October 24 Board Meeting Summary

October 26th, 2023 /
Caleb Price /
Board Summary, PCSD School Board

The school board held a study session and business meeting on Tuesday, October 24. Below is a summary of the discussions and actions taken during that meeting.

Study Session

Inclement Weather Process – 1:18

View Proposed Inclement Weather Process
- Superintendent Dau reported on a more predictive way to handle snow or inclement weather days. If it is known that inclement weather is coming, principals will be notified by Noon on the day prior to send home Chromebooks for grades 3-12 or packets for grades K-2. A formal announcement for 2 hour late or remote learning will be made at 7:00 p.m. that night. This process also will hopefully remove the need for a sigular below bench pick-up call or will specify that all 2-hour late starts automatically involve below bench pick-up. This will allow additional time for our employees to get to school safely and improve the learning environment. This plan does not need board approval but Cabinet wanted board feedback. This will also be presented to principals for additional feedback.
  - Gina read through this and likes and wants to know the feedback.
  - Transportation likes it and feels it will give them the heads up to know what to plan for.
  - Melanie echoed Gina’s thoughts
  - Max had concerns with the curriculum. It was clarified that this should be an emergency set of lessons that might not be directly in order but aligns with what they are teaching
  - Will wondered how quickly 5:30 announcement will come out.
  - Teri pointed out that everyone that helps at schools needs to be alerted, i.e. School Crossing Guards
  - Lisa recommended a test on the announcement system
  - Jennifer asked about coordination with the city. Derek is in the process of doing that.
  - Will worries about the tight turnaround to activities like swim he was reassured that tardies were overlooked on snow days.
  - Lisa wants to make sure it is communicated well in advance and in multiple ways. She also wants to make sure the principals are given a chance to give feedback.
Second Board Meeting Changes – 14:35
- Tradition has been to only have a study session on the fourth Tuesday of the month. Things are so busy right now that the board feels like a business meeting needs to be added to this second meeting and the meetings may need to go longer due to the strategic planning process. Only one meeting was originally scheduled for November but they would like to add one on November 28. Asked staff to look into whether public input would be required at this new business meeting.
  - Lisa feels like it would be good practice to have public input at any business meeting.
  - Staff needs to look at how to facilitate the meeting (move rooms, public input, etc.)
  - Derek will reach out to legal council to find out what is required.
Large Purchase Request 1 – Wheelchair Accessible Van – 21:07
- We have a student that needs a wheelchair accessible van. Currently, employees are lifting the student into a van. The Business Department is receiving quotes so they are voting on an up-to amount. This is for an East Bay student and we don’t want to take up a bus for this. It will be available for any location in the district. This is coming out of the capital budget.
Large Purchase Request 2 – 24:15
- Additional world language curriculum material for grades 7-12 in the amount of $112,083.17. This is the same vendor that was previously approved last month for the initial purchase of materials. The initial purchase was for grades 7-12 but because this was a complicated purchase, it was discovered that a bigger selection of teachers that needed the curriculum. This provides materials for multiple languages and is a 5 year subscription.
Open Enrollment Doug Finch, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services – 30:47
View Open Enrollment Capacity Report
- The Open Enrollment portal , where students can apply to attend any school, opens on November 15 – by state code – and runs until the first Friday in February. Initial criteria to determine if there is room in each building is determined by building capacity. This is a unique year because we have a couple of buildings that are under construction and changing (Shoreline and Timpview). The spreadsheet presented showed the number of teaching spaces in each building and the number of spaces that are available to use based on principals discretion. PCSD class size ratios are used to determine projected classroom space for the following school year. That is then compared to projected enrollment to determine if there is capacity for a school to take on additional students. Historically all of our schools remain open to open enrollment. However, last year, Timpview was closed to open enrollment – outside of a couple of exceptions (such as a student already has a sibling enrolled). District recommendation is to open all schools this year for early enrollment period. This is separate from the late enrollment period that begins after February 15. Additional decisions may need to be made at that time.
  - Melanie asked who makes the final call if a student applies?
    - Online application.
    - Student Services looks to see if a school is open.
    - During the late enrollment period, Student Services looks at additional information.
    - If there is room, prior behavior and attendance (truancy) records are requested and reviewed.
    - Schools also have the ability to look at applications.
    - Student Services then notifies the school if a student is coming.
    - Each of the schools also have a certain number of case load volume for Special Education students due to allotment of Special Education teachers. This is also reviewed.
  - Melanie asked if a grade level could be capped if numbers went too high
    - Yes, but this different during the open enrollment period
  - Gina and Meg asked about Timpanogos having a capacity of 1100.
    - Doug explained that this number starts with Timpanogos having 45 teaching stations. The school may not be using all of them as teaching stations. We need to check that with the school and maintenance staff.
  - Gina asked if we are opening Timpview this year.
    - Cabinet is recommending that Timpview remains open for 24-25 school year.
    - The board can discuss this.
    - Timpview has a senior class that is 80-100 students larger than the incoming freshman class.
  - Gina pointed out that we have other building that have capacity while we have other schools accepting more students and then saying that they need more space.
    - Wendy explained that Cabinet plans to have Assistant Superintendent of Secondary or Elementary, maintenance staff and principal to walk school to understand how spaces are being used and how each space is being utilized. Won’t be in place for this next year. Likely for 25-26 school year.
  - Lisa requested that this group really looks at support spaces.
  - Meg clarified that the spreadsheet included numbers for the new Shoreline building and not current Dixon building.

