Board of Education

The Rock Island-Milan Board of Education began their regular board meeting by recognizing Intermediate Academy Principal Mike Russell. The Illinois Principal Association named Mr. Russell Elementary Principal of the Year for his positive impact on students and learning community. “He truly cares and continually strives to meet each and every need of the students,” said Superintendent Rick Loy. Teachers and staff were invited to a reception preceding the board meeting to congratulate Mr. Russell on his achievement. Pictured: Judy Hipskind, Virginia Jarrett, Mike Russell, Sue Scudder and Alice Lee.

Superintendent Loy shared accolades for the Rock Island High School Speech Team who returned from State Competition last weekend. There were 4 state qualifiers with one senior qualifying in two events. Senior Michelle Bower was state runner-up in Poetry Reading and Senior Greer Burke-Anderson placed 4th in Original Comedy. Seniors Ben Simkins and Tara Vandygriff also competed in Prose Reading and Impromptu Speaking respectively. The team placed 15th out of 91 schools that qualified for the state tournament. Mr. Rino DellaVeDova is the team’s faculty advisor.

Principal Dave Knuckey updated the board on the partnership between Longfellow and Augustana College. The process began less than a year ago and has blossomed into an all-inclusive joint venture that encompasses the entire institution of Augustana College. The committee was charged with the task of laying the groundwork and to create a timeline for liberal arts development at Longfellow. They also created a mission statement: Sharing the love of learning as partners in education. The new staff, hired in June of last year, are currently conducting bi-weekly planning meetings to focus on curriculum development and how to best use the resources at Augustana. Dr. Chuck Hyser, Professor of Education at Augustana, commented on the uniqueness of the partnership that will encompass the entire college, not just the education department: arts, sciences, the museum are very much involved with the collaboration. Longfellow students will also be frequent visitors to the campus.

Board members are looking into more training from the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB). Former board member, now IASB employee Steve Clark will facilitate the second phase of the Targeting Achievement through Governance (TAG) training. The training focuses on creating effective Board of Education practices that will directly enhance achievement in the district. According to Mr. Clark, effective boards do have an impact on student achievement.

Other items:

• The New School has a new name: Rock Island Center for Math and Science. Read the story here >>
• The design plans for the Rock Island High School Centralized Kitchen and 25th Avenue entry are postponed until more details of the economic stimulus package become available. The administration still does not have a clear picture of the availability of the funds and the board does not want to risk the expenditure. The design plans include a new full service kitchen to centralize the food production for the district and also a new 25th Avenue entryway that will relocate the high school administration and dean’s offices into one area near the entrance. Enhanced security features will allow for better management student traffic flow in and out of the building. The board can take action on the measure at a future meeting.

Download Board Agenda 2-24-09

ROCK ISLAND-MILAN SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 41
Regular Meeting of the Board of Education
Rock Island High School – Library
TUESDAY, February 24, 2009 5:30 PM

A reception will be held to honor Illinois Principals Association’s Elementary Principal of the Year Mike Russell. The regular meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m.

I. Preliminary
A. Call to Order and Roll Call
B. Pledge of Allegiance
C. Approval of Board of Education Minutes . . . Action
It is recommended that the Board of Education approve the minutes of the regular meetings of January 27 and February 10, 2009 as presented.

II. Communications
A. Communications from Citizens
B. Requests from persons wishing to speak on certain agenda items at the appropriate time during the meeting.

III. Reports
A. Reports from Board Members
• Voting Members
• Student Members
B. Report from Superintendent
C. Report from RIEA Representative
D. Citizens wishing to address the Board of Education on items not on the agenda. Comments should be limited to three (3) minutes. (Matters regarding specific employees or students are of a confidential nature and will not be heard in open session.)

IV. Nomination of Agenda Items for Future Meetings of the Board

V. Action on Routine Matters
A. Act on Agenda Additions and/or Deletions
B. Approve Agenda
C. Blanket Motion
Opportunity will be given for the selection of items that need no discussion to be approved at the appropriate time on the agenda. The following items are recommended for the Blanket Motion:
VI. E. February Fund Raisers VII. C. January Financials
VII. A. Contracts (2 – 5) VII. D. Bills for Payment
VII. B. Donations VIII. Personnel

VI. Operations
A. Longfellow/Augustana Partnership . . . Information Dave Knuckey, Chuck Hyser and Pat Shea will provide information on the partnership between Longfellow Elementary School and Augustana College.
B. Targeting Achievement through Governance (TAG) . . . Information Steve Clark, Illinois Association of School Boards, will provide information on the second phase of training in the TAG program.
C. Policy Revisions . . . Study (2nd Reading)/Possible Action
Board members will continue reviewing new Board Policies 4:20 and 4:55, Revised Policies 4:50, 5:150, 5:190, 5:240, 6:60, 6:210 and 7:330 and Rewritten Policy 6:230 as suggested by IASB Policy Services. The Board may approve the policies if desired.
D. Naming New School . . . Action
It is recommended that the Board of Education select a name for the new school at 2101 – 16th Avenue, Rock Island.
E. February Fund Raisers . . . Action
It is recommended that the Board of Education approve the February Fund Raising requests as presented.

