Marshall Public Schools

Marshall Public Schools

860 W. Vest St.

Marshall, MO 65340

PH: 660-886-7414

Fax: 660-886-5641

Dr. Carol Maher, Superintendent / Dr. Terry Lorenz, Asst. Supt. of Business Operations
Mrs. Terri Porter, Director of Special Services / Mrs. Diane Gillaspie, Director of Curriculum and Instruction
Mr. Jim Papreck, Director of Data Analysis and Dissemination

January, 2017

Dear Marshall Board of Education:

Happy 2017! It’s back to school and back to work for MPS. It feels good to be back in the routine and moving quickly toward spring. I want to start out this letter by celebrating the accomplishments of Eastwood Elementary School’s students, teachers, and staff that lead to Eastwood being removed from Focus School status at DESE. To do this, Eastwood had to keep an increased level of student achievement for three years and being removed means the school is not considered at-risk by the state. Marshall now has NO schools in the Focus School category, of which we are very proud! Dr. Shelly Aubuchon of MO DESE will join us at the Board meeting on the 24th to recognize and congratulation Eastwood Elementary!

As I communicated previously, I am very happy to have three outstanding individuals as BOE candidates: Brad Guthrey, Tim Schulte, and Kathy Green. Sadly, we are going to say good-bye and express our gratitude to Jeff Hemeyer for his wonderful work as Board member. I have so many friends who don’t have a pleasant relationship with their Board and I feel so lucky to have an exemplary team with whom to work! On a related topic, next week is School Board Appreciation Week. Let me be the first to say, on behalf of MPS students and adults, we do appreciate your time, energy, and dedication!

Winter is unpredictable and once again, we were reminded of that this week. It is always a risk to call school off based on a forecast but student and staff safety must be our number one concern. Everyone felt a crippling ice storm was on the way last week (I was told it was a 100% chance), everyone except Mother Nature this is. This has happened in my superintendent career before and unfortunately, it probably will again. I have always tried to let the public know that school will be called off before the evening news the night before the cancellation but it is probably best, when relying on a forecast, to wait until early morning to make the call. Therefore, it is likely that we will wait until 5:30 AM, rather than 5:30 PM to call off school. Of course, with school being called off means make-up days must be scheduled. The official MPS calendar has the 19th and 22nd of May as “snow days” and there has been a request to look at different options because since the last snow day, the last day of school is on a Monday. Dr. Lorenz and I discussed all the possibilities and really don’t think it’s a good idea to change the calendar that has been adopted by the Board. Plus, I hope there are families who have made plans for spring break. We will ask the teachers to consider snow make-up days when setting the calendar for next year.

Besides the unpredictable weather, below are some things on which Dr. Lorenz and I have been working:

1. As we continue to increase the frequency and the amount of in-depth information to the district and community, a State of the School address was given to all employees on January 4th. News media representatives were also invited. The topics (also covered in this letter) included:

• Celebrating Eastwood Elementary exit from Focus School status

• The status of the Missouri State Budget and its impact on school districts

• Proposed policy updates from MSBA

• Updates on facilities projects

• Update on the Hab Center property

2. Below is a summary of the board policies MSBA is recommending districts adopt. January is the second reading of these policies, so a vote for their adoption will be this month. Teachers and staff were shown these policies on January 4th.

ECA – Keys will not be issued on a permanent basis. They will be checked out to appropriate employees and public on a per event basis. (There are several individuals around Marshall who have access to school buildings and although we trust them, federal law is mandating that property paid by taxpayers undergo heightened security.)

GBA – Allowing comp time, rather than overtime (for classified staff only), will be an option for supervisors when requesting that individuals work over 40 hours a week. Overtime will still be approved, then paid, on an individualized, approved basis.

GBAA – Extra duty performance can be reflected in job evaluation.

GCBA – Appropriate graduate courses must be approved, in writing by the superintendent, prior to being applied to an individual’s salary, beginning with next year’s contracts. The courses must be mutually beneficial to the district and the individual.

GCBA – Teachers may be allowed to bring in ten years maximum to bring in on salary schedule (critical shortage can be considered)

GCBA – Extended school year employees will be given two contracts each year – one for the regular year and the other for the time beyond 36 weeks.

GCBA – Over or underpayment must be reported within 30 days.

GCD – Allows external posting of job vacancies at same time as internal posting

GDBA – Beginning next school year, all employees will be paid over 12 months, except bus drivers.

GDJ – School closure (due to weather or other emergencies) will require all staff, including classified, to leave school at same time (unless directed by the superintendent or assistant superintendent).

IGBCA – Increases the student centeredness of homeless services

IND – Each class will recite the Pledge of Allegiance once a day, rather than once a week, but students cannot be forced to do so.

JFCF – Bullying report form must be filled out by any employee (substitute and volunteers included) within two days of witnessed incident.

JGF – 3rd degree assault definition: “knowingly causing physical injury (defined as “slight impairment of any function of the body or temporary loss of use of any part of the body”) to another person.”

