This information includes highlights of information received by the Ladue Schools Board of Education at the May 15, 2023 regular Board of Education business meeting. This is an unofficial record. Official minutes of each Board meeting are posted on the district website and are available for viewing at the Administrative Center after the Board approves them, typically two weeks after the meeting.

View a recording from the May 15 Board Meeting

Board President Remarks

• I would like to remind the Board that the MSBA Summer Summit is June 16 and 17 in Branson.

• I would like to congratulate our Ladue Schools community as the school year comes to an end. As many can attest, the two best days of the school year are the first day and the last day. We just wrapped up Teacher Appreciation Week last week and I would like to thank our teachers and staff members who work diligently to ensure our students are prepared to excel in anything they pursue, as you have seen here tonight. I also want to congratulate our amazing students at all levels for all of their awe-inspiring accomplishments. The future of our students is bright.

• As we prepare for graduation this Sunday – which is one of my favorite events – and our seniors finish their time with us here in Ladue Schools, I also want to give a shoutout to our parents. As I’m sure some around this dais can attest, this point of transition causes parents to reflect on and remember when their babies entered kindergarten and maybe just like me wanted to follow the bus and stay with them all day. But you didn’t, and they turned out just fine. They moved through their K through 12 education, and while there may have been an occasional bad day, or an ER visit, an extra hug, or a stern talking to, they made it, and we are all so very proud of them. I would simply remind the Class of 2023 and our entire community that “Once a Ram, always a Ram” and We Are Ladue.

• I would also like to remind you that the meeting of the Board of Education is an opportunity for the Board to hold its meeting in public.

Superintendent Remarks

• I want to start out by saying happy Mother’s Day to all of our moms – thank you for all that you do.

• We held a successful Board retreat on April 27. I appreciated the dialogue and everyone’s willingness to discuss topics like our district goals, safety of our schools, committee structures, budgetary items, and future planning, just to name a few. I look forward to our next Board retreat on June 15.

• Speaking of safety, I appreciate the Board’s support with hiring a new Safety and Security Coordinator this evening. We’ll make an official announcement to our staff and community on Tuesday. I also want to thank our Board for its initial support of Ladue police officers at our middle school. Lastly, we will share information about Centegix with you tonight, and a potential contract which is also directly connected to safety and security of our students.

• There are so many wonderful things happening in our district, and many of them were highlighted tonight during Student Recognition. You may have already done so, but if you haven’t, please thank our Communications Department for all of its hard work in putting that together.

• I also want to thank Don Goble for his work on all of our Excellence in Education videos this year. They are absolutely phenomenal.

• Our Human Resources Department is very busy with hiring and interviews this time of year and I’m excited about who we’re adding to our Ladue Schools family.

• Each week we move closer to completion of our Prop L projects. This summer will be very important for us to hit our deadlines in February.

• I was fortunate enough to receive a private tour of our Robotics Department here at the high school – it’s pretty remarkable.

• I also want to highlight LEA, the Ladue Educators Association. I’m proud to work with the LEA and we are good partners. We’ve been meeting all year long, at least once per month, to have conversations.

• I want to share a story with you about a student who reached out to me as an example of the high-quality kids we have here in Ladue Schools. Noah Temple reached out to me, and he has started his own coffee company called Junior Java. It’s pretty remarkable, and when I say he started his own company, it’s a legitimate operation. If you’re looking for a good cup of java, I know where you can go. I’m very proud of Noah for reaching out to me – he had questions about how he might partner with the LEF and different organizations within our school structure. Everything he has raised is given to organizations that help kids who can’t afford school supplies. He’s a remarkable young man.

• We had our Ladue African American Student Alliance Brunch on May 6. It was very well attended and very nicely done.

• Preparation for graduation is ongoing for the Class of 2023 and on May 21 we will see another set of amazing students walk across the stage.

• President Lee and I attended the Red Carpet Rams ceremony today at our middle school, which was a great way to recognize our students.

• It’s been a wonderful year and I want to thank our parents, students, and amazing staff for making it all happen. 

ACTION ITEMS

S. M. Wilson Presentation, Change Order Requests, and Pay Application

Representatives from S. M. Wilson provided a construction update on the projects at Ladue Middle School, Old Bonhomme Elementary, and Spoede Elementary. They also shared the latest change orders and pay application.

Wachter Presentation and Pay Application

Representatives from Wachter, Inc. provided a construction update on the projects at Conway and Reed Elementary Schools. They also shared the latest pay application.

INFORMATION ITEMS

2023-24 Board Meeting Calendar Revision (MOVED TO ACTION)

The Board discussed and approved moving 2023-24 meetings from Mondays to Wednesdays.

Board Policy Changes

The Board discussed proposed changes to polices BDDB-2, IGDCA, and IGCD.

