Board Briefs—April 4, 2006 In This Issue... Public Comments Highlights from Superintendent's Report Food Services Report Update of Strategic Plan   Financial Advisory Committee IP Telephony Capital Reserve Budget Consensus Items

Public Comments
A parent, who is currently home schooling her daughter, addressed the Board on several recent issues. She spoke of her concern of the high percentage of "at-risk" students at Sinclair and wondered what classified a student as "at-risk". She was encouraged to hear of the elimination of the Sinclair Assistant Principal position, saying that she would rather see cuts at the administrative level than in the art and band programs. She is concerned with cuts in special education and the fact that kids are moving to other school districts.

Highlights from Superintendent's Report
Next City/Schools Meeting—Dr. McCabe said that the next City/Schools Committee Meeting is Thursday, April 6. There are currently two items on the agenda—affordable housing and fostering a positive attitude. A suggestion was made to also discuss how Englewood Schools can work more closely with the Malley Center.
Sinclair Resources—Dr. McCabe clarified that, at the previous Board meeting, when he talked about using additional FTE to assist the Sinclair principal, he was referring to existing personnel that had available hours, not additional resources.

Food Services Report
Ms. Georgia Greer and Mr. John Kugler from Chartwells provided the Board with a report on the Food Services program. They reported on the following:
- participation level, which has increased 14.2% overall, despite declining enrollment
- healthier options that are available at all levels, including the use of whole wheat products, salad bars, and low fat or skim milk
- resource materials available to the District's Wellness Committee to help them develop the District's Wellness Policy
In closing, Ms. Greer announced that, financially, this year's Food Services program is looking very good as they are in a positive financial state.

Update of Strategic Plan  Handout
Dr. McCabe provided an update of the Strategic Plan. He referred to the Board Handout, which provides a summary of the February 17-18 Strategic Planning Session. In this session, participants defined the following goals:
- Diverse (progressive/innovative) Education Opportunities
- Supportive Environments and Structures
- Community Engagement and Partnerships
The committee came up with 8 strategies under the 3 goals. Another meeting was held on March 21 to combine and set priorities for these strategies. Four action teams will be created to address the top 4 strategies. The remaining strategies are currently being addressed or will be addressed following the completion of other strategies. The Action Teams will meet May through August, followed by open sessions. After the Action teams meet and the open sessions are held, a document will be developed that will become the Strategic Plan for the District, pending Board approval.

Financial Advisory Committee   Handout 1  Handout 2
Dr. McCabe reviewed Policy 7212 with the Board. Policy 7212 defines how to set up ad hoc committees, which can be established by the Board or District Staff. Staff will develop the Financial Advisory Committee, which will review the financial status of the Englewood Schools and advise the Superintendent on short and long term financial issues that affect the District. The charge of the committee, proposed membership, and timeline are detailed in Handout 2. Board members recommended that the committee also include a city representative, non-parent community members, and senior citizens.

IP Telephony   Handout 1   Handout 2
Mr. Dale Stout presented the Board an overview of the District's recent efforts to research IP Telephony systems and vendors. The District has been experiencing problems with the current telephone system for years, sometimes taking up to one full day to get a building's system back up after a problem has occurred. Mr. Stout gave an overview of the current system to the Board and explained where the District wants to go with IP Telephony and why. He explained that a District committee has been been investigating vendors and systems for 6 months. At this point, the committee recommends moving forward with the installation of a new IP telephony system using ShoreTel and Milestone as the vendors, at a cost of $450,000. The new system will provide a more robust, reliable telephone system that allows for future enhancements. The proposed IP Telephony System will be an action item at the April 18 Board meeting Since this is a one-time expense, it is recommended that it be purchased out of the General Fund Reserves.

Capital Reserve Budget   Handout 1  Handout 2  Handout 3
Ms. Peg LaPlante presented a summary of the Capital Reserve Fund to the Board, explaining how money is allocated to this fund. Capital Reserve Funds are used to fund computer and copier leases, software licenses, an energy lease, and capital building projects. Ms. LaPlante explained that, in the past, there has been a contingency amount of $100,000 left in this fund for emergencies. She is recommending changing this amount to $50,000 to allow more work to be done in District buildings. She also provided the Board a copy of the Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan, which lists needed projects at each building. Ms. LaPlante explained that this is a work-in-progress document and that the District would like to do more in 2006-2007, but does not have the funds. Bond projects are also included in the 5-year plan. The District may need to start thinking about doing another Bond election in the near future. Projects that are funded by the Capital Reserve Fund are more like "patches"—a bond issue will need to be passed for large-ticket items.

Consensus Items
The Board approved the following consensus items:
a. Personnel Recommendations & Addendum
b. Updated Policy 1611—Regular Meetings—2nd Reading  Handout
c. Updated Policy 6310—School Year—2nd Reading   Handout
d. Extended Field Trip—CFAHS—Lost Creek Wilderness

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