Regular Meeting of the Board of School Commissioners - September 10, 2024 - UNAPPROVED

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RUTLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS

REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS

September 10, 2024

School Board Members Present:	Also Present:
Cathy Solsaa, Chairperson	Superintendent William Olsen
Marybeth Lennox-Levins, Clerk	Assistant Superintendent Bianca McKeen
Sara Atkins-Doenges	CFO Ted Plemenos
Karen Bossi	Director of Equity & Inclusion Pam Reed
Ryan Carney	Director of Technology Patricia Aigner
Courtney Collins (remote)	Chris Donahue, PEGTV
Heather Hauke	Kerry Coarse, Christy Coloutti,
Marisa Neary	Melissa Connor, Scott Corbett,
Charlene Seward	Brett Lertola, Meaghan Marsh,
Student Representative Amaya Tonda	Kate Richards, Justine Ruhlin,
Student Representative Amelia Shelton	Greg Schillinger
School Board Members Not Present:
Justine Franko
Stephanie Stoodley

 

Chair Solsaa called the meeting to order at 6:01pm, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

Chair Solsaa reviewed Board Norms.

 

Motion by Bossi/Atkins-Doenges to approve the Agenda. Motion carried.

 

Motion by Bossi/Carney to approve the Consent Agenda as amended. Motion carried.

 

Consent Agenda: 

A.    Minutes of Previous Meetings

1.      August 27, 2024 – Regular Meeting Minutes

2.      September 3, 2024 – Building Committee Meeting Minutes

3.      September 3, 2024 – Finance & Planning Meeting Minutes

B.     Personnel Memorandum #657 (Attached)

 

Motion carried.

 

Communication – Public Input – There was no public input.

 

School Program Updates – Student Representatives’ Report – Noted:  at RIS – opening, American Heart Association Grant to support PE equipment, Open House and Title I Meeting 9/12/2024 at 6:00 pm, at Northeast – reviewing PAWS expectations, Open House on 9/18/2024 (information from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and Boy Scouts to be available),  at Northwest – movement lab (Ready Bodies – Learning Minds), Open House on 9/18/2024 with Title I Meeting to be held prior at 5:45 pm and representatives from the Rutland Free Library, Boy Scouts, and PTO, at Stafford Technical Center – safety instructions and assessment in programs, three students (Taylor Murphy, Lila Oquendo, and Alyssa Raymond) elected as Student Representatives for the RAB Board, Back to School Night on 9/19/2024 and Annual STC Fun Day on 9/20/2024, at RMS – team building at Lake St. Catherine, swap and switch store, 8^th Grade Advisor Community Partners, benchmarks assessments in ELA and mathematics, at RHS -  200 freshmen students welcomed at orientation, all students returned on 9/29/2024, assemblies to review expectations were held for all grade levels, Open House has been held.

Central Office Reports – Superintendent’s Report – Superintendent Olsen advised the Board that members of the Administrative Cabinet visited the G.E. Aviation and Aerospace Plant to collect perspectives to align with what is expected in the work place to Portrait of a Graduate. He reported that the attributes from POG are well aligned with the findings from the GE visit. Another site visit is planned for the Rutland Regional Medical Center. Mr. Olsen recognized RHS Graduate and Marty Maher from GE for organizing the visit.

 

Budget Planning/Timeline – CFO Ted Plemenos reviewed planning and timeline for the FY26, noting scheduled dates for the Board to review and provide guidance, and the January 14, 2025 vote to ratify the ballot language and budget. Mr. Plemenos noted additional plans for community outreach and communication plan, including:  social media, print media, The Learning Lounge on PEGTV, as well as meetings with community groups, and the annual reminder to vote telephone campaign. Mr. Plemenos reviewed budgeting principals and noted that staffing has remained flat despite that it accounts for 80% of our total expenses. He noted Legislative uncertainties, the Yield Bill, and a new commission to examine the future of education in Vermont. Mr. Plemenos commented on inflation rates and the impact on budget. Discussion revolved around National and regional CPI metrics and the expectation of downward revisions. Mr. Plemenos reviewed the RCPS Homestead Tax Rates FY18 – FY25 and the annual draw on the education fund. He emphasized the importance of focusing on the managing costs and how they are funded. He provided an illustration of the CLA’s impact on budget. Neither the Board or the District have no control over the CLA. He demonstrated the average cost per student (long term weighted average daily membership.)

