CASD School Board Meeting Review: January 11th

SCHOOL BOARD COMMITTEE MEETINGS 

 January, 11 2022 - 6:00 PM

For the new year, CCAP has decided to approach recaps by focusing on what we believe to be significant agenda items, including context and information to promote discussion. It is our hope that this will allow our community members to engage more in the district’s decision making process by voicing opinions on current school board topics. 

The board meeting in its entirety can be found on the District YouTube channel.  The agenda, documents, and recording of all votes can be found on board docs.  

 

Education Committee  (Agenda)

Curriculum Update  - Lynn Mancinelli presented for Jason Palaia and Cassandra Jones

• For the specifics of how the district is evaluating the piloted programs, please see the presentation.
• All pilot teachers, K-7 principals, and parents of students in formal pilot classrooms will be sent a feedback survey by 1/17 surveys (due by 1/31) and feedback will be on the district website for public view by 2/21.
• Presentation
• Supporting Documents

5. INFORMATIONAL ITEM(S)  

A. Enrollment Reports as of December 31, 2021

• Continue to trend positive, getting students back
• Additional 133 compared to a year ago 
• Decrease in charter enrollment by 86 students

 

A. High School Summer School - Tuition Fee - Sliding Scale

• Looking at sliding scale for tuition for summer school
• Students attending summer school (to earn repeat credit) have not paid any fees for the past several years. 

Comments

• Laurie Shannon Bailey commented - Mr. Hanna and board engaged with discussion and answers
  
• Admin is planning on presenting what the process is for adjudications at a future board meeting
  

 

Finance Committee  (Agenda)

2022-2023 School District Budget Update - Tomás Hanna and Lori A. Diefenderfer

• Tax increase can be up to 4.4%, recommending stay within 4.4% Act 1 Index
  
• CCAP Note: Act 1 Index is set each year by PDE and is different for each district
• CCAP will soon post a blog with an explanation of Act I index.

 

ESSRS Funding Report

• CARES/ESSRS1 funding total $1,346,239 (used $1,329,473 with $16,766 remaining)
• Used for salaries, BVA (cyber school), supplies, software, prof development, facilities related costs

• CRRSA/ESSRS2 funding total $6,915,330 (used $2,794,612 with $4,120,718 remaining)
  
• Used for salaries, services, software, health supplies, transportation, chromebook expenses
• Balance remaining is already accounted for
  
  
• Remaining ESSRS money allocated to district is still in process

4. AGENDA ITEMS

A. Financial Statements

• Finkbohner noted that the debt and legal amounts listed in financial statements include settlements 

Operations Committee  (Agenda)

 

C. Mainline Commercial Pools - Monthly Water Management Program and Chemicals  

• Rehabilitation work for pool, following through on all details and preventative measures

 

F. Wiggins Shredding Inc. - Updated Secure Shredding Services Agreement  

• Use of service is less, so reducing the number of times they come

 

Policy Committee  (Agenda)

F. Policy 236.1 Threat Assessment  

• New team being developed with annual board report (most policies are asking for this)
• Hanna said all policies will be compiled in a report in June
• Hanna stated there was trauma informed training over the summer, have two climate coaches at CASH, looking to add one at CAIHS
• Information on threatening behavior and how to report concerns will be distributed by school messenger, students taking info home, training online
• Board asked if we are prepared to put this in place in each building, Hanna says yes 
• Discussion about developing an individualized management plan, but no specifics on what this looks like  
• IMP requires ongoing monitoring, follow up assessments, referrals, Mr. Hanna stated whoever is in charge of the team will be trained to do this

 

5. INFORMATIONAL ITEM(S)

L. 214-AR-0 Class Rank 

• Pulled to be discussed again and added back for next board meeting

 

7. New Business

A. Policy Presentation 

Dunlap and team of administrators engaging in conversations around changing four policies in particular.  Items below are changes to existing policies currently in discussion.

• Policy 204 Attendance
• Requires 90% attendance
• Better enforcement truancy follow through / Accountability
  
• Absence or cutting class could result in 45% for the day
• Fine for accrued absences / referrals to agencies & court
• Comments determined we are behind on SAIP meetings
• Snyder clarified that letters used to be practice, trying to reimplement -it is for lates to school, not lates to class
• In public comment, Shannon-Bailey impressed upon the board and admin that parents should be notified and held accountable for truancy issues
  
• Policy 212 Student Progress 
• Elementary
• Revamp report card to reflect new ELA program standards and curriculum
• AR to provide parents with meaningful information about student progress
  
• Secondary
• Review passing threshold to be appropriate - currently 50%
  
• Increase midterm value 5 to 10 percent
• Tie in attendance to student progress
  
• Policy 215 Retention and Promotion
  
• Add true acceleration for gifted students
  
• Update AR for clear procedure for acceleration
  
• Verify AR to clearly inform parents of issues in a timely manner 
• Policy 217 Graduation
• Updating with Pathways to Acceleration
• Aligning with state expectations across the board
  
• Updating AR's to align with pathways to acceleration
• Updating and enforcing obligations list
  
  
• Comments
  
• Fisher impressed upon policy writers that any policy brought to the board should be able to be enforced 
• A student can still receive a 50% if they don't attend classes or do work 
• If they could get a 10% in one semester, they cannot numerically make it up the rest of the year; therefore, 50% was determined to be the lower threshold, allowing a student the opportunity to come back after a very disappointing marking period
• This needs to be re-evaluated and balanced with the accountability factor
• Harlan - the goal would be to reach the student before the they fall to 10% 
  

 

Special Board Meeting (Agenda)

Agenda Changes

• 8D - Policy 212 Reporting Student Progress - deletion from agenda - presented as informational item, not followed proper procedure - will be reviewed later this month or February

Comments:

• When asked if we compared vendors for roofing, Pellegrin said we've been using roofing resources as they know our roofs

Items pulled from Consent Agenda

Finance 5 A,G 

Education 6 F,G,H,I student adjudications

BRIEF OVERVIEW | ITEMS OF TO NOTE

Consent Agenda and items pulled all passed

Comments:

• Laurie Shannon Bailey - sent info to board about resolution and asked them to support it
• Elicker - CATA thanked school board for their service and commitment to our community

Informational Items: 

Health and Safety Plan

• Current PCR positivity rate 28%
  
• Policy changed to reflect CDC guidelines
• Positive Covid case may return to school after five days of isolation IF asymptomatic, and wear well-fitting mask for additional five days in public settings (schools days and events require them.) 
• CASD Covid-19 Guidelines
  

You can watch the entire board meeting on CASD's YouTube