October 8, 2024 at 4:00 PM - Regular Board Meeting

Description:  The Trustees reserve the right to take items in a different order to accomplish business in the most efficient manner and may combine two or more agenda items for consideration, remove an item from the agenda or delay discussion relating to an item on the agenda at any time.  

Description:  The public will be invited to make comments at this time on agenda action items, where such comments shall be limited to one and a half minutes per person.  Anyone with comments on action items that will take more than one and a half minutes is encouraged to put their testimony in writing and provide a copy to the Board prior to or at the meeting. These copies will not be read aloud, but will be added to the minutes of the meeting upon request.  

Description:  Information concerning the following consent items has been forwarded to each Board Member for study prior to this meeting.  Unless a Trustee or individual organization interested in one or more consent items has any questions concerning a particular item, the items are approved at one time by the Board of Trustees.  The Board President may defer action on such a particular matter or matters at his or her discretion, and may choose to place the same at the end of the regular agenda for separate consideration. 

Description:  Attached are Minutes of the Regular Board Meeting of September 10, 2024 for review and approval. 

RECOMMENDATION:  Approve the Minutes of the Regular Board Meeting of September 10, 2024.

Description:  Attached are Minutes of the Special Board Meeting of September 3, 2024 for review and approval. 

RECOMMENDATION:  Approve the Minutes of the Special Board Meeting of September 3, 2024.

Description:  A complete list of payments contained in Accounts Payable Special Vouchers numbers 2520, 2521, 2522, 2523 ,2524, 2525, 2526, 2527, 2528, 2529, and Regular Run Voucher Number 2530 and 2531 are attached. Vouchers have been prepared in accordance to state law and copies of the Vouchers are available for review by the public at the Superintendent's office prior to the meeting.

RECOMMENDATION: Approve Special Run Voucher Numbers 2520, 2521, 2522, 2523 ,2524, 2525, 2526, 2527, 2528, 2529 and Regular Run Voucher Number 2530 and 2531.

Description:  Listed on the Personnel Report No. 24-10 are personnel actions presented for consideration by the Board of Trustees.  Salaries for individuals employed will be determined in accordance with salary regulations of the District. 
 
RECOMMENDATION:  Approve personnel actions in Personnel Report No.  24-10.

Description:  A complete list of budget adjustments made by the Director of Business Services during the recent course of business is provided for review and approval by the Board of Trustees as required by NRS 354.598005.

RECOMMENDATION:  Approve the Budget Voucher Adjustments as submitted. 

Description:  Description: The DCSD K-12 English Language Development Program Manual provides explanation and guidance for administrators, staff and parents for the EL program in Douglas County Schools.  The manual outlines how students are identified and what instruction, support, assessment and monitoring look like for the EL students.  

Description:  DCSD Executive Director of Educational Services, Shannon Brown, has provided the Progressive Discipline Plan for the Board's annual review and approval. 

RECOMMENDATION:  Approve the 2024-25 Progressive Discipline Plan as presented.  

Description:  Shannon Brown, Director of Education Services and Leslie Peters, Assistant Director of Education Services, have submitted a report for the 2023-24 testing achievement data.  This will include SBAC testing data.

Description:  Shannon Brown, Executive Director, has provided the Board with information regarding incidents of bullying for the first quarter of the school year. 

Description:  Leslie Peters, Assistant Director of Education Services submitted the annual 2023-2024 NWRPDP report.

Description:  Monthly update on enrollment numbers for each school site is provided to the Board. 

Description:  Our new Student Representative will give a brief report on Student issues.

Description:  Sean Ryan will give a presentation on Zephyr Cove Elementary School and George Whittell High School, where he is Principal.

Description:  A Safety Assessment done by the DCSD indicates that there is a need for a secondary egress/access road for entry and exit from GWHS in case of an emergency situation requiring evacuation of the site.  DCSD, TDFPD and Douglas County Staff have come up with a plan to begin the process of developing this access road.  

Description:  Bylaw #  080 - Board Protocol for Legal Services (First Reading) in regard to the District & Board Members to define parameters for board members talking to legal counsel. Discussion for how and why the District and Board Members use legal counsel. 

Description:  We have a recipient of a very prestigious award from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. In order to advance in the competition and be considered for a National Merit Scholarship award, a Semifinalist has to become a Finalist by fulfilling several requirements that include submitting a detailed scholarship application, a record of very high academic performance, and a very, very high score on the PSAT exam. This year in the entire United States, there were only about 7,000 recipients, and because each state's number of recipients is based on state population, only a small number of the total recipients are Nevada graduates. We are proud to share that one of those National Merit winners was part of the DHS Class of 2024.  His National Merit Scholarship is a full four-year scholarship to the University of Nevada, Reno.  2024 National Merit Winner, Kevin O’Connell from DHS is unable to join us tonight however, we wanted to honor him with recognition before the board tonight anyway.   

