Monday, March 25, 2024 6:00 PM - Regular Meeting
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1. CALL TO ORDER AND ESTABLISH QUORUM
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2. PLEDGES OF ALLEGIANCE / MOMENT OF SILENCE
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3. ANNOUNCEMENTS
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4. RECOGNITIONS
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4.A. DSHS Varsity Cheer - State Qualifiers
Presenter:
DSHS Cheer Coach, Brenna Watson
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4.B. DSHS Band Solo & Ensemble Winners
Presenter:
DSHS Band Director, Derek Woods
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4.C. DSHS Choir Solo & Ensemble Winners
Presenter:
DSHS Band Director, Derek Woods
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4.D. DSHS Orchestra Solo & Ensemble Winners
Presenter:
DSHS Orchestra Teacher, Jessica Gilliam-Valls
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4.E. City of Dripping Springs & Dripping Springs Library - Donation of Eclipse Glasses
Presenter:
Executive Director of Communications, Jennifer Edwards
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5. PUBLIC COMMENTS
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5.A. Posted Agenda Items
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5.B. Non-Agenda Items
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6. PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSION
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6.A. Learning Spotlight - Dripping Springs Elementary School - Culture Night
Presenter:
Assistant Superintendent, L & I, Karen Kidd & DSES Principal, Jamie Eubanks
Description:
Culture Night provides enrichment opportunities for students to learn about various cultures firsthand. It promotes cross-cultural learning, broadening their perspectives and strengthening community bonds by bringing together students, families, and staff from different cultural backgrounds. Students from various backgrounds are provided with an opportunity that encourages collaboration, teamwork, and communication skills as they work together to prepare performances and displays.
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6.B. Leadership Spotlight - Board Highlights & Liaison Reports
Presenter:
Board President, Stefani Reinold
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6.C. Board Discussion - TASB Advocacy Agenda Resolutions
Presenter:
Board President, Stefani Reinold
Description:
The TASB Advocacy Agenda is created by members — and for members — to advocate for public schools at the state Capitol and beyond. The Advocacy Agenda is a two-year action plan focusing the priorities of the more than 1,000 local school boards in Texas. The development of the agenda is a truly grassroots process, starting with Grassroots Meetings, held in every region of the state in even-numbered years. That’s where board members share the issues that matter most to their communities. TASB is now accepting submissions from Active Member School Boards of resolutions to be included in TASB's 2024-26 Advocacy Agenda. Resolutions must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on June 17, 2024, and the DSISD board must approve any proposed resolutions before they are submitted. All submissions will be reviewed by the TASB Board and ultimately acted upon by the TASB Delegate Assembly during its meeting on Sept. 28, 2024.
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7. CONSENT AGENDA
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7.A. Approval of Minutes for Recent Board Meetings
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7.B. Approval of Founders Day Facility Use Agreement
Presenter:
Superintendent, Holly Morris-Kuentz
Description:
Each year, the City of Dripping Springs and the Lions Club enter into a Facilities Use agreement with DSISD regarding the use of DSISD property for Founders Day.
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7.C. Approval of External Auditor for 2023-2024 Audit Services
Presenter:
Chief Financial Officer, Gina Mitschke
Description:
Section 44.008 of the Texas Education Code states "the board of school trustees of each school district shall have its school district fiscal accounts audited annually at district expense by a certified or public accountant holding a permit from the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy. The audit must be completed following the close of each fiscal year."
The district completed an RFP for audit services in the spring of 2021, awarding the services to Whitley Penn to conduct the district’s 2021-2022 fiscal year-end audit. The RFP allows for four one-year renewals. The 2023-2024 school year will be the second one-year renewal. Audit services include the independent audit, Federal Single Audit, as well as any additional audits imposed by state or federal regulation/legislation. According to the engagement letter, the estimated cost for the 2023-2024 audit work is $56,500 for up to three major federal programs. Throughout the year, Whitley Penn may also provide technical assistance in an advisory capacity. Interim fieldwork is tentatively scheduled for early June with year-end testing occurring in September. The administration is working with Whitley Penn on a schedule that would provide for presenting the audit to the Board in October rather than November.
