. Cates seconded. Motion carried.
Roske moved to hire Prudence McGuire as the 8th Grade History Teacher. Pitts seconded. Motion carried.
Pronold moved to hire Brett Maxwell as a Spring Green Elementary 2nd Grade Teacher. Taylor seconded. Motion carried.
Consideration & Action on
Budget Committee Recommendations
The Budget Committee recommends the
transfer of $129,000 from various budget line items to other areas in order to
align expenditures to meet the Wisconsin Uniform Financial Accounting
Requirements. Pitts moved to approve the budget transfers in the amount of
$129,000. Roske seconded. Motion carried.
At the Budget Committee’s recommendation, Ferguson moved to increase the building repair budget by $96,940 from additional TIF revenue to be used to repair sections A1 and A2 of the middle school roof and to approve the labor bid from Maly and material bid from Milwaukee Insulation. Cates seconded. Motion carried.
The Budget Committee recommends approval of a resolution in order to be eligible for a potential increase in aid under the Act 25 Equalization Aid Shared Cost Modification. Roske moved to adopt a resolution on shared cost modification to acknowledge that the district is using fund balance to pay the unfunded pension liability under the Wisconsin Retirement System. Pitts seconded. Polled vote was 8-0 in the affirmative with 1 absent. Motion carried.
Consideration & Action on
Resolutions Accepting Gifts
Pronold moved to adopt the Resolution Accepting Gifts of $250 for
post prom and $250 for the ATODA program from Spring Green Lions Club. Taylor
seconded. Polled vote was 8-0 in the affirmative. Motion carried.
Roske moved to adopt the Resolution Accepting Gifts of $25 to Auto Tech Department from Andy and Christina McCauley. Pitts seconded. Polled vote was 8-0 in the affirmative. Motion carried.
Ferguson moved to adopt the Resolution Accepting Gifts of $1,000 from the River Valley Learning Foundation to the high school band department for the cost of musicians to help prepare for solo and ensemble. Pitts seconded. Polled vote was 8-0 in the affirmative. Motion carried.
Taylor moved to adopt the Resolution Accepting Gifts of $500 from Sauk County Art Association to the high school art department for non-consumable purchases that enhance the art program. Pitts seconded. Polled vote was 8-0 in the affirmative. Motion carried.
Roske moved to adopt the Resolution Accepting Gifts of $100 from Randall and Joyce Christen for the 8th grade musical. Ferguson seconded. Polled vote was 8-0 in the affirmative. Motion carried.
Cates moved to adopt the Resolution Accepting Gifts of $415 from Ron and Jackie Nolan to the high school art department in memory of Jacob Nolan. Pitts seconded. Polled vote was 8-0 in the affirmative. Motion carried.
Pronold moved to adopt the Resolution Accepting Gifts of a used tensile strength machine valued at $4,000 from West Allis Gray Iron Plant to the high school tech. ed. department. Taylor seconded. Polled vote was 8-0 in the affirmative. Motion carried.
Consideration & Action on
“Project Lead the Way” Engineering Program Contract
Roske moved to approve the Project
Lead the Way Engineering Program Contract and the acceptance of a $25,000 grant
from the Kern Family Foundation. Taylor seconded. Motion carried.
Consideration & Action on
Retirement of Elementary Director
Briehl will be retiring from the
district prior to the 2006-07 school year. Benson thanked Briehl for his
service. There was discussion about the feasibility of a new Elementary
Director continuing to oversee all four elementaries as Briehl has done for the
last year since the retirement of Mike Richardson. Briehl added that he feels
this is a very daunting task for one person. Pronold moved to accept the
retirement of Eric Briehl as Elementary Director. Roske seconded. Motion
carried.
Consideration & Action on
Resolution Accepting Teacher Resignation
Roske moved to adopt the Resolution
Accepting Resignation of Rachael Johnson as a High School Spanish Teacher.
Cates seconded. Polled vote was 8-0 in the affirmative with 1 absent. Motion
carried.
Consideration & Action to
Adjourn to Closed Session Pursuant to Wisconsin Statutes 19.85(1)(c) for 2005-07
RVEA Collective Bargaining Update; 2005-07 RVEST Collective Bargaining Update;
and Discussion of Administrator Contracts and Administrative Vacancy and Related
Realignment of Job Duties
Roske moved to adjourn to closed
session at 9:25 p.m. pursuant to Wisconsin Statutes 19.85(1)(c) for 2005-07 RVEA
Collective Bargaining Update; 2005-07 RVEST Collective Bargaining Update; and
Discussion of Administrator Contracts and Administrative Vacancy and Related
Realignment of Job Duties. Taylor seconded. Polled vote was 8-0 in the
affirmative with 1 absent. Motion carried.
The Board reconvened in open session at 11:20 p.m.
Consideration & Action on
Ratification of 2005-07 RVEA Collective Bargaining Agreement
Roske moved to ratify the 2005-07 RVEA
Collective Bargaining Agreement, which includes a 3.8% salary and benefits
package for each of the two years. Pitts seconded. Motion carried.
Pronold moved to adjourn at 11:22 p.m. Roske seconded. Motion carried.
Submitted by Paula Wedige For Deborah Nelson, School District Clerk
06/23/06 pw