The Becker School Board discussed the 2017 budget, a stakeholder campaign overview, pairwise results and 2017 exit incomes at Monday’s meeting.

 

Supt. Stephen Malone gave his monthly report, which included his agreeing to serve as the blogger for MASA’s “What We Are  Reading” program.  In exchange for posting summaries of books Malone reads about educational leadership and related topics, he will receive complimentary books. 

 

“This is excellent professional development for my colleagues and me,” he said. “There is no pay associated with this position.”

 

Malone says the high school program design continues to move forward for the next school year. In early March, students completed the registration process for a five-period day, trimester schedule. Some new classes include 21st century skills, college in the schools environment science, computer programming and robotics. 

 

Malone said the 21st century skills class will be required for juniors and include personal finance, college and career readiness, and digital citizenship topics. 

 

As the high school schedule continues to evolve, the other program components of social emotional learning, senior year, alternative delivery, student engagement, and career pathways/academics will be at the forefront of the board’s decision-making. 

 

Malone mentioned the transportation walk zones will change next year. This year the walk zones are up to one mile for students in grades K-6 and two miles for students in grades 7-12. Next year, the walk zones will be one half mile for students in grades K-5 and one mile for students in grades 6-12. 

 

Malone says families have been notified of the updates and the new walk zone maps are posted on the transportation services website. 

 

A law was amended in the Spring of 2013 and imposed significant requirements on school districts and teachers relative to teacher evaluations and peer reviews. 

 

The law states that “the school board and the exclusive representative of the teachers may develop a teacher evaluation and peer review process for teachers through joint agreement. If a school board and the exclusive representative of the teachers do not agree to an annual teacher evaluation and peer review process, then the school board and the exclusive representative of the teachers must implement the state plan.”

 

A committee of Becker teachers and administrators began work on an evaluation plan in April of 2013. The evaluation plan was approved by the BEA and the Becker School Board in August of 2014.

 

A committee of teachers and administrators reviewed the plan in June of 2016 and recommended no changes. The committee will review the plan again  April 11. 

 

“I appreciate the collaboration of the BEA to maintain a teacher evaluation plan that is workable for teachers and administrators,” said Malone.

 

Malone said recent enhancements to the school district’s Wi-Fi system enables students to use their personal devices on the Becker-Guest network. Student school-owned devices will operate on the student-Wifi network.

 

Revised 2017 and preliminary 2018 budgets were presented and discussed Monday, over topics such as general education funding, enrollment, general education aid and unassigned fund balances.

 

The board discussed the 2017 stakeholder campaign overview and the statistics associated with the campaign.

 

Board members reviewed and discussed pairwise results and 2017 exit outcomes.

 

The consent agenda was reviewed and approved which included March minutes, March financials, personnel decisions, acceptance of gifts, a termination and non-renewal resolution, proposed unrequested leave of absence resolution and the 2018019 school year calendar.

 

The next Becker Schools Board Meeting is May 1 at 6:30 p.m.