Indiana
School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
7725 North College Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46240
ISBVI Board Meeting
May 15, 2006
9:30 a.m.
ISBVI Board Meeting Minutes
Members
Present: Mr. Donald Koors, Chair
Ms. Shirley Amond, Vice-Chair
Mr. Gary Bates
Mr. John Hill for Mr. Robert Marra
Ms. Kathy Botkin
Senator Teresa Lubbers
Members Not Present: Dr.
Eugene White
Ms. Cynthia Pittman
Administration Present:
Mr. Jim Durst, Superintendent; Mr. Hal Owens, Asst. Superintendent;
Mrs. Rosemary Adams, MS/HS Principal; Ms. Gail Ringwalt, Elementary
Principal
I. Call to
Order
Mr. Koors called the meeting to order and took roll.
II.
North Central High School JROTC Honor Guard
The North Central High School JROTC presented the Colors to open the
board meeting. The Pledge of Allegiance was said by the Board and
the Audience. Mr. Durst then thanked the JROTC for their
presentation, and also recognized that one of the members, Michael
Lewis, of the JROTC is a student at ISBVI. First Sergeant Durkin
introduced the JROTC to the Board and to the Audience.
III. Approval
of Minutes
The minutes from March 20, 2006 meeting were reviewed. There were
no additions or corrections. Ms. Amond moved for approval of the
minutes with no changes; Mr. Bates seconded the motion; motion carried.
IV. Chair
Remarks
Mr. Koors welcomed everyone to the meeting and encouraged anyone who
had an issue or concern to always feel free to address the ISBVI Board.
A. Special Recognition
Mr. Durst recognized the members of the Powerhouse and Dietary.
Mr. Mike Gaddis introduced the staff of the Powerhouse to the
Board. The Powerhouse is responsible of keeping the campus warm
as well as cool. They do a wonderful job keeping things around
campus running smoothly. Mr. Durst then recognized the Dietary
Staff. Mr. Hal Owens introduced the Dietary Staff. The
Dietary staff presents three wonderful meals a day as well as catering
to special occasions. Many of the Dietary staff has been with
ISBVI for many years. They all received a round of applause and a
"job well done" from the board.
IV.
Superintendent's Report
A. School Update
ISBVI participated with eleven other schools in NCASB Swimming and
Forensics Conference in Kansas. ISBVI Forensics team took first
place. R.J. Crace earned a perfect score, winning first place in
all three rounds. The girls swimming team placed first, and the
boys team placed second. A special recognition was given to
Heather Oklak who won the Robert H. Thompson award for all-around
outstanding student, athlete, and role-model for the NCASB conference.
Honors Day will be Monday, May 22, 2006 at 10:00 a.m. The Senior
Breakfast and Honors Day will be Tuesday, May 23, 2006.
Graduation is Thursday, May 25, 2006 at 10:00 a.m.
Field day is scheduled for Wednesday, May 24, 2006.
The Piano recital was held in the ISBVI Gymnasium with a Pacers
theme. The students did a wonderful job!
We received a glowing evaluation from VSA Arts of Indiana and from
Bonnie Maurer about the Poetry grant. Thank you Mr. and Mrs.
Koors for attending!
Aldur and Lambert are finishing up a grant that deals with nutrition
and trying different types of fruits.
B. Monthly Financial Statements
Mr. Owens presented the March 31, 2006 financial statement
(Attachment 2A). Good News! The year is 75% over and we are
under the expenditures by 1%.
Mr. Owens then presented the April 30, 2006 financial statement
(Attachment 2B). The year is 83% and the expenditures are a
little over 77%. The Budget Analyst from the Budget Agency has
given us more of the
appropriated money back to us. All but $119,000.00 of the
appropriation has been allotted back to us. The Natural Gas bill
has finally started to drop as well. We should end the fiscal
year in the black in all nine points, and still have the money that we
need to spend. because of the changes from the State Auditor and
what needs to be paid out of Point three as far as personal service
contracts, etc. We have asked for the other $82,000.00 that
wasn't carried over last July 1st for preventative maintenance.
We think we will receive that amount in June.
C. Personnel Actions Updates
Personnel Actions Updates (Attachments 3A-3B and 4A-4B). On
Attachment 3A, as of April we have 187 full time equivalences filled
with 9 pending for a total of 196. On Attachment 3-B are the same
as Attachment 3-A. On 4A and 4B are actions taken for the months
of April (4-A) and May (4-B).
D. Vacant Positions
Refer to Vacant Positions - Pending (Attachment 5A-5B).
These are pending and posted positions that we have intentions of
filling.
