Board of Education Meeting July 22, 2019
Courtesy of USD 457 – GARDEN CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
The USD 457 Board of Education met on Monday, July 22nd during its regularly scheduled meeting. The board recognized the Garden City High School theater students and Family Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) students that went to national competitions. The GCHS drama department performed Hamlet at the International Thespian Festival held in Lincoln, Nebraska. The Garden City High School members of the FCCLA attended the annual National FCCLA Conference June 30th – July 4th in Anaheim, California. The students that were in attendance advanced from state competition in April to compete at the national level.
Glenda LaBarbera, Assistant Superintendent, presented to the board about setting up a Social Emotional Learning team. The new committee is looking to have the assistant superintendent, director of special education, athletic director, counselor from the of the school levels, board member, principal from the elementary and secondary levels, teacher from the elementary and secondary levels from the schools. The committee would have a representative from Compass Behavioral Health, Live Well, medical, legal, and School Resource Officer (SRO) from the community. The committee would look at Juuling, mental health supports in schools, drug testing for athletes, self-harm protocol, and community resources. The timeline would include confirmation of membership in August, first meeting of the committee in September, with quarterly meetings and a yearly update to the Board of Education.
There was an update of the Summer Math Academy and Literacy Summit that were held this summer. The math academy had 47 participants with 30 of the 47 being new attendees to the academy. There were 105 people that attended the Literacy Summit. There were national speakers that presented at the two events.
KJ Knoll, Financial Officer, presented the 2019-2020 Budget to the board. The recommendation to the Board of Education is to keep the mill levy at 48.8 mills. The mill levy has been at 48.8 mills for the last three years. The board will discuss and look to approve the budget for publication at the August 5th meeting. There will be a planned public hearing at the August 19th meeting on the approval of the budget.
Other actions that the board took was approval of the classified personnel handbook, revisions to the Policy CCA District Organizational Chart, revisions to Policy GAHB Political Activities, district crisis management plan, appointment of Jessica Nothern as representative for Kansas Public Employees Retirement System for the 2019-20 year, and Therapeutic Education Program Agreement between Compass Behavioral Health and the district. The board members also signed up for various committee assignments for the upcoming school year.
The next meeting of the Board of Education will be Monday, August 5, 2019, at 6:00 p.m. in the Board Room at the Educational Support Center.