Additionally, Olive Hamner-Jillson from WHS (Class of 2025) is a National Merit Scholarship award Semifinalist who intends on attending Dartmouth College, hopefully with a full scholarship, we are crossing our fingers for you Olive. 

Description:  The Board will consider designating Secondary Science Classroom Teacher with a date of coverage and approval of 6/14/24 as a position qualifying to be filled under Critical Shortage Need. The District has had a very difficult time recruiting qualified candidates to fill the position currently open in the district. Designating this position as Critical Shortage Need, if approved by the State, will enable the District to consider candidates who have previously retired within the State, but have a desire to fill the position until it can be filled by an otherwise qualified candidate.

RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the Board approve the requested position of Secondary Science Classroom Teacher beginning retroactively to 6/14/24 as a position for Critical Shortage Need.

Description:  The board will receive a report from Shannon Brown, Executive Director of Education Services and Leslie Peters, Assistant Director of Education Services on Chronic Absenteeism. 

Description:  Discussion of the proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between DCSD & the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education on behalf of University of Nevada, Reno (UNR).  The MOU refers to a sharing of students' personally identifiable information to include student academic transcripts and ACT test scores, for the purpose of identifying those DCSD students who may enroll at UNR upon graduation from DCSD so that UNR's Office of Admission and Records may provide guidance for admission and academic placement in English and Math courses.

Recommended Motion: Motion to approve the MOU between DCSD and the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education on behalf of the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR).

Description:  Brief updates from the Board regarding District committees to which they are assigned. 

Description:  Superintendent, Frankie Alvarado, will report to the Board regarding activities of the past month and upcoming District events that may be of interest to them. 
Below is a summary of donations received by school sites over the last month.  The District wishes to acknowledge and thank the generosity of all donors on behalf of the students we serve.  

Donations:
David Waller - 1985 Dodge Ram Charger ($3500)
Mr. & Mrs. Juchtzer - 1990 Buick LeSabre ($1000)
Kathleen Stidham - 2002 Pontiac Sunfire ($2200)
Nicolette Curth - 2008 Subaru Outback ($2,107)

Denver Region Toyota Dealers Advertising Group Donated $2500.00

Nutrition received $500 check for our Angel accounts; from Blaire Hinsz. 

Minden Rotary Foundation has awarded 4 grants to the school district this grant period.  3 to Jacks Valley Elementary and 1 to Gardnerville Elementary.

1. Jacks Valley Elementary Handheld Translators $220.00  Rebecca Linford
2. Jacks Valley Elementary  Upgrade PA System $2,000.00 Jamie Lazaneo
3. Jacks Valley Elementary  STEM Program materials $1,811.97  Jose Rubalca-Pena
4. Gardnerville Elementary School STEM Program materials $1,083.00 Vivian Michalik

Description:  The Board will recess to closed session in order to discuss matters with its management representatives pursuant to NRS 288.220(4).

Description:  The Board will seek requests from its members for items to be placed on and/or removed from future meeting agendas in accordance with its Bylaws.  The Board will discuss all agenda items on the list and prioritize those it wishes to come forward at the next Board Meeting and/or vote to remove items completely from the list. 

Description:  Comments from the public are invited at this time on topics not specifically addressed elsewhere in the agenda.  A sign-up sheet is provided and individuals who wish to address the Board are asked to indicate their desire to speak and the topic about which they will speak. Individuals wishing to address the Board at this time will be limited to one and a half minutes. The Board is precluded from acting on items raised during Public Comment that are not already on the agenda.  

Description:  (*) Times are estimated.  Items on the Agenda may be taken out of order.  The Board of Trustees may combine two or more agenda items for consideration, and may remove an item from the agenda or delay discussion relating to an item on the agenda at any time. Generally speaking, the item will be heard no earlier than the time indicated.

If copies of the complete agenda (and supporting materials) are desired in advance, they may be obtained at the District Office on the Friday or Monday preceding a regular Tuesday meeting of the Board.  Please contact the District Office at 775-782-5134 or Suptoffice@dcsd.k12.nv.us.

Notice to Individuals with Disabilities:  Members of the public who require special assistance or accommodations are asked to notify the District Administration at 1638 Mono Avenue, Minden, Nevada, 89423, or by calling 782-5134, so that such notification is received at least twenty four (24) hours prior to the meeting.  In conformance with the Open Meeting Law, it is hereby noted that the agenda for the meeting of the Douglas County School Board of Trustees has been posted at the following locations:

Douglas County School District, Minden, NV
District website:  www.dcsd.k12.nv.us
State of Nevada website:  https://notice.nv.gov