Consent Agenda – 05/24/10

  • Consider motion to approve consent agenda:

Minutes: MINUTES OF THE Regular SCHOOL BOARD MEETING OF THE SCHOOL BOARD OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 721 SCOTT, RICE LE SUEUR COUNTIES, NEW PRAGUE, MINNESOTA56071

April 26, 2010 6:30 pm.Central Education Campus Board Room

CALL TO ORDER

Chairperson Walerius called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm.

ROLL CALL

Roll was taken with board member Reed absent.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

All rose and recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

OPEN FORUM

Teachers Becky Wolf and JeNean Erickson requested to address the board during Open Forum. The board was asked to reconsider a fellow teacher’s request for addition spousal sick days so she could be with her husband as he undergoes treatment in Rochester.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

Additions, changes, deletions: Superintendent Menozzi was asked if there were any additions, changes or deletions for the agenda. Having no changes, Havlicek made the motion to approve the agenda. Second was made by Pint. Motion carried 6/0.

CONSENT AGENDA

Board Member Dvorak made the motion to approve the consent agenda. Second was made by Robischon. Motion carried 6/0.

REPORTS

The following reports were given:

  1. Laptops, net books/classroom usage: Raven Stream teacher Sande Schoenecker presented a lesson that she uses with her class using a whiteboard interaction curriculum. Students see the required work, compose, edit and hand in the assignment using the white board instructions. The teacher is then able to do one-on-one instruction with her class.
  2. Raven Stream teacher Ann Washa and three Raven Stream paraprofessionals informed the board of the Before School Tutoring program. Principal Pribyl called this program the most successful tutoring program he has seen. Identified students in grades 3 - 4 and 5 receive early morning instruction. An after school program was also held that opened computer labs, and used high school student as tutors.
  3. Math & Science Academy facilitator Tim Ledwein along with teachers from grades three through 5 updated the board on the information they have learned while attending the Math and Science Academy. Raven Stream teachers thanked those responsible for supporting them as they attended the sessions.
  4. Carver/Scott Education Cooperative:
  5. Superintendent Randy Zitterkopff outlines the highlights from New Prague’s first year of membership in the coop. The numbers of New Prague students that are participating in the various programs were highlighted along with detailed budget information. The coop is still in mediation with the teacher’s union and a possible merger with MRVSEC was discussed.

BOARD UPDATES

Policy: policies are being brought to the table for first reading. The Crisis Manual updates were given to board members to review prior to the next meeting.

MRVSEC: Highlights from the monthly meeting of the board were given by board representative Havlicek. MRVSEC is adopting a policy to pool time that employees can use when their yearly resources are exhausted. Wellness, insurance and other monthly reports were highlighted.

Carver/Scott Education Cooperative: the district and teachers union is still in mediation but is starting to see progress. The preschool program will be expanded next year.

Negotiations: clerical, principals and technicians are still negotiating their contracts.

SUPERINTENDENT UPDATES

Good News: the middle school program of study is currently doing a book study entitled “This We Believe.” Surveys are being given to parents and students. The middle school will bring the final product to the board for approval and will incorporate the changes in the 11/12 school year. About 80 community and staff members attending the April 8 community meeting. Spring chess winners were announces. Officials from the City of Lonsdale will have a tour of the Eagle View Elementary School sometime this summer. The board members and the community were invited to take part in all of the end of year activities that are held in the school building.

RECOMMENDED FOR ACTION

Non-renewal resolutions were read for the four secondary level teachers. Motion was made by Walerius and seconded by Pint. Roll call vote was taken for each individual non-renewal. Resolution was adopted 6/0.

Milk and Bread bids: a motion was made by Pint and seconded by Havlicek to accept the bids as presented. Motion carried 6/0.

Student Handbooks: Changes for the handbooks were presented to the board. Motion was made by Dvorak and seconded by Walerius to approve the changes. Motion carried 6/-.

Approve TIES membership: Motion was made by Pint and seconded by Carlson to approve joining the TIES Consortium. Motion carried 6/0.

ADJOURNMENT

Motion was made by Havlicek and seconded by Walerius to adjourn the regular school board meeting at 7:38 pm. Motion carried 6/0.

Second Reading and approval of policies.

  • 806

Policy 803 806

CRISIS PLAN CRISIS MANAGEMENT PLAN

PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to assure development of plans to provide direction to school employees and students when faced with emergency situations.

GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY

The superintendent shall be responsible for directing the development of a comprehensive CrisisPlan, which will serve as a guide for employees, students and parents. .

PROVISIONS OF THE EMERGENCY PLAN

A Crisis Plan shall be reviewed and approved annually by the School Board.

The CrisisPlan shall conform to state and federal laws, Minnesota Department of Education rules, and guidelines set forth by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Division of Emergency Services.

The provisions of the CrisisPlan shall be compatible with those of the local municipalities in which the school district is located. Appropriate officials from the local municipalities shall be requested to review and comment on the Emergency Plan during the development process.

The Crisis Plan shall address, but not be limited to the following emergency situations:

Fire

Bomb threat

Threats with weapons

Demonstrations

Natural disaster

Hazardous material accident

In the event of a National Emergency, School Officials shall cooperate with Local, Regional and National authorities

Employees shall receive a copy of the Crisis Plan for the building in which they work and shall receive in-service training annually on plan implementation.

Students shall receive specific instruction on plan implementation, and shall participate in a required number of drill and practice sessions throughout the school year.

Parents shall be made aware of the CrisisPlan.

WARNING SYSTEMS

The school district shall maintain a warning system designed to inform students, employees, and visitors in the facilities of an emergency. This system shall be maintained on a regular basis under the maintenance plan for all school district buildings.

It shall be the responsibility of the building principal to inform students and employees of the system and the means by which the system is used to identify the specific type of emergency involved.

EMERGENCY CLOSINGS

The superintendent or his/her designeeis empowered to close the schools or to dismiss them early in event of hazardous weather or other emergencies, which threaten the safety or health of students or staff members.

Parents, students, and staff members shall be informed early in each school year how they shall be notified in event of emergency closings or early dismissals.

Legal References:42 U.S.C. § 5121 et. seq. (Disaster relief and emergency assistance)

Minn. Stat. Ch. 12 (Emergency Services)

Minn. Rules 3530.4400 to 3530.4700 (Civil defense: school districts)

Approved: 01/21/87

Revised: 10/24/94

Revised: 04/28/97

Revised: 03/22/99

Revised: 06/07/04

Policy 806

CRISIS MANAGEMENT POLICY

I.PURPOSE

The purpose of this Model Crisis Management Policy is to act as a guide for school district and building administrators, school employees, students, school board members, and community members to address a wide range of potential crisis situations in the school district. For purposes of this Policy, the term, “school districts,” shall include charter schools. The step-by-step procedures suggested by this Policy will provide guidance to each school building in drafting crisis management plans to coordinate protective actions prior to, during, and after any type of emergency or potential crisis situation. Each school district should develop tailored building-specific crisis management plans for each school building in the school district, and sections or procedures may be added or deleted in those crisis management plans based on building needs.

The school district will, to the extent possible, engage in ongoing emergency planning within the school district and with first responders and other relevant community organizations. The school district will ensure that relevant first responders in the community have access to their building-specific crisis management plans and will provide training to school district staff to enable them to act appropriately in the event of a crisis.

II.GENERAL INFORMATION

A.The Policy and Plans

The school district’s Crisis Management Policy has been created in consultation with local community response agencies and other appropriate individuals and groups that would likely be involved in the event of a school emergency. It is designed so that each building administrator can tailor a building-specific crisis management plan to meet that building’s specific situation and needs.

The school district’s administration and/or the administration of each building shall present tailored building-specific crisis management plans to the school board for review and approval. The building-specific crisis management plans will include general crisis procedures and crisis-specific procedures. Upon approval by the school board, such crisis management plans shall be an addendum to this Crisis Management Policy. This Policy and the plans will be maintained and updated on an annual basis.

B.Elements of the District Crisis Management Policy

1.General Crisis Procedures. The Crisis Management Policy includes general crisis procedures for securing buildings, classroom evacuation, building evacuation, campus evacuation, and sheltering. The Policy designates the individual(s) who will determine when these actions will be taken. These district-wide procedures may be modified by building administrators when creating their building-specific crisis management plans. A communication system will be in place to enable the designated individual to be contacted at all times in the event of a potential crisis, setting forth the method to contact the designated individual, the provision of at least two designees when the contact person is unavailable, and the method to convey contact information to the appropriate staff persons. The alternative designees may include members of the emergency response team. A secondary method of communication should be included in the plan for use when the primary method of communication is inoperable. Each building in the school district will have access to a copy of the Emergency Planning and Procedures Guide for Schools to assist in the development of building-specific crisis management plans. Finally, all general crisis procedures will address specific procedures for children with special needs such as physical, sensory, motor, developmental, and mental health challenges.

