June 7, 2022

 Regular Meeting Agenda: 6:00 pm Regular Meeting

Tuesday, June 7, 2022

Fremont County School District Number One

Board of Trustees

863 Sweetwater Street

Board Meeting 6/07/2022-Disclaimer- Notes from the board meeting are intended to highlight the major events/decisions/tone of the meeting as determined by the LEA representative attending. They are NOT meant to be an exact transcript of the entire meeting.

For items with documents; those are available on the website of the governing board at the Lander Schools Website.

1. General Business

A. Call to Order 6:00

Kathy on Zoom. Taylor Jacobs and Theresa Nirider not present.

B. Pledge of Allegiance

C. Additional Agenda Items

Non brought forward

D. Adoption of the Agenda

Motion carries

E. Recognitions

Will be included the superintendent report

F. Public Comment

Not on the agenda - 

Community member Ray Charles commented about the last meeting to thank the board for the way the board meeting was conducted.

Topics on the agenda - no comments from the community

2. Programs-Reports-Presentations

A. Board Member Reports

Escudero - Attended Profile of a Graduate meeting, she stated that the committee might not understand the implications for the district, to bring it into active practice. Career section might cause the most difficulty

She attended the protest at Centennial Park which was organized by the youth of Lander - she went to hear stories and to honor their voices. Reread the harassment and bullying policies, wanting to make sure that the implementation regarding students that are being harassed in a consistent manner is working. Asked chairman Kail to add to the next meeting agenda to discuss bullying, she stated she is concerned about USDA funding due to change of the policy wording.

Kail - also attended the Profile of a Graduate meeting. Mentioned that it was used as the basis of the district scorecard. In terms of implementation, using it as a scorecard was good foresight. Potential for the Profile of a Graduate to be mandatory in the future.

Graduations were really nicely done and put on well by admin and everyone in the district

Misquoted in the paper - made it sound like the board, Jared as a representative of the board, said that this is a partisan board. He said that it was NOT a partisan board - what was in the paper was completely opposite than what he stated. Did not reach out to Wyofile as of yet. Dr. Hitt brought it to his attention.

B. Autocross Group

Representatives of the group spoke before the board about doing the autocross in the LVHS parking lot. They explained that it is defensive driving for the youth. Starts at the bottom with the kids and moves to adults. It is not racing. It is a timed event. It is a course that you drive through. Like the motorcycle safety course, build track units, go according to horse power class (low, middle, high). Running against the clock, and it is not high speed. Rarely get out of first gear. Not a big concern for wrecks, don’t tear up parking lots, markings wash away. Been using CWC art parking lot for 10 years, has not been left a mess. Good for the community, any age kid can ride with the driver. Building up the younger generation. Take teenagers that drag race and instead can enter into autocross. Vehicles used are Mustangs, Teslas, Camaros, or anything that can be a street car with a mandatory check of condition to ensure it is safe (basic DOT check). They want to do more events around the state. They are incorporated and insured. They just had an event in Cody. They have all the equipment, they just need the lot for the event.

Event insurance through Tegler. Insurance covers that in the unlikely event someone gets hurt. Participants need a driver’s license. They like to have 30-40 participants. There is a facebook group for the autocross with videos. There is an event this Saturday at the Casino in Riverton.

The cars go at a very low speed so the breaks will save you the majority of the time. Helmets required to be worn, and waiver needed for young children. Limit to 4 events per year, so there would be a limit of 1 event per year at LVHS. If the event could be done regularly, they might do 2 a year at LVHS - they always have one at CWC each year.

Participants can bring their own car. 

After the event they make sure that they have a street sweeper come and sweep the parking lot. They are a nonprofit organization. Rocksprings does fast cars and foster kids. They would like to do something similar.

This year, they would like to have an event in August before school starts. 

Kail - there doesn’t appear to be any issues. We can likely proceed. Connect with Travis first about use of the parking lot.

C. Superintendent's Report

Special Education determination document - scored for compliance, performance and overall, we met the requirements. 100% on parent participation.

Updated some policies, listed in the report. To mirror those changes in AC. There will be a couple coming up in policy review that will need to be looked at.

Collective efficacy in accreditation report - shared belief among staff that they can make a difference in students. Results of a survey from about 3 years ago (2019) that shows the teachers have a strong collective efficacy that they can make a difference for students. Teachers in the school district agree that every student can learn. Want to do it on a regular basis for the reporting that is done.

