USD 428 Great Bend Board of Education meeting
Oct. 9 - 5 p.m.
201 S. Patton Road
Agenda
1. CALL TO ORDER
1.1 Roll Call
1.2 Adoption of Agenda
1.3 Recognition of Visitors
1.4 Request to Speak Reminder
• Persons may present ideas or concerns regarding USD 428. The Board will take no action at this meeting. Such items will be referred to the appropriate administrator(s) for future information and researched and reported back to the Board at a later meeting. Personalities and behavior of employees are not to be presented during this period but are to be reported to the employee’s immediate supervisor. The president shall determine the amount of time to be spent for citizen participation.
1.5 Citizen’s Open Forum
2. RECOGNITIONS / PRESENTATIONS
• The Horizon Award Program, sponsored by the Kansas State Department of Education, is an award to recognize exemplary first-year teachers who perform in a way that distinguishes them as outstanding. Patricia Cauthon, teacher of Special Education for Barton County Special Services (TLC/Washington), has been nominated for the 2024 Horizon Award, representing USD 428. Congratulations, Patricia, on this achievement!
3. COMMUNICATIONS
• Board Members’ Comments
• USD 428 Education Foundation
• Written Communications / Correspondence
4. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
A. Approval of Title VI B (3-21) and VI B (3-5) Early Childhood FlowThrough Budget Application Public notification of the Title VI B and VI B ECH budget, which covers salaries for licensed special education staff, is required. The 2023-2024 application amounts to $1,131,420 for Title VI B pass-through funds ($58,134 higher than the prior year) and $40,835 for ECH ($661 higher than the prior year). The budget application was available for public review at the Barton County Cooperative of Special Education for thirty days. The administration recommends approval.
B. Board Policy - JBCC – Enrollment of Nonresident Students
This required new board policy outlines the requirements for the enrollment for nonresident students, including required actions such as determining capacity, accepting applications, and the admission of nonresident students. USD 428 will adopt this policy at a hearing at 5:00 p.m. on November 13, 2023, before the board meeting. Notice of this hearing shall be published at least once each week for two consecutive weeks in the Great Bend Tribune and published on the district website.
5. NEW BUSINESS
A. Approval of Camera Purchase
The administration recommends the placement of security cameras at the 625 10th street facility. Verkada has provided a Greenbush government quote for 16 outdoor dome cameras and two multi-sensor dome cameras for $17,825.65. In addition to the cost of the cameras, a five-year required camera license. The administration requests approval of the $31,091.25 quote to purchase the cameras and licensure.
B. KASB Delegate Assembly
The KASB Delegate Assembly is the Annual Business Meeting of the Association. Each KASB member entity assigns a voting delegate at the assembly to vote on behalf of their local Board of Education regarding legislative priorities for 2023. Voting delegates select a KASB President-Elect Designee, vote on proposed changes to the KASB Constitution and our Legislative Positions and Priorities, which guide the association’s legislative efforts. Jacquie Disque, President, will be registered as the USD 428 Delegate, and Aaron Emerson, Vice President, will be the alternate. The Delegate Assembly is on November 11 (in–person and virtual). A link will be sent from KASB to Delegates to submit their electronic vote. The board approved the delegates at the September meeting.
C. Approval of Local Consolidated Plan Allocation
The 2023-2024 Local Consolidated Plan (LCP) amounts total $1,232,981 which compares to a prior-year total of $1,039,902. The administration asks board approval to make state and federal program allocations for 2023-2024. Programs with the allocated amounts are listed below.
Title I Improving Education Programs - $925,227
Title II A Supporting Effective Instruction - $137,288
Title III English Learner and Immigrant Programs - $44,938
Title IVA Grants for Student Support/Academic Enrichment - $50,453
Title I Part C Migrant - $75,075
Total $1,232,981
D. GB Recreation Commission Board Representative
The GB Recreation Commission board is comprised of five members representing the city, school, and recreation commission. Members serve four-year terms and may serve two consecutive four-year terms. Sue Cooper’s board membership (first term) expires on December 31st, 2023, and an ad will be submitted to The Tribune announcing the open position if she does not intend on serving a second term. Interested applicants may respond with a letter of interest to John Popp until October 26, 2023. Responses to the ad will then be a BOE consideration / decision at the November regular meeting.