High School Scoreboard

Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Dr. Geoff Macy recommended the Board approve a proposed agreement with Digital Scoreboards to purchase and install new scoreboards in the LHWHS Aquatic Center.

Self-Insured Medical Plan Broker Selection

Dr. Macy discussed the interview process for a new provider of Employee Benefit Consulting Services.

Centegix Contract

Dr. Macy discussed Centegix and its incident alert system for schools.

Mediaworks Contract

Director of Communications Kimberly McKenzie discussed the district’s current partnership with Mediaworks and recommended entering into a new contract for its services.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

The next Board of Education regular business meeting is Monday, June 26, 2023. The Meeting ID will be posted on the Featured tab of BoardDocs when the meeting information is officially posted.

This information includes highlights of information received by the Ladue Schools Board of Education at the April 24, 2023 regular Board of Education business meeting. This is an unofficial record. Official minutes of each Board meeting are posted on the district website and are available for viewing at the Administrative Center after the Board approves them, typically two weeks after the meeting.

View a recording from the April 24 Board Meeting

Board President Remarks

• The MSBA Summer Summit: Learning and Leading for Student Success is June 16 and 17 in Branson. If you’re interested in registering, please let Fern know; she can get you registered.

• Mark your calendars on November 2 for the MSBA Annual Conference.

• I’d like to congratulate Eric Fan and Bohan Pan for winning the state championship in Public Debate Forum at the Missouri Speech, Debate, and Theater Tournament.

• I would like to remind the public that a meeting of the Board of Education is an opportunity for the Board to hold its meeting in public.

Superintendent Remarks

• We held our Seal of Biliteracy ceremony at the high school and I want to congratulate our World Languages Department which does an amazing job with our kids. We had over 40 students receive their certificate for Seal of Biliteracy.

• On Wednesday the 12th, the high school supported and ran events for Special Olympics. We had students from across the St. Louis County area at our high school participating, as well as a ton of student volunteers.

• I’m pleased to mention that the cafeteria loft is now open in the middle school allowing more students to eat together. Although the new furniture surprised some of our middle schoolers, it is a very nice setup.

• On Thursday the 13th I had the opportunity to speak to the new inductees of our National Honor Society at our high school.

• On Friday the 14th I had the pleasure of interviewing former superintendent Dr. Donna Jahnke on my podcast. Although we went a little longer than we planned, don’t let that scare you; be sure to tune in and listen to Dr. Jahnke as she walks us through her thoughts on leadership and takes us down memory lane.

• A few highlights from this past week: I had lunch with the LECC staff and really enjoyed that. We had a meeting with the mayor of Olivette, along with Dr. Derrick Wallace and Dr. Stacy Carlock, to discuss our early childhood program. We held a student-sponsored event, Ladue Night Lights, that allows students to score some touchdowns under the lights and I think they got a big kick out of it. We had our Robotics Open House, Senior Awards Night, and I’d be remiss if I did not mention the LEF Gala held at CityPark which was a ton of fun. I appreciate all the LEF does. Lastly, we held a successful high school prom on Saturday. This time of year is very busy for our administrators, teachers, and staff as they spend countless hours trying to make the end of the year exciting and fun for our students.

ACTION ITEMS

S. M. Wilson Presentation, Change Order Requests, and Pay Application

Representatives from S. M. Wilson provided a construction update on the projects at Ladue Middle School, Old Bonhomme Elementary, and Spoede Elementary. They also shared the latest change orders and pay application.

Wachter Change Order Request and Pay Application

Representatives from Wachter, Inc. shared the latest change order request and pay application related to construction at Conway and Reed.

Conway Playground

Director of Facilities Mike Noonan recommended, and the Board approved, playground improvements at Conway Elementary.

Old Bonhomme LECC Furniture

Dr. Macy recommended, and the Board approved, purchase of furniture for the early childhood classroom space at Old Bonhomme Elementary.

INFORMATION ITEMS

No information items on agenda

UPCOMING MEETINGS

The next Board of Education regular business meeting is Monday, May 15, 2023. The Meeting ID will be posted on the Featured tab of BoardDocs when the meeting information is officially posted.

This information includes highlights of information received by the Ladue Schools Board of Education at the April 10, 2023 regular Board of Education business meeting. This is an unofficial record. Official minutes of each Board meeting are posted on the district website and are available for viewing at the Administrative Center after the Board approves them, typically two weeks after the meeting.

View a recording from the April 10 Board Meeting

Board President Remarks

• I will defer to Dr. Wipke.

Superintendent Remarks

• I want to give a major shoutout to our Human Resources Department and our Communications Department for the wonderful job they did working together for the Employee Recognition event last week. We honored so many wonderful staff members and retirees. I want to congratulate Jennifer Johnson, the librarian at Spoede Elementary, who not only is Spoede’s Teacher of the Year but also our District Teacher of the Year.

