AMPHITHEATER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Tucson, Arizona
MINUTES OF REGULAR PUBLIC MEETING
OF THE GOVERNING BOARD
Place, Date and Time of Meeting
Wetmore
Center, 701 West Wetmore Road, May 11, 2004, 6:00 p.m.
Board Members Present
Nancy Young Wright,
President
Dr. Kent Barrabee,
Vice President/Clerk
Patty Clymer, Member
Jeff Grant, Member
Mike Prout, Member
Central Administrators Present
Dr.
Vicki McLeod Balentine, Superintendent
Todd A.
Jaeger, J.D., Associate to Superintendent and General Counsel
Patrick
Nelson, Associate Superintendent
Constance
Cigliana, Chief Financial Officer
Ms. Young Wright
called the meeting to order at 6:06 p.m.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
1.
Motion to
Recess Open Meeting and Hold an Executive Session for:
A.
Discussion of
Employment and Evaluation of the Superintendent, Pursuant to A.R.S.
§38-431.03(A)(1); and
B.
Consideration and
Determination of Appeal of Long-term Suspension Hearing Officer’s Decision,
Pursuant to A.R.S. §15-843(A); Determination of Whether to Hold an Expulsion Hearing
and Designate a Hearing Officer to Hear Evidence, Prepare a Record and Bring a
Recommendation to the Board, Pursuant to A.R.S. §15-843(F)(2).
A motion was made by Mrs. Clymer, seconded by Mr. Grant that the Board recess into executive session. The motion passed 5-0. The time was 6:07 p.m.
CONTINUATION OF OPEN MEETING
Reconvening of Open Meeting and Signing of Visitors’ Register
Following executive session, Ms. Young Wright reconvened the meeting at 7:28 p.m., and asked members of the audience to sign the visitors’ register. Procedures for addressing the Board were described.
Pledge of Allegiance
No audience members addressed the Board.
INFORMATION
2. Announcement of Date and
Place of Next Regular Governing Board Meeting:
Ms. Young Wright announced the next regular meeting of the Governing Board: Tuesday, June 8, 2004, 7:00 p.m., Wetmore Center, 701 W. Wetmore Road.
3. Recognition of Odyssey of the
Mind and Future Problem Solving Participants
Board Book Information: Future Problem Solving (FPS) is a
year-long international education program, which guides students to think
creatively and critically while applying a six-step creative problem-solving
model to global and community issues.
Dr. Balentine
introduced Ms. Jennine Jackson, who is the REACH teacher at Cross Middle School
and served as FPS Coach. Ms. Jackson
presented Tiffany Lee Chan, who is an 8th grader at Cross
Middle School. Tiffany is the winner of the
Scenario Writing competition, in the middle division, grades 7 – 9, for the
state of Arizona. She will represent
Amphitheater District at the International Competition in Lexington, Kentucky.
Board Book Information: Amphitheater Public Schools continues to be the top district in participation and achievement in the Arizona Odyssey of the Mind (OM) program, which promotes divergent and critical thinking in students from kindergarten through college. This year, seven teams will travel to the Odyssey of the Mind World Competition in College Park, Maryland.
Dr. Balentine invited Ms. Deanna Day, Career Ladder Manager, who served as Director of OM Statewide this year, to introduce the OM students.
Ms. Day stated that of the 32 Arizona teams participating in the World finals’ competition this year; Amphi is sending seven of those teams. She began the introductions by stating that one of Amphi’s teams was presented with the Renatra Fusca award; this is considered to be a most prestigious award within this OM community. This team also provided a brief video showing their award-winning entry.
Ms. Day introduced each team as follows:
Canyon del Oro High School
Problem: Featured Creature
Coach: Chris Sternberg; Team Members: Edric Wong, Joseph Thomas, Will
Snavely, Will Sternberg, Kevin Keys, Arshed Al-Obeidi, and Jason Klein.
This CDO team achieved the Renatra Fusca award at the Regional level, as well as, another two at the state level.
Amphitheater High School
Problem: Featured Creature
Coach:
Linda Brady; Team Members: Logan Greene, Drew Olson, Melissa
Brady, Leighann Reynolds, Jonathan Byerley, David Vargas, and Amanda Jeffries.
Cross
Middle School
Problem:
Featured Creature
Coach: Lorie &
Rob Jewett; Team Members: Clark
Jewett, Tylar Fehrenkamp, Emily Meinhausen, James Nichols, Wes Jackson, Caitlyn
Bindschadler, and Chris Hale.