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7.D. Approval of Donation from Hays County ARPA for Reunification Training
Presenter:
Director of Safety, Sirenna Cumberland
Description:
Dripping Springs ISD adopted the Standard Response Protocol in 2013 which established a consistent response, district-wide, to emergencies. The Standard Reunification Method is part of the existing inter local agreement with the Hays County Office of Emergency Services and is a proven method in reuniting students with their families when an evacuation is necessary. This much needed training will help to ensure stakeholders are fully prepared if the unthinkable happens in Hays County, and will help minimize further impact on the families within our communities.
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8. ACTION
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8.A. Consideration / Approval of 2023-2024 Budget Amendments
Presenter:
Chief Financial Officer, Gina Mitschke
Description:
The Board of Trustees adopted the 2023-2024 budget on June 26, 2023. Budgets for the General Fund, Child Nutrition Fund, and Debt Service Fund were included in the official district budget. Budgets are prepared and approved at fund and function levels to comply with the state’s required level of control.
Budget amendments are necessary throughout the year to realign funds. Realignment of funds will increase and/or decrease various function levels within the budget. All necessary budget amendments that change the function level should be formally approved by the Board of Trustees and recorded in the Board minutes. Budget amendments increasing or decreasing revenues and/or expenditures also require formal Board approval. Submitted for approval are the budget revisions/amendments requested by various campuses and departments through March 19, 2024. The attached documents summarize the effect of budget transfers and amendments and the details of the changes being proposed.
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8.B. Consideration / Approval of Community Services Fees for After-School Care
Presenter:
Deputy Superintendent of Finance & Operations, Elaine Cogburn
Description:
The district offers several services to employees and the community to assist with child care needs beyond the school day. The Community Services Department operates the Child Development Center (CDC), Kids Club (elementary after-school care), Club Crash (middle school before-school care), and many other camps and summer programs. For employees, the district has provided a $50/month/child subsidy for the before and after-school programs.
Community Services continues to face challenges in staffing the programs offered and has had to limit enrollment in all programs. As we continue to evaluate the fees charged for various programs, we propose an additional $25 monthly increase to the Kids Club community rate for 2024-2025. The fees for the after-school program have been reviewed and compared to surrounding districts and private providers. Another planned change is to charge ½ of the monthly tuition rate for both employee and community participants for August enrollment. In the past, no charge has been made for August with the first payment for the program due in September. The August charge would be due in April following selection from the lottery for community participants and due in April for employees upon registration.
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8.C. Consideration/Approval of Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) #2 for the Dripping Springs Middle School and Dripping Springs Elementary School Capital Improvement and Renovations
Presenter:
Director of Facilities & Construction, Clint Pruett
Description:
Under the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) delivery method, the contractor develops a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) for the scope of the project to be completed. Our CMAR contractor on this project is Rogers O’Brien. In January, the Board approved GMP #1 in the amount of $2,070,198 for critical long lead time HVAC and electrical equipment.
At the March 25 meeting, we will present GMP #2 that encompasses the full scope of work planned for the summer of 2024. Rogers O’Brien has proposed GMP #2 in the amount of $25,801,403 (cost summary is provided below).
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8.D. Consideration / Approval of Construction Documents for the Dripping Springs Elementary School and Dripping Springs Middle School Renovations
Presenter:
Director of Facilities & Construction, Clint Pruett & PBK Architects
Description:
In January, the Board approved the design development for the Dripping Springs Middle School and Dripping Springs Elementary School Capital Improvement and Renovations projects. The next phase in the design process is construction documents. Over the past couple of months, PBK has continued work on the design, and the construction documents are complete and ready for approval. At the March meeting, PBK will present a project update and overview of the construction documents for approval.
