Special Mtg - Center School District

SPECIAL MEETING
BOARD OF EDUCATION
CENTER SCHOOL DISTRICT #58
8701 Holmes Road
Kansas City, Missouri 64131
Boone Elementary
7:00 p.m.
School Thursday, May 22, 2008 Open Session
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Board Members Present
Merrell R. Bennekin, President
Greg Westfall, Vice President
Julie Mattson
Krystal Grossnickle
Joe Nastasi
John Tancredi
Scott Taylor (attended via teleconference)
Martha Capehart
Administrators Present
Dr. Robert E. Bartman, Superintendent of Schools
David Leone, Assistant Superintendent–HR
Betty McKinzie, Director of Student Services
Sally Newell, Director of Secondary C&I
Gary Pointer, Director of Business
Administrator Absent
Dr. Juana Hishaw, Director of Elementary C&I
CALL TO ORDER
President Bennekin called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. noting all Board members are present
with the exception of Mr. Scott Taylor who will attend later during the business section via
teleconference.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Motion by Grossnickle, seconded by Nastasi, to approve the agenda. Motion carried
unanimously.
RECOGNITION – Patrons, staff members and students were recognized as follows:
• Linda Stewart and Brad Sweeten, co-chairs of the No-Tax-Increase-Bond Exploratory
Committee, and Rick Chambers meetings’ facilitator, in appreciation of their leadership,
time and hard work in gathering information to assist the Board in determining whether or
not to put a bond issue on the ballot.
• Colleen MacAdam, for receiving the Greater Kansas City School Counselor Association’s
“Middle School Counselor of the Year” award.
• Center Middle School Debate Team for placing second overall in the 2007-08 debate
season at the annual Awards Ceremony for Debate Kansas City. For placing in the “Top 20
Middle School Debaters” for the year, Sarah Cole, second place, and Anna Cheek,
seventh place. Bambi Frailey, CMS debate coach, on receiving an award for the “Best
Coach of a New Debate Team.”
• Kyle J. Bryant, Indian Creek student, for setting up the Student Council store on Friday
mornings. The store owes its huge success to Kyle’s diligence and initiative.
• The Flute Trio of Jasmine Rethmeyer, Emily Dold and Tiffany Cook for receiving an
Excellent Rating at the State Solo and Ensemble Contest and Jasmine Rethmeyer for an
Excellent Rating on her solo performance.
• Sarah Cole, Ori Goldwasser, Anthony Hogue, Jordan Jensen, Darian Johnson, Conor
McMann, and Madison Noll, Middle School students, and High School science teacher
Jason Steliga, for a project on West Nile Virus and Prevention they will present at the
GLOBE conference in Cape Town, South Africa, this summer. GLOBE is an international
organization whose purpose is to promote global understanding of local and regional
sustainability issues.
GLOBE SCIENCE PRESENTATION
Jason Steliga described the process students followed in developing their project titled “Climate
and its Effect on West Nile Virus Distribution and Prevention.”
Minutes – Special Meeting

BOARD OF EDUCATION
May 22, 2008 – Page 2
GLOBE SCIENCE PRESENTATION (continued)
Using a PowerPoint presentation Sarah Cole, Ori Goldwasser, Anthony Hogue, Jordan Jensen,
Darian Johnson, Conor McMann, and Madison Noll shared information about the West Nile
Virus – what it is; how it is transmitted; replication, lifetime and spread of the virus; climate’s
effect on the virus; and the most likely time for the virus in Zagreb, Croatia; Berlin, Germany; Tel
Aviv, Israel; Tokyo, Japan; and Kansas City, USA. They discussed prevention and control by
means of surveillance, source reduction, chemical control, resistance management, educational
and precautionary prevention. They described funding and fundraising and thanked those who
donated.
Reception Break: 7:25 to 7:35 p.m.
Mr. Taylor joined the meeting via teleconference at 7:37 p.m.
NO TAX INCREASE BOND EXPLORATORY REPORT
POSSIBLE ADOPTION OF BALLOT LANGUAGE
Linda Stewart and Brad Sweeten thanked patrons who attended the two exploratory meetings
held on May 7 and 17, noting representation was small. Mrs. Stewart said from votes taken at
the meetings consensus was that the district should go forward with putting the issue on the
ballot at some point. At the second meeting participants were given a list of capital needs by
category that amounted to approximately $13 million; Center’s bonding capacity without a tax
increase is $8 million. She explained that critical needs amount to $5-1/2 million, leaving
approximately $2-1/2 million for remaining needs. To prioritize the remaining items an exercise
was conducted where participants using $4 million in Center Bond Money indicated their
support for various items on the list. A spreadsheet showed the results of the two rounds of
Center Bond Money voting.
Mrs. Stewart informed that there were various concerns voiced by participants, one being timing
of the bond issue so soon after last year’s levy issue. Taking this concern and others into
consideration, she and Mr. Sweeten recommend placing the issue on the April 2009 ballot,
which would allow more time to educate patrons as to the district’s needs and gather volunteers
to promote the issue, work at the polls, etc.
Rick Chambers stressed the importance of the district’s asking the community to approve
extending the no-tax-increase bond. He stated his vision for the district is one that continues to
be a vibrant and alive urban community. He noted Center has some very unique characteristics
that appeal to people and the district needs to maintain its strong community and strong schools
and not allow Center to slip into mediocrity. Mr. Sweeten spoke to the importance of giving the
Center community opportunities to see the great things Center students are doing, e.g.,
presenting at the GLOBE conference in South Africa this summer.
President Bennekin on behalf of the Board thanked Mrs. Stewart, Mr. Sweeten and Mr.
Chambers for their hard work and promised the Board would be very aggressive and fully
supportive of the bond issue. He emphasized that the capital needs list is not a wish list but
rather a list of necessary items to continue and improve the delivery of services to our students.
Discussion included mailing a survey to patrons, negative feedback, having time to educate the
voters about the capital needs, extending the debt service levy from 2022 to 2024, concern with
going back to the voters so soon after the last election, the best time to hold an election
(August, November or April), building enthusiasm for the election, and bonding capacity.
Minutes – Special Meeting
BOARD OF EDUCATION

