School Board Minutes

Red Rock Central District No. 2884

Monday, December 16, 2013

 

The regular monthly meeting of the Board of Education, District No. 2884, was held in the Board Room in Lamberton on Monday, December 16, 2013.  Members present were:  Bierl, Erickson, Kelsey, Rasmussen, Rogotzke, and Stavnes.  Clarke was absent.  A quorum of 6 was present.  Superintendent Brennan, Principal Goetstouwers, Bruce Olson, Bryce Pack, Meridith Flaig, Robin Weis, Ann Grant, Joe Dietl, and Denise Clarke were also in attendance. 

 

Chairman Rogotzke called the meeting to order at 5:31 p.m.

 

Upon motion of Rasmussen, seconded by Stavnes and unanimously carried, to accept the agenda as amended, the minutes of the November 18, 2013 meeting and the treasurer’s report.

 

Chairman Rogotzke invited visitors Robin Weis and Ann Grant to voice their concerns about the late bus and basketball practice times. 

 

Board Member Kelsey reported that work is continuing on the auditorium project.  The committee is still working locally seeking funds.  He continues to talk with the donor.

 

Lead Teacher Altermatt’s report was distributed to the board:

Last month I reported that Lisa Fest would be starting nutrient classes in the elementary after January 1st.  The Program has now been totally cut in Cottonwood Co.  Our concert was December 9th “It’s December Once Again”.  It was again a very nice concert. We thank Mr. VanMaasdam and Mrs. Frasher for their work. We would also like to thank several of our support staff members that helped decorate for the concert.  The Student Council presented Mr. VanMaasdam and Mrs. Frasher with poinsettia plants before the concert began. Our Elementary students and staff collected food items for our two area food shelves.  The staff collected monetary donations for the food shelves in lieu of exchanging gifts. This will all be dispersed this week to appropriate places.  The Student Council sold 240 Advent calendars this year and profited $324.00. Santa will be in the elementary building at 9:30 for our students to visit with.  After lunch the students and staff will do some caroling before we leave for the Christmas break. The student council is sponsoring a poster contest for Martin Luther King Day.  All grades are encouraged to participate with prizes being awarded for each classroom. The mini IPads are here.  We are waiting for covers.  Half of them have been set up and the rest should be completed by Christmas break.  The student will be able to use them as soon as the covers arrive. Our Fourth grade students participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).  NAEP results for grades four and eight in reading and mathematics function as the common metric of student achievement across the nation, and play an important role in informing national policy leaders about the educational achievement of America’s students.  These are the highlights of Minnesota’s 2013 results.  Minnesota scores were significantly higher in both math and reading at fourth grade, and for the first time since these data were collected, we saw achievement gap closure in fourth grade reading.

Grade Four Reading

Black and Hispanic students scored significantly higher than 2009
Students eligible and not-eligible for free/reduced price lunch scored significantly higher than 2011
 Females score significantly higher than2011
Gap between white and black students decreased 10 point since 2009

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Gap between white and Hispanic students decreased 10 points since 2009
Percent-at-and-above proficient and percent at advanced significantly higher than 2011

Grade Four Math
             Minnesota has highest overall score in the nation in 2013
              Minnesota has highest percent of students at-or-above proficient in 2013

Minnesota black and white students each has fourth-highest score in 2013
Minnesota has fifth-highest score for students eligible for free/reduced price lunch
 Males and females scores significantly higher than 2011
 Percent-at-and-above proficient and percent at advanced significantly higher than 2011

 

Principal Goetstouwers reported the following:  We have a 100% GRAD Reading test proficiency and about 91% GRAD Math test proficiency.  Our 1st Quarter Falcon Pride Winner is Colby Davis.  I have been working with teacher representatives and superintendent (s) on the teacher evaluations, which needs to be implemented next year and finalized.  Our One Act play this year will be “Macbeth: A Tale of Darkness”.  28 students have signed up, but only 20 can be involved in One Act.  The FFA Advisory Committee has met a couple more times.  The FFA will be touring a sugar beet farm near Renville on January 22nd.  Dr. David Cole, Agronomist, will speak to our FFA members on February 18th.  We are looking at inviting other chapters and community members who donated to the RRC Corn Drive.  Southwest Minnesota Arts Council awarded RRC with a grant of $1,332 for the 40th Annual Lamberton Jazz Festival.  The “Grant is through an appropriation from the MN State Legislature with money from the State’s general fund”.  SW Regional Development Commission: CERT (Clean Energy Resource Team) awarded RRC with $4,400 towards auditorium lighting project (specifically electrical costs).  Partial funding for this project was through the SW Clean Energy Resource Team Seed Grant.  The Target Field Trip grant for $700 allows 10th graders to attend a play in the Twin Cities.

 

Upon motion of Kelsey, seconded by Erickson and unanimously carried, to pay claims in the amount of $105,135.07.  Receipts were $389,830.38.

 

Upon motion of Erickson, seconded by Rasmussen and unanimously carried, to acknowledge that each year Red Rock Central receives E-rate (federal) funding in order to help cover the cost of our students having access to the Internet in both buildings.  In receiving these funds we, as a District, (and all U.S. public schools) agree to protect our students from “harmful Internet content” as defined by the Federal Government via a law named the “Children’s Internet Protection Act”.  RRC does filter out harmful Internet content via our agreement with our access provider which is Trillion and the Southwest/West Central Service Coop. in Marshall.  With Board agreement we consider this agenda item does cover Public Notice and we’ll conduct this meeting yearly at this time.  A copy of the posting of this agenda to give the public advanced notice that they may contribute to the discussion of the Internet Access Use Policy and ask questions, the agenda itself and minutes of this meeting will be kept on hand for five (5) years in order to verify that we did discuss this issue at a public meeting.  A copy of the posting, the agenda and minutes will also be sent to SW/WC Service Coop. for their records as well.  The addition of the word/term Password to our policy will meet all the necessary guidelines set out by the federal government under the CIPA and the use of receiving e-rate monies.

 

Superintendent Brennan explained that our stage lighting project in the auditorium will cost nearly $73,000.  We have raised $66,433 to date and if it stands like this the District will be responsible for nearly $6,600.  He is still hopeful that more funds will be collected before the

 

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end of this calendar year and the closing dollar amount will be announced at our January meeting.

 

Superintendent Brennan and Mr. Pack discussed, with the Board, the possibility of using the Jeffers gym for some Junior High games and practices as administration sees fit. 

 

Upon motion of Erickson, seconded by Bierl and unanimously carried, to rescind the October 22, 2013 motion made regarding playing all indoor Junior High sports in the Lamberton building beginning immediately.

 

Open discussion consisted of the following:  Sprinkling system at the athletic field, softball, audit, JMC text alerts, and the lunch program.

 

Superintendent Brennan led a discussion of the District’s tax dollars to begin the Truth in Taxation portion of the meeting at 7:00 p.m.

 

Upon motion of Stavnes and seconded by Kelsey to certify the 2013 payable 2014 levy at the Maximum - $949,857.40. 

Roll call vote was as follows:

Voting Yes:  Rogotzke, Kelsey, Stavnes, Erickson, Rasmussen, and Bierl.

Voting No:  None

Clarke was absent.

Motion carried.

 

Upon motion of Kelsey, seconded by Stavnes and unanimously carried, to adjourn at 7:35 p.m.

 

 

__________________________________                     ________________________________

Alan J. Clarke, Clerk                                                                         Denise Clarke, Recorder