August 5, 2013 at 7:00 PM - Regular Board of Education Meeting

Rationale:  Recommendation is made to approve the Board Minutes:  6/24/13

Rationale:  This appointment is in accordance with the City Charter VI, Section 11, and Section IV-91 of the Oak Ridge Schools Board of Education policies. Ms. Miller’s new term will expire August 2016.

Rationale:  Recommendation is made to approve the attached Sick Leave Bank Board of Trustees

Rationale: 

Laurie Campbell is being recommended to be advanced to the Professional Administrator License to the State Department of Education.  

The Comprehensive Education Reform Act (CERA) requires local school systems to recommend annually to the State Department of Education those who qualify for State Teacher Licensure Advancement.

 

Rationale:  Attached is the USDA/CACFP Food Grant application and Food Service Budget for the Oak Ridge Schools Preschool Program.

Rationale:  Attached is the USDA/CACFP Food Grant application and Food Service Budget for the Oak Ridge Schools Preschool Program at the Woodland Elementary site.

Rationale:  Connie Donovan, an English/Foreign Language Teacher at Oak Ridge High School, is requesting maternity leave for the birth of her child for the 2013 – 2014 school year.  Ms. Donovan intends to use her sick leave, unpaid FMLA benefits and unpaid leave.  Physician’s documentation has been received.  Ms. Donovan plans to return to her position at the start of the 2014 – 2015 school year.

Rationale:  Funds for the repair of band instruments were not included in the district’s 2013-2014 budget.  Based on the anticipated cost(s) of instrument repair for the 2013-2014, this transfer is being requested so that upcoming expenses can be charged to and expensed out of the proper account.

Rationale:  A recommendation is made to change the start time of the regular Board of Education meetings from 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The change is noted in red.

Rationale: 

Pursuant to provisions established by Public Chapter 326, School Support Organization Financial Accountability Act, Oak Ridge Board of Education recognizes the following entity as official nonprofit School Support Organization. 

• Jefferson Middle School Lady Eagles Volleyball Boosters

Rationale:  State guidance on school fees allows schools to request but not require fees for activities and materials that impact students during the regular school day or that are a part of the curriculum.  Any request for fees must still be approved by the Board of Education.  We are requesting that the attached fee list be approved as a requested but not required fee list for Oak Ridge Schools.

Rationale:  The 50% system wide elementary reading specialist is currently being vacated due to a resignation.  In FY’14 the curriculum team was reduced by one position and has been reallocating duties to best serve district needs. Given current personnel in place, in order to further the implementation of best practices and common core standards, I am recommending that the 50% reading specialist be reclassified as a 50% mathematics specialist serving our elementary schools.  Funding is available in the general purpose budget to cover the costs of the proposed reclassification.

Rationale:  A recommendation is made to revise the Non-Tenure and Tenure Policy to comply with changes to the state tenure policy.

Rationale:  A recommendation is made to revise the evaluation policy to comply with changes in the annual state evaluation law.

Rationale: 

In support of Oak Ridge Schools and the City of Oak Ridge, Aramark Educational Services has generously offered to provide $5,000 for student scholarships and $5,000 for community support, annually, over the next five years. 

Additionally, Aramark is proposing financial support of up to $60,000 for new cooking and service equipment for Oak Ridge Schools.

Please see the attached memo for details.

Rationale:  A recommendation is made to approve Cincinnati Insurance Company to provide the Superintendent’s Official Statutory Bond in the amount of $1,169,700 for an annual premium of $1,377.

Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-3-315(b)(3) requires the Board of Education to approve an official statutory bond for the Superintendent who, by State statute, serves as the secretary and treasurer for a local board of education. Staff has worked through the Assurance Center of Oak Ridge to solicit bids on this coverage. This year will be the first year of a four-year bond with Cincinnati Insurance Company. The amount of protection is based on a prescribed formula required by the State statute and is $1,169,700 for the 2013-14 fiscal year.

Rationale: 

A recommendation is made to purchase 150 Dell GX755 Computer Systems from Coretek at a total cost of $28,350.00 as part of the Middle School RTI model and testing devices initiative.

The total cost for the 150 Dell GX755 Computer Systems is $28,350.00.This will provide 4 new labs in the middle schools. The cost will be covered by the FY14 budget line item 72810-709.

Bidding requirements for the purchase of the 150 Dell GX755 Computer Systems from Coretek were met by competitive bid. The bid was advertised in the Knoxville News Sentinel and the Oak Ridge School’s website. The bids were opened on June 20th^th, 2013. There were 8 bids. Coretek was low bid.

Rationale: 

A recommendation is made to approve the 2013-2014 tuition rates as listed on the attached information.

Board of Education Policy 6.204 requires students who are not legal residents of Oak Ridge to pay tuition as approved annually by the Board of Education. A copy of this policy and proposed tuition rates are attached.

Non-Resident Tuition Statistics for 2012-2013 School Year: There were 91 tuition students that paid $320,592.22 in tuition to Oak Ridge Schools. Of this number, 66% were from Anderson County, 15% from Roane County and 10% were from other counties in Tennessee. 64% of the non-resident students were enrolled in grades 7-12 and 27% were enrolled in grades K-6.