Other agenda items included a discussion of the results of survey of families who enroll out of the district or home school their children, creation of a Community Task Force to engage in student health and wellness issues and a comparison of teacher salaries with other area districts.

 

 

At the beginning of the session, the board voted unanimously to retain Chairman Aaron Jurek in that position for the coming year.  Vice-Chairman Jason Kindred, Treasurer Lori Molus and Clerk Mark Swanson will also continue in those offices.  Board members Sheri Lumley and Bryan Olson were unable to attend the meeting.

 

Swanson then proposed that the existing committee assignments be retained for the coming year, as the district is currently in the middle of major construction on the campus, and is involved in continuing labor contract negotiations with teachers and transport personnel.  The board agreed, and approved the motion unanimously.  The board also voted to retain all existing financial institutions, the auditing firm, legal counsel and official newspaper.

 

 

Supt. Dr. Stephen Malone presented the results of a district survey of families who either enroll out of the district or home school their children.  That data indicated that 22 of the respondents cited a lack of religious education as the reason for not enrolling their children in Becker schools. 

 

Of those surveyed, 16 listed problems with curriculum as an issue, 14 found the “school climate” to be a problem, location/distance from work was listed by 11 respondents, eight had issues with teachers or administrators, five cited unmet needs for advanced students, and another five cited the same for struggling students.

 

Conversely, nine respondents noted in the “Comments” column that they were satisfied with the district, three cited discipline and safety issues, and three said they believed the school has a “liberal agenda”.

 

Malone stated that the law currently forbids public schools from providing religious education to their students, making it necessary for parents seeking such a framework to enroll their students in a religious school, or pursue the home schooling option.

 

In 2012-13, the district had a resident ADM (average daily membership) of 2,550, with 304 enrolled in, 123 enrolled out (a gain of 181) and 2,731 ADM served.  Project 2013-14 figures show resident ADM at 2,556, enrolled in at 337, enrolled out at 125, net gain of 212 and ADM served at 2,768. 

 

 

In his meeting notes, Malone stated that the community is “deeply saddened” by the deaths of three high school students in the past year, and that the district has a number of ongoing school mental health intervention programs underway.

 

He also announced the formation of a Community Task Force, which has been formed to work to enhance the welfare of young people in the community.  The group currently has 27 volunteer members, including seven parents from the district, three high school students, school administrators, school counselors, area churches, law enforcement and social services.

 

The task force will convene Mon., Jan. 13, Malone said.  He also stated that there had been more parent volunteers than there were positions available, but that volunteer opportunities will certainly exist in the future for those interested in taking part.

 

 

Many Becker Education Association (BEA) members attended the board meeting, most in response to a rumor that some action would be announced regarding the on-going contract talks.  A sea of “BEA blue” shirts filled the BHS Media Center audience, but no breakthrough was announced.

 

Swanson reported that the board committee and the union had last met on Dec. 18, the seventh meeting so far on the 2014-15 contract negotiation, with some “tentative agreement” on some language items, but with both sides still far apart on the percentages.  The district is offering 3 ½ per cent, while the union is asking for 9 ½ per cent, Swanson said. The next session with state mediators is set for Tues., Feb. 4, he said.

 

The meeting packet also included a survey of Becker teaching salaries as compared to adjoining districts. (See attached chart.)

 

The board did go into closed session to discuss negotiation strategies after the regular agenda was completed, but took no further action prior to adjournment.

 

Once the board had departed, a number of union members raised concerns about the current contract negotiations, with some noting that the district offer includes insurance plan payments as compensation rather than a straight raise in pay, and that the new offer may not include advancement “steps” as previous contracts did.

 

Kindred reported that talks with the transportation workers are also on-going.

 

Contract negotiations with the SEIU service employees union