An additional proposed policy (ECD) pertaining to non-district vehicles states: Non-district vehicles are to be moved daily and not parked on district property overnight. District administrators have the authority to remove any non-district vehicle from school property, with any associated expense being the responsibility of the vehicle owner. The proposed policy will have the first reading this month and be considered for adoption in February.

3. During the meeting, Dr. Lorenz and I will recommend entering into a lease purchase for facilities improvement with the George K. Baum Company. We are recommending a ten year arrangement to borrow about $5 million for work on:

Marshall High School:

• Roof replacement = $1,400,000
• HVAC replacement = $930,000
• Digital Controls Upgrades = $240,000
• Tennis Courts and Track Repair = $400,000
• Girls’ Locker Room = $50,000

Saline County Career Center:

• Roof replacement = $626,000

Spainhower School (if Board approves):

• Flat roof replacement = $485,000
• HVAC replacement = $500,000

Bueker Middle School:

• Roof replacement = ??????
• Removal of trailers = $30,000

Relocate 5th grade and Kindergarten = $20,000

TOTAL (without Bueker roof) = $4,555,000

The payment for this lease purchase will be about $600,000 a year, for 10 years.

4. Many improvements have been made to MPS facilities this year. Below is a table outlining these projects:

MARSHALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Facilities Update

January 10, 2017

Marshall High School:

• Digitize AC/Heat controls (complete)
• Repair parking lot (in progress)
• Install improved drainage for tennis courts (pending)

SCCC and Industrial Arts

• Digitize AC/Heat controls (complete)
• Repair/Replace roof
• Replace AC and heating systems (Summer, 2017)

Bueker Middle School

• Digitize AC/Heat controls (complete)
• Clean up and fence practice field (pending)
• Tuck pointing (complete)

• Remove 5th grade trailers (Summer, 2017)

Northwest Elementary

• Replace boilers (complete)
• Digitize AC/Heat controls (complete)

Benton Elementary

• Replace AC and heat system (complete)
• Digitize AC/Heat controls (complete)
• Fix water leaks (in progress)
• Tuck pointing (complete)

Eastwood Elementary

• Nurse’s office wall (complete)
• Playground mulch (complete)
• Tuck pointing (complete)

Southeast Elementary

• Playground mulch (complete)
• Repair damaged fence (complete)
• Tuck pointing (complete)

Spainhower School

• Addition of kitchen and

food service area (complete)

• Remove walls and enlarge classrooms (complete)

5. State law requires districts to adopt and enforce anti-bullying policies for this school year. MPS adopted those policies and mandated training was given for all district employees on January 4th. Major points of learning included:

• Although bullying is considered a repetitive act, single acts are similarly disciplined.

• Even when cyberbullying does not involve district property, activities, or technology, the district will impose consequences and discipline for those who engage in cyberbullying if it substantially disrupts the educational environment, the communication involves a threat, or the district is otherwise allowed by law to address the behavior.

• Witness report required for any employee or volunteer within two days of incident.

• Forms must be available on website, in offices, and from counselors.

• Illegal discrimination, harassment, or retaliation will be initially be assumed.

• Employees will sign a sheet documenting they have received yearly training. (Please do so today.)

• Even if bullying does not take place at school or an event, the principal or designee will take appropriate actions to assist student victims.

• District employees, substitutes, and volunteers who violate this policy will be disciplined or terminated.

6. The district does not have updated information from the state or city on the Hab Center property. As I explained to the faculty and staff on the 4th, the transaction to transfer the property was to have occurred by the end of 2016. To date, we have no information from the city and planning for the 2017 – 2018 school year is well underway. If there is no news concerning this property soon, the district will be forced to delay any type of movement or improvements - again.

I’ve been asked about the cost of the Tudor and Guest Houses on the Hab Center property and how much it costs to house the assistant superintendent there. Last year, the district paid $40,000 to rent Spainhower. This year we added the Tudor and Guest Houses, along with the four-car garage just east of the Guest House, for $41,106. So the rent for the two buildings is $1,106 per year, $553 a year for both, and $46 dollars per month per house. A pretty good bargain, I think!

7. The critical condition of roofs and HVAC systems across the district has caused work on facilities to be sped up and increased to an unplanned amount this spring. Dr. Lorenz has been working very hard to repair damage and increase the efficiency of our buildings. He will be discussing the following in detail at the meeting on the 24th:

• Bids for work on the high school, IA, and SCCC roofs were due Jan. 12th.

• Approved winning contractor can begin work on IA and SCCC buildings March 13th.

• Work on the high school building can begin on April 17th.

• All roofs, on the high school campus, to be completed by August 11th.

• HVAC

• Phones

• The kitchen in Spainhower began production in early January.

• If the Spainhower Building is successfully conveyed to MPS, the anticipated roof, HVAC system, exterior and interior improvements will be an approximate $1.3 million expense.