VII. Business/Finance
A. Contracts . . . Action
1) Architectural – Centralized Kitchen/RIHS Entryway (Possible Action) It is recommended that the Board of Education contract with Larrison & Associates, Davenport, Iowa, to provide design services for centralized food production and serving areas for the high school. Additionally, to provide design services for a new school entryway off 25th Avenue at an estimated cost of $560,000.00.
2) Security Cameras
It is recommended that the Board of Education award a contract to Nightwatch Security – Long Grove, IL in the amount of $29,037.00.
3) Rock Island High School Exterior Masonry Restoration
It is recommended that the Board of Education approve a contract with Missman Stanley & Associates, Inc., Bettendorf, Iowa to provide engineering services for the phase six exterior wall surface restoration
project at a cost not to exceed $7,000.00
4) Truck Purchase
It is recommended that the Board of Education award a contract to Gem City Ford – Quincy, IL in the amount of $33,230.00.
5) Maintenance Agreement
It is recommended that the Board of Education award a contract in the amount of $4,998.00 to Trane Company – Davenport, IA.
B. List of Donations . . . Action
It is recommended that the Board of Education acknowledge the List of Donations as presented.
C. January Financial Statements . . . Action
It is recommended that the Board of Education approve the January Financial Statements as presented.
D. Bills for Payment . . . Action
It is recommended that the Board of Education authorize Bills for Payment dated February 15, 2009 in the amount of $2,634,902.45.

VII. Personnel
A. Certified Rehire . . . Action
It is recommended that the Board of Education approve the Certified Rehire
B. Non-Certified Appointment . . . Action
It is recommended that the Board of Education approve the Non-Certified Appointment of Andrea Sullivan

IX. Executive Session
It is recommended that the Board of Education move to Executive Session to discuss personnel and possible acquisition of property.

X. Adjournment

The Board of Education approved the 2009-2010 calendars for the District and Secondary Schools/SKIP at last night’s meeting. In 2009-10 students begin on Monday, August 3. Teachers will begin the year with inservices on July 30-31st. The calendars are available on the Web site >

Rock Island High School Students Behind the Scenes
The school district Information Technology department recruited two Rock Island High School Juniors, Joseph Studer and Abby Case, to help with the production of the Board of Education meetings, from the set up and tear down to the camera angles and video taping. Both are enthusiastic about learning new technology skills and have also gained insight about how the Board of Education operates.

2009 General Obligation Bond Sale
The district auctioned off $31 million in General Obligation bonds Tuesday morning. According to Dave Phillips of Speer Financial, the district received a 4.5% interest rate on $19 million 2009 Series A and 4.6% interest rate on $12 million Series B bonds. Mr. Phillips’ model was initially higher than the market, and the district experienced significant savings due to the lower interest rate. The board voted to finalize the bond sales through a formal resolution.

Building Excellence Projects
Even though funding limitations initially put part of the Building Excellence plan on hold, potential federal stimulus funding through the Federal Economic Recovery legislation, could get the High School cafeteria food production site and serving area remodel on the back on schedule. The government is debating funding “shovel-ready” projects as a part of the stimulus package. School districts are asked to have projects ready to go if the funding becomes available. Larrison and Associates are prepared to offer their design services to the district and have it completed in 90 days (making it “shovel ready”). Also as a part of the design service is a repurposing of the high school entrance off of 25th Avenue. Giving the entrance a “true presence” as an entryway to the high school would be more reflective of the sense of place. The entire project is estimated at costing $8 million. The board discussed the risks and rewards, but took no action on the measure and will revisit the item when more details of the Federal Economic Recovery plan are known.

New School Naming
The board heard remarks from two parents and a teacher about deciding on a name for the New School. All cited the most important factor was to give the school an identity, for the benefit of children attending but also for grant purposes. Current Audubon teacher and New School teacher Julie Hansen suggested that the board review the naming committee’s research and findings for guidance. Superintendent Loy also asked the board to put the naming of the New School on the Feb. 24th agenda as an action item.

Head Start/PreK and SKIP
Nicole Schlofeldt, Director of Head Start, presented an update on the individual Scorecard used for Preschool Programs. Overall, the programs showed an increase in student achievement with a high proficiency rate in 4 year olds. The program has had continued success in enrollment over the last year and 2008-09 goals include increasing parental involvement, enhancing community collaborations and summer transitioning for students who are ready to attend Kindergarten.