Donaldson Elementary School
Problem: Featured Creature
Coach:
Judy Dodge; Team Members: Nolan
Kirk, Collin Foss, Marissa Spangler, Sarah Stricker,
Nick Tanner, Danielle Tanner, and
Sabrina Serrano.
Mesa Verde Elementary School
Fantastic Art
Coach: Texana Sonnefeld; Team Members: Jimmy Sonnefeld,
Texana Sonnefeld, Kathryn Dyer, Brian Edwards, Victoria Heimink, Dion Heimink,
and Emma Merry.
Ironwood Ridge High School
Coach:
Shelmon Brown; Team Members: Troy Comi, Rich
Reilly, Tanner Nicholson, Ethan Held, Andrew Turley, Aaron Steichen, and Wyatt
Campbell.
Ironwood Ridge High School
Problem: Envirover #1
Coach:
Cindy Glos; Team Members: George
Glos, Nadav Hart, Andy Herman, Christina Miller, Kristina Moser, Amy Rosenblum,
and David Sawyer.
4. Volunteer Reception Update
Board
Book Information: The Amphitheater School District held a reception for all volunteers on
March 30, 2004 at Cross Middle School.
Approximately 40 volunteers from across the District attended and many
of our administrators were also in attendance.
Refreshments were prepared by Amphitheater High School students, and
three students from Canyon del Oro High School provided music.
These volunteers represent 49,788
hours of volunteer service this year. A
special thank you goes to Leah Bergstein, the Family Resource and Wellness
Center Coordinator, for organizing this event.
Ms. Nancy Harden, Executive Director, Student
Services, provided a brief overview of the Volunteer Reception event. Additionally, a video was shown that was
produced by Kirt Ijams and Nancy Montoya describing the District’s volunteer
program.
5. Periodic Legislative Update
Dr. Balentine provided a brief overview on the
status of the state budget. The Senate
has passed the budget with discussions now in process in the House; budget
approval is expected in the near future.
Proposition 301 funding increases for K-12 education is expected. Building Renewal funding formulas are
expected to change; however, the final budget are expected to include an
allocation. The full-day kindergarten
program is under discussion.
Note
Ms. Young Wright announced that there would be a
change in the order of the agenda; Item 6 was moved and became the first item
presented under “Study/Action” (see below).
7. Monthly Status Report for the Fiscal Year 2003-04, Classroom Site Fund Inflow
Board
Book Information: An update on the
funding status of the FY-2003-2004, Classroom Site Fund.
Dr. Balentine provided an overview
of a chart that was visually projected showing the most recent Proposition 301
Classroom site fund in-flow funding receipts through December 2003.
Ms. Young Wright announced that a public hearing would take place to accommodate the Budget Revision Three (3) process. She invited anyone interested in addressing the Board regarding this issue to do so. Procedures for addressing the Board were described.
8.
Public
Hearing on the FY 2003-2004 Expenditure Budget Revision 3
Board Book Information:
ARS §15-905E requires Governing Boards to move immediately following
the public hearing to adopt the budget.
It is the recommendation of the
Administration that the Governing Board approve and adopt the May revision of
the 2003-2004 expenditure budget.
Ms. Young Wright declared the public
hearing regarding the 2003-2004 revised budget in session at 8:20 p.m.
Dr. Balentine reiterated the current concerns and issues that the
District has experienced regarding the on-going corrections’ process in
achieving synchronized student-enrollment counts (between District and State
Department of Education). The
implementation process of the State’s student accountability information system
(software) is still being fine-tuned and continues to require scrutiny in
validating enrollment for 2003-2004.
She added that this process has been successfully completed for the
2002-2003 school year. As a result,
this proposed final revision for 2003-2004 includes a Budget Capacity amount
that includes the adjusted 2002-2003 student count numbers rather than the
2003-2004 numbers.
Dr. Balentine stated that although she is asking the Board’s approval
of this final revision, she emphasized that at another time in the future, it
will probably be necessary to return to this issue and administratively
petition the State Department of Education to approve the 2003-2004 final
student count. This change will
probably result in a change in the budget “capacity” and possibly in an
increased carry-forward into the 2004-2005 budget.
Dr.
Balentine reviewed some of the changes within the amended budget revision #3;
changes on those pages (13 of 17, 7 of 8) from the 2003-2004 Expenditure Budget
were visually-projected. She noted an
increase (approximately $300,000.) shown in Excess Utilities. This adjustment is due to the expected
outcome of a court case filed by school districts against the Legislature for
“capping” excess utilities. The suit is
predicated upon the concept that the voters’ direction, via Proposition 301,
was intended to phase out excess utilities in 2009-2010, rather than cap
earlier. The revised total capacity
figures are: Maintenance and Operation (M & O): $77,783,987. and
Unrestricted Capital Outlay: $568,707.