Escudero concerned about #12 - almost 50% somewhat agree that drugs and alcohol abuse in the community make learning difficult for students

Exit interview survey data from 2021 - 22 responses, the end of this school year only 10 responses so far. Would like to get more responses to get better data. Have a conversation at the admin level. Teamwork and communication were down from 80% to about 40%. Would like more information. This survey was sent out to those who resigned and were terminated. They were sent the survey via email at the end of the year so as to not single out those who resigned/terminated mid year.

Barker would also like to conduct “stay” interviews - likely will begin in the fall of the next school year.

ARP ESSER funds survey to all district wide staff - results posted on board docs

Next meeting will provide what has been done with the funds.

Invitation to Board members to go to PLC conferences, several in the fall. 

Staff are going to a November PLC at work institutes, a Coaching conference in September, Sped and other staff going in October, and staff going to Math at work in November.

Title IX question on the numbers of bullying and harassment. Barker presented a walk through the overview of title IX - definition discrimination based on sex as the basis. WDE and the Attorney are going to give guidance on the notice from the USDA. Title IX describes three types of harassment - quid pro quo, sexual assault (dating violence, domestic violence, or stalking as defined in the Violence against women act), and unwelcome conduct to be determined by a reasonable person to be so severe, pervasive and objectively offensive that it effectively denies a person equal access to the districts education program (must be ALL 3 - if it not all 3 then is not Title IX - but does not preclude other policies like bullying etc.).

There has to be a claimant who files an official complaint - someone who makes the claim and attaches their name to it. Not a generalized thing.

There were 4 or 5 complaints that came to the Title IX coordinator but did not become a formal complaint. A couple safe-to-tells, or informal reports. Majority of the complaints the person did not want their name brought up so the investigation could not go further. They still investigate first, offer supportive measures, and dig through safe-to-tells if necessary.

Reasons to not go further - guardians don’t know about what the student is being bullied for and the student doesn't want that retribution from their families.

Information is on the website for those wanting more information - https://www.landerschools.org/Title-IX

Barker posed the idea - What are we doing besides having students and staff go through official Title IX training?

One place to start is by cleaning up infinite campus categories - help condense.

LVHS - 44 incidents requiring in-depth investigations last school year, 38 were student to student incidents. (e.g 12 name calling and intimidation, 3 threats)

384 write up for LVHS total

LMS 1390 incidents written up (majority are tardies)

Presented a need to look in the fall about how to code and condense for better understanding of what is occurring in the classroom/schools. Discuss at the next meeting how to make the data more digestible going forward.

Escudero - when are we as a district required to move something forward via title IX - if it is not a formal complaint? Barker - The district can take on their own investigation, but is not required to.

Kail asked Barker to have the data for the next board meeting.

Morton addressed the high amount of write-ups at LMS - vary from language to tardies (several pages of tardies). It is important to consider that there was a new administration, new policies, and clarity to the staff about the expectations for when to write up infractions.

Kail wanted to remind admin and board members - the number of behavior infractions doesn't need to be looked at negatively - if the numbers are high, could be that they are reporting them more intentionally.

3. Consent Agenda

A. Approval of Surplus/Disposable Property

B. Stipulated Expulsion Agreements

4. Action Items

A. Personnel Actions

Motion Carried with no discussion

(Berg opposed)

B. Approve District Athletic Trainer position

Discussion - adding a position, but not adding much additional cost. District is already paying an athletic trainer currently. 

Discussion about PIC - professional industry certificate. 

Discussion - mostly at high school, some amount at middle school.

Berg asked about why doing this now? Barker - Having more control over how we utilize the person. Other districts our size do something similar. Have consistency, not relying on contracts.

Motion Carried

C. Handbook changes (2nd reading)

Motion to approve as presented

Discussion - policies are the most updated currently on board docs

Escudero would like to receive all handbooks regardless of changes to review. 

