Minutes of the November 12, 2007 Board Workshop
The meeting convened at 11:00AM in the
Additions to 2007-08
Student Handbook
The Board voted 7-0 to approve two additions to the 2007-08 student handbook. Ginny Wiseman, associate superintendent for administration, noted that the first addition is required by Rules Governing Arkansas Comprehensive Testing, Assessment and Accountability Program and the Academic Distress Program and it states that school districts shall notify parents, guardians or caregivers of remediation requirements and retention consequences for failure to participate in the required remediation. Students identified for an academic improvement plan who do not participate in the remediation program shall be retained. The second addition, Policy #6.14 Religion in the Schools, is not a new or changed policy; it is just an addition to the handbook. Tim Kring made the motion, which was seconded by Howard Hamilton.
Elementary School
Rezoning
Susan Norton, chief information officer, presented a map
showing the differences between the 2005 and current elementary attendance
zones. Ms. Wiseman presented revised
building capacity numbers. Board member
Susan Heil noted that the majority of new students enrolled at Vandergriff this
year were either new students who had moved from another town to
Ms. Norton and Ms. Wiseman presented three possible elementary rezoning scenarios. Board member Becky Purcell discussed the walkability issue with regard to rezoning.
West Campus Discussion
Dr. Randy Willison, associate superintendent for operations,
reported that the district has received written notice from
Capital
Improvement/Finance Package
Dr. Bobby New, superintendent, presented information regarding the possibility of building an urban high school on the south side of Stone Street for grades 10-12 which would include 100,000 square feet of new construction and 68,000 square feet of renovation at a cost of $31,471,000. Wes Burgess from Crafton Tull Sparks presented architectural renderings of the project. Dr. New also reported that phase II of the project would include a 9th grade center and a student extracurricular testing center which would both be constructed on the north side of Stone Street.
Dr. Willison presented a list of capital upgrades at each school since 1999. He also presented a list of capital projects categorized by need, cost and time-sensitivity and a list of properties owned by the district and their appraised values.
Dr. Lisa Morstad, chief financial officer, presented information regarding proposed projects, available funds, and the funding and millage that would be needed to finance the projects. The Board asked that Dr. Morstad provide the cost of the proposed 9th grade center and the millage required to fund it.
Dr. New added that administration is making four recommendations. They are 1) that the Board delay making a rezoning decision until the completion of the Butterfield and Happy Hollow projects, 2) eliminate high school construction option #2 since there is no buyer for the current high school property, 3) quickly consider the status of the West Campus property, and 4) plan quickly for a millage increase no later than September 8, 2008.
Board Discussion
After discussion by the Board, Steve Percival, board president, noted that four agenda items need to be addressed at the November 29th board meeting. The issues of elementary rezoning and Butterfield renovation or replacement will be added to the agenda as action items. The issues regarding millage possibilities and West Campus will be added to the agenda as information items.
The meeting was adjourned at 2:02PM.
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Stephen M. Percival, President Susan W. Heil, Secretary