There were no public comments. Ms. Young Wright declared that the
public hearing regarding the 2003-2004 revised budget was closed; the time was 8:30 p.m.
9.
Adoption
of the FY 2003-04 Expenditure Budget Revision 3
Board Book
Information: The Fiscal Year 2003-2004 Expenditure Budget was adopted using
estimates for the final expenditure figures.
In this May amendment to the Fiscal year 2003-2004 Expenditure Budget,
the Finance Department has replaced estimated amounts with more current information
and redistributed monies to areas of actual program use.
It
is the recommendation of the Administration that the Governing Board approve
the May revision of the 2003-2004 Expenditure Budget.
Mrs. Clymer
made a motion to approve the May revision of the 2003-2004 Expenditure Budget
(Exhibit 7, pp 1-10). The motion was
seconded by Mr. Prout and passed unanimously, 5-0.
Dr. Balentine requested that Item U be removed from the Consent Agenda. This item will likely become an information item at the June 8, 2004 Board meeting. Ms. Young Wright stated that Item U is removed from consideration for vote.
A motion was made by Mr. Grant to approve consent agenda items A – T, excluding Item U. Dr. Barrabee seconded the motion and passed unanimously, 5-0. Appointment of personnel is effective, provided all district, state and federal requirements are met.
A. Approval of
Minutes From Previous Meeting(s)
Minutes of the April
27, 2004 Regular Governing Board Meeting were approved.
B. Revision of
Appointments
Certified and
classified personnel were appointed, as listed in Exhibit 1.
C. Personnel Changes
Certified and classified personnel changes were approved, as listed in Exhibit 2.
D. Leave(s) of
Absence
Leave of absence
requests were approved for certified and classified personnel, as listed in Exhibit 3.
E. Separation(s) and
Termination(s)
Certified and classified personnel separations were approved, as listed in Exhibit 4.
F. Approval of
Vouchers Totaling and Not Exceeding Approximately $1,039,000.00 (Revised Total)
The following
vouchers were approved as presented and payment authorized:
Vo. 607 $99,056.78
Vo. 608
19,727.10
Vo. 609
56,707.41
Vo. 610 245,643.37
Vo. 611 194,036.17
Vo. 612 36,563.70
Vo. 613 386,747.13
G. Acceptance of Gifts
Donations were
accepted by the Governing Board, as listed in Exhibit
5.
Board
Book Information: Board Book Information:
Arizona Revised Statutes §15-1121
and 15-1125 provide for the operation of Student Activity and Auxiliary
Operations funds, respectively. The
Uniform System of Financial Records for Arizona School Districts (USFR)
outlines procedures to be followed by school districts in the disbursements of
monies from either of these funds. One
requirement for the operational compliance is to provide a report to the
Governing Board summarizing the transactions for the month.
The Governing Board received the Monthly
Report on School Auxiliary and Club Balances, as submitted.
I. Approval of
Out-of-State Travel
Out-of-state travel
was approved for students (source of funding indicated): Pat Nugent, Matt Powell, and Tony Jacobsen,
Canyon del Oro High School, to attend the San Diego State Football Passing
Tournament in San Diego, California, June 17 – 20, 2004 (club funds and
fundraising).
J.
Award of Construction Contract for Warehouse
Refrigerator/Freezer Based upon Responses to Request for Bid 03-0052
Board
Book Information: The Amphitheater Food Service Department has a need for additional refrigerator
and freezer capacity due to the District’s growth to 21 sites coupled with the
opportunity to purchase frozen bulk government commodities at considerable
savings.
Request for Bid (RFB) 03-0052 was
distributed to interested Contractors through the Print Room. Architectural
Drawings, Site Specifications and the Invitation for Formal Quotes comprised
the Bid Package. The RFB was sent to the different Contractor’s Plan Services
as well as advertised in the Legal Section of the Arizona Daily Star.
Jay Hanson, the District’s
Architect provided approved alternate freezer boxes allowing the Contractors
responding to this RFB the opportunity to shop for best price for the specified
refrigerator/freezer unit. Twenty-nine
contractors and subcontractors obtained bid packages. Ten Contractors submitted
sealed bids. Please see the attached spreadsheet. The low responding contractor
is LVH Construction with a base bid of $385.00.00, and a total cost including
tax of $406,178.00.
