PLEASANT VALLEY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Bettendorf, LeClaire, Riverdale

 

UNOFFICIAL MINUTES

 

BOARD OF EDUCATION, REGULAR MEETING, BELMONT ADMINISTRATION OFFICE

Monday, October 25, 2010 – 7:00 P.M. C.D.S.T.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Regular meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by President Dayman.

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:  Archer, Bullock, Dayman, Dohmen, Paulsen, Witters.  Absent:  Huegel.

 

Also Present:  Jim Spelhaug, Stephanie Judkins, Mike Clingingsmith, Christine Harvey, Larry Dodds, Sean and Deb Ulrich.

 

Director Huegel arrived at 7:02 p.m.

 

EXECUTIVE SESSION APPROVED:  Motion by Archer, second by Dohmen that the Board hold a closed session as provided in section 21.5(1)(i) of the open meetings law to evaluate the professional competency of an individual whose performance is being considered to prevent needless and irreparable injury to that individual’s reputation, as that individual has requested a closed session.  Roll call vote.  Ayes – Archer, Bullock, Dayman, Dohmen, Huegel, Paulsen, Witters.  Nays – none.  Motion carried.

 

AGENDA APPROVED:  Motion by Witters, second by Bullock to approve the agenda as presented.  All ayes.  Motion carried.

 

COMMUNICATIONS:  President Dayman welcomed visitors to the meeting.  Mr. Clingingsmith said that the district’s financial auditors had completed their field work that day for the 2009-10 fiscal year audit and had indicated that it was a good audit.  President Dayman, who was present during the exit interview, said that the auditors had noted that the district had a strong system of internal controls in place. 

 

Stephanie Judkins congratulated the junior high cross-country runners who participated in the state meet on Saturday, October 16 in Saydel.  The seventh-grade girls became 2010 state champions. Seventh and eighth grade boys each earned third place. Eighth grade girls earned eighth place.

 

Dr. Spelhaug reported that the Scott County Regional Authority has announced grant awards. The district has received $104,313 in grants in the fall cycle and an overall grand total of $3,166, 279 since SCRA came into existence.   Items purchased with these funds include books, risers/stages, wellness, music and playground equipment, sound systems, reading software, reference books, computer equipment, science materials and equipment, and a variety of teaching resources.   The fall cycle grants included $40,000 for the stadium renovation and junior high track project.  Dr. Spelhaug expressed appreciation to SCRA for the strong, positive impact these grants have had on the district.

 

CONSENT AGENDA:    Motion by Bullock, second by Witters that the consent agenda be approved as presented.  All ayes.  Motion carried.  The Consent Agenda consists of:   the approval of the minutes of the October 11 regular meeting; the regular employment of Rhonda Brockhouse and Jennifer Locey both as special education aides at Bridgeview and Crystal Richland as an educational aide at Bridgeview; the regular employment of Jennifer Goldsberry, Camille Schoeberl, and Kristi Spencer all as food service workers at PVCHS, the probationary employment of Brenda Klauer as a special education aide at Riverdale Heights; the extra-curricular add of Bridget Reich as freshman girls basketball coach and drop of Joe Ambrose as freshman girls basketball coach; and the approval of a Resolution for a Safe Routes to School Program Grant.  The district was fortunate to receive a planning grant through the efforts of Activate QC, to help put a master plan in place to increase the amount of students walking, biking and riding busses to school.  Hopefully, the planning grant will pave the way to accessing funds to help defray any infrastructure costs the district may incur.

 

EXPENSES APPROVED:  Motion by Huegel, second by Dohmen that General Fund warrants be issued in the total amount of $208,059.77 in payment of invoices presented.  All ayes.  Motion carried.

 

Motion by Witters, second by Bullock that Nutrition Fund warrants be issued in the total amount of $37,415.04 in payment of invoices presented.  All ayes.  Motion carried.

