March 13, 2017 at 7:00 PM - Work Session

Description:  Demuth, Habben, Hesse, Humbert, Schurman, and Wesenberg. 

Student Members:  Lisa Volkers, Taylor Dingmann, and Nick Warne.

Description:  Board action to approve the agenda for the meeting is expected.

Description:  This portion of the agenda has been designated to highlight programs and initiatives within the district or to invest extended time to discuss issues of strategic direction. 

Description:  Alicia Jepsen, Director of the Benton-Stearns Education District, is expected to be present to share information related to special education and the services the ROCORI District receives through membership in BSED.  

Desired Outcomes:  Board member introduction to Alicia Jepsen, Director of BSED since July, 2016.  Understanding of ROCORI District membership at BSED.  Understanding of the programs and services offered through BSED.

Recommendation:  This item is informational in nature; no formal action is required for this agenda item.

Description:  Shelly Muth, Principal at Richmond Elementary and John Clark Elementary, is expected to be present to share information regarding the work and direction of the two elementary buildings.

Desired Outcomes:  Identification of current and planned strategic initiatives at the sites.  Understanding of various activities and their purposes at the two elementary schools.  Opportunity for School Board members to interact with Principal and clarify information about the sites.

Recommendation:  This agenda item is informational in nature and does not require any formal action.

Description:  As the district begins to develop the budget for FY2018, the process has included discussion about the broad parameters and goals the school board may wish to pursue.  At the last meeting, the School Board established budget expectations based on the assumptions that have been adopted.  The expectations indicate that the district will need to make budget adjustments of approximately $213,000 in order to have a balanced budget for Fiscal Year 2018.

The Finance Committee requested that District Administration return to the March 13 meeting with ideas, options and information as to how the district might balance the budget.  The Administrative Team has met recently with focused discussion regarding suggestions and ideas for budget adjustments.  The Business Office and Superintendent have been working to translate ideas from budget discussions into financial options.

Discussion during this session is expected to review the budget parameters, introduce the ideas and options that have been considered, and encourage conversation about specific budget directions.  Important to the process is understanding timelines the district must meet in the budget development process. 

Desired Outcomes:  Review of the budget expectations.  Introduction of budget adjustment ideas and concepts.  Set direction that the School Board seeks to pursue.

Recommendation:  Much of the discussion is informational in nature; no formal action is expected on this agenda item.

Description:  The Ad Hoc Superintendent Evaluation Process Committee has met and is in the process of gathering information in order to bring forward a recommendation.  In the interim, the Committee has asked to have some board conversation on means of providing effective feedback and is asking to review the document, "Superintendent Evaluation:  A Resource for School Board Members and Superintendents."

Desired Outcome:  Conversation related to the approach to setting up the evaluation process to be used for the 2016-2017 year.  Discussion and conversation about key elements from the  MSBA document.  Feedback for the Committee is appreciated.

Recommendation:  There is no formal action to take on this agenda item as it is informational and intended to provide feedback to the Committee members.