The Board also approved the selection of Rogers O’Brien Construction as the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) contractor for this project in November. Guaranteed Maximum Price #1 (GMP 1) for long lead time items (HVAC and Electrical equipment) was approved in January. In a separate agenda item, we will be presenting GMP 2 for the scope of work to be completed during the Summer of 2024 for these two projects.
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8.E. Consideration / Approval of Replacement of Competition Gymnasium Floor at Dripping Springs High School
Presenter:
Director of Facilities & Construction, Clint Pruettnt Pruett
Description:
One of the life cycle replacement and renovation projects included in the 2023 Bond for DSHS was replacement of the competition gym floor. The original flooring installed in this gym consists of a thinner grade of hardwood, leading to the need for replacement at this time. The floor is starting to experience some minor cracking due to the thinner floor and, in order to prevent more significant damage, the ability to perform certain maintenance activities is limited. In addition, we are recommending replacement of the gymnasium lighting at the same time. Replacing the flooring at the same time as the lighting will eliminate the need to project the wood flooring during installation of the lights.
We have received a cost proposal of $231,420 from Quality Hardwoods to replace the floor. We also recommend including a small contingency amount on the project for a total project cost of not to exceed $235,000. Quality Hardwoods is an approved vendor through the BuyBoard Cooperative, and we have contracted with them regularly in the past for gym floor maintenance, repair, and replacement. The proposed cost is within and under the estimated amount budgeted for this project.
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8.F. Consideration / Approval of Replacement of Gymnasium Lighting at Dripping Springs High School
Presenter:
Director of Facilities & Construction, Clint Pruett
Description:
One of the life cycle replacement and renovation projects included in the 2023 Bond for DSHS is the replacement of gymnasium lighting in the Competition Gym, A Gym, and B Gym with energy efficient LED lighting. The new lighting will be approximately 60% more energy efficient than the existing lighting. Additionally, due to the higher energy efficiency, the lights create less heat which will provide added efficiency. We are also recommending replacement of the gym floor during the same time period for job efficiencies. Competition Gym: $ 57,001
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8.G. Consideration / Approval of CSP#23-24-013 Elementary #6 Fiber Extension
Presenter:
Director of Technology, Cindi Wade & Deputy Superintendent for Finance & Operations, Elaine Cogburn
Description:
The district released CSP # 23-24-013 Elementary #6 Fiber Extension on February 8, 2024 requesting proposals for extending the district’s fiber WAN to the location of Elementary #6. The solicitation was advertised on February 8 and 15, 2024 with responses due by March 8, 2024. Responses were received from two vendors.
DSISD had previously issued a bid for fiber extension, however, prior to requesting approval of the bid, it was discovered that the selected vendor was not registered to provide eRate services. With this information and the non-response regarding pole costs, it was determined that the most appropriate route forward to ensure fair competitive bidding would be to re-release the CSP. JC Communications scored highest in the evaluation as the proposed solution that is the most cost-effective and best fits district needs. This project qualifies for eRate reimbursement and the district will request such for the project.
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8.H. Consideration / Approval of CSP#23-24-011 Elementary #6 Network Equipment
Presenter:
Director of Technology, Cindi Wade
Description:
The district released CSP # 23-24-011 Elementary #6 Network Equipment on January 11, 2024 requesting proposals for Elementary #6 network electronics, such as switches, wireless access points, and uninterruptible power supplies. The solicitation was advertised on January 18 and 25, 2024 with responses due by February 28, 2024. Responses were received from three vendors. One vendor submitted a partial bid that included an alternative product which was determined not compatible with our current infrastructure.
Netsync scored highest in the evaluation as the proposed solution that is the most cost-effective and best fits district needs. The administration recommends adding a 10% contingency to the bid price of $462,435 for a total not to exceed cost of $508,679. This project qualifies for eRate reimbursement and the district will request such for the project.