 

Recovery Update – Superintendent Olsen noted that ESSER funding is coming to an end and reviewed related projects and status including:

 

·         Allen Street Campus:  Outdoor Classroom and Air Handlers

·         PPLC:  Outdoor Classroom

·         Northeast:  Outdoor Classroom

·         RIS:  Smart TVs, and heat recovery

·         RMS:  Outdoor Classroom and Maker Space hood exhaust and air filter system

·         RHS:  ceramics space hood exhaust and air filter system, cafeteria air handler

·         Stafford Technical Center: fume & dust collections system in the Welding Shop and air handlers

·         District-wide wayfinding signs

 

Curriculum and Summer Professional Development Update – Assistant Superintendent Bianca McKeen reviewed work noting the main areas of focus:  curriculum, social emotional learning, engagement, and professional development. The remaining pool of funds were maximized to cover needs based professional development, tutoring, updated curriculum supplies and technology purchases. Discussion revolved around additional funding sources utilized in specific buildings. ESSER funds are use them or lose them funds. Funds are spent upfront and requested through grant reimbursement application process. The original deadline was extended with 10 days to make amendments. Small adjustments were made to allow for flexibility and obtaining the most funding possible. Ms. McKeen highlighted projects within each area of focus, noting that many more individual projects took place in preparation for the school year.

 

Committee Reports – Building Committee – Commissioner Atkins-Doenges reported that the Building Committee met on September 3, 2024. Topics at the meeting included information covered earlier in the Recovery Update, as well as a review of the Alumni Field Turf Replacement Project (Mr. Scott has a video of the start to finish process), PCBs update, Radon testing, storm water projects, and building temperatures. PCBs at RMS came back below minimum action levels. PCBs at Northeast were tested with zero detection. RMS and Northeast were the buildings of most concern. Radon testing will be discussed at the next meeting. Stormwater projects will be undertaken next year. Mr. Scott is working on gathering data on building temperatures and window springs have been replaced at RMS to make it easier to open windows during warm weather. The next meeting is scheduled for October 1, 2024, at 5:00 pm.

 

Finance and Strategic Planning Committee – Commissioner Lennox-Levins noted that the Committee’s last meeting was on Tuesday, September 3, 2024. The Committee discussed two main topics:

 

·         Tim Smith, updated the Committee on progress of the FY 2024 audit, and implementation of the new accounting system, School ERP Pro.

·         Ted Plemenos reported on the plans and timeline for the FY 2026 budget, as well as challenges anticipated.  Mr. Plemenos covered the same information as was reviewed with the Board earlier in this meeting.

With regards to the audit, Mr. Smith discussed the overall timeline, schedule for on-site fieldwork, and two important goals:

·         To earn a “clean” opinion, with no “material” or significant findings; and

 

·         To complete the audit by February 28, 2025. That completion date would be a full month before the deadline to file with the federal audit clearinghouse on March 31, 2025.

Mr. Smith advised that the year-end financial close for FY 2024 was completed on August 31, 2024, which was the earliest financial close in recent memory, and was many months ahead of closing the books for the past several years. This year-end close included a successful reconciliation of ESSER grant spending for FY 2024; and plans to wind up the remaining ESSER projects consistent with those deadlines.

The District’s timely and successful year-end close now enables an early start on the audit.

Mr. Smith also updated the Committee on the progress of implementing the new accounting system.  Implementation and the use of all major system functions are going well. These results include four successful payroll runs since July 1st, which were completed with only a few relatively minor issues to resolve. Purchasing and payables operations are also going smoothly. We are already seeing benefits of this automation and some streamlining of process.

Mr. Smith expressed his appreciation for the many extra efforts invested since January by the entire Business Office Team to make this implementation a success. Commissioner Lennox-Levins echoed Mr. Smith’s appreciation.

As already noted, Mr. Plemenos reported on the plans and timeline for the FY26 budget earlier this meeting.

The next meeting is scheduled for October 1, 2024, at 6:00 pm.

Unfinished Business – Phone Procedures – Superintendent Olsen introduced Greg Schillinger, Principal, Rutland High School, and noted that authority for procedures was given to the Administration through Board approved policies. He prefaced Mr. Schillinger’s presentation by noting a National shift in practices.

 

Mr. Schillinger engaged the Board in activities to demonstrate the impact of distractions on brain functions. He reviewed the collaborative work of staff to develop an approach to constructively educate students on the use of electronic devices and digital wellness. He noted that, though it is early in the school year, first impressions have been positive. Student representatives shared their perspectives. Discussion revolved around:  potential exceptions, liability (for loss of expensive devices), consistency of expectations, and Board authority.

 

Superintendent Search – Motion by Bossi/Lennox-Levins to authorize the Chair to sign the contract with VSBA to facilitate the search for a Superintendent.

 

Motion passed unanimously by all those in attendance.

 

New Business – Commissioner Lennox-Levins reviewed attendance and participation planned for the Homecoming Dodge Ball Game on September 20, 2024.

 

Motion by Bossi/Lennox-Levins to adjourn at 7:41 pm.

 

Motion carried.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Betty Kapitan, Recording Secretary