The
Governing Board approved the award of contract to LVH Construction for the construction of a
Food
Service Refrigerator/Freezer Facility pursuant to the terms of their proposal, which is to be
located at the District’s Warehouse 1001 W. Roger Road (RFB 03-0052).
K.
Award of Contract for
Public Relations & Communications Services Based Upon Responses to Request
for Proposal 03-0046
Board Book Information: A
Notice of Request for Proposals (“RFP”) for Public
Relations & Communications Services was issued on March 15, 2004 with a due date of April 6,
2004. The proposal was mailed to twenty vendors. Three responses were received,
with only two of those three vendors submitting proposals: International Media
and the Nordensson Group. Caliber
Communications Group replied that it did not wish to submit a proposal.
The RFP called for proposals from firms able to assist District
personnel and departments in the provision of public relations and
communications. The Scope of Work covered Media Relations, Constituent
Relations, Web Site Support, Grant Writing and a Broadcast Journalism Pilot
Program.
Responding vendors were evaluated on the following criteria, Staff
Qualifications, Cost, Experience, Capacity & Capability, Service to Public
Schools, Compliance with Requirements, and Communication Skills. Please see
attached evaluation form.
It is the intent of the District to award this proposal for the balance
of the fiscal year, May & June 2004, with the option to renew for three (3)
additional (1) one year periods on mutual agreement of both parties. Two
District staff members, Pete Burgard, Purchasing, and Todd Jaeger, Legal
Services, together with the Superintendent, evaluated the two vendor responses.
All other information [other than vendor name] contained in
the proposals shall remain confidential so as to avoid disclosure of contents
prejudicial to competing offerors during the process of negotiation. Proposals and modifications shall only be
shown to school district personnel having a legitimate interest in them or
persons assisting the District in evaluation.
The Procurement Code also provides that:
After contract-award the proposals shall be made open for
public inspection, except to the extent that the withholding of information is
permitted or required by law.
R7-2-1050(E).
Accordingly, if necessary, the Board may recess the public meeting and
convene an executive session to discuss or consider the confidential proposal
documents, pursuant to A.R.S. §38-431.03(A)(2).
Complete and original proposals for each organization listed
above are available, by appointment only, for review in the office of the
Purchasing Manager.
The Governing Board approved the
award of contract to International
Media pursuant to the terms of their proposal for the balance of the
current fiscal year (May & June 2004), with the option to renew for three
(3) additional, one (1) year periods on mutual agreement of both parties (RFP 03-0046).
L.
Award of Contract for Hand Towels and Toilet
Tissue Based Upon Responses to Request for Bid 03-0001
Board Book
Information: A Notice of Request for Bid for Hand Towels and Toilet Tissue was
mailed to fifteen vendors supplying janitorial supplies and paper products.
Seven vendors responded with priced bids. Please see attached spreadsheet.
The Toilet Tissue is a Kimberly Clark
2,000-foot jumbo-sized roll, 2ply product designed for high traffic areas. The
Hand Towels, also a Kimberly Clark product are hard rolled @ 800 feet per roll.
Both these products were field tested at Amphitheater High School and received
high marks from the custodial staff and students.
The Governing
Board approved the award of contract to Waxie Sanitary Supply Services pursuant to the terms of their proposal
for the balance of the fiscal year, May & June 2004, with the option to
renew for four (4) additional, one (1) year periods on mutual agreement of both
parties (RFB 03-0001).
M. Ratification of Superintendent’s Execution
of Agreement with Development Sites, Ltd. Regarding Voluntary School Impact
Donation Pursuant to Governing Board Policy KLJA.
Board Book
Information: Governing Board policy KLJA permits the district to solicit and
encourage real estate developers to contribute voluntary “educational
donations” to the district to offset the impact on the district’s schools of
their proposed developments. Especially in the growing northern part of the
District’s boundaries, increased enrollment resulting from developments may
result in over-enrollment, exceeding schools’ physical capacity.
Presently, the State School Facilities Board (SFB) does not
provide funding for school construction in growing neighborhoods if physical
enrollment capacity exists elsewhere in a school district. Instead, the SFB requires districts to bus
children where capacity exists or to redraw school boundaries to adjust
enrollment patterns, both of which substantially interfere with the
neighborhood school philosophy our District and community have long
embraced.
In a proactive effort to avoid overcrowding and negative
impact on the district’s students, the district has entered into negotiations
with real estate developers pursuant to Policy KLJA. In each case, the district has sought an educational donation of
$1,200.00 per home, due at the close of escrow of each home, or the donation of
land to be used for school construction.