 

Motion by Dohmen, second by Archer that Elementary/Junior High Activity Fund warrants be issued in the total amount of $3,680.34 in payment of invoices presented.  All ayes.  Motion carried.

 

Motion by Bullock, second by Paulsen that High School Activity Fund warrants be issued in the total amount of $15,561.24 in payment of invoices presented.  All ayes.  Motion carried.

 

Motion by Paulsen, second by Dohmen that Management Fund warrants be issued in the total amount of $1,641.80 in payment of invoices presented.  All ayes.  Motion carried.

 

Motion by Archer, second by Paulsen that PPEL Fund Warrants be issued in the total amount of $63,482.46 in payment of invoices presented.  All ayes.  Motion carried.

 

Motion by Dohmen, second by Witters that Capital Projects Fund Warrants be issued in the total amount of $6,178.31 in payment of invoices presented.  All ayes.  Motion carried.

 

Motion by Bullock, second by Archer that Trust Fund Warrants be issued in the total amount of $528.45 in payment of invoices presented.  All ayes.  Motion carried.

 

ISL (INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT LEVY) DISCUSSION:  Dr. Spelhaug explained that this is the first of three meetings where opportunity will be given for public input to the board’s proposal of extending the ISL (Instructional Support Levy) for five years with board approval.  The board received an e-mail from Robert Reiter which was a combination of a question and a concern and an e-mail from Marika Jones who was in favor of the extension. The district’s ISL (Instructional Support Levy) is set to expire at the end of the 2011-12 fiscal year (June 30, 2012).  The Instructional Support Levy provides approximately $1,375,000 in funding for the general fund.  Programs such as Orchestra, all day kindergarten, 5th year of world languages, elementary science, increased Advanced Placement (AP) offerings at PVCHS, and class size reduction are supported by this funding.  Continuation of ISL does not represent a new or higher levy.  It is a renewal of the current levy.  The board will be discussing this item at the next two board meetings:  Monday, November 8, 2010 - 7:00 p.m., and Monday, November 22, 2010 – 7:00 p.m.  A public hearing will be held and a vote taken on this topic at the November 22, 2010 meeting.

 

CONTINUED DISCUSSION OF 2011-2012 SCHOOL CALENDAR: The Board has been discussing the variables involved with either starting the 2011-2012 school year in the pattern that has been followed in the past several years (which would mean the start date for students would be Wednesday, August 10, 2011) or pushing it to a week later, (Wednesday, August 17, 2011).  The key issues are:  does the district want to continue a mid-week start; is it willing to either have a shorter first semester or move finals until after Christmas break at the high school; does it believe the quality of learning is better in August than in late May/early June?  Dr. Spelhaug will meet with faculty representatives on October 27 for further input.

 

This topic will be an agenda item at the November 8 board meeting for continued discussion.

 

STADIUM RENOVATION AND JUNIOR HIGH TRACK PROJECT UPDATE:  Dr. Spelhaug provided an update from Shive-Hattery on what has been done since the Board’s approval of their services to develop a master plan:

 

1.    Conducted an internal project team kick off meeting

2.    Conceptually laid out new running track with the new field in AutoCAD

3.    Conducted a 3D scan survey of the football / soccer complex

4.    Discussed lighting options with Musco Lighting representative

5.    Performed a site visit with civil engineer, bleacher manufacturing representative, landscape architect/planner, and project manager

6.     Prepared exhibit for soil borings for Terracon and requested proposal for geotechnical report

7.     Began to work on concepts.   

 

Next, there will be a meeting the first week of November with Shive-Hattery and a number of district employees.

 

Fund raising efforts for the Stadium Renovation project Phase I and Phase II (Summer of 2011) continue and are a critical piece of the overall project.  Additional information regarding the Spartan Stadium fundraising campaign is available at www.pleasval.k12.ia.us .  Click on PV Stadium Renovation.