E. Physical Plant Update
Churchman Air Conditioning:
The punch list items are coming along. The milk cooler is now
operating correctly. We are still waiting on the drain pans for
the serving lines.
Improve Campus Security: 100% of the proximity readers have
been installed. 85% of the doors have conduit and wiring and
junction boxes installed. They are in the process of installing
the gate. The plan is to have that working by the end of the
school year. It will be fully functional by the beginning of the
new school year.
Exterior Campus Lighting: This
project is in the design review phase. $25,180 was removed from
this project to complete emergency repairs to the Aldur/Lambert
electrical system (a new transformer).
Renovation of Tunnels: NewJac,
Inc. has won the bid on this project. The project is underway to
upgrade the infrastructure, replace the water valves, replace the pipe
hangers, and installation of sump pumps. The cost of this project
is $264,000.
Re-roof Churchman and Keever:
Blackmore and Buckner Roofing has been awarded this project. Work
should begin shortly. The contractor is in the process of
ordering the necessary materials.
Repair Roofs: The repairing of the roofs on F Building is
completed. They are currently working on repairing the damages
some from water leakage during that process.
Tuck Pointing Renovation: This project is on hold at a cost of
$200,000.00.
Re-coring Campus: This project
is complete.
Fire Alarms: This system is in a process of being bid out.
A request has been made for a demonstration of the devices to be placed
in the dormitory bedrooms to ensure they fit our needs.
Electrical Grounding: Eagle Electric has started the work in the
IERC and has found several things wrong electrically. They are in
the process of taking care of these issues as well as finishing the
project.
Replacing the Sky Light in Churchman: A project has been
submitted to Public Works to replace the sky light in Churchman at a
cost of $34,000.00.
Replacing the Back Gate: The gate blew closed and was damaged in
a wind storm. Cost of replacement is $8,675.00.
Replacement of Wrought Iron Fencing: A Wrought Iron railing needs
to be put in the front where the new sidewalk has been installed.
There is an 18" drop off there. This is to ensure the safety of
pedestrians traveling on that new sidewalk.
V.
New Business
A. Donations and Contributions
Refer to Donations and Contributions
Under $499.00 and Donations and Contributions Over $500.00 (Attachment
6A-6B). There were no donations over $500.00 in February and
March. We had several under $499.00, both restricted and
unrestricted. There were also no donations over $500.00 in March
and April. There were several under $499.00, both restricted and
unrestricted.
B. Dietitian
Mr. Durst reported there has been several applicants as well as several
job offers for the Dietitian position only to find that the Dietitians
that have been interviewed have elected to stay in the clinical area
verses working in a school situation and providing supervision.
We have elected to move in the direction of hiring a consultant to
prepare menu's and address special nutrition needs and meals for
students. We will hire a Food Services Manager in place of the
Dietitian. The Food Services Manager will oversee all of the
management and supervision for the dietary department.
C. 2nd Reading
- Child Identification - Ms. Amond requested that we
broaden it to include "All individuals and/or agencies as identified by
law who can benefit from the information for future programs and/or
educational opportunities will be included in the identification
process". A motion for approval of the Child Identification
Policy was made by Ms. Botkin and was seconded by Ms. Amond. The
ISBVI Approved the new policy regarding Child Identification.
D. Student Suicide Threat or Attempt Procedural Change
The Procedure for reporting student suicide threat or attempted
suicide. The current procedure requires that if a staff member
suspects suicide they are required to notify Mr. Durst
immediately. The new procedure will require staff to accompany
that student directly to the Health Center. The nurse at the
Health Center will notify the parents that the student is in the Health
Center based on suicide comment . The Social Worker will be
notified to come in and evaluate that student and make
recommendations. At that point, Mr. Durst will be notified.
The parents will then be notified again with recommendations and a plan
that will address the issues and concerns of the student.
E. Summer School
Summer School is schedule for June 4 - 16, 2006 for students in grades
3 - 12. Assessment for Young Children which is an evaluation
program for children 2 1/2 - 5 years of age will run in conjunction
with Summer School. The STEP program will be funded by Vocational
Rehabilitation this year. Session one will be June 4 - 30, 2006
with 20 students ages 16 - 21 years. Session two will be July 9 -
August 4, 2006 with 19 students ages 16 - 21 years.
F. Graduation
Graduation is May 25, 2006 in the ISBVI Auditorium at 10:00 a.m.