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9. REPORTS AND INFORMATION
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9.A. Learning & Innovation Report
Presenter:
Assistant Superintendent, L & I, Karen Kidd
Description:
Monthly L&I report highlighting events and activities within each department, making up the L&I team.
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9.B. Finance Reports
Presenter:
Chief Financial Officer, Gina Mitschke
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9.B.1. Financial Reports for February 2024
Presenter:
Chief Financial Officer, Gina Mitschke
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9.B.2. 2023-2024 Budget - Actual Projections
Presenter:
Chief Financial Officer, Gina Mitschke
Description:
Projections of actual fiscal performance are critical for monitoring the financial position of the district. Attached is a summary of the projections for the current 2023-2024 fiscal year based on seven months of actual data. The Financial Services Office will project revenues and expenditures on a monthly basis for the remainder of the current fiscal year.
The current projections indicate that operations will result in a deficit of $2.4 million. These are preliminary projections based on what is currently known. While expenditures are projected to come in under budget, revenues are projected to be less than planned for due to the decrease in student enrollment, as well as a decrease in student average daily attendance. Additional expenditure savings are anticipated, and revenue estimates may increase as it relates to investment earnings and other local revenue generators.
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9.B.3. Purchasing Cooperative Fees
Presenter:
Chief Financial Officer, Gina Mitschke
Description:
TEC Section 44.0331 requires school districts that enter into a purchasing contract valued at $50,000 or more, or under any other cooperative purchasing program authorized for school districts shall document any contract-related fee, including any management fee, and the purpose of each fee under the contract. The amount, purpose, and disposition of any fee must be presented in a written report and submitted annually in an open meeting of the Board of Trustees of the school district. The report reflects payments made or anticipated for the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
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9.C. Operations Reports
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9.C.1. 2018 and 2023 Bond Reports – February 2024
Presenter:
Deputy Superintendent of Finance & Operations, Elaine Cogburn & Chief Financial Officer, Gina Mitschke
Description:
The 2018 and 2023 Bond Reports provide updated financial information on the status of the 2018 and 2023 Bond projects, including project budgets, expenditures to date, and remaining project budget.
The 2018 Bond projects are approaching completion. As projects are finalized, the Board will be presented with information on reallocating any project savings to other projects allowable within the confines of the bond orders. The 2023 Bond report provides detailed financial information regarding the status of the 2023 Bond projects and the report reflects the projects included in the May 2023 bond authorization totaling $223.7 million.
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9.D. Human Resources Report
Presenter:
Chief Human Resources Officer, Linda Hall
Description:
The monthly HR Board Report keeps Board Members apprised of new staff, transfers, separations, current vacancies, substitute usage, risk management in the workplace (reports of injury, background checks, etc.), and monthly HR Department activities.
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9.E. Superintendent's Report
Presenter:
Superintendent, Holly Morris-Kuentz
Description:
Monthly Superintendent Report detailing our attorney and legal fees, property notifications and out of state student travel.
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9.E.1. Legal Fees
Presenter:
Superintendent, Holly Morris-Kuentz
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9.E.2. Subdivision, Annexation and Development Notifications
Presenter:
Superintendent, Holly Morris-Kuentz
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9.E.3. Out of State Student Travel
Presenter:
Superintendent, Holly Morris-Kuentz
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10. CLOSED SESSION
Pursuant to Tex. Gov't Code Sections 551.071, 551.072, 551.074, 551.076, 551.082, 551.0821, 551.089 and 551.129, the Board will deliberate in closed session on the following items: |
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10.A. Consultation with Legal Counsel regarding any matter posted on the Agenda
Presenter:
Board of Trustees President - Stefani Reinold
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10.B. Safety & Security Annual Update
Presenter:
Director of Safety & Security, Sirena Cumberland
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11. OPEN SESSION
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11.A. Possible Action regarding Matters discussed in Closed Session
Presenter:
Board of Trustees President - Stefani Reinold
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12. ADJOURN
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