These minutes may be approved or amended at the November 14, 2011 BOE Meeting.

    The U.S.D. #490 Board of Education met in regular session on Monday, October 10, 2011, in the Board of Education Office, 124 West Central, El Dorado, Kansas.


I.    Routine

    1.    The meeting was called to order by Board President Leon Leachman at 6:30 p.m.

    2.    Roll Call

Members Present:       
Leon Leachman, President
Deb Wheeler, Vice President
Vicki Coash
Dr. Cathy Cooper (arrived at 6:33 p.m.)
Monty Hughey
Bernie Spradling    

Member Absent:            Tom Storrer

Others Present:           
Sue Givens, Superintendent
Norm Wilks, Director of Fiscal and Support Services
Jackie Clark, BOE Clerk
Melissa Smith, Food Service Supervisor
Stan Ruff, Skelly/Washington Principal
Martin Muñoz, USD 490 Band Instructor
Allie McKibban, High School Student
Lora Meirowsky, High School Counselor
Julie Clements, El Dorado Times

3.    Approval of the Agenda

Vicki Coash made a motion to approve the agenda and the Addendum (Item 10A—Additional USD 490 Personnel Recommendations, Item 11A-Additional BCSEC Recommendations). Seconded by Monty Hughey, the motion carried 5-0.

4.    Approval of the Consent Calendar

Bernie Spradling made a motion to approve the Consent Calendar as stated below. Deb Wheeler seconded the motion; the motion carried 5-0.

Minutes of the September 6, 2011, Special Meeting
Minutes of the September 12, 2011, Regular Meeting
Minutes of the September 16, 2011 Special Meeting
Minutes of the September 22, 2011 Special Meeting
Financial Reports
Credit Card Report
PIE Director’s Report
College Hour Requests
Activity Reports

5.    Comments From the Public

There were no comments from the public.

6.    Recognition

• 2011 Chamber of Commerce School Bell Award Winner – Martin Muñoz

7.     Reports

• Food Service Report— Melissa Smith, Food Service Supervisor
Melissa Smith spoke about the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act passed in November 2010 to improve the nutrition quality of school meals. She said the district incorporates healthy items by utilizing the Healthier Kansas Menus provided by the State Department.

In addition, Smith said the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program continues at Skelly and Jefferson schools this year. She said the program, funded through a federal grant, is a great opportunity for students to see and taste fruits and vegetables that are not typical as well as favorites.

The district will have an SMI Review this fall, which is a federal review conducted every five years on menu nutrient content. She said the reviewers would look at a week of lunch menus and break them down by calories, fat, sodium, etc. The district will receive a report listing any changes needed.

President Leon Leachman left the meeting at 6:47 p.m. Vice President Deb Wheeler presided the remainder of the meeting.

• Skelly/Washington Elementary Report—Stan Ruff, Principal
Principal Stan Ruff talked about Skelly and Washington schools coming together next fall upon the opening of the new Skelly building. He spoke about plans being developed to make the transition as seamless as possible for students, staff and parents. The Washington and Skelly staffs have come together this year for cross committees, book studies and Title I staff meetings. Skelly/Washington PTO and Site Council meetings have talked about closing the old buildings, open house for the new building, mascots, school colors, and a heritage display case in the new building.

Cathy Cooper left the meeting at 6:53 p.m. She returned to the meeting at 6:54 p.m.

8.    Strategic Planning Survey

Board members reviewed and provided input for questions to be placed on the patron survey. Superintendent Sue Givens suggested that the district send a paper survey to every USD 490 Postal Patron. The survey will include an access code for patrons to complete the survey electronically or they may return the paper version. Givens will send a draft of the patron survey to board members prior to the November 1, 2011 Board Meeting.

9.    Adjustment to Bid Package

The owner contingency ($110,000) was included twice in the Skelly Elementary Bid Package #4 approved September 22, 2011. Norm Wilks reported that the #4 bid package amount should reflect the correct price of $9,847,748.

Vicki Coash made a motion to approve Bid Package #4 for the Skelly Elementary bond project in the amount of $9,847,748 to reflect a correction of $110,000 in owner’s contingency listed twice in the original packet. Bernie Spradling seconded the motion. The motion carried 5-0.

10.    Approve USD 490 Recommendations

Vicki Coash made a motion to approve the USD 490 recommendations which include the addendum. Bernie Spradling seconded the motion. The motion carried 5-0.

11.    Approve BCSEC Recommendations

Bernie Spradling made a motion to approve the following BCSEC personnel recommendations which include the addendum. The motion, seconded by Monty Hughey, was approved on a 5-0 vote.

12.    Administrative Reports

• Director of Fiscal and Support Services Report – Norm Wilks
Director Norm Wilks reported the 2011-12 FTE of 1878.4. Student headcount is around 2,000. Wilks said the report shows increases in the number of students qualifying for free meals, the number of students enrolled in state approved career and technical education courses at EHS and a small increase in the number of students transported. If audited numbers support the increase in weights, our budget would be up about $42,000 from what was published in August. However, total budget is down $640,000 from the 2010-11 fiscal year.

• Superintendent’s Report – Sue Givens
Superintendent Givens reminded board members of the annual KASB conference scheduled December 2-4 in Kansas City. In addition, she shared the annual Emporia State University report on EHS graduates attending ESU. The report shows our graduates’ mean term GPA (3.37) is higher than the mean GPA of all ESU undergraduates (2.87).

13.    Announcements

• October 14 - Inservice/Workday
• October 18 & 20 - Parent-Teacher Conferences
• October 20 – Career Fair
• October 20 & 21 - No School
• October 28 - Early Release & Stadium Groundbreaking Ceremony, 4 p.m.
• October 31 - Inservice
• November 1 – Fifth Monday Board Meeting

II.  Adjournment

Board Vice President Deb Wheeler adjourned the meeting at 7:47 p.m.

Jackie Clark, Clerk of the Board
USD 490
Butler County, KS