Bureau Valley Community Unit School District #340 Board of Education met June 20.
Here is the minutes provided by the board:
Determining that a quorum was present, Vice President Olds called the special meeting to order at 6:30 pm and directed the Secretary to call the roll.
ROLL CALL
PRESENT: Dye, Johnson, Olds, Spencer, Wiggim
ABSENT: Maynard, Yepsen
There was no public comment.
Mr. Jason Spang, BVHS Principal, presented information on the Latin Honors System of calculating grades. It is a declassification of weighted grades and class rank. Students who take more classes were sometimes penalized under the current formula for calculating weighted grades. The current formula is complex and not always fair. The recommendation is to eliminate class rank (valedictorian, salutatorian, etc) and move to Cum Laude (3.6 – 3.79), Magna Cum Laude (3.8 – 3.99), Summa Cum Laude (4.0+). These rankings are similar to state college levels. There should be a system where all students challenge themselves and take courses that will educate the whole child to prepare them for life after high school. The fear of a B should not determine what courses students take. This system would be implemented with the freshman class (Class of 2023), if the board chooses to approve this. Mr. Spang mentioned that there would need to be changes in the scholarship language, as current scholarships are based on the current system. The school would work with those families and groups to make the necessary changes. Tiffany Johnson asked how many scholarships were dependent on GPA. The administrators estimated 10 or more. Board members also asked if other schools in our area used this model. Mr. Spang has been in contact with other schools in our conference. Currently 1 or 2 use the Latin Honors Model and more are considering the change. Mrs. Amber Harper, Interim Superintendent, suggested the board think about this information and wait until the regular June board meeting on the 25th to make a decision.
Mrs. Kristal LeRette, BVS/BVWE Principal, then presented information regarding a Special Education Workload Model. She explained the difference between caseload and workload. Caseload is simply the number of students that a teacher is responsible for. The Workload encompasses how much time the teacher must spend with each child. Some students require more time as they have a higher number of needs. To truly assess the time requirements of a special education teacher, you must look at workload. Mrs. LeRette presented a draft of this model and stated that the special education teachers liked the model. She stressed the importance of PST (Problem Solving Team) meetings. The PST process implements an intervention to prevent an IEP (Individual Education Plan) for a student. The Special Education teacher can assist the classroom teacher, in the PST process, to offer a solution for students that are struggling. Board members expressed their concern that students were getting the services that they require. Discussion will continue as the administrative team works with the special education department and the teacher’s union to develop a final plan.
It was moved by Johnson and seconded by Dye to enter into executive session at 7:15 p.m. for the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of the public body or legal counsel for the public body, including hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee of the public body or against legal counsel for the public body to determine its validity, the setting of a price for sale or lease of property owned by the public body, Collective negotiating matters between the public body and its employees or their representatives, or deliberations concerning salary schedules for one or more classes of employees, and Student disciplinary cases.
ROLL CALL
AYES: Dye, Johnson, Olds, Spencer, Wiggim NAYS: None
MOTION CARRIED 5-0-2 Absent
It was moved by Johnson and seconded by Spencer to close the executive session at 7:30 p.m. and return to open session.
ROLL CALL
AYES: Dye, Johnson, Olds, Spencer, Wiggim
NAYS: None
MOTION CARRIED 5-0-2 Absent
ROLL CALL IN OPEN SESSION
PRESENT: Dye, Johnson, Olds, Spencer, Wiggim
ABSENT: Maynard, Yepsen
It was moved by Johnson and seconded by Spencer to adjourn the meeting at 7:35 p.m.
VOICE VOTE
MOTION CARRIED
https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/405651/Board_Minutes_Special_062019.pdf
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