The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
On June 19, the La Harpe School Board held a regular meeting with the following members in attendance: President Bobi James, Vice Pres. Cindy Wear, Brian Brown, Lacey Covert, Dustin Detherage, Ryan Johnson, Darren Spangler. Superintendent Ryan Olson, Principal Lila McKeown, and Board Sec. Jeanne Clayton were also present
The board approved the financial report, payment of bills, and the amended budget. The board approved a Western Area Purchasing Cooperative resolution, the FY 2019 Prevailing Wage Ordinance, fuel service for the coming fiscal year, and the annual schedule of school board meeting dates.
Loans from Working Cash were made to both the Ed and Building Funds in August of 2017 in the amount of $32,000 each. Action was taken to make these loans permanent.
The board approved a van purchase from K& C Enterprises and discussed taking bids for the current special ed van.
The board approved employment of a second Pre-K teacher, a Pre-K aide, a classroom paraprofessional, a substitute paraprofessional, and 2 summer custodians. The board also received a paraprofessional resignation and discussed an interim superintendent contract.
Dr. Olson included the most recent report of reimbursements not yet processed totaling $134,027.22 for FY18 which have been vouchered by the State but are still awaiting payment. We have yet to receive our 3rd quarter transportation payments and now the 4th quarter payments have been vouchered.
Olson explained the bill awaiting the Governor's signature that would phase in a minimum teacher salary of $40k over the next few years and includes built in increases beyond that. If signed, it would impact the 2019-2020 teacher contract.
Some districts are completely scrapping their current salary schedules and eliminating step and lane. Olson explained other legislation (embedded in the signed state budget) that reduces the amount of end of service salary increases for teachers from 6% to 3% (includes step, lane, and extracurricular).
This legislation will also impact the 2019-2020 contract. District health insurance premiums are remaining the same with 0% increase for the first time since 2009. A new PRESS policy issue has been released, so a Committee of the Whole to review it will be held at 6:15 p.m. prior to the July board meeting.
Olson encouraged the board to keep the Triple I conference attendance to just a few this year as the cost to attend is high. Brown, Covert, and Spangler indicated they would not be attending this year.
Principal McKeown reported that summer school is in progress with Mrs. Bailey and Byers instructing. The gym floor has been resealed and a girls' basketball camp will be held.
End of year data has been sent to the state. McKeown brought several data reports for the board to satisfy their planning meeting goals. The board viewed and discussed physical fitness data, student growth data with MAP, preliminary PARCC data for math and language arts compared to 2017 data, and PBIS goals for elementary and junior high for the coming school year and student management changes for junior high.
McKeown presented student handbook changes and the faculty handbook which will be approved in July. McKeown explained a Gear Up / Illinois Student Assistance Commission college-readiness grant the junior high may participate in, using the Second Step program which emphasizes character development. The program teaches social skills, conflict resolution, and interactive problem solving
La Harpe School Board meetings are held at 7:00 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month in the school library. Agendas and approved minutes are posted on the website at laharpeeagles.org.