WEST FRANKLIN USD 287
REGULAR MEETING
BOARD OF EDUCATION
MONDAY, August 14, 2006

The regular meeting of the West Franklin USD #287 Board of Education was held Monday, August 14, 2006, at the Education Center in Pomona, Kansas.   The following board members were present:   Mrs. Sheila Anderson, Mr. Neal Baker, Mr. Randy Hermreck, Mr. Keith Milliken, Mrs. Mary Ann Parkin, and Mrs. Nancy Reed.   Administrators and staff present were:   Superintendent Susan Myers, Board Clerk Teresa Hawkins, Principal Rick Smith, Principal Mike Dorst, Principal Eric Koppes, Principal Susan Wildeman, Principal Robert Allen, Curriculum Director Andy Azwell, and Maintenance Supervisor Jerry Engel.   Others present:   Judy Simpson, David Staley, Louis Coppoc, Virginia Cook, Diana Macouline ,   Lori Thompson, and Robin Nitcher

The meeting was called to order at 7:20 pm by President, Neal Baker.

The agenda was amended to add:

•     Staff Assignments

Minutes from previous meetings and bills were presented.   Mary Ann Parkin made a motion to amend the agenda, approve the minutes of the previous meetings as presented and to pay the bills as presented.     Nancy Reed seconded the motion.   Motion passed 6-0.

Reports:

Principal Susan Wildeman:   Reported that current enrollment numbers are 69 in the high school, 115 in the elementary, and 56 in the junior high.   She also reported that the current sports participants are:  Football – 31, Volleyball – 16, Golf – 3, and Cross Country – 2.   She also stated that Jerald Johnson, who coaches cross country coach for both WHS and PHS, will practice at Williamsburg in the morning and Pomona in the afternoon.   Having two separate practices will avoid having to transport students for practice.   WHS will have 2 foreign exchange students this year (1 from Germany and 1 from Sweeden)

Principal Mike Dorst: Reported that PHS has enrolled approximately 200 students.   The will also have 3 foreign exchange students this year (2 from Germany and 1 from Denmark )   Thirty students completed the summer Jump Start program and he commended those students.   The new phone system installation is going very well and the staff has been in-serviced on using the new system.   The PHS custodial staff has been working very hard and has the school looking very good.

Principal Rick Smith:  Reported that the current enrollment at Appanoose is 164.   Mr. Smith also reported that both he and Virginia Cook had spent time this summer trying to recruit home school students, but as of this time none had enrolled.   Mr. Smith presented the school board with a hand out showing how Appanoose students scored on the Kansas Assessments last year.   Appanoose Open House will be Wednesday, August 16 at 6:30 pm.

Principal Eric Koppes:   Reported that the enrollment at Pomona Elementary is currently at 189 and that Kindergarten enrollment is up.   Some of the math teachers attended a summer training through Washburn University this summer and a few elementary teachers attended a Kim Sutton training.   Pomona Elementary will have a Back-to-School BBQ and Open House Wednesday, August 16 at 6:00 pm.

Principal Robert Allen:   Reported there is currently 18 students enrolled at the Learning Center.   Some of the students will return to regular bus routes this year, saving time and money for the transportation department.   They are in the process of moving the office into the modular unit.   He also reported that the Learning Center trip to Pikes Peek last spring had been a huge success and one student hiked all the way to the top.

Curriculum Director Andy Azwell:   He has been very busy meeting everyone in the district.   Mr. Azwell also thanked the board for selecting him for the curriculum director position and is very excited about the upcoming school year.   The teachers that attended the Intel Teach for the Future workshop will be busy training the rest of the district.

Superintendent Susan Myers: Reported that the school year was off to a good start.   She also expressed her appreciation for all the principals and their extra work through out the summer.

ActionItems:

Travel Requests:   Merritta Combs requested to attend the Kansas FCCLA Take Aim Leadership Conference in Hesston, Kansas on August 27 & 28.   Merritta will also be taking 3 students to this conference.   The PHS FCCLA Chapter will pay the cost, she is only asking for a van.   Andy Azwell requested to attend the state assessment coordinators meeting in Junction City on September 17 – 19.   Nancy Reed made a motion to accept both travel requests.   Sheila Anderson seconded the motion.   Motion passed 5-1

Tuition of Out of District Students:   A list of out-of-district students was presented.   In the past tuition has been waived for all out-of-district students.   If tuition were to be collected from these students USD 287 would not be allowed to keep the tuition, it would have to be sent directly to the state.   Nancy Reed made a motion to waive tuition for all out-of-district students.   Keith Milliken seconded the motion.   Motion passed 6-0

Request to Transfer Sick Leave:   Jim Prothe requested he be allowed to transfer his sick days to his wife, Rhonda Prothe, if needed.   Rhonda has just recently had a baby.   Sheila Anderson made a motion to allow Jim Prothe to transfer sick days to his wife Rhonda if needed.   Nancy Reed seconded the motion.   Motion passed 5-1

Staff Assignments:   Pomona Elementary’s 2 nd grade class is much larger than expected, therefore another teacher is needed.   Williamsburg will create a 3 rd/4 th combo class and this will free up a teacher to move to Pomona Elementary for the additional 2 nd grade class.   Keith Milliken made a motion to allow the 3 rd/4 th combo class at Williamsburg and move the extra teacher to Pomona Elementary.   Nancy Reed seconded the motion.   Motion passed 6-0

The board took a 10 minute bread at 7:55 pm

Discussion:

Board Goals for 2006-07
Reviewing the current board goals and developing goals for the 2006-07 school year was tabled until a future meeting

Early Retirement Plans (IRS Changes):
Changes have been made to the Internal Revenue Codes that could cause problems for districts with early retirement plans.   KASB recommends that districts have their plans reviewed by a tax attorney.   Susan Myers has asked KASB to recommend an attorney and Doug Fincher was recommended.   The school board directed Mrs. Myers to contact Doug Fincher and inquire about reviewing USD 287’s plan.

Member District Changes:
New legislation (HB2585) requires boards to adjust their member districts if the population of a member district is more than five percent above or below the mean population of other member districts.   The population was taken from the 2000 census.   A map reflecting the population of our district’s member districts was presented and discussed.   The school board may either adopt a resolution to change the boundaries, or make changes to the method of election or voting plans.   Changing the method of election or voting plans would require an election.   The boundary changes need to be rectified prior to the primary school board election in February.   Randy Hermreck and Keith Milliken will work with Superintendent Susan Myers on correcting the boundaries.

Personnel:
Mary Ann Parkin made a motion to accept the following employment & supplemental recommendations:

Sheila Anderson seconded the motion.   Motion passed 6-0

Neal Baker made a motion to enter executive session at 8:30 pm for 20 minutes for the purpose of matters relating to employer-employee negotiations to protect the district’s right to confidentiality of its negotiating position and the public interest.   Sheila Anderson seconded the motion.   Motion passed 6-0

The board came out of executive session at 8:50 pm

Mary Ann Parkin made a motion to ratify the negotiated agreement.   Sheila Anderson seconded the motion.   Motion passed 6-0 

There being no further business, meeting was adjourned at 8:53 pm.

Neal Baker made the motion to adjourn the meeting.   Sheila Anderson seconded the motion.   Motion passed 6-0.

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Neal Baker, Board President                      

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Teresa Hawkins, Clerk