October 14, 2021 at 5:30 PM - GIPS BOE Regular Meeting

Rationale: 

It is 5:____PM and I now call to order the Grand Island Public Schools Board of Education Meeting.  This is the October 14, 2021 meeting.  Notice of this meeting has been advertised in the Grand Island Independent, which is the District's designated method of giving notice of these meetings.

We want those in attendance to know that copies of the Open Meetings Act are available at the entrance to the Board Room.  If anyone in attendance is interested in addressing our Board, you are welcome to do so.  We simply request that you complete the appropriate form and turn it in to us so that you may be recognized during the Requests to Address the Board part of our meeting.  If you have not already competed the form please see the staff person outside the entrance to this room.  Public comment is welcome, we do ask that no signs be brought into the boardroom.

Mrs. Simmons, will you please call the roll?

Rationale:  Roll Call.

Rationale: 

The Mission  

Every Student, Every Day, a Success!  In educating students, we teach hearts as well as minds. 

Student Commitments  

Within the school district of Grand Island:

• Every student has access to high-quality, culturally responsive, and engaging learning environments.  
• Every student will develop literacy skills across disciplines.  
• Every student is socially and emotionally equipped to thrive in school and in life. 
• Every student will graduate as a college, career, and community-ready citizen.  

 

 

Rationale:  The first item on the agenda tonight is the Consent Agenda.  The Consent Agenda to be approved is as follows:

(items read.)

This is the Consent Agenda as published.  Would anyone like to remove any items or add any items to the Consent Agenda? (pause)

Does anyone have a potential conflict of interest on agenda item 5.2? If so, please state the check number that you will be abstaining from voting on.

Rationale:  Project Search has been selected for the Employment Outcome Award. 

Rationale:  Dr. Lee and cast of Mary Poppins will share information on the 2021-2022 GISH musical.

Rationale:  An example of how Lincoln is partnering with the community to support students outside the school day.

Rationale:  To share how students are receiving personalized learning opportunities by engaging academic tutoring afterschool.  

Rationale:  It is important to view changes in attendance, enrollment, and engagement so we chart our progress in and out of pandemic as we support Every Student, Every Day, A Success!  

Rationale: 

• Each person addressing the board will be allowed 5 minutes. The Board of Education has the prerogative to limit speaking to 3 minutes when there are three or more patrons to allow speakers an opportunity to address the Board in a timely manner.
• We allocate up to 30 minutes for addressing the board at each regular board meeting.
• Please face the Board,  not the audience when you speak
• We want to hear what is being said so we ask the audience to refrain from making comments or sounds that make it hard to hear the speaker. 
• No signs are allowed in the boardroom.
• We will not engage in dialogue with patrons presenting to the Board, the purpose of the requests to address the board is to listen to patrons.
• The Board president and superintendent will identify staff to follow-up on information requested from patrons when necessary.
• At regular business meetings any school district-related matter can be presented to the Board, but only agenda items can be acted upon during a given meeting. At special meetings, comments will be limited to the subject of action items of the meeting's agenda. 
• Speakers will not be permitted to make defamatory comments, or use abusive or vulgar language. 
• Expressions of personal complaints about staff or students are discouraged at public meetings. Concerns about individuals should be brought to the attention of the appropriate administrative authority. Specific building or program concerns should be brought to the attention of the building principal or program supervisor.

Rationale:  Short recess to transition into the information portion of the current agenda.  Members of the public are welcome to stay for the remainder of the board meeting.  

Rationale:  Reconvene from short recess before transitioning into the information items of the current agenda. 

Rationale:  The Grand Island Education Association continues to represent the bargaining unit covered by the 2021-2022 Master Agreement and is recognized as the exclusive agent for negotiations for the 2022-2023 contract year. 

The Association requests that Grand Island Public Schools recognize the Association as the exclusive bargaining agent for the 2023-2024 contract year for the until it presently represents.  

Rationale:  Revisions are proposed to the 2021-2022 Calendar to meet the mental health needs of students and staff due to COVID.

Rationale: 

• The Facilities & Finance Committee proposed offering a Voluntary Early Retirement Incentive Plan (VERIP) during the 2021-22 school year for qualifying employees.  The goal of a VERIP is to offer early retirement to staff members for the purpose of reducing total staff cost for the upcoming school year.
• The developed VERIP draft materials, attached to this agenda item, have been created by the Chief Financial Officer, Chief of Human Capital, and the Facilities & Finance Committee with the assistance of district legal counsel. 
• These preparation of the VERIP documents and their presentation to the Board of Education at the September Board Meeting was with the hope the VERIP would be approved at the October Board Meeting for approval and deployment.
• However, after discussing the possibility of a VERIP with the F & F Committee, Superintendent, & Director of Human Resources, the timing for such an initiative does not seem right.  The school district is currently having difficulty filling all of its current teaching vacancies.  Running a VERIP during the 2021-22 school year may further exacerbate the staff shortage we are experiencing.  With the uncertainty of the pandemic and the labor market in 2022, we don't want to encourage some of our best, brightest, and most seasoned teachers to leave the school district.