• I want to congratulate our newest board members, Pablo and Peter, and Kisha Lee for retaining her seat.

• We have a lot happening right now, and we are busy at work as we prepare for graduation and so many other things at the end of the school year, so we appreciate everyone’s support.

ACTION ITEMS

Administration of Oaths of Office

Board Secretary Jennifer Growe Soshnik administered the Oath of Office to Kisha Lee, Pablo Flinn, and Peter Gariepy.

Election of Officers

The Board elected officers for the upcoming term year. Kisha Lee was elected Board President, Marissa Rosen was elected Board Vice President, Jeff Kopolow was elected Board Secretary, and Jennifer Growe Soshnik was elected Board Treasurer.

Board Member Absence

The Board excused Jeff Kopolow from the remainder of the meeting.

2024-25 School Calendar

The Board approved the proposed calendar for the 2024-25 school year.

INFORMATION ITEMS

School Presentations: Fifth Grade Center and Ladue Middle School

FGC Principal Dr. Patricia Wilson provided updates on the Ladue Fifth Grade Center; LMS Principal Dr. Angela Thompson provided updates on Ladue Middle School.

Summer School Programming

Assistant Superintendent for Student and Community Services Dr. Derrick Wallace shared information about the district’s summer programs for 2023.

ParentSquare Agreement

Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Dr. Geoff Macy and Director of Communications Kimberly McKenzie recommended approval of a three-year contract with ParentSquare for district mass communication needs.

Finalsite Contract

Dr. Macy and Ms. McKenzie also recommended approval of a five-year contract with Finalsite for district website and mobile app needs.

Conway Playground

Director of Facilities Mike Noonan shared information about playground needs at Conway Elementary due to changes brought about by Prop L construction.

Old Bonhomme LECC Furniture

Dr. Macy recommended purchase of furniture for the early childhood classroom space at Old Bonhomme Elementary.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

The next Board of Education regular business meeting is Monday, April 24, 2023. The Meeting ID will be posted on the Featured tab of BoardDocs when the meeting information is officially posted.

This information includes highlights of information received by the Ladue Schools Board of Education at the March 13, 2023 regular Board of Education business meeting. This is an unofficial record. Official minutes of each Board meeting are posted on the district website and are available for viewing at the Administrative Center after the Board approves them, typically two weeks after the meeting.

View a recording from the March 13 Board Meeting

Due to technical difficulties, the meeting was not recorded from 7:12 p.m. to 7:24 p.m. The recording reflects this at the 1:03:23 mark.

Board President Remarks

• As many of you may know, and for those who don’t, my father passed away last Monday afternoon and it has been a tremendous loss to our family. The Ladue Schools community has really stepped up and I would like to thank you personally, from me and my family, for all of your support and to the Ladue Education Foundation for the beautiful plants that were sent to our house. I’d like to thank our community and the Ladue School administration and cabinet for all of the well-wishes, meals, and everything you’ve done. It has truly been a blessing to our family and those are the things that really bring tears to my eyes. I just want to personally thank you.

Superintendent Remarks

• As we approach Spring Break, I am amazed by all of the things happening in our district, from our boys’ basketball team set to appear in the state final four, to accomplishments by our Chess Team, Speech and Debate Team, and Robotics Team. We are seeing success around every corner, including success from students and staff on state assessments. It’s been a very good year to date.

• It’s also the little things that are appreciated, like my visit to Spoede Elementary this afternoon where our kindergarteners had a surprise visitor who left some green and gold clovers all over their room. I have no idea who that was – can you imagine that?

• Prop L continues to move along as we get ready for our additional cafeteria space to open at our middle school after Spring Break along with some other welcome additions.

• As we look to the future, we do so with excitement for our early childhood expansion, the West Campus Plaza and partnering with the LEF to make it happen, and you will begin to hear me talk about the Parent University we are planning for the fall of 2023 and our community education partnership we are working on with the City of Olivette.

• This is all right around the corner, but it doesn’t happen without the support, guidance, and leadership of our Board of Education. Our Board is second-to-none and has done an amazing job of working in tandem with our administration to support our staff and students. I want to thank all of our Board members for their volunteer hours and more importantly, their love for Ladue Schools.

ACTION ITEMS

S. M. Wilson Presentation, Change Order Requests, and Pay Application

Representatives from S. M. Wilson provided a construction update on the projects at Ladue Middle School, Old Bonhomme Elementary, and Spoede Elementary. They also shared the latest change orders and pay application.

Wachter Presentation and Pay Application

Representatives from Wachter, Inc. provided updates on the construction at both Conway and Reed Elementary Schools. They also shared the latest pay application.