Tori Lindeman, Principal of the Inter-district preschool program, SKIP (Special Kids in Preschool), presented an update of programs and goals over the last year. The school has been working on it’s own scorecard based on the district model and will be completed in the spring. Ms. Lindeman has also continuing to develop programming for the integration of SKIP into a RISD facility. The current Horace Mann building was evaluated last year, and SKIP will develop a transition process to realign with all Pre-K classrooms. Ms. Lindeman commended her staff for going above and beyond for students special needs: 100% are CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation infant and adult) certified, as well as trained and certified in AED (Automated External Defibrillator infant and adult).

Other items:
• Several school district policies regarding personnel, operations and curriculum are being updated and revised per direction from the Illinois Association of School Boards. The IASB monitors current legislation closely in order to make recommendations to school boards for policy changes.
• Scorecard updates: The board heard mid-year updates from Cabinet on 12 of our 23 indicators, including Student Attendance (93.55%, cautionary yellow), student referrals and suspensions (both green, or on target) and four fiscal health indicators (3 green, 1 yellow). Staff attendance is on target (green) through first semester and we continue to employee 100% highly qualified staff.
• Athletic Director Bob Swanson reported on Sports Feeder programs for budding Rock Island-Milan athletes who will eventually compete at the high school level. Currently the high school has 20 competitive sport programs. Twelve of those have feeder programs that allow coaches to work with younger athletes before they reach high school, which reflects a significant increase over the past three years. All of the programs are a healthy addition to the Rock Island School District sports program as the coaches put a lot of time and effort to make the feeder programs successful.

Download a pdf of the full agenda–>

ROCK ISLAND-MILAN SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 41
Board of Education Regular Meeting AND COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
Rock Island High School – Library
TUESDAY, February 10, 2009 5:30 PM

I. Call to Order and Roll Call

II. Updates from the Superintendent

III. Communications
Requests from persons wishing to speak on certain agenda items will be called upon at the appropriate time.
IV. Blanket Motion
Opportunity will be given for the selection of items that need no discussion to be approved at the appropriate time on the agenda. The following items are recommended for the Blanket Motion:
V. 2009-10 Calendars VI. C. Life Safety Amendment
VI. A. Contracts (2-5) VI. D. Bills for Payment
V. Operations
2009-10 School Calendars . . . Action
It is recommended that the Board of Education approve the 2009-10 Calendars for the District and Secondary Schools/SKIP as presented.
VI. Business/Finance
A. Contracts . . . Action
1) 2009 Bond Sale
Several motions will be presented by Speer Financial Services for the 2009A and 2009B series general obligation bonds.
2) Cell Phone & Wireless Services
It is recommended that the Board of Education contract with Verizon Wireless to provide cell phone and wireless service effective July 1, 2009 at a monthly cost of $1,491.58 plus taxes and fees.
3) Long Distance Phone Service
It is recommended that the Board of Education enter into a 24 month contract extension with AT&T to provide local and long distance phone service effective July 1, 2009 at a cost of $.0430 per minute for long distance calls and $14.70 per month for each of the 91 phone lines currently in use.
4) Architectural Contract (Possible Action)
It is recommended that the Board of Education contract with Larrison & Associates, Davenport, Iowa, to provide design services for centralized food production and serving areas for the high school. Additionally, to provide design services for a new school entryway off 25th Avenue at an estimated cost of $560,000.00.
B. General Obligation Bond Sale . . . Action
It is recommended that the Board of Education approve the sale of the General Obligation Bonds as presented.
C. Life Safety Amendment – High School . . . Action
It is recommended that the Board of Education approve the Life Safety Amendment for exterior masonry restoration at Rock Island High School for $134,050.00 as presented.
D. Bills for Payment . . . Action
It is recommended that the Board of Education authorize Bills for Payment dated January 31, 2009 in the amount of $4,020,419.99 as presented.
VII. Committee of the Whole
A. School Progress Presentations . . . Information
Tori Lindeman and Nicole Schlotfeldt will provide school progress presentations for the SKIP/EDR and Head Start/PreK programs.
B. Policy Revisions . . . Information/Study
Jim Andrews, Mike Oberhaus and Bill Osborne will present new Board Policies 4:20 and 4:55, Revised Policies 4:50, 5:150, 5:190, 5:240, 6:60, 6:210 and 7:330 and Rewritten Policy 6:230 as suggested by IASB Policy Services.
C. Score Card Update . . . Information
Cabinet members will present updates to the District Score Card.
D. Sports Feeder Programs . . . Information
Board members will review the sports feeder programs in District 41.
VIII. Adjournment

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