a.Lock-Down Procedures. Lock-down procedures will be used in situations where harm may result to persons inside the school building, such as a shooting, hostage incident, intruder, trespass, disturbance, or when determined to be necessary by the building administrator or his or her designee. The building administrator or designee will announce the lock-down over the public address system or other designated system. Code words will not be used. Provisions for emergency evacuation will be maintained even in the event of a lock-down. Each building administrator will submit lock-down procedures for their building as part of the building-specific crisis management plan.

b.Evacuation Procedures. Evacuations of classrooms and buildingsshall be implemented at the discretion of the building administrator or his or her designee. Each building’s crisis management plan will include procedures for transporting students and staff a safe distance from harm to a designated safe area until released by the building administrator or designee. Safe areas may change based upon the specific emergency situation. The evacuation procedures should include specific procedures for children with special needs, including children with limited mobility (wheelchairs, braces, crutches, etc.), visual impairments, hearing impairments, and other sensory, developmental, or mental health needs. The evacuation procedures should also address transporting necessary medications for students that take medications during the school day.

c.Sheltering Procedures. Sheltering provides refuge for students, staff, and visitors within the school building during an emergency. Shelters are safe areas that maximize the safety of inhabitants. Safe areas may change based upon the specific emergency. The building administrator or his or her designee will announce the need for sheltering over the public address system or other designated system. Each building administrator will submit sheltering procedures for his or her building as part of the building-specific crisis management plan.

2.Crisis-Specific Procedures. The Crisis Management Policy includes crisis-specific procedures for crisis situations that may occur during the school day or at school-sponsored events and functions. These district-wide procedures are designed to enable building administrators to tailor response procedures when creating building-specific crisis management plans.

3.School Emergency Response Teams

a.Composition. The building administrator in each school building will select a school emergency response team that will be trained to respond to emergency situations. All school emergency response team members will receive on-going training to carry out the building’s crisis management plans and will have knowledge of procedures, evacuation routes, and safe areas. For purposes of student safety and accountability, to the extent possible, school emergency response team members will not have direct responsibility for the supervision of students. Team members must be willing to be actively involved in the resolution of crises and be available to assist in any crisis situation as deemed necessary by the building administrator. Each building will maintain a current list of school emergency response team members which will be updated annually. The building administrator, and his or her alternative designees, will know the location of that list in the event of a school emergency. A copy of the list will be kept on file in the school district office, or in a secondary location in single building school districts.

  1. Leaders. The building administrator or his or her designee will serve as the leader of the school emergency response team and will be the primary contact for emergency response officials. In the event the primary designee is unavailable, the designee list should include more than one alternative designee and may include members of the emergency response team. When emergency response officials are present, they may elect to take command and control of the crisis. It is critical in this situation that school officials assume a resource role and be available as necessary to emergency response officials.

III.PREPARATION BEFORE AN EMERGENCY

A.Communication

1.District Employees. Teachers generally have the most direct contact with students on a day-to-day basis. As a result, they must be aware of their role in responding to crisis situations. This also applies to non-teaching school personnel who have direct contact with students. All staff shall be aware of the school district’s Crisis Management Policy and their own building’s crisis management plan. Each school’s building-specific crisis management plan shall include the method and dates of dissemination of the plan to its staff. Employees will receive a copy of the relevant building-specific crisis management plans and shall receive periodic training on plan implementation.

2.Students and Parents. Students and parents shall be made aware of the school district’s Crisis Management Policy and relevant tailored crisis management plans for each school building. Each school district’s building-specific crisis management plan shall set forth how students and parents are made aware of the district and school-specific plans. Students shall receive specific instruction on plan implementation and shall participate in a required number of drills and practice sessions throughout the school year.

B.Planning and Preparing for Fire

1.Designate a safe area at least 50 feet away from the building to enable students and staff to evacuate. The safe area should not interfere with emergency responders or responding vehicles and should not be in an area where evacuated persons are exposed to any products of combustion.

2.Each building’s facility diagram and site plan shall be available in appropriate areas of the building and shall identify the most direct evacuation routes to the designated safe areas both inside and outside of the building. The facility diagram and site plan must identify the location of the fire alarm control panel, fire alarms, fire extinguishers, hoses, water spigots, and utility shut offs.