6. CURRICULUM REPORT
A. Curriculum Day and Collaboration Day
• Curriculum Day on October 9 was focused on increasing instruction to be more aligned with levels 3 and 4. Providing more rigorous instruction will lead to greater student achievement.
• Collaboration Day is October 20. The moring will be in grade level and department meetings to collaborate on instruction at levels 3 and 4 as a continuation of work done during Curriculum Day on October 9.
B. Adoption Updates
This year, the K-6 ELA (English Language Arts) adoption is in the process of piloting new programs. Mrs. Blevins will also provide an update on the start of the K-12 Science adoption.
C. Kansas Reads to Preschoolers
USD 428's Preschool programs at Riley, Helping Hands, and Little Panthers are participating in the State of Library of Kansas' 2023 Kansas Reads to Preschoolers event. This is an addition to our GB Reads Initiative, which specifically targets preschoolers. This year's preschool book selection is My Heart Fills With Happiness by Monique Gray Smith, illustrated by Julie Flett.
D. ALL IN with Parents
On September 28, USD 428 held its first ALL IN with Parents Night. Mrs. Blevins will provide an update on how this event was attended and received by parents.
E. Graduation Requirements
New graduation requirements will be implemented for 9-12 grade students at the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year. Mrs. Blevins will review the new requirements and discuss the work in progress to ensure these requirements are in place for the next school year.
F. Little Panthers Preschool Update
Mrs. Blevins will update the Board on the plans for Little Panthers Preschool at the new facility.
G. Curriculum Meetings
▪ Curriculum Steering Committee: next meeting 11/7/23
▪ Professional Development Council (PDC): 9/11/23 and 10/2/23 minutes, next meeting 11/6/23
7. BUSINESS AND OPERATIONS REPORT
A. Phone System Update
The district's phone system is aging and out of date. Nex-Tech provides a phone system service. Administration will present a service agreement that will replace the entire district's phone system with an updated system including all phones, hardware and equipment.
B. Camera Purchase With the approval of a Safe and Secure Schools grant, the district has received funds to begin the replacement of the cameras for GBHS. The administration will review the plan to spend the funds approved by the board at a previous board meeting.
C. Camera System / Phone System Cabling
Nex-tech will also provide an option to pull all the cabling needed for the new phone system and an updated camera system to be installed.
D. Public School Works training
The Public School Works program automatically assigns annual state and federally mandated training courses to our staff in an online testing format. Staff members have completed over 10,000 training modules ranging from fire extinguisher safety to suicide prevention and continue to do a fantastic job completing the assigned pieces of training on time.
E. Personnel Report
Recruiting quality teachers for the 2023-24 school year has already begun, with upcoming recruiting fairs scheduled for either online or virtual recruiting. In addition, new teachers graduating in December will be considered for employment now for positions currently filled by long-term substitute teachers until a permanent job is available.
8. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT
A. Enrollment Numbers Update
B. Bus Safety Week, October 16-20, 2023, “Safely Rolling to My Destination”
C. Anti-Bullying Awareness Month
October is a month-long event to prevent childhood bullying and promote kindness, acceptance, and inclusion.
D. Fire Safety and Awareness Week, October 8-14, “Cooking safety starts with YOU! Pay Attention to Fire Prevention!”
E. Approval of Grants / Contributions (Attachment 8,E)
9. FINANCIAL PRESENTATION
10. CONSENT AGENDA
A. Approval of BOE Meeting Minutes [September 11 and 28, 2023]
B. Bills and Financial Reports
C. Personnel Report
11. UPCOMING MEETING DATES
•NO School: October 9 (Teacher Grading/Collab) and October 20, 2023
•Support Services Open House & Job Fair: October 11, 2023 3:30 – 6:30 p.m. at 625 10th Street
•BOE Luncheon Meeting: at noon on October 24, 2023 (GB Middle School)
•Annual KASB Convention: on November 11-13, 2023, in Wichita, KS
12. ADJOURNMENT