Summary of November 29 Collierville School Board Business Meeting. Full board present.
Mr Hansen broke protocol and started the meeting with special recognition of Cathy Messerly for her service on the board. The board presented her with a resolution detailing her record of contribution to the board.
Public Comments:
Sue Turner – Lives in the Collierville Reserve. Concerned homeowner and real estate professional. Mentions the neighborhoods in the reserve that lost guaranteed admission to Collierville Schools. Highlights that real estate professionals in the area do not have consistent information posted on their listings regarding what it takes to attend Collierville Schools. Points out that to date, the practice seems to have been that all residents have had their children attend Collierville Schools if they desired, and followed the application process. Points to the policy that does not guarantee continued enrollment once the child is enrolled in the school district. Asks that the board consider clarifying the policy to build in a guaranteed ongoing enrollment.
Dan Osborne – Collierville resident and parent of CHS Sophomore and Bailey Station 5th grader. Thanks the board for investing time and resources into reviewing start time changes. Asks the board to approve the start time committee’s recommendation. Highlights the need to do what is best for the students. References the concerns about the increased cost for transportation with a change in start times. Points out that the committee didn’t include any financial benefits through increased enrollment and improved attendance of enrolled students. Mr Osborne also highlights the benefits of later starting times as presented by the speakers in previous board meetings. Wraps up with the challenge to consider the positive benefits to Collierville Schools’ students.
Peggy Bardes – Collierville resident and parent of 4 Collierville students, three of which have graduated from CHS and one who is a current senior. Lists the successes of her children and states no start time changes are needed. Admits she has no scientific facts to back up any of her claims that 30 minutes will make no difference. Expresses concern with Durham’s ability to operate the additional bus routes.
Approval of Agenda, previous meeting’s minutes, and October financial statements.
Chairman’s report:
- Collierville Education Foundation has been providing grants to teachers this past week – $80,000 in grants directly to teachers. Thanks to John Greene (present) who is the founder of the Collierville Education Foundation. Thanks to all the organizations that support the CEF and all the volunteers.
- Reminiscing about the school board and its accomplishments in light of Cathy Messerly’s last meeting. Points out that the board has not shied away from tough topics and decisions and has been accessible to all Collierville residents with questions or concerns.
Superintendent report:
- Thanks to Cathy Messerly for her service on the board.
- Aldermen and new board member swearing in ceremony Dec 3 at CHS in the community room at 6pm, with reception following.
- Starting the December meeting (Dec 13 business meeting will be only meeting in December) the board will meet in the CHS Community Room. Dec 13 meeting will be at 5:30pm. Tara Oaks will be the recognized school.
- Mr Jones will provide the board with a calendar of all school performances and celebrations.
Business items:
- Approval of board calendar for January-June 2019 board meetings, which will be held at 6pm at CHS in the community room.
- Approval of board policy that sets the board meeting days, times, locations to reference the change to CHS.
- Approval of Completion report that closes out the Schilling Farms Elementary Schools parking lot resurfacing contract.
- Approval of change order for West Collierville Middle School construction, which will close out that contract.
School start time committee recommendation. Committee recommended unanimously recommended CHS move to 7:30 am, middle schools at 8:15 and elementary staying the same at 9 am. Mr Aitken recommends adopting the recommendation of the committee.
Mr Hansen question on cost – is there any new information on the cost estimate to add the 7 buses to make this happen? No, there is no change in the Durham estimate, those numbers are based on existing contract terms.
Mr Cox is asking when is the earliest bus pickup today. Mr Jones says it is 6 am today for the farthest routes. The earliest pickup will be scheduled for 6:45 am after the start time change due to adjusted routes. The increased cost is solely due to the shorter bus routes to ensure the buses can pick up and deliver students and turn around for the next school level routes. Mr Hansen lists the 30-45 minutes of later pickup as an advantage which would allow students to get more sleep, as well as have less students be at the bus stop in the dark.
Mr Vaughan is asking if there are any expected opportunities to further reduce the cost of the buses through better route software, but Mr Aitken doesn’t think this is likely. Mr Vaughan also asks whether there is any measurement available of what benefit to expect from the 30 minute change. Questions if Houston’s score improvements are mostly due to the out of district transfers more than later start times. States that empirical evidence observed in his own house showed that there is no problem with 7 am start times. Questions the validity of scientific recommendations. States that spending $500,000 on start time changes is a lot for something where he doesn’t see any guaranteed results. Asks if it isn’t better to just slide all start times later rather than condensing the routes. Concerned about $6.5M in OPEB liabilities. States that the change in start times is only based on feelings, not facts. States that there surely are higher priorities to spend the $500k on. Mr Aitken points to expected measurements that will be clear evidence once the change is made. Cannot quantify the softer benefits around student mental health. Points to budget numbers that have been provided to the board, and that there should be no impact on academic programs.
Mrs Messerly mentions the concerns about increased traffic when the high schoolers drive.
Mrs Chism highlights that the board is working in the best interest of the students. Talks about how the committee came to a unanimous recommendation after 6 months of hard work. Ultimately it comes down to the students and what is in their best interest, and that is later start times, shorter routes, and elementary school students home earlier. Is interested to see if there are any academic benefits, but those aren’t why they would make the change. Points out that Houston High has the honors academy bringing students in from out of the district that can be expected to have a positive contribution to
Mr Hansen highlights FedEx pilots and how they have challenges with their schedules, and that’s why FedEx looks for opportunities to give pilots more sleep. He is in favor of giving students the opportunity to get more sleep, but knows they cannot be made to take extra sleep. He also doesn’t want to make this change with the expectation that there will be academic opportunities. Mr Hansen sees the benefits especially in allowing students to not be at the bus stop this early.
Mr Vaughan wants to clarify with Mr Jones that this would be evaluated and reviewed for realized benefits if approved. Is asking the board to annually review regardless of how the vote goes tonight. Mr Hansen cautions against causation being ascribed to a later start time.
Mrs Messerly asks if the changes will guarantee no student will be in the dark at any point in the year. Mr Jones says he cannot guarantee this, but it will be most of them.
Mr Cox states that high achievers are always going to be high achievers, but trusts the committee in their recommendation.
Votes:
Cox: YES; Chism: YES; Vaughan: No; Hansen: YES, Messerly: concerned about traffic and cost, votes no.
Motion passes.
Note: this is the first time in 4 years the board has not had a unanimous vote.
Mr Vaughan: supports the board’s vote. Mrs Messerly echoes that.
Meeting adjourned.