PRESCOTT
UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT No. 1
GOVERNING
BOARD
BOARD
BRIEFING
NUMBER
243
September
4, 2001
Item
No. 1
Date:
09/04/01
Consideration
of: Approving student ID #0014 and #0016 for early entrance into
kindergarten.
Submitted
by: Ms. Linda Ryan, Curriculum – Testing Coordinator
Relevant
Information:
The parents of 3 children, two with September, 1996, birth
dates and one with an October, 1996, birth date have requested early
entrance into kindergarten. In
accordance with Governing Board Policy JEB, Entrance Age Requirements,
each child has participated in early entrance screening.
The children recommended have shown to be ready academically,
emotionally, socially and developmentally for kindergarten.
Screening results have been shared with the parents, building
principals and the superintendent.
Exhibits:
A copy of Governing Board Policy JEB is attached. Please refer to Enclosure #1.
Item
No. 2
Date:
09/04/01
Consideration
of: Approving an out-of-state travel request from Mr. Bill Munson
for a representative group from Abia Judd Elementary School to travel
to Washington, D.C. on October 23-26, 2001, to take part in the U.S.
Department of Education Blue Ribbon Schools Award Ceremony.
Submitted
by: Mr. Kevin J. Kapp, Superintendent
Relevant
Information:
The group that will attend consists of the Steering Committee:
Bill Munson, Principal; Carol Yetman, Teacher; Susan Kissel,
Teacher; Melissa Moore, Librarian; and Jenny Phelps, PTA President.
The trip would be paid for with staff development monies, which
has received the unanimous endorsement of our staff and site council.
Exhibits:
A copy of a letter from Mr. Bill Munson is attached. Please
refer to Enclosure #2.
Item
No. 3
Date:
09/04/01
Consideration
of: Approving the 2001-2002 Governing Board Goals.
Submitted
by: Mr. Kevin J. Kapp, Superintendent
Relevant
Information:
At the Governing Board Planning Session on July 24-25, 2001,
and in cooperation with the District Leadership Team, goals were
developed for implementation during the 2001-2002 school year.
These goals give clear direction to all staff, parents and
students within the school district, as well as our Prescott
community, of the intent of the Governing Board with regard to the
Board’s priorities for Prescott Unified School District No. 1 this
year.
Exhibits: Please refer to Enclosure
#3.
Item
No. 4
Date:
09/04/01
Consideration
of: Approving revisions to Governing Board Policy GCQE,
Retirement of Professional Staff Members, paragraph 5, page 3 of 4, as
presented.
Submitted
by: Mr. Kevin J. Kapp, Superintendent
Relevant
Information:
The proposed revision to Governing Board Policy GCQE,
Retirement of Professional Staff Members, paragraph 5, page 3 of 4,
would be a replacement for the existing paragraph and would read as
follows:
Retiring
employees, up to the age of 65, may elect to remain in the Prescott
Unified School District Employee Benefit Trust Plan at their own
expense by paying an individual premium of $450.00 per month.
Eligible retirees may purchase dependent insurance through the
Prescott Unified School District Employee Benefit Trust Plan by paying
a dependent premium of $860.00 per month.
These premium rates are applicable only during the time the
reimbursement from the Arizona State Retirement System for retirees is
equal to these premium rates. If
the reimbursement rates from the Arizona State Retirement should
decrease, the premium rate for an eligible retiree would revert back
to that of active employees with Prescott Unified School District and
the premium rate for dependent coverage would revert back to the
dependent premium charged to active employees with Prescott Unified
School District.
Exhibits:
A copy of the existing policy and the proposed change are
attached. Please refer to
Enclosure #4.
Item
No. 5
Date:
09/04/01
Consideration
of:
Approving a contribution rate of $450 per month for a qualifying Prescott
Unified School District retiree and a contribution rate of $860 per
month for a qualifying Prescott Unified School District retiree plus
dependent(s) to the Employee Benefit Trust health program, effective
July 1, 2001, noting that if the subsidy from the Arizona State
Retirement System is repealed, the contribution rate for a retiree
would revert to that of an active employee.