Rationale: 

• The Grand Island Board of Education wishes to recognize the extra efforts Grand Island Public Schools Teachers are making during the pandemic.
• Teachers are being called on to cover combined classes, due to a shortage of substitute teachers in the school district.
• The Grand Island Board of Education has proposed amending the 2021-22 Master Agreement to allow teachers at the elementary level who are assigned students from another class exceeding 32 (elementary) or 36 (middle school and high school) students to receive additional compensation for doing so.
• The teachers impacted will be paid the pro rata amount (equally divided among teachers receiving extra students) of the sub teacher daily rate of pay.  The additional pay will be based on the 1/2 day of sub pay if the additional students are present in the teacher's classroom for more than 1 hour and up to 3.75 hours, or a full day of sub pay if the students are in the teacher's classroom for more than 3.75 hours.
• The GIEA Leadership (President & Chief Negotiator) have signed the letter affixed to this agenda item, indicating the approval of the addendum to the 2021-22 Master Agreement.

Rationale:  When the classified pay increase was approved by the board for the 2021-22 school year, there was no compensation increase made for substitute nutrition services staff.  Mrs. Spellman, Department Head of Nutrition Services, is requesting a compensation increase for these valued and needed employees.  Based on the amount of substitutions that occurred during the 2020-21 school year, the projected increased cost to the School Nutrition Fund for labor costs would be $1300.

A copy of Mrs. Spellman's written request is attached to this agenda item for review and consideration by the board.

Rationale:  Dr. Schroeder and Dr. Dexter will share information on the plan to spend ESSER III funds. This will be for Info and Action.

Rationale: 

Mr. Petsch will present the construction update. 

Rationale: 

Ms. Isabela Prado Gomez will report the student representative report to the board. 

Rationale: 

Dr. Grover will present the superintendent report. 

Rationale:  Revisions are proposed to the 2021-2022 Calendar to meet the mental health needs of students and staff due to COVID.

Rationale: 

• The Grand Island Board of Education wishes to recognize the extra efforts Grand Island Public Schools Teachers are making during the pandemic.
• Teachers are being called on to cover combined classes, due to a shortage of substitute teachers in the school district.
• The Grand Island Board of Education has proposed amending the 2021-22 Master Agreement to allow teachers at the elementary level who are assigned students from another class exceeding 32 (elementary) or 36 (middle school and high school) students to receive additional compensation for doing so.
• The teachers impacted will be paid the pro rata amount (equally divided among teachers receiving extra students) of the sub teacher daily rate of pay.  The additional pay will be based on the 1/2 day of sub pay if the additional students are present in the teacher's classroom for more than 1 hour and up to 3.75 hours, or a full day of sub pay if the students are in the teacher's classroom for more than 3.75 hours.
• The GIEA Leadership (President & Chief Negotiator) have signed the letter affixed to this agenda item, indicating the approval of the addendum to the 2021-22 Master Agreement.

Rationale:  YWCA will provide wraparound child care at the O'Connor Learning Center.

Rationale:  Dr. Schroeder and Dr. Dexter will share information on the plan to spend ESSER III funds. This will be for Info and Action.

Rationale:  A monthly report to the Board and community on the major items discussed and under consideration in the Facility and Finance Committee. 

Rationale:  A monthly report to the Board and community on the major items discussed and under consideration in the Leading for Learning Committee.

Rationale:  A monthly report to the Board and community on the major items discussed and under consideration in the Personnel Committee.

Rationale:  A monthly report to the Board and community on the major items discussed and under consideration in the Policy Committee.

Rationale:  A monthly report to the Board and community on the major items discussed and under consideration in the Public Relations and Partnership Development Committee.

Rationale:  A monthly report to the Board and community on the major items discussed and under consideration by the Grand Island Public Schools Foundation.

Rationale:  A monthly report to the Board and community on the major items discussed and under consideration in the Governance Committee.

Rationale:  A monthly report to the Board and community on the major items discussed and under consideration by The Greater Nebraska Schools Association and Legislative Updates.

Rationale:  A monthly update from the Nebraska Association of School Boards.  

Rationale: 

The Board will convene into executive session for the purpose of discussing negotiations.

Rationale:  Upcoming Board of Education Meeting:  Thursday, November 11, 2021 at 5:30 p.m.