RIVER VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Regular Meeting
Middle School Library
7:30 p.m.
Board: Nelson, Taylor,
Peach, Pitts, Ferguson, Caraway, Roske, Pronold
Absent: Cates
Admin: Benson, Hayek, Hoffman, Kaukl, Radtke, Hegland, Briehl
Others: Bob Neuheisel, Sue Sadler, Deb Miller, Dennis Crowley, Jerry Klein,
Herman Kaldenberg, Vickie Bedard (WRCO), David Giffey (Home News), Paula Wedige
(Secretary)
President Caraway opened the meeting. He noted that the meeting had been properly noticed and notice had been provided to the appropriate media and each School Board Member. Pitts moved to proceed with the legal meeting. Taylor seconded. Motion carried.
There was a moment of silence for high school student, Robbie Pecho, who was killed in a recent car accident.
Legislative Update
Taylor provided a legislative update
noting the Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools’ review of the “good” and
“bad” of the Legislative Council Committee on School Finance’s preliminary
recommendations. In summary, the Committee recognizes the need for more funds
but puts the burden on property taxes.
A recommendation by the UW Madison School Finance Adequacy Initiative Task Force, headed by Professor Odden, is to be released later this year.
Senator Dale Schultz will be visiting our school district on February 9 to present a citation to recognize our student test scores and graduation rate.
Board Training
Opportunities
Nelson noted two upcoming WASB
seminars: Effective Bargaining
Seminar on February 16 in Wausau and March 2 in Madison; and Day at the Capitol
on March 14.
Student Council Report
No discussion.
Virtual School
The Budget Committee looked at
financial implications of virtual schooling. The concept of virtual schooling
will continue to be discussed and considered.
Public
Comments/Open Forum
Jerry Klein, Harley Lampman, and a
few other community members are interested in videotaping the school board
meetings and broadcasting them on Channel 12. This group would organize and
fund this project.
Dennis Crowley asked how many River Valley students are attending a virtual school now. Benson estimated less than 20. A recent meeting Benson held with a group of home school parents showed some interest in virtual schooling.
Jerry Klein expressed his desire for Chinese to be offered in the curriculum.
Consent Agenda: Checks,
Invoices, Receipts – January 2007; January 11, 2007, Minutes
Roske moved to approve the consent
agenda items as submitted. Peach seconded. Motion carried.
Consideration & Action on First Reading of New and
Revised Policies
Pitts moved to approve the
first reading of Policy #347-Exhibit 2 - Request for Non-Disclosure of “Student
Directory Data” to include that parents or eligible students can opt to not
release a student’s name to specific entities (i.e. military recruiters) while
still allowing the release of information to all other entities. Peach
seconded. Motion carried.
Peach moved to approve the first reading of Policy #421-Rule - Guidelines for Early Admission to Kindergarten/First Grade to revise the process for determining eligibility for early admission to include that the student obtain an IQ score in the range of 110 or above during the initial assessment phase. Pitts seconded. Motion carried.
Consideration & Action on Budget Committee Recommendations
Based on the Budget Committee’s recommendation, Taylor moved to approve the
awarding of roof repair contracts for Sections B1, B2, and B3 at the middle
school to Maly Roofing, for labor, at a cost of $75,200 and Roofers Mart, for
materials, at a cost of $56,515 for a total cost of $131,715. Peach seconded.
Motion carried.
Based on the Budget Committee’s recommendation, Peach moved to increase food service prices, effective February 19, 2007, as follows: 25 cents for student lunch; 10 cents for student breakfast; 50 cents for adult lunch; 25 cents for adult breakfast; 5 cents for milk; 25 cents for juice bottles; and 10 cents for chips. Roske seconded. Hayek stated that the deficit in the food service budget will be rectified over a two-year period. He clarified that while adults do pay for their meals, there is not much revenue from adult meals. Motion carried.
Consideration & Action on Teacher Retirement
Roske moved to accept the retirement of Colleen Faherty, Plain Kindergarten
Teacher, at the end of the 2006-07 school year. Pitts seconded. Motion
carried.
Consideration & Action on Resolution Authorizing Teacher Contract Renewals and
Issuance of Letters of Intent
Pronold moved to adopt the Resolution Authorizing Teacher Contract Renewals
and Issuance of Letters of Intent. Pitts seconded. Polled vote was 8-0 in the
affirmative with 1 absent. Motion carried.
Consideration & Action on Resolution Accepting Gifts
Roske moved to adopt the Resolution Accepting Gifts of a CNC mill from
Cardinal Glass valued at $5,500 to the High School Tech. Ed. Department. Taylor
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: 2007-09 RVEST Collective Bargaining Update; 2007-09
RVEA Collective Bargaining Update; Annual Superintendent Performance Evaluation;
Consideration & Action on Resolution Considering Nonrenewal of Teacher Contract
Ferguson moved to adjourn to closed session at 8:30 p.m. pursuant to
Wisconsin Statutes 19.85(1)(c) for: 2007-09 RVEST Collective Bargaining Update;
2007-09 RVEA Collective Bargaining Update; Annual Superintendent Performance
Evaluation; Consideration & Action on Resolution Considering Nonrenewal of
Teacher Contract. Pronold seconded. Polled vote was
8-0 in the affirmative with 1 absent. Motion carried.
Submitted by Paula Wedige For Deborah Nelson, School District Clerk
04/18/07 pw