Business Meeting – 51:00

Copy of Consideration to Approve Out of State Student Travel (Cheer to CA) – 53:23
- This was voted on in the October 10 board meeting due to issues with reporting the meeting appropriately. The board simply re-voted on this item based on the October 10 discussion.
  - Melanie Hall Motioned to approve. Second by Gina Hales. Vote was unanimous with Rebecca Nielsen abstaining.
Copy of Consideration to Approve Out of State Student Travel (Band to CA) – 54:21
- This was voted on in the October 10 board meeting due to issues with reporting the meeting appropriately. The board simply re-voted on this item based on the October 10 discussion.
  - Gina Hales Motioned to approve. Second by Lisa Boyce . Vote was unanimous with Rebecca Nielsen abstaining.
Copy of Consideration to Approve the Fee Schedule Adjustment – 55:00
- This was voted on in the October 10 board meeting due to issues with reporting the meeting appropriately. The board simply re-voted on this item based on the October 10 discussion.
  - Lisa Boyce Motioned to approve. Second by Meg Van Wagenen. Vote was unanimous with Rebecca Nielsen abstaining.
Copy of Consideration to Approve the Shoreline Bus Routes – 55:39
- This was voted on in the October 10 board meeting due to issues with reporting the meeting appropriately. The board simply re-voted on this item based on the October 10 discussion.
  - Meg Van Wagenen Motioned to approve. Second by Gina Hales. Vote was unanimous with Rebecca Nielsen abstaining.
Copy of Consideration to Approve Large Purchase Request (Wasatch Fencing) – 56:09
- This was voted on in the October 10 board meeting due to issues with reporting the meeting appropriately. The board simply re-voted on this item based on the October 10 discussion.
  - Teri McCabe Motioned to approve. Second by Melanie Hall. Vote was unanimous with Rebecca Nielsen abstaining.
Copy of Consideration to Approve TSSA Plans – 56:57
- This was voted on in the October 10 board meeting due to issues with reporting the meeting appropriately. The board simply re-voted on this item based on the October 10 discussion.
  - Melanie Hall Motioned to approve. Second by Gina Hales. Vote was unanimous with Rebecca Nielsen abstaining.
Copy of Consideration to Approve the LEA Specific Licenses – 57:30
- This was voted on in the October 10 board meeting due to issues with reporting the meeting appropriately. The board simply re-voted on this item based on the October 10 discussion.
  - Gina Hales Motioned to approve. Second by Lisa Boyce. Vote was unanimous with Rebecca Nielsen abstaining.
Large Purchase Request: Derek Anderson – 58:04
- Business Administrator requested a Wheel chair accessible van so they have a way to get the student transported safely. They are still looking at quotes.
  - Meg Van Wagenen motioned to approve the large purchase request. Second by Lisa Boyce.
    - Melanie had a clarifying questions about needing to have two employees in the van at all times. Wendy clarified that that is not the law but they will have it.
  - They did a roll call vote and all approved.
Large Purchase Request: Curriculum – 1:01:05
- This is additional curriculum material for grade 7-12 world language courses to make sure that all teachers have access to materials. This is an expansion of what the board previously approved in August.
  - Lisa Boyce motioned to approve. Second by Gina Hales. They did a roll call vote and the motion passed unanimously.

Study Session: Strategic Planning Process – 1:10:25

View Strategic Plan Presentation

The school board met with a member of the INSIGHT Education Consulting Group, Aurora Lora, to begin the process of developing the Strategic Plan for the district. The board discussed the Core Values, Vision and Mission section of the strategic plan. For more detailed information, please view the study session on YouTube.