THREE LAKES EDUCATIONAL COOPERATIVE
BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING
President Zac Anshutz called to
order the regular board meeting of Three Lakes Educational Cooperative at 7:02
p.m. on Monday, April 19, 2010. The
following individuals were present:
Zac
Anshutz Dr.
Jennifer Barnhart
Brian
Lacey Dr. Kathy Mickelson
Lisa
Reece
Pat
Bean Allen
Konicek
Ken
Kirsop Darrel
Finch
Tanyea
Bingham
Cindy Bainum Donna Powers Amy
Redmon
Mary Kay Woods Liz Cordts Michele Luksa
Shirley Ormsby Ruth Jones Marilyn Runyon
Tommie Edmiston
The agenda was amended to add 2
resignations under 4.4 of the consent agenda, 1
transfer under 4.7, replace 4.8 “approval of PDC Plans and Points” with a
“Request for contract reduction”, addition of 5A1, 5H and 5I. Motion was made by Pat Bean and seconded by
Tanyea Bingham to approve the amended agenda and consent agenda. Motion passed 6-0.
Approval
of Consent Agenda
Lisa Reece made the motion to
approve the consent agenda as follows:
·
Approval of Minutes
·
Approval of Financial Summary
and Treasurer’s Report
·
Approval of Warrant Register
– Payables
·
Approval of Resignations
·
Approval of Terminations
·
Approval of New Personnel
·
Approval of Transfers
·
Request for Contract
Reduction
Motion was seconded by Ken Kirsop
and it passed 6-0.
DISTRICT
CONSULTATION
Approval
of Interlocal Agreement by Districts
Dr. Barnhart reviewed the timeline
for approval of the Interlocal Agreement.
Board members were given a clean copy of the agreement to present to
their local boards for approval in May.
Dr. Barnhart reported on the
additional discussion at the SAC meeting regarding procedures for evaluating
certified staff. The superintendents
will encourage and the coop will solicit principal participation in the
evaluation process.
Four
Year Old at Risk Follow Up
Last year the coop volunteered to
assist all districts in writing a grant for Four Year Old at Risk funding. In the end, only Burlingame elected to pursue
this endeavor which was funded. Dr.
Barnhart reported that this year the coop was able to obtain full categorical
aid for the blended program because there were fewer four year old at risk
students than special education students.
The Burlingame district will continue to receive funding of this grant
for the 2010-11 school year. The coop will continue to explore options
with the superintendents on how they wish to proceed with the program.
Extended
School Year
Dr.
Mickelson distributed the preliminary summer programs report. As in the past, the coop will provide
paraeducator support for special education students who need assistance with
the classroom portion of the drivers’ education program. In addition, for several years the Coop has
hosted a summer motor camp for disabled students. The motor camp includes karate at the
Burlington Recreation Center and swimming at Cappers in Topeka. The cost for this program is minimal. Dr. Mickelson indicated she should have more
complete information to present in May regarding summer programs.
Membership Dues and Fees
KASB Dues
Membership
dues to KASB did not increase for next year.
They remain at $2500.
KASB Legal
Assistance Fund
The
cost for participation in the legal assistance fund has increased by $300 for
next year. The total cost will be $1400.
Project Stay
($6375)
For
many years, Project Stay has worked as a neutral third party with the coop and
the districts to help students with challenging behaviors remain in the school
setting. The annual cost for Project
Stay is $6375. This fee is paid for with
TIP grant funds.
Motion
was made by Lisa Reece and seconded by Ken Kirsop to approve the recommended
contracts for 2010-11 as presented.
Motion passed 6-0.
KSDE Updates
Compliance
File Review
All
six districts were found to be 100% compliant in all areas for the IDEA
Regulation Electronic File Review. Dr.
Barnhart commended staff for a job well done.
A list of the team members was included in the agenda addenda.
Kansas APR
Report
Dr.
Barnhart reported that Three Lakes received a favorable Annual Performance
Report. Out of 84 possible indicators,
the coop had only one unmet target area in one district.
Transportation
2010-11
As
districts prepare to provide for their own preschool transportation next year,
information concerning the status of each bus, the current preschool
transportation policy, questions from transportation staff and a list of
students currently provided with transportation services within their specific
district was provided to the districts.
Liz Cordts, preschool coordinator, has agreed to meet with each
superintendent or district transportation administrator to discuss issues and
formulate a smooth transition.
Financial
Review
Categorical
Aid/Catastrophic Aid
Dr.
Barnhart reported that current categorical aid figures from KSDE vary from
$23,000 - $24,000 per teaching FTE. Dr.
Barnhart also noted that while our budget was based on an estimated 135 FTE, we
have slowly decreased positions throughout the year and currently have 123 FTE.
Census Model
Adjustments
Dr.
Barnhart noted that the concept of census based funding for special education
could eventually become a reality with a negative impact on Three Lakes. Under the proposal the state would determine
a statewide amount of special education aid divided by total student enrollment
(not just special education students).
