March 20, 2018 | Regular Session
Superintendent’s Report
–Dr. Ember Conley highlighted the March 14 walk-out and said more than 1,000 students peacefully participated.
–The Superintendent provided an update on safety measures and projects underway in the district. A “Safety Update” will be sent to parents and staff in the coming weeks.
Communications Report
–Communications Director Melinda Colton encouraged the board to attend the upcoming “The Front Line and The Blue Line Working Together” event planned by the Summit County Sheriff’s Office. The event is planned for May 14 at 6 p.m. at Ecker Hill Middle School.
–She noted the district’s Facebook page views increased by more than 70 percent last month and reach 10,137 people.
–For the first time ever, PCSD is hosting the Utah School Public Relations Association on March 23. Superintendent Conley will speak to the association members on the topic of opioids.
FY19 Budget Discussion Continued
–The board approved $3.5 million for capital projects for FY19.
–The board reviewed the student fee schedule and want the Administration to provide a financial breakdown of classroom fees versus extracurricular fees.
–A detailed discussion took place about adding Tier 3 interventionist at each elementary school. Associate Superintendent for Learning and Teaching Kathy Einhorn said adding the interventionists is critical to MTSS. President Caplan said he wanted to see explicit districtwide procedures to identify students who need interventions.
–Dr. Conley is recommending an additional crisis counselor. Associate Superintendent for Student Wellness Ben Belnap told the board that counselors are working closely with mental health professionals to provide more services for students. With more emphasis on career and college ready at the junior high level, there are a lot of crisis situations that consume the counselors’ time. He said having an additional mental health provider would be invaluable.
–The district is experiencing a lack of substitute teachers. President Caplan asked the Administration to look at the option of hiring full-time permanent subs versus just increasing the daily rate.
Changes to District Policies
The Board approved making technical adjustments to district policies to reflect current state statute references.
School Start Times
The board rescinded a motion from June 6, 2017, to implement new start times for 2018-19 school year. The board approved appointing a Start Times Board Advisory Committee. The committee will be comprised of stakeholders who will develop details on how to change district start times. The committee’s report will be presented to the Board by the end of 2018. Board member Anne Peters emphasized that start times will play a major role in master planning. Board President Andrew Caplan said new start times need to implemented in a way that is not disruptive to the entire district.
Policies for Posting
The board approved posting the following revised policies:
–Policy 2020: Authorization of Student Clubs
–Policy 9045: District Academic and Athletic Travel
–Policy 9110: Acceptable Use
–Policy 10100: Safe Schools
Policies Adopted
The board approved revisions to the following policies:
–Policy 2010: Eligibility and Qualifications of a Board Member
–Policy 7005: Employee Ethics
–Policy 7050: Administrative Sabbatical Leave
–Policy 10010: Student Enrollment
Policy Retired
The board approved retiring Policy 7000: Employee Involvement with Non-School Travel.