January 10, 2020 at 5:00 PM - Superintendent's Weekly Update to the School Board

Description: 
Peter Martin and I continue to work with Preston Euerle on the AIA contract between Barnesville Public Schools (Owner) and R.A. Morton and associates, LLC (Construction Manager).  It's a good possibility we'll have a final draft completed on Monday and can add it to the board agenda for approval.  There are only a few minor details remaining for us to discuss.   

Description: 
Please know Mark Rustad at Valley Care and Rehab agreed to and signed the petition for vacation.  This should have no negative effect on his business across the street from our elementary school.  His agreement and signing will allow Wendel to design our parking lot to maximum capacity at the elementary site.  We greatly appreciate Mark's support!   

Description: 
Please find attached a very helpful one-page Ehlers report allowing us to monitor interest earned on investments and the draw schedule.  You'll notice the projected earned interest is nearly $200,000 above the presale estimate.  And the amount of dollars drawn out of the construction fund is far below projections for October through December. 

Description: 
We're beginning to look at the calendar for the 2020-2021 school year.  I attached the current year calendar and a rough draft for next year.  A few items we need to look at are the following:

1. Ending the 2020-2021 school year one (1) week earlier for summer 2021 construction
2. Discontinuing or revising the CPT days

The attached first draft of the 2020-21 school year includes four (4) less student days.  I have the principals verifying this calendar still meets the state requirements for minimum annual instructional hours for public school students.  Minnesota Statutes, section 120A.41, requires school districts’ calendars to provide at least 165 instructional days for grades 1 through 11 unless the school is approved for a four-day week. That same statute requires the following annual instructional hours for both school districts and charter schools:

• 425 hours for kindergarten
• 850 hours for full-day kindergarten
• 935 hours for grades 1 through 6
• 1,020 hours for grades 7 through 12 
  

Another important item to figure out is the number of teacher contract days with a shortened school year.  How will teachers reach their contracted 179 days with four (4) less student days?  It may be the four (4) days are placed at the front of the 2021-2022 school year to give them time to get back into their classrooms and get them ready for the start of school.  A Letter of Agreement (LOA) would need to be approved by both parties.

We have some work to do the next few weeks. 

Description: 
Kyle visited with me about the possibility of him retiring after the 2020-2021 school year.  He is providing us plenty of advance notice to think about who'll help instruct driver's education in the future.  I am attaching the agreement we completed with Mrs. Erin Ellingson in spring 2017.  Visiting with the principals at our weekly administrative meeting, it's our recommendation to open up a similar opportunity to all school employees.

Description: 
Please find attached pictures of the track mats we ordered.  The Booster Club agreed to pay $5,000.00 toward the purchase of the mats.

Description: 
Please find attached a nice article about Stoneridge Software and Barnesville Community!  Karen Lauer shared the good news with me and we should all pass it along to others.  It's great publicity for our town!

Here is a link to the full magazine.  It's too large for me to attached to BoardBook.

 https://drive.google.com/open?id=1usTZlswtUut9BS2qYG1Gk7ktkrPkufSV 

Description: 
At the LCSC superintendents meeting in December ICS presented a recap of the November 2019 referendums.  I thought the slides midway down about why good levy proposals fail and keys to a successful referendum were really true and good advice.  I'm tucking the presentation away for the next time the school district needs a voter approved referendum. 

Description: 
Please find attached an email directive I sent Lisa Gilbertson as the local union representative for Education Minnesota Barnesville.  Michelle Jenson and Education Minnesota may not be in favor of or like the Janus Decision, but we are not going to begin excluding teachers from important staff development opportunities during the paid work day for all teachers.