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MINUTES                       BOARD OF EDUCATION REPORT                     APRIL 8, 2019

The regular meeting of the Board of Education was held on April 8th.  This meeting was advertised in the April 3rd edition of the Battle Creek Enterprise.   President Jeremy Pochop called the meeting to order at 6:00 P.M.   Members present were Lori Mink, Toby Thompson, Brent Bode, Tammy Bierman, and Paul Kuchar.   Also present were Superintendent Jake Luhr, Principals Jeff Heimes and Kyle Finke, Jacob Hurla, and a visitor.  The open meeting law was discussed and posted and will be followed at every Board meeting.  To start the Board meeting, the Pledge of Allegiance was recited. 

Toby Thompson made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda, which included the April general fund bills.  All the bills totaled $73,161.69.  Lori Mink seconded the motion.   On roll call vote, the motion carried with six ayes. 

Mr. Luhr updated the Board on the NRCSA Spring Conference that he attended the middle of March.  

Jacob Hurla of Community Building Solutions gave a presentation on his assessment for replacing the lighting system in the high school and the elementary school and updating the HVAC system at the elementary school. 

The Board went through the second reading of the Child Abuse and Neglect Policy, #5402.  This policy states that all school employees shall report child abuse or neglect to the law enforcement

agency and principal when they have reasonable cause to believe that a child has been subjected to abuse or neglect within a 24-hour period.  Lori Mink made a motion to adopt the Child Abuse and Neglect Policy, #5402.  Brent Bode seconded the motion.  On roll call vote, the motion carried with six ayes.

The Board went through the second reading of the Parental/Community Engagement in Schools Policy, #6400.  This policy changed the wording from involvement to engagement.   Paul Kuchar made a motion to adopt the Parental/Community Engagement in Schools Policy, #6400.  Toby Thompson seconded the motion.  On roll call vote, the motion carried with six ayes.

The Board went through the second reading of the Title I Parental Engagement Policy, #6410.  This policy changed the wording from involvement to engagement.   Lori Mink made a motion to adopt the Title I Parental Engagement Policy, #6410.  Paul Kuchar seconded the motion.  On roll call vote, the motion carried with six ayes.

Brent Bode made a motion to approve the resignation of Holly Volker, science teacher, effective at the end of this school year.  Lori Mink seconded the motion.  On roll call vote, the motion carried with six ayes.

Toby Thompson made a motion to accept the teaching contract of Taylor Baumert, social science teacher, for the 2019-2020 school year.  Brent Bode seconded the motion.  On roll call vote, the motion carried with six ayes.

Paul Kuchar made a motion to accept the teaching contract of Bradley Lanman, elementary teacher, for the 2019-2020 school year.  Tammy Bierman seconded the motion.  On roll call vote, the motion carried with six ayes.

Lori Mink made a motion to accept the teaching contract of Katie Eischeid, elementary teacher, for the 2019-2020 school year.  Tammy Bierman seconded the motion.  On roll call vote, the motion carried with six ayes. 

Brent Bode made a motion to accept the teaching contract of Seth Montag, business teacher, for the 2019-2020 school year.  Toby Thompson seconded the motion.  On roll call vote, the motion carried with six ayes.

Lori Mink made a motion to accept the teaching contract of Blake Mooney, elementary teacher, for the 2019-2020 school year.  Paul Kuchar seconded the motion.  On roll call vote, the motion carried with six ayes.

The Board discussed the Strategic Planning goals that the Strategic planning team developed during their three-night meetings.  The Board reviewed all recommended goals from the strategic planning teams and chose the following 3 strategic planning goals to move forward with action planning:

GOAL 1:  By 2023, the Battle Creek Public Schools will expand and renovate the elementary school facility to support a minimum of two classrooms per grade level, Pre-Kindergarten through grade 6.

GOAL 2:  By the 2019-20 school year, Battle Creek Public Schools will be a School of Choice for area students.

GOAL 3:  By the Fall of 2020, the Battle Creek Public Schools will develop and implement (reorganize, re-invent, or innovate) a student participation policy to allow students to have an informed voice in the functioning of the schools.

Tammy Bierman made a motion to adopt the first 3 goals with the hope to mold part of goal 4 into goal 2.  Paul Kuchar seconded the motion.  On roll call vote, the motion carried with six ayes.

Toby Thompson made a motion to approve the option request of Shayla Gandert, 2nd grader, for the 2019-2020 school year.   This request was based on available room in the class at this time.  Lori Mink seconded the motion.  On roll call vote, the motion carried with six ayes. 

Paul Kuchar made a motion to approve the option request of Jonathan Gandert, 5th grader, for the 2019-2020 school year.   This request was based on available room in the class at this time.  Toby Thompson seconded the motion.  On roll call vote, the motion carried with six ayes. 

Lori Mink made a motion to approve the option request of Brinkley Last, 3rd grader, for the 2019-2020 school year.   This request was based on available room in the class at this time.  Toby Thompson seconded the motion.  On roll call vote, the motion carried with six ayes.

Brent Bode made a motion to deny the option request of Hudson Last, 7th grader, for the 2019-2020 school year.   This request was based on our special education department is at its capacity.   Lori Mink seconded the motion.  On roll call vote, the motion carried with six ayes.

The Board decided that President Jeremy Pochop would review the superintendent evaluations with Mr. Luhr. 

Comments were heard from the Board, Principals, and Superintendent.

With no further business, Board President Jeremy Pochop adjourned the meeting at 7:45 p.m.

 

Submitted by,

Jake Luhr, Secretary Board of Education