WEST FRANKLIN USD 287
SPECIAL MEETING OF
BOARD OF EDUCATION
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2006
The special meeting of the West Franklin USD #287 Board of Education was held Wednesday, April 26, 2006 at the Pomona High School Multi-Purpose Room in Pomona, Kansas.
Board members present were: Neal Baker, Keith Milliken, Mary Ann Parkin, Randy Hermreck, Sheila Anderson, Janie Dillon, and Nancy Reed. Administrators present were: Superintendent Susan Myers, Board Clerk Teresa Hawkins and Principals Rick Smith, Royce Powelson, Eric Koppes, Susan Wildeman, and Curriculum Director Mary Schleicher. Also present were many faculty and community members.
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm by President, Neal Baker.
Neal Baker turned the meeting over to Patrick Dunn, IBB Mediator.
The board worked to develop options for the issue statements developed in previous meetings.
How do we maintain effective student/teacher ratios?
Interests
- Better discipline
- Better test scores (AYP)
- Control costs by efficient use of staff
- Utilize space better
- Help with student retention and recruitment
- Help with teacher retention and recruitment
- Equalize opportunities for students
Options
- Offer competitive salaries
- Combine classes
- Offer classes electronically
- Reduce class size
- Offer more classes
- Cut staff
- Remodel
- Longer instruction
- Explore options with other districts
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Wednesday, April 26, 2006
How do we afford to offer the best curriculum and meet new graduation requirements?
Interests
- Meet state mandates
- Help with student retention and recruitment
- Operate within the budget
- Better prepare students for life
Options
- Combine high schools
- Combine junior highs
- Reconfigure the district
- Reduce staff
- Offer incentives for multiple certificates
- Offer classes electronically
- Raise the LOB
- Pass the capital outlay levy
- Prioritize importance of classes and consider cutting some
- Prioritize extra curricular activities and assess cost
- Eliminate all sports
- Implement technology plan
- Equalize cost spent per student
- Explore options with other districts
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Wednesday, April 26, 2006
How do we afford to recruit and retain good staff?
Interests
- Maintain a stable environment (morale)
- Maintain a positive reputation
- Attract students
- Better Learning
- Operate within the budget
- Better use of administrative staff time
Options
- Higher pay
- Raise LOB
- Pass capital outlay levy
- Implement the technology plan
- Equalize student/teacher ratios
- Build one campus
- Reconfigure the district
- Reduce staff
- Make teachers travel and offer incentive
The board took a 10 minute break at 7:50 pm
How do we attract more students?
Interests
- Generate more state dollars
- Maintain the status quo on money
Options
- Implement tech plan
- Highly effective teachers
- Offer more variety of electives
- Offer more advanced classes
- Add more extra curricular activities
- Emphasize quality of classes and other activities
- Better sports facilities
- Improved facilities
- Offer early graduation options
- Offer more dual credit classes
- Establish convenient location
- Smaller class sizes
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Wednesday, April 26, 2006
How can we afford to maintain or replace our facilities?
Interests
- Maintain a safe environment
- Better learning environment
- Retain and recruit students and teachers
- Operate within the budget
- Stabilize maintenance cost
- Save energy
Options
- Pass a bond issue
- Close underutilized
- Pass capital outlay levy
- Raise LOB
- Four day week
- Reconfigure the district
- Attract more students
- Dissolve the district
- Cost benefit of maintaining vs building
- Building by building energy audit
- Consider remodeling
How do we effectively utilize our buildings?
Interests
- Reduce or eliminate wasted space (includes underutilized space)
- Save money
- More efficiently use of staff
- Improve morale
Options
- Reconfigure the district
- Rent out unused class space
- Explore options with other districts
- Close and sell buildings
- Attract more students
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Wednesday, April 26, 2006
The next two meetings were set for Wednesday, May 17, and Wednesday, May 31, 2006 at 7:00 pm in the Pomona High School multi-purpose room.
Public comment session began at 8:45 pm
President Neal Baker adjourned the meeting at 8:50 pm.
_______________________ _________________________
Teresa Hawkins, Clerk Neal Baker, Board President
Minutes are not official until approved at the next board meeting.