This is my summary of the Work Session of the Collierville Board of Education for April 28, 2020. As always, these notes represent my observations of the public meeting. Any comments or corrections of inadvertent misstatements are welcome.
Full Board Present on WebEx
Board Resolution to suspend specific board policies in response to the state direction in regards to the COVID-19 health emergency. No discussion.
Monthly Financial Statements for March.
General Fund Revenues at 80%, Expenditures at 66%.
Nutrition 75%, 72% respectively, up through February. March invoice not included.
Mr Hansen: Fixed: salaries, utilities/maintenance, base transportation contract (41% payment only)… Do we have savings of continued revenue that don’t end up getting spent due to school being suspended? Mrs Hayes: yes, indeed. Although we will see new expenses for extending nutrition past the end of the school year.
Proposed Budgets – highlights:
- BEP allocation uncertainty
- COVID-19 impact on sales tax revenues, but by state law has a minimum contribution level from the town
- Continued underfunding of resource levels by state
- Additional iPad leases for increased K-2 devices, also intended to anticipate recurrence of safer-at-home order; this will
- Health Insurance rate increases
- Title I funding reduction
- Just under $93M
- Collierville $2,582,675 contribution (increase of $50,000)
- Enrollment projection: 9091 total students; no new transfers
- Staffing is higher than state formulas
- 492 certified positions, 41 educational assistants
- Special Ed: 56 teachers, 13 speech-language pathologists plus 62 Educational Assistants
- Career/Technical Education: additional 12 classroom teachers
- 14 Nurses (much higher than state allocation)
- 25 counselors
- Note: Chief Academic Officer (Mrs Claney) is retiring, but will be replaced
- Durham contract $3.7M, plus $483k in diesel fuel
- Mr Jeff Jones’ title will switch from Chief of Staff to assistant superintendent
- New position to be hired: Communications Specialist
- Apple Leases $2.7M
- Most teachers and classified employees will see step raises – approximately 2% (which is approximately double the amount allocated for raises by the state budget)
Board members had 1:1 presentations from the financial and operations staff on the budget details in days preceding this meeting.
HVAC Installation at TOES – Roy May; installation of equipment approved last meeting
WCMS Painting Project – able to do whole project due to earlier availability of the building to start work
Building Automation System at TOES – similar to other schools’ systems; pairs with HVAC systems
Remarks from Mr Hansen – Student Success class not on business meeting agenda.
Dr Lilly: no change in graduation requirements, which would have included the required student success course for freshmen. Following the changes to the content of the course, and review at the state level, it was discovered the state had two conflicting documents filed on its site, where only a half credit can be assigned for this course going forward. This does not affect students who already completed this course. The new course of action will be to submit a new special course request, which will take more time than available prior to the school year. Parents of incoming freshmen will receive a letter about alternative course selection options with this news. Kudos to Mr Roger Jones at CHS for his vision and passion for supporting all students. Dr Lilly pledges surveys and subsequent communications on the topic over the next year.
Mr Cox made remarks to address the level of passion that parents have about this type of issues, and notes it is good to have open, respectful discussions like these. Expresses praise and compliments for Mr Roger Jones and his passion for educating and supporting all the students. Mr Cox pointedly addressed the lack of civility in some of the communications he received, where parents crossed the line and had personal attacks against administrators, which is inappropriate at all levels.
- working session adjourned -
Business Meeting:
Full board present. Speedy meeting since essentially all discussions took place during the work session reported above.
No Public Comments
Review and approval of prior meeting minutes, agenda and March Financials.
Chairman’s report – deferred to Superintendent
Superintendent’s report:
- Appreciated input into budget process in challenging time. Hard to see some stipends going away. Always have to make choices
- Current year general funds budget savings due to lower expenses (schools closed) should lead to up to $4M in reserve funds for future needs.
- Meals provided during COVID-19 emergency are continuing to see increased use, which is a testament to the positive reception this is getting across the district. Meals will continue PAST the end of the school year due to the evidence this serves a community need.
- Distribution to 70 families in need of additional items, including toiletries
- Temporary nurse-aid certification was added to CHS and (all) 19 CHS students passed certification associated with this, and can now earn up to $33 per hour in this urgent field
- Year-end planning under way to empty schools out, communications forthcoming for retrieval of student items and return of student devices
- Graduation options under consideration, community/parent input under way
- Desire to have actual big graduation, may not be possible, may have to do smaller graduations later in the summer, maybe online virtual. Limited by health department, which is engaged
- Encouraged students to continue to make use of the online optional learning and grade improvement opportunities
Business Items:
- Board resolution for the emergency suspension of select board policies due to the COVID-19 health emergency
- Approvals of all budgets
- Awards of bids for TOES HVAC installation, WCMS Painting, and TOES building management system
Meeting adjourned.