JANUARY 16, 2018, REGULAR BOARD MEETING MINUTES
The Stanton School District Board of Directors met at 5:30 PM on Tuesday, January 16, 2018, in the Board Room for a regular session. President Brian Bates called the meeting to order with Directors Travis Taylor, Paul Vanderholm, and Tom Weis present. Additional attendees were Superintendent Chris Herrick, k-12 Principal Kevin Blunt, Business Manager Shirley Maxwell, and Board Secretary Tammy Boyer.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Director Weis made a motion to approve the agenda with the addition of adding Drivers Education in the Principal update with a second by Director Taylor. The motion carried unanimously.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Director Weis made a motion to approve the minutes of the December 20, 2017, meeting with a second by Director Vanderholm. The motion carried unanimously.
TRANSPORTATION REPORT
Bus 06 has fluid in the oil and is out of commission for the time being.
Director Amy Tibben arrived at 5:38 PM.
FINANCE REPORTS
Director Taylor made a motion to approve the finance reports with a second by Director Vanderholm. The motion carried unanimously.
CONSIDERATION OF BILLS
Director Weis made a motion to approve the bills as presented plus paying Drees bill of $6,412.50 and paying Dennys Parking Lot Striping $2,500 with a second by Director Tibben. The motion carried unanimously.
OLD BUSINESS
FACILITY PROJECT UDATES
The board took a tour of the ADA Compliance Project and noticed a few cosmetic items that need to be fixed.
VIDEO CAMERA SYSTEM
Superintendent Herrick reported that Thorco has 2 more cameras to install on the outside of the building which will be placed as soon as the weather warms up.
TRANSFER OF STUDENT ACTIVITY FUNDS
Director Weis made a motion to approve the transfer of the funds from the class of 2016 and 2017 plus the fund of class gifts from the activity fund to the general fund and earmarked for special projects with a second by Director Taylor. The motion carried unanimously.
SUPERINTENDENT UPDATES
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
The Legislative Session is underway. A few of things to monitor during this session is the following:
OPERATIONAL SHARING
Stanton receives additional funding of $139,944 each year for sharing Superintendent, Curriculum, Maintenance, Business Manager, and Counselor. This sunsets this year and the legislature will be deciding whether to extend it.
SUPPLEMENTAL STATE AID
Supplemental State Aid is the amount of growth in the per pupil funding set by the legislature each year. Currently schools receive $6,664 per student. Last year the increase was set at 1.11% and Governor Reynolds has called for a 1.5% increase in per pupil funding this year. With school expenditures going up 2-3% per year, it becomes very difficult for school districts to find the dollars to maintain programs.
EXTENSION OF THE STATEWIDE PENNY SALES TAX FOR SCHOOL INFRASTURCTURE
This law currently sunsets in 2029. Most schools use this to drive down property taxes, specifically by relying on sales tax dollars to fund school facility needs. Extending the sunset allows schools to bond into the future against the sales tax, providing property tax relief, and gives our community a mechanism to provide outstanding facilities for our kids.
SCHOOL FUNDING EQUITY
There is a disparity between what some schools receive in the per pupil funding formula. According to Iowa School Finance Information Services Stanton is $175 per student below what the maximum amount that some other districts receive. This totals $32,550 annually for Stanton. Transportation Equity is relatively simple-rural districts are forced to spend much more of the dollars we receive to transport our students than urban and suburban districts spend-leaving less dollars for rural districts to pump into the actual leaning process in our schools.
SCHOOL CHOICE/VOUCHERS/INCENTIVE PLANS
There is a movement in the legislature to provide tax cut incentives for home schooled and parochial school students. While we believe and value that education is a family choice, it is difficult to accept these tax incentives when the state is running short on money and is having a difficult time finding the dollars to help schools keep pace with increasing expenditures. Public schools are necessary to provide a quality education to all students, especially those that are the most at-risk, or can't afford a private school education.
2018-2019 SCHOOL CALENDAR
Superintendent Herrick is working on a draft of the 2018-2019 school calendar.
PRINCIPAL UPDATE
Principal Blunt reported that the Corner Conference Tournament is this week with the boys hosting on Thursday. There will be an AR party next week with all the students that qualified going to a movie in Red Oak. PTSO will have a meeting next Monday. Drivers Education will start the middle of February with Mrs. Kelsi Bruce teaching the class.
GOOD NEWS
Congratulations to:
Mr. Jake Lord and the elementary who raised $3,328.45 for Jump Rope for Heart. The goal for students who raised over $50.00 was to put a pie in the face of Mr. Lord. There were 27 students who met this goal.
Emma Roberts, who performed Monday night, at the SWIBA Honor Band and was part of a world premiere of a piece that was composed just for her group.
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT UPDATE
IOWA ASSESSMENTS SCHEDULE
Iowa Assessments will be given the week of January 29th with a free breakfast being served to all students on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
PERSONNEL
PERSONNEL/NEGOTIATIONS TIMELINE AND PROCESS
The personnel committee will meet before the next board meeting.
NEW BUSINESS
OPEN ENROLLMENT
Director Weis made a motion to approve Emily Hammagren for open enrollment for cause to Corning from Stanton for the rest of the 2017-2018 school year with a second by Director Taylor. The motion carried unanimously.
NEXT MEETING DATE
Director Tibben made a motion for the next board meeting to be February 19, 2018, at 5:30 PM as Superintendent Herrick and Business Manager Maxwell will be attending a Budget Workshop on the regular board meeting night with a second by Director Taylor. The motion carried unanimously.
ADJOURNMENT
President Bates adjourned the meeting at 7:14 PM.