And just a reminder, you can follow all of this live as we broadcast video of the meeting at oabcig.org. Thanks to both boards for taking this step.

Speaking of iPads, we also want to extend thanks to a group of students that recently piloted the use of iPads in our middle school and high school classrooms. We know that many districts are experiencing great success with 1-to-1 technology for their students, and we hope that feedback from students and teachers can help us be better informed as we develop a plan to move forward. The key is to be sure that technology supports the learning process, not overshadows the learning process. If you have thoughts on connected devices for every student, or have information about implementation in other districts, contact any administrator. We’d love to hear from you.

Regular Board Meeting Agenda

Conference Room – Odebolt

December 12, 2011

7:45 p.m.

Tentative Agenda:

I. Call to Order

II. Approve Agenda

III. Welcome Visitors

A. Public Comments to the Board

IV. Consent Agenda

A. Minutes

B. Bills

C. Financial Reports

D. Resignations

E. Contract Approvals

F. Out of State/Overnight Trips

V. Board Reports

A. Superintendent Report

B. Administrator Reports

C. Director Reports

VI. Dialogue/Action Items

A. First Reading—Board Policy Series 100 revisions

B. Approval of 2011-12 Board Goals

C. Approval of IASB District #4 Director Ballot

D. Modified Allowable Growth Application

E. Consideration of Early Retirement Resolutions

F. Approval of Citizen’s Advisory Committee Membership

G. Discussion of Sale of BCIG Intermediate Building (BCIG)

H. Superintendent Evaluation Process

VII. Discussion/Correspondence Items

A. Correspondence Items

B. Other Items

VIII.       Confirm Date and Time of Next Meeting

IX.           Adjourn

• Monday, 12/5 ~ 6:30 p.m. ~ Conference Room, Odebolt ~ Joint Work Session – Goal Setting
• Wednesday, 12/7 ~ 6:00 p.m. ~ Central Office, Ida Grove ~ BCIG Work Session – Financial Planning with Piper Jaffrey
• Monday, 12/12 ~ 7:45 ~ Conference Room, Odebolt ~ Regular Joint Board Meeting

Live web streaming is scheduled to begin with the 12/12 meeting.

Regular Board Meeting Agenda

Central Office – Ida Grove

November 14, 2011

6:30 p.m.

I. Call to Order

II. Approve Agenda

III. Welcome Visitors

A. Public Comments to the Board

IV. Consent Agenda

A. Minutes

B. Bills

C. Financial Reports

D. Resignations

E. Contract Approvals

F. Our of State/Overnight Trips

V. Board Reports

A. Superintendent Report

B. Administrator Reports

C. Director Reports

VI. Dialogue/Action Items

A. Sharing of Service Contract for Transitional Alliance Program ITAP) Contract with Galva-Holstein (BCIG)

B. Consideration of Deluxe Driving Academy Driver Education Agreement/Contract (BCIG)

C. Review of Early Retirement Resolutions

D. Consideration of New Board Policy 210.9 – Videotaping School Board Meetings

E. Appoint Board Representatives to the Negotiations Committee

F. Approval of SBRC Request for Increased Enrollment & Open Enrollment Our

G. Approval of PPEL/Capital Projects Expenditures

H. Disposition of Obsolete Equipment (803.1) (BCIG)

I. Consideration of Renovations/Addition to Elementary Building (BCIG)

J. Review of Board Policy 210.2 – Regular Board Meetings (BCIG)

VII. Discussion/Correspondence Items

A. Correspondence Items

B. Other Items

VIII. Confirm Date and Time of Next Meeting

IX. Adjourn

1. 96% of all of our students believe that hard work now will lead to a successful life.
2. 100% of our high school students understand that the use of tobacco is a risk to their health.
3. There continues to be a concern that our students report higher binge drinking than the state average, as well as drinking in general (33% of OABCIG compared to 24% for the state average). Binge drinking is defined as 5 or more alcoholic drinks within a few hours (12% of OABCIG students surveyed binge drink 3-5 times a month compared to 6% for the state).
4. Results indicate that the mental health, including thoughts of suicide and hopelessness, of our students is a concern. A high percentage of high school students surveyed report a feeling of hopelessness for extended periods.
5. Volunteerism has increased within our student body, especially in the elementary levels.

Partnerships between school, family, and community play an important role in the development of our youth. If you would like more information about details of the full report, please contact any administrator.

Just the Facts Please

Important decisions are just around the corner for OABCIG. Thank you so much to each of you who has made the effort to contact me directly when you’ve heard something that concerned you. Remember the game of “telephone?” It’s always best to check the facts directly. We all should be well informed when we place our vote on September 13.

SchoolReach

Instant access to information is important to all of us. We will again be using the SchoolReach system to provide instant information about school closures or other items of interest.

Increasing communication is always a goal. Several of our staff members are beginning to use Twitter as a way to expand their access to educational ideas and materials. If you use this great tool, you can join some of those conversations at #oabcig.