Submitted
by: Ms. Renee Raskin, Director of Business Services
Relevant
Information:
At the August 6, 2001, meeting of the Employee Benefit Trust
Board, a recommendation was voted on and passed to establish the above
rates for retirees and retirees with dependents.
These rates reflect the increased subsidies for retirees in
rural areas of Arizona through the Arizona State Retirement System.
If
approved, effective July 1, 2001, the contribution rate for a
qualifying school district retiree will be $450 per month.
This $450 figure is based on an increase in the individual
subsidy from the Arizona State Retirement System to $150 per month
plus an additional $300 per month subsidy for retirees living in rural
areas of Arizona.
For
a qualifying school district retiree with dependents(s), the
contribution rate will be $860 per month.
This $860 figure is based on an additional increase in the
dependent subsidy of $110 added to the $300 rural area subsidy for a
total of $410 in increased subsidies.
This $410 plus the original $450 subsidy increase results in
the total of $860 subsidy from the Arizona State Retirement System.
Exhibits:
A copy of a letter from Mr. Louis Giallonardo from The Segal
Company is attached. Please refer to Enclosure #5.
Item
No. 6
Date:
09/04/01
Consideration
of: Approving the Trustees of the Employee Benefit Trust (EBT).
Submitted
by: Ms. Renee Raskin, Director of Business Services
Relevant
Information:
The School Board is required to approve the Trustees of the EBT
annually.
The
Trustees for the fiscal year 2001-2002 are:
Jane Orr, Jayne Krumbholz, James Crockett, Denny Colgan and
Jeff Coughlin.
Exhibits:
Item
No. 7
Date:
09/04/01
Consideration
of: Approving revisions to the Employee Benefit Trust Agreement.
Submitted
by: Ms. Renee Raskin, Director of Business Services
Relevant
Information:
A. Dean Pickett of Mangum, Wall, Stoops and Warden law offices
reviewed the text of the trust revisions and determined that the
revisions are appropriate for adoption at this time.
New legislation has been included that authorizes the trust to
offer an expanded range of programs and benefits.
This language is included in Section 1.1.
Corresponding amendments appear at Sections 3.11, 3.15 and 6.1.
Exhibits:
A copy of the letter received from A. Dean Pickett of Mangum,
Wall, Stoops and Warden is attached. Please refer to Enclosure #6.
Item
No. 8
Date: 09/04/01
Consideration
of: Approving the reallocation of $41,265 to the Employee Benefit
Trust (EBT) from personnel savings during the summer of 2001.
Submitted
by:
Ms. Renee Raskin, Director of Business Services
Relevant
Information:
In the spring of 2001, the Governing Board directed the
administration to track summer savings from the replacement of
personnel and reallocate savings to the Employee Benefit Trust, the
district’s medical/dental insurance plan.
Exhibits:
A description of summer savings from the replacement of
personnel is attached. Please refer to Enclosure #7.
Item
No. 9
Date:
09/04/01
Consideration
of: Approving the designation of eligible staff for Proposition
301 Performance Pay.
Submitted
by: Dr. Chris Reynolds, Assistant Superintendent
Relevant
Information:
The Arizona Revised Statutes 15-977, Classroom Site Funds:
Definitions, speaks to the ability of teachers to participate in
301 monies. Without a
clear definition of “teacher,” the Deer Valley Unified School
District asked the Attorney General to clarify the term.
The Attorney General provided a clarification, which broadened
the definition to allow school districts and charter schools to use
301 funds for compensation for certified or certificated teachers and
other employees to provide instruction to students related to the
school’s educational mission.
Exhibits:
Attached is a copy of a Certified Contract and a Classified At
Will Notice of Appointment. Please
refer to Enclosure #8.
