Garden City Public Schools Board of Education met during a regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, May 6, 2024. The meeting was held at the Educational Support Center Board Room, 1205 Fleming Street.
The Board received a building presentation from Jennie Barker Elementary School. Students from the Lighthouse team at the school presented information about the school and the great things that they have done during the school year. LETRS instructs teachers in what literacy skills need to be taught, why, and how to plan to teach them.
The Board received information on the Parents As Teachers program in the district. As part of the district’s ongoing kindergarten readiness efforts, USD 457 provides Universal home visiting services through Parents as Teachers. At its core, the USD 457 Parents as Teachers home visiting model is a relationship-based and parenting-focused program. The national curriculum focuses on parent-child interaction, development-centered parenting, and family well-being; on strengths, capabilities and skills; and on building protective factors within the family.
They also received information about Garden City High School teaming up with Garden City Community College and Newman University to launch a program allowing high school students to earn an associate’s degree in elementary education concurrently with their high school diploma. This first-of-its-kind initiative in Kansas and the nation provides a cost-effective, accelerated path into the teaching profession, addressing the critical shortage of qualified teachers and reducing the financial burdens of higher education.
The Board approved a design by ICE Engineers for the Abe Hubert Elementary School HVAC system replacement for $127,500.00.
Under New Business, the Board approved the addition of a new course, Community Leadership, as a 1.0 credit elective course. They heard information on the continuation of Renaissance Learning, an existing curriculum from Renaissance for $128,240.00. This was a first read and no action was taken. They approved the purchase of an Anatomage Convertible Table to be used in Health Science and Biomedical courses at Garden City High School from Anatomage for $84,045.00.
The Board approved a proposal to update the elevator at JD Adams Hall for $130,677.07. They approved a bid to sand and refinish the gym floors at Horace Good Middle School from Creative Floors for $68,132.00. They approved the contract with Bobcat Equipment for the purchase of a MT 100 Mini Track Loader for $34,600.00. They approved the purchase of a replacement Cable Analyzer from CDW-G for $14,000.00.
There was an update on carpet in the district. In January the Board approved $49,450 for carpet to be installed at Plymell Elementary school in accordance with the Long-Range Facility Plan. However, as the boundary study progressed the carpet installation was paused. The Board approved to install the carpet at Kenneth Henderson Middle School and will get bids on the extra carpet needed to complete the project.
Information was provided about the Boundary Study. The three board members that served on the Boundary Study committee will work with the district leadership team on developing boundaries for the district. The Board requested to look at what K-5 and K-6 boundaries would look like in the district. The board would continue to look at a two middle school model. They want to see what the boundaries would look like in a balanced enrollment at the middle schools currently and adding 10 classrooms onto Kenneth Henderson Middle School.
They also approved the following items during the meeting. They include: Minutes of the April 15, 2024, regular meeting; Minutes of the April 22, 2024, special meeting; Minutes of the April 30, 2024, special meeting; and Certified and Classified Personnel actions.
The Board held four executive sessions after the completion of all other business. The first executive session was for matters relating to employer-employee negotiations, whether or not in consultation with the representative or representatives of the body or agency. The second executive session was for the consideration of the recommendation from the appeal hearing on a student's expulsion.
The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Education will be Monday, May 20, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. in the Board Room at the Educational Support Center, 1205 Fleming Street.
The complete agenda can be found here.
The Board of Education meeting can be viewed here.