The District concluded favorable negotiations with
Development Sites, Ltd., related to development of 17.57 acres on which 20
residential units will be built north of Wilson K-8 on Tangerine Road near
Camino Del Plata. The Project will
impact the enrollment at Wilson K-8 School and Ironwood Ridge High School. The result of this negotiation was the
developer’s commitment to pay the District $1,200 per residence built on a
platted lot in its proposed development.
An agreement has been executed by Dr. Balentine and the
developer. It is attached for the
Board’s ratification.
The Governing Board approved the Voluntary School Impact Donation
agreement entered into by and between Amphitheater District and Development
Sites, Ltd., pursuant to the terms related to the project located on Parcel
224-110-190, on Tangerine Road in Oro Valley, Arizona (Exhibit 8, pp1-10).
N.
Approval of a 5
year Food Program Service Agreement for the National School Lunch Program,
National School Breakfast Program, and Year Round Summer Food Service Program.
Board
Book Information: Approval of this
agreement is requested for a 5 year period, for school years 2004-2005 through
2008-2009 to insure the continuation of state/federal aid with the NSLP, NSBP
and the year round SFSP.
The Governing Board approved the Food Program Service Agreement ADE Contract Number
ED05-0001, as presented (Exhibit 9, pp1-20).
O. Approval of Request for Proposal (RFP) for Medicaid
Reimbursement Services
Board
Book Information: The Amphitheater District currently participates in the MIPS (Medicaid
in the Public Schools) program, which allows our district to seek Medicaid
(AHCCCS in Arizona) reimbursement for health related services provided to
students. Covered services include, but are not limited to, speech,
occupational, and physical therapy, as well as psychological and health
services. The District currently
utilizes ASHIP to process our claims for reimbursement.
The vendor providing claims processing/submission services collects a
percentage of the reimbursement paid by AHCCCS as their fee. This percentage is
typically in the range of 6 to 7% under current market conditions, but the RFP
would require competing vendors to state their specific fee structure(s). In
addition, each responding vendor would be required to provide data concerning
their collection rate in obtaining full reimbursement for claims submitted. The
successful vendor will also be required to work with Administration to submit
claims for past services potentially coverable under the school application of
Medicaid, whether or not such coverage has been formally approved by
AHCCCS.
The RFP will provide the District with a procurement tool to evaluate
vendors offering Medicaid Reimbursement Services to K-12 schools and to select
a vendor with a demonstrated commitment of pursuing the full reimbursement
potential of all eligible services provided by the District to students.
The nature of services provided by a third party biller under the MIPS
program is such that selection of the best qualified vendor is dependent upon a
number of factors beyond the vendor’s fee(s).
In other words, cost is not the sole consideration. Instead, such factors: as staffing levels,
customer service, prompt claims processing, and payment history for other
Districts may be important. If a
vendor’s fee is only 5%, but the vendor’s record demonstrates a substantial
aging of claims prior to payment, it would not be advantageous for the District
to use fee alone as the determining factor of awarding a contract to the
vendor.
The Administration recommends
that the Governing Board find that it is not advantageous for the District to
issue an invitation for bids in this circumstance, because of the various
qualitative factors that affect service provided by a MIPS third party
biller. Accordingly, the Administration
also recommends that the Board authorize issuance of a Request for Proposal for
Medicaid Reimbursement Services.
The Governing Board authorized the issuance
of a Request for Proposal for Medicaid Reimbursement Services in lieu of
issuance of invitation for bids.
P.
Approval of
Textbook for Display
The Governing Board
approved the placement of the textbook (shown below) for officially display for
a period of 60 days, effective May 11, 2004.
This in accordance with Section
15-721 of the Arizona Revised Statutes regarding new textbooks requesting
official adoption by the Governing Board.
Publisher: Glencoe
(National Textbook Company)
Author: Shepard/Greene
Price: $58.50
Q. Approval of Textbook for Adoption
Following a 60-day
public display, the Governing Board adopted the textbook (shown below). This is
in accordance with Section 15-721 of the Arizona Revised Statutes.
Publisher: Bedford/St. Martins
Author: Michael Myer
Price: $52.50
R.
Review and Approval
of Mini-Grant for Rio Vista Elementary School
Board Book
Information: Rio Vista Elementary School has received a mini-grant, which will be
used for the second grade self-selected reading block program.
The Governing Board approved the mini-grant
from the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona for a total of $2,000.00,
given to Rio Vista Elementary School.
S.
Approval of
Fireworks for Canyon del Oro High School Graduation Ceremonies
The Governing Board
approved the request for a fireworks display on May 19, 2004 by the Canyon del
Oro High School’s graduating class of 2004.