Kail one discussion point - the AC changes have not been made to the handbooks as of yet

Motion carries - non opposed

D. Approve Fremont County BOCHES 22-23 Budget

Tabled to next meeting

E. Approval of Meal Prices for 22-23

Motion carries with no discussion - non opposed

F. Approve Bid for Carpet Replacement @ LVHS

Motion

Discussion Sweeny - 1 quote from a vendor, advertised for bids included mandatory walk through. 1 bidder showed up, which is the bid that is included. Reached out to business managers across the state, received 5 responses - 1 about a carpet job done a year ago. This bid is about double per square foot. Current bid is not the original. Sweeney doesn’t have an answer to how the current bid compares to the original. 

Jensen - is there a pressing need to replace the carpet now? Sweeney - yes, it’s the wishes of the building, original carpet from when the building was built. Sweeney reminded the board that this comes from major maintenance money.

Motion carries

1 opposed

G. Indoor Track Recommendation

Motion made

Discussion - LVHS has been running with Riverton. There will now be a 4A and a 3A - Lander may not be able to run with Riverton. Funding this, eliminate a position to make it more equal to soccer. Not going to be a significant increase in any cost, the coach is already budgeted. 

Yost - 16 students are interested in running indoor track. The one coach proposal will be challenging, Riverton started with 2 coaches and is now up to 3 - covering different and unrelated events. It’s going to be important to have 2 coaches. Inadequate opportunities for girls during the winter, track might appeal to a more diverse socioeconomic status of students than nordic track, which is the other winter option for girls.

Berg - are district facilities adequate?

Yost - we do the best we can, the facilities are inadequate - yes. Down one functioning treadmill. Can potentially combine track and indoor track budget.

Motion Carries - non opposed

H. Girls Wrestling Recommendation

Motion made

Discussion - following the WHA rule, there are girls currently wrestling. This establishes at the state level that girls can wrestle in their own state tournament division. This is not an additional cost, use of the same coaches. Recognizing girls wrestling. There is an interest. 

Motion Carries non opposed

I. Accept Monetary Donations

Motion made

Donation amounts and their targets are listed on Board Docs on the website

Scholarship fund goes to someone pursuing special education or nursing. Divided up, 4, $2000 scholarships were given out this year. 

Motion Carries non opposed

5. Discussion Items

A. Policy Review (1st reading)

EFEA - unpaid student meal debt - collecting delinquent account

Escudero, 1 in 5 students in Wyoming are food insecure, work with parents, eliminate food fees for high needs schools, make sure that those who need it are getting free and reduced lunch, look at time and amount of debt being pursued - West Virginia specifically states that a district can not go to a collection agency. If we approve going to a collection agency, include something that ensures additional fees won’t be added. How much $ are we not collecting, how many students does that include, are students being subjected to disparate impact.

Sweeney - there was a practice before that when students were negative, their plate would be pulled. Now there is no practice of that. We allow students to go as negative as we can to avoid hunger and stigma. Collection agency - we are already doing. This came about from our food service audit. Only wording that really changed is unpaid meal charge; any fees related to this have to be paid with general fund, not food service fund. There has not been a large number sent to collection agencies.

Berg - credit unions and banks have stepped up to pay off debt amount in food service, this is not a huge burden on the district

BBF-E Board Member Ethics - changed wording to mirror policy AC

No discussion

DFD - Community Use of School Facilities including policy AC reference

KCD - public gift donations including AC reference - 

Escudero asked how does this policy affect grants for teachers? Barker will bring it back to include the piece about grants to the next reading. Escudero recommends keeping crowdfunding and grants separate. 

Also recommended is to give principals up to $1000 to not have to report as many donations to the business office - $2000 + report to Travis, let board know about all donations

B. Student Board Representative discussion

How did it go? Changes possible or process changes?

Jensen - we should continue to do it. There was great input received, it is worth continuing

Escudero - we should add student representatives to the agenda as an opportunity to bring concerns from their peers and their schools. Board needs to do a better briefing job to the student representative. A conversation prior to each board meeting to prepare them for the conversations. Also get some feedback from the recent student representatives about the experience. Escudero will prepare some questions for the representatives for the board to look over at the next meeting.

Kail - it is a work in progress

6. Executive Session - 8:02

A. Executive Session - 16-4-405(a)(ii) and (xii) - matters related to employment of personnel and safety

7. Administrative Details/Reminders/Future Plans

A. June 21 Board meeting @ 6:00 pm

B. July 19, Board meeting & budget hearing @ 6:00 pm

8. Adjournment

A. *Consent Items Disclaimer