Unified School District 447 public meetings in 2021
22 substantive meetings from 2021, with official agendas or minutes and plain-English summaries.
Regular Meeting
The USD 447 Board of Education will hold a work session on the Thayer HVAC bid process and a COVID-19 test-to-stay update, followed by a regular meeting. The board will consider approving financial reports, a substitute teacher handbook, a coaching hire, insurance coverage, vape sensor purchases, and a resolution to fill a board vacancy. They will also enter executive sessions for personnel and student-related matters.
- Bid review and approval for Thayer HVAC project
- Purchase request for vape sensing devices
- Resolution to post vacancy for 2-year unexpired board term
- Approval of district property and workers' compensation insurance
- Consent agenda includes substitute teacher handbook and assistant girls basketball coach hire
Regular Meeting
The USD 447 Board will hold a work session on the Thayer School HVAC project RFP and bids, followed by a regular meeting. The board will vote on financial reports, consent agenda items including a library gift and early graduation requests, and discuss a service agreement with INA Alert for IT support. An executive session is scheduled for personnel matters.
- Thayer School HVAC project RFP and bid discussion (ESSER funds)
- Service agreement with INA Alert for IT support
- Gift of $692.02 to CMHS Library from Southeast KS Library System
- Approval of October 2021 budget, cash receipts, payment journal, treasurer's report, credit card expenses, and student activity accounts
- Early graduation requests for December
Regular Meeting
The USD 447 Board will hold a work session to interview a potential board member replacement and meet new faculty, followed by a regular meeting. The board will vote on financial reports, consent agenda items including a $500 gift from Arvest Bank, the 2021-22 negotiated agreement, and facilities improvement priorities. An executive session is scheduled to discuss personnel matters.
- Interview potential board member replacement due to vacancy
- Approve 2021-22 negotiated agreement (board draft)
- Discuss and prioritize 2021-22 facilities and capital outlay improvements
- Accept $500 gift from Arvest Bank to Lincoln Central School (Teacher Cara Uttinger)
- Approve September 2021 financial reports and payment of bills
Special Meeting
The Unified School District 447 Board of Education is holding a special meeting to review the agenda and consider an engineering services proposal from DCS regarding Thayer HVAC. The meeting includes procedural actions such as the call to order and adjournment.
- Approval of proposal from DCS for Thayer HVAC engineering services
Regular Meeting
The USD 447 Board will hold a work session to interview a candidate to replace a board member, then a regular meeting covering financial approvals, committee reports, and new business. Key discussions include a COVID-19 mitigation protocol with a building-level positivity threshold, a natural gas purchasing agreement, and an HVAC replacement project for Thayer and Lincoln Central schools using ESSER funds. The board will also enter executive session for personnel matters.
- Natural gas purchasing agreement with WoodRiver Energy (KASB)
- COVID-19 mitigation protocol with 2% building masking threshold
- HVAC replacement project for Thayer and Lincoln Central Schools using ESSER II and III funds
- Gift of $500 from Newton's True Value Hardware to FFA Chapter
- Approval of budget, treasurer's, and credit card reports
Special Meeting
The Board of Education will meet in executive session to discuss upcoming negotiations and personnel matters. The board is scheduled to consider approving the 2021-2022 Negotiated Agreement and the Personnel Report.
- Approval of the 2021-2022 Negotiated Agreement
- Approval of the Personnel Report
Special Meeting
The Unified School District 447 board is holding a special meeting to hear a presentation from KASB's Sue Givens on school board goals and expectations. The agenda includes routine items like approving the agenda and adjourning, with the KASB session as the main substantive item.
- KASB presentation on board goals and expectations by Sue Givens
- Approval of the agenda as published
- Adjournment motion
Special Meeting
The USD 447 board is holding a special meeting with a single substantive item: entering executive session to discuss upcoming employer-employee negotiations, as permitted under Kansas law. The rest of the agenda is procedural, covering opening, agenda approval, and adjournment.