Item
No. 10
Date:
09/04/01
Consideration
of: Approving a payment method for Proposition 301 “Lower 40”
funds to eligible staff.
Submitted
by: Dr. Chris Reynolds, Assistant Superintendent
Relevant
Information:
As part of the lower 40 monies, there is approximately $234,700
to be distributed to certified personnel.
There appears to be two ways to distribute the money.
One way is to provide each staff member an equal share, while
the other way would be to distribute funds in a weighted fashion,
depending on your placement on the salary schedule.
Exhibits:
Item
No. 11
Date:
09/04/01
Consideration
of: Approving an increase of $212,489 to the general budget limit
for the Classroom Site Fund.
Submitted
by: Ms. Renee Raskin, Director of Business Services
Relevant
Information:
The Joint Legislative Budget Committee has recomputed the per
pupil amount districts now receive.
The new amount is $272.42 compared to $240.56.
This increased the upper 20% by $42,497 and the middle and
lower 40% by $84,996 equally. Districts
that want to increase their general budget limit for the Classroom
Site Fund must revise their budgets by September 15, 2001.
Exhibits:
Please refer to Enclosure #9.
This enclosure is revised pages of the 2001-2002 adopted
budget. To review the
entire 2001-2002 adopted budget, please refer to Board Briefing #241.
Item
No. 12
Date:
09/04/01
Consideration
of: Approving $300 stipends for teachers at Prescott Mile High
Middle School for English as a Second Language (ESL) students.
Submitted
by:
Mr. Kevin J. Kapp, Superintendent
Relevant
Information:
A recommended model for instruction of English as a Second
Language (ESL) students consists of ESL students in regular classrooms
with specific teachers designated as teachers of ESL students.
This model has shown excellent academic and language
acquisition growth when compared to the traditional “pull out”
models, especially at the middle and high school levels. The model is effective in that ESL students all have the same
teachers for academic areas and, when possible, for elective areas
such as Art, Music, etc. These
teachers can network among themselves to address the needs of their
ESL students and receive additional training to implement a variety of
learning strategies for these students.
Prescott Mile High Middle School is interested
in implementing this model and has already localized ESL students with
specific teachers. The
$300 stipend per teacher would be an incentive for these teachers who
willingly have accepted ESL students into their classroom as a group.
The funding for these stipends would come from
the non-replacement of an ESL Instructional Assistant at Lincoln
Elementary School. Services for ESL students at Lincoln School are
being delivered by a certified ESL teacher at this time and thus the
funding for the Instructional Assistant position is available for
other uses. It is
estimated that this proposal would result in the reallocation of
approximately $4,000 toward this model of providing instruction for
ESL students at Prescott Mile High Middle School.
Exhibits:
Mr. Kapp will be available to answer questions from the
Governing Board.
Item
No. 13
Date:
09/04/01
Consideration
of: Approving the Artists in Residence Grant from the Arizona
Commission on the Arts.
Submitted
by: Mrs. Mary Anne Kapp, LEA Grants Manager
Relevant
Information:
Prescott Unified School District has been awarded an Artists in
Residence Grant from the Arizona Commission on the Arts.
This grant will provide a local artist to present a medium
currently not in the Prescott Unified School District art curriculum.
The artist will work with Prescott Unified School District art
students creating sculptures from concrete that will be installed in a
Prescott Park. This is a
matching grant that will utilize club accounts, purchase services and
tax credit funds. The
artist has agreed to also in-service the art teachers on this medium.
Exhibits:
Please refer to Enclosure #10.
Item
No. 14
Date:
09/04/01
Consideration
of: Approving a request from Mr. Rich Richey, Social Studies
Teacher at Prescott High School, for a Medical Leave of Absence for
the first semester from approximately August 15, 2001, through January
4, 2002.
Submitted
by: Dr. Chris Reynolds, Assistant Superintendent
Relevant
Information:
This request falls within the parameters of the Family Medical
Leave Act.