• Unfortunately, we have received bad news from our architecture firm, Ittner, concerning their study of the roofs of all buildings across the district. The roof on Bueker, replaced in 2004, is in as poor condition as any building in the district. A study of the roof was not completed by Con Edison (only the HVAC and other systems were examined) when Bueker we announced that the middle school was considered in great shape. Our architect has informed us that the roof has approximately a four year life left and that the current roof shows inferior materials and substandard installation, causing it to be in about the same shape as the 25 year old roofs in MPS. Also, the roof on Northwest has an approximate two year life. Benton’s roof was inspected also and will need to be replaced in the next few years. Dr. Lorenz will explain the details and have a recommendation for the Board

• The BOE has directed administration to develop a plan to move students from trailers as early as next school year. This will only be possible if we are able to proceed with a move of Kindergarten into the Spainhower School. Again, if we haven’t heard from the city or state concerning the conveyance of the property, we will have to keep our current facility organization and keep 5th graders and Kindergarteners in trailers for another year.

• The administrative team is in the process of developing a plan, in case the Hab Center property is transferred to us in time, that includes several transition phases over a period of several years, taking us from our current elementary configuration to a single elementary campus.

8. Without a doubt, the landscape of Missouri education will see changes this year due to new administrations at the state and national level. Missouri Governor Greitens has commented that cuts will not be applied (yet) to PK-12 schools. “Not a single penny will be taken out of K-12 classrooms,” Greitens said. The governor did cut $ $8.6 million from school transportation, however, to the point where Marshall will now pay about 80% - 85% of costs for busing. (This has increased from 60% fifteen years ago.)

10. I’m very happy to report that the Board extended contracts to Terri Porter, Diane Gillaspie, and Terry Lorenz during January’s meeting. All three were renewed at the 2016 – 2017 salary amount. Although I thought (and told the teachers) that Terri Porter would only work for one more year, I was able to talk her (some might say “beg”) into continuing her time with us at MPS. I know anyone who knows what her workload is and how good she is at what she does, will agree and be happy that we are so lucky to keep her. I feel that way about all the Central Office administrators. I have such a high-level, incredible team and I am very fortunate for the opportunity to continue to work with them.

11. I have always encouraged the administrative team to widen their knowledge base and not be content to limit themselves to “what we’ve always done.” Often that means turning outward to the rest of the world to widen our view and learn from many others about what’s good for kids, adults, and learning for everyone. While at Mizzou, I attended the ASCD national conference every year and think it’s absolutely the best professional development for leaders there is. This March, the elementary principals and I are traveling to the ASCD conference in Anaheim, CA. I am so exciting at the prospect of the learning and teambuilding we’ll experience. To respect the district’s expectations for the funding of this professional development, the district will pay for the conference and lodging but the principals and I will personally pay for the flights and associated costs.

12. Finally, I have included information from several news agencies below pertaining to the state of Missouri’s budget shortfalls and concerns. There are as many opinions as there are people involved, so we will wait to see what the new Governor does with the finance challenges he has inherited. The shortfall for this budget year wasn’t as dire as some may have predicted, but it is still in the red. Next year (2017 – 2018) is the one that will be impacted the most. Much depends on if revenue from corporate taxes continue to be reduced, tax refunds continue to be increased, and the economy doesn’t grow as much as predicted. I will learn more about what experts are saying about what to expect and we will keep the situation in mind during this spring’s budget discussions in Marshall. On a related note, and because we don’t really know what to expect, none of the administrators in the MPS Central Office are taking a raise for next year. We’re hoping that in February economy experts will have better news and we can begin our discussions of the 2017 -2018 budget in earnest.

Disclaimer: Any opinions expressed below are those of various media representatives. The slide at the end of the section, however, illustrates the actual figures of Marshall’s Assessed Valuation.

Missouri’s budget problems could be getting worse, just as the state is grappling with phasing in a tax-cut package approved several years ago. New Gov. Eric Greitens and legislative leaders announced that they’ve reached a consensus on how much more money the state government is expected to collect during the fiscal year that begins July 1. That consensus calls for an increase of $345 million, which amounts to growth of 3.8 percent over the current year’s revised estimate.

Missouri state government's money problems may get worse

House and Senate budget chairs already are warning of possible spending cuts that could exceed $400 million for the coming fiscal year. This year’s budget, now half over, illustrates the problem. Legislative leaders and then-Gov. Jay Nixon did not reach a "consensus budget estimate'' for 2017. Nixon's administration originally predicted 4.1 percent growth, compared to 3.4 percent for lawmakers.

But as Nixon's administration saw it, the General Assembly crafted an FY2017 budget -- which passed last May and went into effect July 1 -- that relied on 5 percent growth, particularly with last-minute tax breaks approved during the final weeks of session. By then, Nixon and his budget team were warning of lower growth. As it turned out, as of Dec. 31, the state’s income had grown only 2.2 percent. Nixon, who made significant cuts earlier, made a slight trim in December, saying the rest was up to Greitens.