Summary of 1/25/24 School Board Meeting

Meeting Open:   

All members were present: Cristina Diaz-Torres, David Priddy, Mary Kadera, Bethany Zecher Sutton, and Miranda Turner.

• Ms. Diaz-Torres opened the meeting. She and other board members welcomed the newest board member, Miranda Turner.

• Board welcomed the 24 Martin Luther King jr. literary and visual arts contest winners. Click here for award video.

Consent Agenda: 

Vote: Approved 5-0

• Ms. Diaz-Torres then announced the list of new hires that are being approved under the consent agenda, including Brian Stockton returning as Chief of Staff for APS effective February 5. The agenda also included a new APS Board Member code of conduct and liaison assignments.  

 Announcements: 

Board: 

• Ms. Diaz-Torres announced the 2024 APS Honored Citizen Award. Nominations are due by close of business on March 12.

• Ms. Kadra announced The winners of the Wolf technology award. She also congratulated students and staff at Kenmore Middle School for their performance of Matilda Jr. and their participation in a local polar plunge.

Superintendent: 

• Dr. Durán provided an overview of dual-language immersion at APS and provided a video demonstration of its accomplishments.

• He discussed the recent community info session held which focused on inclusive learning environments and highlighted a new email reporting system for reporting bullying or harassment. Click here for recording.

• Highlighted, a new state grant focusing on school mental health that provides additional services for middle schools and will allow APS to expand upon existing services.

• Discussed Hazel Health and their new virtual therapy services that are provided to any students in grade 9 and above.

• Provided dates for current mid year assessments that are on our way. Click here for dates

• Provided updated procedures for grading PIP, Most notably: “Only the higher score, up to 80 percent, from the original or the retake or revision, will be used to calculate the student’s grade.”

• Reminded that pre-K and elementary auction school application window is Feb. 1 to March 8.

 Questions:

1. Ms. Kadera - asked a question about the 80/20 divide within dual language instruction, and which classes fall into those 80 and 20 categories.

2. Ms. Kadera- asked a question regarding what parents should expect after they report bullying through the new email system.

3. Ms. Kadera asked when the midyear assessment data would be available on the website.

4. Ms. Zacher Sutton - Made comments that she appreciated the adjustments made to the grading PIP.

5. Ms. Turner- Asked what other opportunities are available, absent face-to-face engagement, that parents have to give feedback on developing PIPs.

 Public Comment Topics:

1. APS pool swimmer - Need for better hygiene enforcement at the W&L pool.

2. APE parent - Encouraged budget adjustments to benefit student facing positions. Asked for transparency around data collected in grading equity initiatives.

3. APS retiree - need to reduce class size.

4. APS teacher - urged the board to improve pay scale step increases.

5. APS teacher - thanked APS for adjustments to the retesting policy and urged smaller class sizes.

6. APS teacher - encouraged APS to listen more to teachers before implementing the upcoming EL policy.

7. APS hourly employee - raised concerns about hourly employees for not being compensated during snow days.

8. APS parent - expressed concerns about anti-semitic comments at APS schools. 

Monitoring Item:

Dr. Gerald R. Mann Jr delivered a report on career and technical education work-based learning. Click here to view the presentation. 

Questions: 

1. Ms. Zacher Sutton - asked a question about the capacity for enrolling students and what we can anticipate our capacity for when the new career center building opens in 2026.

2. Ms. Kadera - asked a question about College Career Ready Index accreditation. She also asked how students request access to the work-based learning opportunities.

3. Ms. Diaz-Torres - asked a question about Perkins funding and how it is used in the available technical education programs. 

4. Mr. Priddy - Encouraged anyone in the community that works in/with an organization that offers work-based educational opportunities, such as internships, to contact APS and consider using the resources just highlighted. 

5. Ms. Kadera - Asked how the new partnership coordinator position has benefited the program and how ASP should measure the success of the program going forward. 

Action Item: 

The meeting only had one action item on the agenda: The Final Fiscal Close-out Status Report and the Capital Improvement Plan.

Questions: 

1. Ms. Turner- Asked a clarifying question regarding how the board will be asked to approve the reserved funds that are listed in the recommendations. 

The motion included the approval of 4 resolutions:

1. County Transfer of $20,833,882 to the School Operating Fund.

2. re-appropriation of  budget increases to the FY 2024 Schools Budget as indicated below:  ​​

• School Operating Fund $6,853,877 ​

• Capital Projects Fund $21,197,197 ​

• Community Activities Fund $527,426 ​

• Food & Nutrition Services Fund $265,482  ​

3. re-appropriation to FY 2024 of the balances in both the Grants andBond Construction Fund as follows:

• Grants and Restricted Programs Fund $3,994,428 ​

• Bond Construction Fund   $143,624,223 

4. carry forward of the following fund balance reserves: ​

• $45,201,121 – FY 2024 Adopted Budget use of reserves  

• $1,047,239 – VRS Reserve ​

1. $2,000,000 – Separation Pay Reserve (Unfunded)

• $1,000,000 – Health Insurance Reserve – self insurance  

• $3,385,010 – Future Debt Service Reserve 

• $11,383,829 – Future Budget Years Reserve ​

• $12,577,993 – Food & Nutrition Services Fund:​  – Fund Balance​

• $27,876,959 – Capital Reserve​

• $160,370 – Capital Planning​

Vote: Approved 5-0. 

Information Item:

The meeting only had one action item on the agenda. An update on the proposed installation of a new HVAC equipment for Wakefield High School Pool.

Jim Meikle, Director, Maintenance provided the update. 

• Total Project Cost is estimated to be: $872,081

• Staff recommended authorizing Paramount Mechanical Co. and their 226K bid for installation. They also recommend a 60K contingency fund.

• If approved at the next meeting, work can begin on Feb. 12 and the pool will be closed for repairs from Feb 12-29 for a reopening on March 1. 

Questions: 

• Ms. Zacher Sutton - Asked if they are prepared to inform the community about the pool closures? 

• Ms. Diaz-Torres - Asked for clarity on what is meant by “independent commissioning?”

• New business - none.

New Business: None

Meeting adjourned at 9:18pm