May 12, 2014 at 7:00 PM - Regular Meeting

Description:  MPHS High School Wrestlers Brenyn Schmit, Scott Pittz, Ross Siegenthaler, Frank Baker, Nate Cody competed at the state tournament.

MPHS Skills USA competed in a state-wide competition.  Competitors included Tommy Olson, Jake Riley, Kane Poad, Elise Powers, Lydia Sanchez, and Joey Gorgen.  

Description:  Nominations will be accepted and officers elected in the following order: President, Vice President, Clerk, and Treasurer. Each officer shall serve a term of one (1) year. Balloting for any of the four (4) above mentioned officers shall continue until a clear majority is received. 

Description:  The Board will appoint a secretary each year. the secretary is an employee of the district and will not be a member of the Board. 

Description:  The Board will establish both the meeting dates and times for future regularly scheduled board meetings. Currently the board meets the second Monday of the month at 7:00 pm.

Description:  Board Policy 164 states each Board member will be paid for each regular, adjourned, and special meeting of the Board he/she attends and for the committee meetings he/she attends. the per-meeting amount shall be determined by the board annually. For the past four years the Board did not take pay for meetings. Prior to that, the salary was $35 for Board Meetings and $25 for committee meetings. 

Description:  Currently there are four standing committees: Operations, Policy, Personnel, and Finance/Negotiations.

Description:  An appointment of a CESA 3 delegate shall be determined. 

Description:  An appointment of a WASB delegate shall be determined.  The convention dates are January 21-23, 2015. 

Description:  If interested in addressing the School Board during the Communications portion of the meeting, please stand and state your name when the Board President requests communications from the citizens.

Description:  Judy Kroll, MPHS Clerical, requests retirement commencing with the 2014-2015 school year.

Emily Moore, MPSD Speech and Language Teacher, submitted a letter of resignation commencing with the 2014-2015 school year. 

Tim Ekenberg, Middle School Band Teacher submitted a letter of resignation commencing with the 2014-2015 school year.

Description:  There are no staff appointments at this time.

Description:  Mineral Point and Iowa Grant share Speech and Language services delivered by Jennifer Dubois.  The District recommends retaining Ms. Dubois' contract with changed language from 60% Mineral Point and 40% Iowa Grant to 40% Mineral Point and 60% Iowa Grant.  

Description:  Due to a decrease in Special Education numbers a reduction in staffing of .50 FTE in the content area of Special Education was investigated.

A special board hearing took place May 5, 2014.  The members present recommend to the full board to retain the .50 FTE special education position. 

Description:  The 4th grade is projected to have 51 students next year.  Principal Palzkill requested the board consider adding another teacher to the Elementary school so the classes would be 17 students each instead of 25-26 students.  The District projects the cost to be about $65k per year.  
 
The policy recommends a class size of 20 students, but the district is not bound to that number (as the policy states).  

The finance committee recommends adding a fourth grade teacher. 

Description:  The finance committee chair requests the board take action on a provision that changes the employee handbook language from the bold to the italics below:

13.01      General Benefits and Insurance
The Board shall provide dental/vision benefit, health insurance, life insurance, and long-term disability to eligible employees. The program and coverage will be selected and determined by the Board 
A.  Eligibility.   
1.   Minimum Hours:  An employee whose individual contract has an assignment of at least 50% thirty hours of full-time equivalency [30] is eligible to participate in the District’s benefits.  Full-time equivalency is defined as eight (8) hours per day.  Hours worked beyond those set forth in the individual contract shall not be used to determine insurance eligibility or insurance contributions.  Such hours excluded may include, but not be limited by enumeration, the following:  extended contracts, summer classes, co-curricular assignments, substitute assignments, etc.  Employees whose assignments are less than 50%  30 hours of a full-time equivalency are not eligible to participate in the District’s benefits and insurance and are not eligible for any District premium contribution.

Part III Non-exempt Staff Without Individual Contracts

Regular Work Week

2.02 A regular work week is forty (40) hours (strike or less).  The regular work week is five (5) consecutive days unless the immediate supervisor assigns the employee to a different work schedule.   This section shall not be construed as a guarantee or limitation on the number of hours per day or hours in a work week which may be scheduled or required by the District.

This change in language would impact four support staff and two certified staff members that are currently receiving benefits but working less than 30 hours per week.  

Description:  The finance committee recommends the following changes to the employee handbook:

11.01      Annuity Contributions
The Board will pay each bargaining unit member a sum equal to 11.75% of their previous year’s gross regular time wages for each year for employees hired prior to July 1, 2014 and a percent equal to the most recent state rate for employer contributions to WRS for employees hired on or after July 1, 2014.  This sum is to be placed into a tax sheltered annuity program specified by the employee.  This sum will be calculated in February and the employee notified.  An employee must have worked a minimum of ninety (90) days in the district prior to February 1 to be notified not later than March 15 by the employee as to the employee’s choice of annuity program.  The annuity payment will be prorated for new employees who qualify but do not have a full year of employment with the district.  The annuity for fist year employees will be calculated using probation compensation from the previous year.  The annuity payment will be made to the designated company by March 31.  If an employee terminates employment during the contract year, the annuity payment will be calculated prorating the previous year’s wages.  Employees terminating employment between March 31 and June 30 will have this portion of the annuity payment deducted from their final paycheck.

Description:  The District has received a proposal from the Nutrition Coordinator Michelle Denk that recommends changes to the staffing model for food service for the upcoming school year.  

The District has also received a proposal to outsource food service from one vendor who works with schools in the greater Madison area.

The operations committee recommends proceeding with the Denk proposal and additionally reduce two food service staff members hours causing the two to not be eligible for benefits in order to create a savings to fund an additional staff member for day to day operations and supervision.

Description:  The second reading of governance policies is before the board for approval.

Description:  The last board meeting approved a compensation proposal for Certified Staff that found net salary increases to be similarly equivalent to the Consumer Price Index of 1.46% in addition to salary schedule steps, lanes, and attainments earned.

The District recommends for approval that Support Staff, (non-exempt) receive a salary increase equal to the consumer price index of 1.46% in addition to salary schedule steps earned for staff.

The District recommends for approval that Exempt Staff (Book Keeper and Facilities Coordinator) and Administrative Staff (Middle School and High School Principals) receive a consumer price index increase of 1.46%.

The District does not recommend a salary increase for the position of Superintendent.

Description:  The District recommends approval of the enclosed open enrollment applicants.

Description:  Board Member Attendance Requested

Description:  The board may convene in possible session Wis. Stat. § 19.85(1)(c)