Highlights from the May 20th School Board Meeting
Below are highlights of the May 20th Board of Education meeting.
Please note, these are highlights and not the official meeting minutes.
During the work session, the Board of Education heard presentations on the Aquatic Center, Teacher Leadership and School Safety.
Aquatic Center Manager Bobby Kelley, shared that during the school day, Aquatic Center programs are designed around student curriculum. Outside the school day, programs are designed to advance the district’s mission through aquatic education.
Kelley shared that week-long Aquatic Experiences are held for all students in 2nd – 5th grade, 9th/10th block PE classes utilize the Aquatic Center during the fourth week of each quarter and that four weeks of Adaptive PE classes are taught for elementary, middle and high school students. Aqua Fit PE classes are also available for 11th/12th grades.
Programming outside school hours is self-funded and the district employs more than 70 employees to teach and coach these programs.
Kelley closed by saying, “it is the district’s mission statement that drives all the aquatic programming, including programming offered before and after school hours.”
The School Board was also provided an update on the Teacher Leadership program by Erin Watts, teacher leadership coordinator. Watts reviewed the make-up of staff that comprises the Teacher Leadership program, in addition to current initiatives and goals the team is working on.
Watts shared that there have been 12, 063 coaching interactions between coaches and teachers this year. These interactions include conversations (planning, reflecting and consulting), professional learning, observation, modeling or co-teaching, and check-ins.
Future objectives for the group include New Model Teacher competencies for 2019-20, continued training in Cognitive Coaching and the addition of Adaptive Schools, and the transition of the administration of the Teacher Leadership Program to the Teaching and Learning Department.
To close the work session, Executive Director of Student Services updated the School Board on the school safety plan for the district.
Breitfelder reviewed metrics related to the number of violent incidents that have happened in schools since 1970. Sources indicate that high schools are targeted the most with most aggressors being students between the ages of 13-19. The number one reason for the violence is due to an escalated dispute followed by gang-related and accidental. Most incidents target specific persons and the majority of victims are students.
Linn-Mar’s Iowa Youth Survey Data for alcohol, drugs, depression, suicide, and bullying was also reviewed with the School Board.
Lastly, Breitfelder reviewed the district’s prevention strategies including the important work being done by Linn-Mar staff and the various programs that are currently in place to help our students.
The full presentation can be viewed in Exhibit 301.1 on the school board website.
During the regular meeting, the Board of Education approved the following:
- Knutson Construction as the lowest responsive bidder for the construction of the new intermediate building located on Echo Hill Road for a bid of $29,159,000
- Larson Construction as the lowest responsive bidder for the construction of the new intermediate building located on 35th Avenue for a bid of $28,449,000
- The 2019-20 student fee schedule
- Special Education service delivery plan
- Concussion return-to-play protocol resolution
- Linn-Mar Secretarial and Educational Assistant Association agreement for fiscal year 2020 at an increase of 2.5%
- Transportation Department agreement for bus drivers, helpers, and riders for fiscal year 2020 at an increase of 2.43%
- Administrators, managers, and exempt staff salaries for fiscal year 2020 at an increase of 2.51%
The complete agenda for the meeting can be viewed on the school board website.
The school board will host their next meeting on Monday, June 10th in the boardroom of the Learning Resource Center. Please note, the 5:00 pm work session will be closed to the public. The regular meeting will begin at 7:00 pm.