G. Contracts vs. MOU's
In the past we have done contracts to put staff members in place to
address student needs and to address the needs of the campus at
large. One of the issues we have had is those special needs
students that require a WRAP. If a WRAP is granted by the
Department of Education, the dollars are transmitted to either our
budget or the local school corporations. We have found that a
student might be identified to be enrolled at ISBVI today and that
student might be in need of a WRAP. To go through the contract
process, it could take as much as 3 -4 months sometimes. The
students needs are still imperative, but we are not in a position to
address those needs. Mr. Durst proposed that the Board moved in
the direction of doing MOU's, Memo's of Understanding, which function
the same as a contract. It will identify the responsibilities
that are needed. It will identify the cost paid. There will
also be an agreement that MOU could be broken by either party within
two weeks. It also states that the individuals involved in the
MOU are responsible for all the rules, regulations, policies and
procedures of ISBVI. The MOU is binding. It will allow us
to put staff in place in a more timely fashion than the current
contract procedure does. ISD has used this procedure for several
years. This is in the best interest of our school and our
students to start using the practice of MOU's. All MOU's will be
reported to the ISBVI Board the same as contracts are reported to the
board. Mr. Bates motioned to approve Mr. Durst's request to begin
using MOU's in place of contracts. The motion was seconded by Ms.
Amond. Approved by the ISBVI Board.
H. Meal Costs
A directive from the Department of Administration was received by Mr.
Durst changing a previous statute where meals for staff were changed
from $5.00 per week to 50 cents per meal in 1967. This new
directive which was to be effective September 1, 2005 indicates that
staff meals should be calculated based on not only meal costs,
but preparation costs and equipment costs. Every state
agency that provides meals to staff has been asked to determine actual
meal costs based on those directives, and staff would be charged
accordingly. Based on the numbers that we received from the
Budget Agency including our meal costs which were $92,000.00 and our
dietary staffing costs were $525,000.00. The new meal costs were
determined to be $6.59 for staff. The directive indicated that it
had to be put into effect September 1, 2005. We need to put it in
place based on the directive at the beginning of the next school
year. This has been a wonderful perk for staff. The new
cost of $6.50 will eliminate staff from eating on our campus which will
have an impact on us in regards to programs and providing opportunities
for staff.
Senator Lubbers questioned whether there would be any flexibility in
what rate is set. Mr. Durst responded that the DOA has asked us
to continue to recalculate. The numbers are different from
institution to institution. The Veteran's home is $6.00 a meal,
Knightstown is $5.00 a meal, and ISD will be slightly over $4.00 per
meal. Our meals are so high based on our numbers. Based on
cost of production and cost of food and the limited number of meals we
serve compared to the other institutions. Senator Lubbers
requested that Mr. Durst go back to the DOA and talk to them again
regarding this issue.
Ms. Botkin responded that this is not a request, this is a
policy. We will continue to try to find a different way to not
have to charge that much for meals.
Ms. Amond commented that Mr. Durst will continue to look for other ways
to get that changed at the state level or to look at other alternatives.
I. Special Meals
Mr. Durst would like permission from the Board for the school to have
permission to be able to underwrite special meals. For instance
the STAR Dinner at the holiday times for staff and students and other
banquets as well for recognition of accomplishments of students.
Mr. Durst would like to not charge staff for those meals, but for the
school to underwrite those meals and absorb those costs through the
operational budget or other means as appropriate. A
recommendation was made by Mr. Bates for the school to subsidize the
costs of banquets in recognition of students as well as the STAR
Dinner. The motion was seconded by Ms. Botkin. Approved by
the ISBVI Board.
VI.
Public Comments
Questions were asked regarding the new costs of the meals.
Every visitor, guest, and staff person will be responsible to pay the
new cost of the meal. Mr. Durst explained how that cost of the
meals was determined.
VII.
Board Comments
Senator Lubbers suggested that there should be several ways to
negotiate this number. This is too high of a number.
Ms. Botkin suggested that everyone work together to come up with some
ideas to try to get this number down.
Ms. Amond - no comments
Mr. Bates - no comments
Mr. Hill - no comments
Mr. Koors congratulated Senator Lubbers on her Award that she received
a few weeks ago. He also encouraged all in attendance to attend
ISBVI Graduation. He spoke very highly of the graduation speaker,
Mr. Carl Augusto who the Executive Director of the American Foundation
for the Blind.
One more piece of business needed to be discussed. The Board
needed to approve the Calendar for the ISBVI Board Meetings for the
2006 -2007 school year. Ms. Amond moved to approve the new
calendar. The motion was seconded by Ms. Botkin. Approved
by the ISBVI Board.
VIII.
Next Meeting
August 21, 2006 at 9:30 a.m. in the
Aldur/Lambert Multipurpose Room.
IX.
Adjournment