Aid would be capped at 150 percent of the state per pupil average
multiplied by the district’s FTE enrollment.
The declining enrollment experienced by the six districts served by
Three Lakes would mean less money. Small
rural districts would find themselves once again pitted against larger urban
schools because funding would be based on student numbers and not teachers.
Medicaid
State Reimbursement
Medicaid
replacement aid will remain at $9 million and the program will continue unless
it is changed by the legislature. Last
year the coop received $164,346 and we have budgeted $164,000 for the current
year.
Medicaid
Update
Dr.
Barnhart reported on the flow of Medicaid dollars into the coop. Funds are coming in a bit more slowly this
year and Dr. Barnhart shared some of the reasons given to her by Terri Pence
who processes our claims through Greenbush.
Medicaid revenue was budgeted at $500,000 based upon last year. To date we have received $311,917.
2010-11 Tech
Options
Past
practice has been to upgrade computers on a rotation basis every four to five
years. Based on that model, this year
the coop would be looking to replace approximately twenty laptops and ten
desktop systems as well as, the necessary software. An alternative would be to purchase netbooks
for itinerant staff, swap the laptops as needed to replace desktops and replace
the older desktops with new ones.
Tentative prices on both options were shared. On Friday, superintendents recommended that
bid specs be prepared and sent out allowing for a better idea of the true cost
before making a decision. Ken Kirsop
made the motion, seconded by Tanyea Bingham to approve sending bids for
technology needs. Motion passed 6-0.
Homebound
Services
Dr. Barnhart explained that Dr. Pegram requested the addition of this item to the agenda because of discrepancies in the way homebound teachers are paid in his district. USD 434 pays $20 per hour for regular education homebound services. The coop pays $12 per hour for both regular and special education homebound services. Dr. Barnhart explained how this practice came about. With the exception of Santa Fe Trail, superintendents on Friday elected to continue the current practice of contracting homebound services through the coop at $12 per hour plus fixed costs and a 10% administrative fee.
No
executive session was held as there was nothing to report on the negotiation
process at this time.
Zac
Anshutz made the motion to enter executive session with board and coop
administration present for a period of fifteen minutes beginning at 7:47
p.m. The purpose of the executive session
is to discuss personnel issues related to non-elected personnel. Motion was seconded by Pat Bean and it passed
6-0. Justification of the executive
session is to protect the privacy interests of the individual(s) to be
discussed. The meeting returned to open
session at 8:02 p.m. Zac Anshutz made
the motion to continue the executive session for an additional fifteen minutes
for the purpose of discussing personnel issues related to non-elected
personnel. Motion was seconded by Pat
Bean and it passed 6-0. Justification of
the executive session is to protect the privacy interests of the individual(s)
to be discussed. The meeting returned to
open session at 8:17 p.m. Zac Anshutz
made the motion to continue the executive session for an additional fifteen
minutes with only Dr. Barnhart present for the purpose of discussing personnel
issues related to non-elected personnel.
Motion was seconded by Pat Bean and it passed 6-0. Justification of the executive session is to
protect the privacy interests of the individual(s) to be discussed. Dr. Barnhart left the executive session at 8:20
p.m. and Darrel Finch and Allen Konicek entered the executive session at 8:26
p.m. The meeting returned to open
session at 8:32 p.m. Zac Anshutz made
the motion to continue the executive session for an additional ten minutes for
the purpose of discussing personnel issues related to non-elected
personnel. Motion was seconded by Pat
Bean and it passed 6-0. Justification of
the executive session is to protect the privacy interests of the individual(s)
to be discussed. The meeting returned to
open session at 8:42 p.m. Zac Anshutz
made the motion to continue the executive session for an additional fifteen
minutes for the purpose of discussing personnel issues related to non-elected
personnel. Motion was seconded by Pat
Bean and it passed 6-0. Justification of
the executive session is to protect the privacy interests of the individual(s)
to be discussed. Darrel Finch and Allen Konicek left the executive session at
8:47 p.m. Dr. Barnhart entered the
executive session at 8:47 p.m. The
meeting returned to open session at 8:57 p.m.
Zac Anshutz made the motion to continue the executive session for an
additional five minutes for the purpose of discussing personnel issues related to
non-elected personnel. Motion was
seconded by Pat Bean and it passed 6-0.
Justification of the executive session is to protect the privacy
interests of the individual(s) to be discussed.
The meeting returned to open session at 9:02 p.m. No action was taken.
KU
Staff Awards
Dr. Barnhart recognized nine TLEC
staff members who were awarded certificates from the University of Kansas for
at least twenty-five years of service as teachers of youth.
There
were no additional items discussed.
Adjournment
Pat Bean
made the motion to adjourn the meeting at 9:05 p.m. Motion was seconded by Tanyea Bingham and it
passed 6-0. The next regular board
meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 17, 2010, at 7:00 P.M. at the Three Lakes Educational Cooperative
office in Lyndon.
_________________________________________
Laura
Hogelin, Clerk
_____________ Approved
_____X_______
Unapproved 04-19-10