RIVER VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT
September 11, 2008
Regular Meeting
High School Library
8:10 p.m.
Board: Taylor, Pronold,
Peach, Nelson, Cummings, Ferguson, Cates, Crowley, Paula Caraway
Absent: N/A
Admin: Benson, Hoffman, Hayek, Palm-Leis, Kaukl, Radtke, Hegland, Briehl
Others: Mary Liegel, Jeri Eveland, Mark Bahr, Eileen Brownlee (General
Counsel), Paula Wedige (Administrative Assistant), David Giffey (Home News)
President Taylor opened the meeting. She noted that the meeting had been properly noticed, and notice had been provided to the appropriate media and each School Board Member. Peach moved to proceed with the legal meeting. Ferguson seconded. Motion carried.
Legislative Update
Taylor noted that WASB called for
aligning revenue and cost and met with Elizabeth Burmaster regarding the
budget. A Wisconsin State Journal article referenced educating students for a
global economy. Benson spoke of a network of separate organizations working
together to plan how to fund schools differently.
Board Training
Opportunities
Nelson noted two upcoming WASB
seminars: an October 24 School Law Seminar and a November 8 Legislature Issues
Conference.
Commencement of Contract
Negotiations – RVEA and RVEST
The first meeting with the RVEA to
discuss the 2009-11 collective bargaining agreement will be set for some time in
October. Meeting dates and times will likely be Wednesdays at 5:00 p.m.
Planting a Tree in Memory
of Tor Caraway
The Board discussed planting a tree at
Arena Elementary next spring in memory of deceased Board President Tor Caraway
who served on the Board as the representative for the Village of Arena.
Public Comments/Open
Forum
No discussion.
Consent Agenda: Checks,
Invoices, Receipts – August 2008; Open Session Meeting Minutes – August 14, 2008
Pronold moved to approve the consent
agenda items as submitted. Cummings seconded. Motion carried.
Consideration & Action on
Site Approval for Booster Club Concession Stand
Mary Liegel presented a plan for the
Booster Club to build a concession stand at the current football field entrance
and requested approval of this building site from the Board. Benson noted that
in the near future, the Booster Club may ask the district to fund a portion of
the cost of the concession stand to be paid back by the Booster Club as an
interest free loan. The Booster Club would be responsible for maintenance of
the concession stand with the district responsible for the outside and may
assist with custodial needs in collaboration with the Booster Club. Pronold
moved to approve the building site for the concession stand. Peach seconded.
Motion carried with Ferguson opposed.
Consideration & Action to
Appoint Area 1 School Board Representative
General Counsel, Eileen Brownlee,
explained the process for posting notice, applying, and interviewing for a Board
vacancy. The Board will appoint a replacement in open session, with the vote of
each Board member known. Each nominated candidate stays in the running until
one candidate gets a majority vote by the Board. The Board interviewed three
candidates in open session: Mark Bahr, Jeri Eveland, and Paula Caraway.
Pronold nominated Caraway. Cates seconded. Peach nominated Eveland. Crowley seconded. Crowley nominated Bahr. Cates seconded. Roll call vote:
Pronold –
Caraway
Crowley – Bahr
Ferguson – Caraway
Cummings – Caraway
Peach – Eveland
Cates – Caraway
Taylor – Caraway
Nelson – Caraway
Caraway was appointed by majority vote of the Board to serve as the representative for Area 1 – Village of Arena until the April 2009 election.
Consideration & Action on
Resolution Accepting Teacher Resignation
Pronold moved to adopt the Resolution
Accepting Teacher Resignation of Gloria Hinrichs, High School Special Education
Teacher. Crowley seconded. Polled vote was 9-0 in the affirmative. Motion
carried.
Consideration & Action on
Increasing Spanish Teacher Position from Part Time to Full Time
Our current half time Spanish Teacher
vacancy has received no applicant interest. At the same time, our contract time
for ESL services has been lessened by the person providing these services.