A Way to Be Involved

Now that school board elections occur only once every two years, our opportunities to vote have decreased. Please remember to be involved in this important process on September 13. This is a great opportunity to have a voice in the future of both districts. Four board elector seats are on the ballot in each district.

Also on the ballot will be the important question of whether or not our two districts should become formally reorganized into one district. If you have any questions about the differences between our current whole grade sharing agreement and reorganization, please call any of our attendance centers. We would be glad to visit with you.

Annual Report to our Community

Each fall, school districts across Iowa report the achievement of their students to our communities in an Annual Progress Report (APR). The OA & BCIG APR will be posted at www.oabcig.org.

Bus Safety

Each year everyone who drives a school bus is required to attend a training session to get reminders and updates, especially regarding safety. Please join us in this effort to promote safety by talking with your student about the importance of following bus rules ~ especially the importance of staying in their seat while the bus is in motion. Safety is our top priority.

Monday            4:30-6:00            BCIG Intermediate

Monday            6:00-7:30            High School

Tuesday            4:30-6:00            BCIG Elementary

Tuesday            6:00-7:30            OA Elementary & Middle School

Also, just a reminder that we will be dismissing at 2:30 on Wednesday.

Our maintenance and custodial staff have been very hard at work. If you get a chance, please thank them for all that they do in such a short amount of time. In addition to the general maintenance that they accomplish each summer, several larger projects are nearing completion, such as updates to the high school science lab, fresh paint in the high school hallways, updates to the locker rooms, and painting/new seating at the stadium.

It is also my pleasure to share with you the following staffing additions for the coming year:

Megan Parker          High School Math Teacher

Travis Chizek           High School Math Teacher

Kara Smith               OA 1^st Grade Teacher

Neil Anders              Middle School Instrumental Music Teacher

Ashley Becker          BCIG PreSchool Teacher

Julie Cook                 BCIG Title I Teacher

Andrea Neilsen         High School Family & Consumer Science

Barbara Rohlk           BCIG INT Library Aide

It is very important to us that you let us know if you have any questions, especially during the first few days. Please do not hesitate to contact any building office.

Resolution of Support

Last Monday night, the OA and BCIG School Boards each passed a “Resolution Urging Approval” as a way to show their official support for the OABCIG reorganization. The resolutions stated that after careful study of the matter, each board has found that it would be in the best interest of the taxpayers, parents, and students of both districts to reorganize. The question of reorganization will appear on the September 13 ballot.

I have asked the school boards to engage in some hard work in the coming months. While Iowa has much to be proud of historically in the area of education, it’s time to engage in real conversations about the future. Our student achievement is not necessarily slipping, our students are not achieving more poorly than in the past, it’s just that others in the U.S. and around the world are accelerating and achieving at higher levels while we stay the same. And it’s not just Iowa that needs to be studying this trend, it’s right here at OABCIG.

These conversations and changes certainly don’t happen overnight, but they have to happen. In the coming months, you will see our school boards engaging in these conversations through work sessions and the involvement of our CACs. And as the school year begins, we’ll be taking on these challenging conversations with our staff as well. It’s a matter of prioritizing what we believe students need to be learning. What skills will serve them best in a world that has changed while we stayed relatively the same?

I would highly encourage you to visit http://www.iowafuture.org/ for a glimpse into these conversations. At the very least, please check out this short video.

There are a lot of catch phrases for sales tax revenue – SILO, LOST, statewide penny, one cent sales tax, or SAVE (which is the correct current title) – that all refer to the additional penny that we all pay, statewide, when we shop. This money is collected at the state level and now distributed equally on a per student basis. This hasn’t always been the case. It wasn’t long ago that the penny stayed in the county in which we spent it. And to some degree, we’re not quite to equal distribution by student across the state due to language in the law when it was passed, but we will be soon.

What this means is that we are now very fortunate in each and every school district to receive a portion of this sales tax based upon our student enrollment.

Here are three common questions that I get.

What happens to this money at the point of reorganization? Well really nothing. We have to remember that it is based upon student population. So, to use an example, if O-A received $200,000 per year prior to reorganization, and BCIG received $400,000 per year prior to reorganization, then OABCIG would receive $600,000 per year as a reorganized district.

How much do bigger projects cost me as a taxpayer? The penny sales tax has been an outstanding way for us to make much needed improvements to school buildings. For many years, schools just couldn’t take on larger projects without asking for more money through a voted bond issue (called general obligation bonds). The reality is that no matter what, you and I are going to pay the penny whenever we shop and wherever we shop in the state. So when schools do larger projects now – like the science addition in Odebolt, or the science/office area in Ida Grove, or the possible Media Center addition in Ida Grove – we don’t place an additional burden on anyone. Yes, it is our sales tax at work, but we don’t get asked to pay more taxes – not more property tax, not more income surtax, not more sales tax.

Why do we need these updates? We do our best to take good care of the buildings we have. There are always roofs to be repaired and upkeep to be done. But time marches on and modernization is needed. The way we use school facilities changes. We want to provide the learning environment that best serves our students and in the way that best prepares them for the world beyond school. To do this, we have to be willing to consider progress.