- Executive session for upcoming negotiations under KOMA exception
- Meeting at 700 S. Carson, CMHS Library
- Board President Mark Torkelson calls meeting to order
July Reorganizational - Business Meeting
The Unified School District 447 board will hold its annual reorganization meeting, appointing representatives and approving routine financial reports and consent agenda items. Key actions include adopting the 1,116-hour school calendar, setting meal prices for 2021-22, and approving handbooks and policy updates. The board will also enter executive sessions for personnel and negotiations discussions.
- Adopt 1,116-hour school calendar with snow make-up days on May 10-13, 2022
- Set 2021-22 meal prices: student lunch $3.10, reduced $0.50; breakfast $2.00, reduced $0.40
- Approve Rodney M. Burns CPA LLC audit contract
- Approve petty cash limits: Central Office and Middle/High School $500, Lincoln Central and Thayer $200
- Approve handbooks and board policy updates (second reading)
Regular Meeting
The USD 447 Board of Education will hold its regular meeting on June 14, 2021, starting with a work session at the CMHS track. The board will vote on consent agenda items including policy updates, a hazard mitigation plan resolution, and central office summer hours. New business includes approving cheer uniforms, selecting a life insurance option, and discussing facilities needs. The board will also enter executive sessions for personnel and negotiations.
- Approve cheer uniform replacement (quote attached)
- Adopt Resolution 2020-21-6 for Kansas Homeland Security Region H Hazard Mitigation Plan
- Approve central office summer hours (M-T 10-hour days, June-July)
- Select Option II: $25,000 employee life insurance at $4,680 annual cost (increase of $936)
- Discuss facilities: HVAC at Thayer/LC, roof leak at Thayer, track condition
Regular Meeting
The USD 447 school board will consider approving a $107,420 bid from Kansas City Audio Video for interactive flat-panel TVs, contingent on federal ESSER II funding approval. They will also review the 2019-20 audit report, approve financial reports, and select a new auditor. The meeting includes consent agenda items and executive sessions for personnel and negotiations.
- Interactive flat panel TV bid: KCAV $107,420 recommended; CDW $84,760 and CCS options also bid
- Auditor selection: Rodney Burns proposal $10,750/$10,000/$10,250 vs BFR $14,500/$14,900/$15,350
- Vehicle replacements: used truck (est. $20,000-20,300 net), passenger car under $20,000, food service van under $12,000
- Approve Business Office Procedures Manual (second reading)
- Appoint Tonya Ellis as deputy board clerk
Special Meeting
The Unified School District 447 board is holding a special meeting to consider a complaint hearing under Senate Bill 40, which involves a student's privacy rights. The board will enter an executive session to discuss the matter, then reconvene to make a determination. The agenda is otherwise procedural, with items to approve the agenda and adjourn.
- Background for hearing under Senate Bill 40
- Executive session for discussion of student privacy matters
- Hearing determination motion
- Approval of agenda
- Adjournment
Regular Meeting
The USD 447 Board will decide whether to pay a $27,088.43 gas bill from Symmetry that is roughly five times normal due to February's extreme cold, or join KASB legal action over possible price gouging. The board will also consider COVID protocol changes, approve routine financial reports, and discuss a potential real estate sale in executive session.
- Symmetry gas bill: $27,088.43, charged $17.87/unit vs. max legal $4.57/unit; options include paying by April 15 for 5% discount or joining KASB legal action for ~$400
- COVID protocol changes: reduce distancing to 3 feet, eliminate daily temperature checks, make masks optional outdoors, allow guest speakers
- ESSER II spending plan for summer 2021 and critical positions; ESSER III funds available until Sept 2024
- KASB membership renewal: $9,402.44 dues plus $2,300 legal fund
- Surplus sale of vintage wooden paddle ball rackets ($30 each) and dumbbells ($10-$30) via Facebook and E-Bay
Regular Meeting
The USD 447 Board of Education will hold a work session to interview applicants for a board vacancy, then a regular meeting. The board will take action on the 2021-22 budget, including a possible increase to the Local Option Budget (LOB) to offset declining general fund revenue. They will also consider several consent agenda items, including a school resource officer MOU with the City of Cherryvale, and discuss a policy change requiring new administrators to live within district boundaries.