Exhibits:
A copy of the letter from Mr. Richey is attached.
Please refer to Enclosure #11.
Item
No. 15
Date:
09/04/01
Consideration
of: Approving the certified and classified personnel actions as
presented.
Submitted
by: Dr. Chris Reynolds, Assistant Superintendent
Relevant
Information:
Exhibits:
A copy of the personnel report and letters from employees is
attached. Please refer to
Enclosure #12.
Item
No. 16
Date:
09/04/01
Consideration
of: The acceptance of donations as presented.
Submitted
by: Ms. Renee Raskin, Director of Business
Relevant
Information:
Board Policy requires acceptance by the Governing Board of all
donations.
Exhibits:
A
photo enlarger valued at $300, from Mr. Richard Drew, to the Prescott
High School Photography Department.
Three
thousand four hundred thirteen dollars and forty-one cents, from Mr.
David C. Cate, to the Prescott High School Student Incentive Program.
A
Paper Port One Touch 5300 Scanner, valued at $75, from Pete and Brigie
Dickinson.
Glass
and mirror pieces valued at $30, from T & T Glass and Mirror, to
the CASA Project’s Teen College.
Five
hundred dollars donated to Joe Peters (Yavapai County High School
Teacher of the Year) from The Arizona Community Foundation.
This donation is for classroom supplies.
Five
hundred and sixty-eight dollars from the Yavapai Prescott Indian Tribe
to the Taylor Hicks Elementary School Computer Fund.
Item
No. 17
Date:
09/04/01
Consideration
of: The ratification of vouchers as presented.
Submitted
by: Ms. Renee Raskin, Director of Business
Relevant
Information:
Arizona Revised Statute requires approval/ratification of all
vouchers.
Exhibits:
Voucher #
Amount
Payroll Voucher #2
$178,445.63
Payroll Voucher #3
$158,154.56
Payroll Voucher #4
$252,988.28
Expenditure Voucher #5004 $138,343.51
Expenditure Voucher #5005 $25,557.55
Expenditure Voucher #5006 $211,885.55
Expenditure Voucher #5007 $16,823.60
Expenditure Voucher #5008 $131,384.35
Expenditure Voucher #5009 $21,837.42
Expenditure Voucher #5010 $168,735.44
Expenditure Voucher #5102 $10,513.34
Expenditure Voucher #5103 $13,845.33
Expenditure Voucher #5104 $8,613.68
Item
No. 18
Date:
09/04/01
Consideration
of: Approving the Auxiliary Operations and Student Activities
Fund Statement of Receipts and Disbursements for the month of July
2001.
Submitted
by: Ms. Renee Raskin, Director of Business Services
Relevant
Information:
Exhibits:
A copy of the statements is attached. Please refer to Enclosure
#13.
Item
No. 19
Date:
09/04/01
Consideration
of: Approving the previous minutes from the Summer Retreat
Planning Session of July 24, 2001; notes from the DLT Retreat with the
Board of July 25, 2001; the Study Session of August 7, 2001; the
Executive Session of August 14, 2001 and the Voting Session of August
14, 2001.
Submitted
by: Mr. Kevin J. Kapp, Superintendent
Relevant
Information:
Board Policy requires approval of minutes.
Exhibits:
A copy of the minutes is attached.
Please refer to Enclosure #14.
INFORMATION
ITEMS:
20.
Ms. Raskin has prepared the School Board Summary Budget Report
for your review. Please refer to Enclosure #15.
21.
Enclosed for your review are the minutes from the August 6,
2001, Employee Benefit Trust (EBT) meeting.
Please refer to Enclosure #16.
22.
The following is a continuation grant, which has been awarded
to Prescott Unified School District No. 1.
(Submitted by Mrs. Mary Anne Kapp.)
TAPP
(Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Program)
This
grant will provide “Building Healthy Relationships” for 11th
and 12th grade students.
Please refer to Enclosure #17.