 

HOPEWELL CHANGE ORDERS:  A summary of the change orders submitted includes:  1.  Painting the rooftops to achieve a better blend or hiding of the equipment by going with a sand type color. +$3,443.00  2.  Clearing trees in the northeast corner.  +1,373.00   This was to take advantage of some work that the district believed would make the site cleaner and more neighbor friendly (The district will seek to make this part of the bill back with the city of Bettendorf on storm water detention area); 3.  Seeding instead of the previously planned sod. -$9,674.00  4.  Warranty extension given the building not being in use. $0.0  5.  Paving of the center section by Tri-City instead of Miron. -$53,988.00  6.  Additional surveying.  This was related to road changes and the district will attempt to recover from city of Bettendorf.  +1,942.00 7.  Cost for winter conditions.  +$78,369.00.  Total of change order is +$21,465.00.

 

Motion by Dohmen, second by Archer that the board approve change order number three in the amount of a net add of $21,465.00.    Roll call vote.  Ayes – Dohmen, Huegel, Paulsen, Witters, Archer, Bullock, Dayman.  Nays – none.  Motion carried.

 

MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORTS:  Mr. Clingingsmith presented the monthly financial reports for September, 2010.  Through September, general fund revenue totaled $3,700,649 and expenses totaled $3,893,657.  The fund balance in the General Fund at September 30, 2010 was $1,177,619.  He also presented reports on the Management, PPEL, Capital Projects, Debt Service, Nutrition, Internal Service, and Activity Funds.  There were no significant variances from projections in the September financial reports.

 

Motion by Witters, second by Huegel that the board accept the monthly financial reports for September as presented.  Roll call vote.  Ayes – Witters, Archer, Bullock, Dayman, Dohmen, Huegel, Paulsen.  Nays – none.  Motion carried.

 

EXECUTIVE SESSION:  The board met in closed session from 7:57 until 8:52 p.m. for the purpose of working on the superintendent’s evaluation using the new statewide evaluation system.  Step one of the evaluation system is used as an update on goals.

 

MEETING ADJOURNED:  In open session at 8:53, the meeting adjourned at 8:54 p.m.

 

FUTURE DATES:  Monday, November 8, 2010 – Regular Board Meeting – 7:00 p.m. C.S.T.

 

 

 

 

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO PLEASANT VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT PARENTS OR GUARDIANS WITH CHILDREN ATTENDING NONPUBLIC SCHOOLS:

 

Per Iowa Code Section 285.3, in order to qualify for parental reimbursement, a parent or guardian of a student attending an accredited nonpublic school who furnishes transportation for the student in accordance with this section, shall submit a notice of nonpublic school attendance to the resident public school district, notifying the district that the student is enrolled in and will attend an accredited nonpublic school during the period for which parental reimbursement is being requested.  The notice shall be filed with the resident public school district not later than December 1 for the first semester claim and May 1 for the second semester claim each year.  Forms which must be filled out in order to qualify for this parental reimbursement are available at the Belmont Administration Center, 525 Belmont Road, Bettendorf, Iowa 52722 and on the district website at http://www.pleasval.k12.ia.us.  Information needed to complete the form includes the parent or guardian’s name and address, the name, age, and grade level of the student, the name of the nonpublic school and its location and the number of miles one way to transport the child from home to school.  Iowa Code Section 285.1, subsection 3, limits the number of students that may be eligible for parent reimbursement to a maximum of three (3) elementary students and one (1) high school student per family.   

 

 

 

OPEN ENROLLMENT

 

Open Enrollment is the process by which a parent or guardian residing in an Iowa school district may enroll their child into a public school district other than the one in which they reside.  The deadline for filing an Open Enrollment Application for students in grades 1-12 is March 1st prior to the school year of requested attendance.  The deadline for filing an open enrollment request for an incoming kindergarten child is September 1st of the year open enrollment is first requested.  For more information on Open Enrollment, please visit the district website at www.pleasval.k12.ia.us, email or call Kelly Hatler, hatlerk@pleasval.k12.ia.us at the Administration Center at (563)332-5550.