- Approve 2021-22 budget balancing actions, including potential LOB increase to 30.3% (approx. $20,000) or higher (up to $40,000)
- Approve MOU with City of Cherryvale for school resource officer for 2021-24
- Approve E-Rate bids: Cox internet 1G service at $1,325/mo for 2 years; K12itc managed firewall/network/switching at $34,781.49 annually
- First read of Board Policy CG amendment requiring new administrators to live in USD 447 boundaries
- Approve 2021-22 school calendar
Special Meeting
The Unified School District 447 Board of Education scheduled a special meeting for February 22, 2021. The agenda includes an executive session to discuss matters impacting an individual's employment.
- Executive session regarding non-elected personnel under the Kansas Open Records Act
Regular Meeting
The USD 447 board will hold a work session on career and technical education programs, then vote on routine financial reports and consent items. Major discussion items include approving a budget reduction plan for 2021-22, a plan for staff COVID-19 vaccinations that may close school for a day, and a memorandum of understanding with Greenbush Virtual School. The board will also enter executive sessions for negotiations and personnel matters, and consider a resolution to publish a notice of a board vacancy.
- Approve budget reductions to balance 2021-22 budget
- Approve plan for 'Day 29' of teacher vaccinations, possibly closing school
- Approve MOU with Greenbush for virtual school services
- Approve Resolution 2020-21-4 to publish notice of board vacancy
- Accept $1,000 gift from Neosho Co Regional Medical Center to Thayer School
Special Meeting
The USD 447 Board of Education is holding a special meeting to consider and vote on the superintendent's contract. The agenda includes only this action item, along with routine procedural items to open and close the meeting.
- Approval of superintendent contract (contract attached)
Special Meeting
The Unified School District 447 board is holding a special meeting to interview a candidate for the superintendent position. The board will enter executive session for the interview, citing the non-elected personnel exception under the Kansas Open Records Act, then reconvene in open session. The agenda is otherwise procedural, with items to approve the agenda and adjourn.
- Executive session to interview superintendent candidate
- Approval of agenda as published
- Motion to adjourn
Special Meeting
The USD 447 school board is holding a special meeting to discuss the superintendent search process. The board will also vote to enter an executive session to discuss superintendent applicants under the Kansas Open Records Act's non-elected personnel exception, then reconvene and adjourn.
- Discussion of superintendent search process
- Motion to approve agenda as published
- Executive session for superintendent applicants under KORA exception
- Reconvene in open session after executive session
- Motion to adjourn meeting
Special Meeting
The board will discuss creating a new central office position to manage increased paperwork from over $900,000 in COVID-19 funding. Additionally, the board will finalize the interview structure for superintendent candidates visiting later this month.
- Discussion of a new office position funded by ESSER II COVID funds
- Finalizing the interview structure for superintendent candidates
- Review of the personnel report
- Executive session regarding individual employment matters
Regular Meeting
The Unified School District 447 Board of Education will hold elections for President and Vice-President. The board will also address the resignation of member Jo Neuburger and review a waiver application regarding professional development hours.
- Election of Board President and Vice-President
- Discussion of Jo Neuburger's board resignation
- Approval of KSDE Professional Development waiver application
- Acceptance of $125 gift from Thayer Friday Reading Club for milk fund
- Initial discussion of the 2021-22 budget
Special Meeting
The Board will review results from stakeholder surveys and focus groups regarding the characteristics desired for the next superintendent. Sue Givens from KASB will present these findings for consideration.
- Review of KASB superintendent search criteria based on stakeholder survey results