Therefore, the request is to increase the half time vacancy to a full time
position to meet both needs. Ferguson moved to increase our current half time
Spanish Teacher position vacancy to a full time position vacancy. Cates
seconded. Roll call vote:
For the motion:
Cates, Cummings, Ferguson, Nelson, Peach, Taylor, Caraway
Against the motion: Crowley, Pronold
Absent: N/A
Abstain: N/A
Polled vote was 7-2 in the affirmative with Crowley and Pronold opposed. Motion carried.
Consideration & Action on
Second Reading of New and Revised Board Policies
Pronold moved to approve the second reading of Policy #345.52 - Graduation
Exercises to add a cross reference to Policy #345.5 – Graduation Requirements.
Crowley seconded. Motion carried.
Peach moved to approve the second reading of Policy #722.3-Rule – Procedure to be Followed for Emergency Conditions to delete the section regarding “late bus cancellation” since our district no longer offers this service. Cates seconded. Motion carried.
Ferguson moved to approve the second reading of Policy # 725 – Privacy in Locker Rooms, which is a new policy. Cummings seconded. Motion carried.
Crowley moved to approve the second reading of Policy # 751.2 – Extracurricular Transportation
to add language that the Business Manager will create “procedures” for special transportation to be available. Cates seconded. Motion carried.
Consideration & Action on
First Reading of New and Revised Board Policies
Pronold moved to approve the first
reading of Policy #751.1 – Bus Routing and Scheduling to add language to clarify
that the transportation contractor establishes bus routes with final approval of
the Business Manager and language from the Bus Rules and Regulations regarding
the pick up and drop off points for kindergarteners (and younger students).
Ferguson seconded. Motion carried.
Cates moved to approve the first reading of Policy #743 – Acceptable Use of Networked Computers, Internet, and Electronic Mail to delete references to Exhibits 1 and 2 since those exhibits will be obsolete with our new student management software and new Family Access program. Crowley seconded. Motion carried.
Pronold moved to approve the first reading of Policy #743-Exhibit 1 – Privacy Statement for K12Planet.com and Policy #743-Exhibit 2 – Consent Form for K12Planet.com to delete these policies due to new student management software and replacement of this program. Cates seconded. Motion carried.
Ferguson moved to approve the first reading of Policy #745 – Web-Based Parent Access to Student Records and Grades for the adoption of this new policy which relates to the new student management software and the new Family Access program. Cates seconded. Motion carried.
Peach moved to approve the first reading of Policy #745-Exhibit – Application and Acceptable Use for Web-Based Parent Access to Student Records and Grades for the adoption of this new policy which is the parent application for use of the new program. Ferguson seconded. Motion carried.
Consideration & Action on
Resolutions Accepting Gifts
Caraway moved to adopt three
Resolutions Accepting Gifts in memory of Tor Caraway to the alternative
education department: Laurie Derse, $50.00; Kramer & Brownlee, LLC, $100.00;
and Gilbertson Families, $50.00. Cates seconded. Polled vote was 9-0 in the
affirmative. Motion carried.
Pronold moved to adopt the Resolution Accepting Gifts of $2,000 worth of foundry equipment and sheet metal equipment to the High School Tech. Ed. Department from Grayslake Community High School. Crowley seconded. Polled vote was 9-0 in the affirmative. Motion carried.
Consideration & Action to Adjourn to Closed Session Pursuant to Wisconsin
Statutes 19.85(1)(c) for Discussion of Administrator Retirement Benefits
Cates moved to adjourn to closed session at 9:40 p.m. pursuant to Wisconsin
Statutes 19.85(1)(c) for Discussion of Administrator Retirement Benefits.
Crowley seconded. Polled vote was 9-0 in the affirmative. Motion carried.
Submitted by Paula Wedige For Deborah Nelson, School District Clerk
11/21/08 pw