May 22, 2008 – Page 3
NO TAX INCREASE BOND EXPLORATORY REPORT (continued)
POSSIBLE ADOPTION OF BALLOT LANGUAGE
By a show of hands, Board members were in favor of accepting the recommendation of the
Exploratory Committee to hold the election in April 2009. *Mr. Tancredi commented that the
Board’s preference right now should be next April; however, conditions could change in the next
few months that would make November (2008) the appropriate time to hold the election.
*Minutes amended June 23, 2008.
BOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS
President Bennekin noted regular Board meetings scheduled on Monday, June 23 and July 28,
and a work session on future expectations for the Center School District to be held on Tuesday,
June 10. All meetings will be held at Boone beginning at 7 p.m.
CONSENT ITEMS
Questions were addressed regarding MAP and ACT data for students in the A+ program,
tracking A+ students using Infinite Campus, marketing the A+ program, canceling a career print
graphics field trip, interest in a sports entertainment marketing class, and the graduate follow-up
survey that shows parents to be the most influential people in helping students succeed in high
school. Mr. Nastasi asked what the district can do to help families help their students succeed.
Motion by Nastasi, seconded by Tancredi, to approve the Consent Items. Motion carried
unanimously.
Consent Items approved are as follows:
A. Approval of Bills
B. Attendance Report
G. Personnel
1. Certificated 2. Service
H. Approval of Minutes
1. Regular Meeting, April 28, 2008
2. Special Meeting, May 5, 2008
I. 2008-09 Life and AD&D Insurance Plan Renewal
J. Summer School Update
K. Program / Data Evaluation
1. Career and Technical Programs
2. A+ Program
3. Graduate Follow-up
PRELIMINARY BUDGET 2008-2009
Dr. Bartman explained that tonight’s report provides a more complete look at the anticipated
increases for next year and what balances might look like by the end of the 2008-2009 school
year. Noting money held in reserve for protested taxes, he said the balances at the end of the
current school year will be just under 25% and at the end of next year at 20%. Questions were
addressed regarding LINC fees, money for capital expenditures, addition of an elevator at the
middle school, security work, and being proactive in voicing the district’s concerns regarding
protested taxes. Mr. Pointer said within the next week or so he will have more information on
the budget. The 2008-2009 budget will be brought to the Board for adoption on June 23.
2008-2009 ADMINISTRATOR/DIRECTOR/COORDINATOR SALARY STRUCTURE AND
APPROVAL OF ADMINISTRATOR, DIRECTOR, COORDINATOR AND NON-SCHEDULED
PERSONNEL SALARY SCHEDULE INCREMENT AND ADMUSTMENTS AND STIPENDS
As there was a question about a specific employee, the Board moved into closed session.
Minutes – Special Meeting
BOARD OF EDUCATION
May 22, 2008 – Page 4

MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION
Motion by Nastasi, seconded by Mattson, to go into Closed Session per Revised Statutes
of Missouri Section 610.021 (1) Legal, (3) and (13) Personnel.
In favor: Taylor, Nastasi, Mattson, Bennekin, Westfall, Grossnickle, Tancredi
By Roll Call vote motion carried.
MOTION TO GO INTO OPEN SESSION
Motion by Westfall, seconded by Nastasi, to go into Open Session.
In favor: Taylor, Nastasi, Mattson, Bennekin, Westfall, Grossnickle, Tancredi
By Roll Call vote motion carried.
Motion by Grossnickle, seconded by Westfall, to accept the Administrator/Director/
Coordinator Salary Schedule 2009 with the following amendment of adding Dr. Robert
Bartman at the same 2.75% increase as all the other administrators. Motion carried
unanimously.
ADJOURNMENT
Motion by Nastasi, seconded by Westfall, to adjourn. Motion carried unanimously
Meeting adjourned at 9:27 p.m.
APPROVED:
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Martha Capehart, Secretary
BOARD OF EDUCATION
____________________________
Merrell R. Bennekin, President
BOARD OF EDUCATION
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