Policy Updates

The Board and district administration reviewed and approved several policy updates.

INFORMATION ITEMS

Board Committees

The Board discussed duties of a school board and the potential addition of three new committees: the Board Accountability Committee, Board Finance and Facilities Committee, and the Student Achievement Board Committee.

School Presentations: Conway and Spoede

Conway Principal Dr. Sarah Padberg provided updates on Conway Elementary; Spoede Principal Dr. Kim Stallons provided updates on Spoede Elementary.

2024-25 School Calendar

The Board discussed the proposed academic calendar for 2024-25.

MSIP 6 and APR Report

Dr. Amy Zielinski provided an update on the Missouri School Improvement Program (MSIP) in Ladue Schools.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

The next Board of Education regular business meeting is Monday, April 10, 2023. The Meeting ID will be posted on the Featured tab of BoardDocs when the meeting information is officially posted.

This information includes highlights of information received by the Ladue Schools Board of Education at the Feb. 27, 2023 regular Board of Education business meeting. This is an unofficial record. Official minutes of each Board meeting are posted on the district website and are available for viewing at the Administrative Center after the Board approves them, typically two weeks after the meeting.

View a recording from the Feb. 27 Board Meeting

Board President Remarks

• I’d like to remind everyone that candidate filing for our April 4 Board of Education election is closed. We have a slate of candidates including myself, Pablo Flinn, Christian Tompras, Peter Gariepy, and Kyle Meyer.

• I had the pleasure to be a part of the Old Bonhomme Black History Month program last week, representing not only the Board of Education but also my sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Some of my sorors also participated in that program.

• I’ll remind the Board that we have our spring virtual meeting on Wednesday from 6 to 7:30.

Superintendent Remarks

• I want to first congratulate our Excellence in Education recipient Katie Solomon who does a great job at Old Bonhomme for our music department.

• I want to give a shoutout to Shannon, who is a 3rd grader at Conway Elementary. She was the Superintendent for the Day recently and we had a blast. We visited a few schools, checked up on our Prop L projects, and I think she most enjoyed our visit to the LECC where Shannon did a wonderful job helping students with their art projects. Thank you, Shannon – that was a ton of fun.

• We had several highlights over the last week including the high school production of Matilda. We also had a state championship in swimming for Mary Joyce Bezzant who broke two school records along the way; she won the state title in the 100 yard breaststroke and finished 2nd in the 200 yard individual medley. There is more hardware to come in her future. Our Fifth Grade Center students visited the LECC to read to students. That’s a really cool partnership that we have going. The high school’s new art exhibit is amazing; there is some amazing student artwork featured. I also visited Dr. Allen Weltig’s classroom at the high school with the Ladue Education Foundation to see him receive a $52,000 check for an Anatomage table. If you don’t know what that is, it replaces cadavers and allows students to perform all kinds of procedures and learn all kinds of things about anatomy, both for humans and animals. I had the opportunity to visit with DESE Commissioner of Education Dr. Margie Vandeven. She was visiting with St. Louis superintendents and joined a meeting we had. She gave an update on the state of affairs with public school education in Missouri. We asked a lot of questions and received a global view of her picture of public schools. Listening to her and asking questions, it brought me right back here to my job in Ladue Schools and made me incredibly grateful to be your Superintendent. We are doing a lot of wonderful things here when you compare us to the rest of the state. Sometimes I think we’re so focused here on constant improvement – which we should be – and sometimes we only see the next day and the next day, but our Board of Education had done an amazing job of leading this district and I think we’re in a great place because of the decisions that we make at each meeting with students at the center of our work. I really enjoyed my conversation with Dr. Vandeven.

ACTION ITEMS

S. M. Wilson Presentation #20, Change Order Requests, and Pay Application

Representatives from S. M. Wilson provided a construction update on the projects at Ladue Middle School, Old Bonhomme Elementary, and Spoede Elementary. They also shared the latest change orders and pay application.

Wachter Presentation and Pay Application

Representatives from Wachter, Inc. provided updates on the construction at both Conway and Reed Elementary Schools. They also shared the latest pay application.

LEF and LHWHS Activities Department Athletic Event Advertising Package

LEF Executive Director Julie Ferrie discussed the proposal for a partnership between the LHWHS Athletics and Activities Department and the LEF to sell advertising packages to businesses for Ladue Schools activities. The Board approved the proposal.

Roof Replacement

Director of Facilities Mike Noonan recommended, and the Board approved, roofing improvements needed at LHWHS and the Fifth Grade Center. He recommended awarding Jim Taylor, Inc. the work at LHWHS to replace four roof sections for $426,600, and at the Fifth Grade Center to replace one section for $50,000.

Open Enrollment Resolution

Dr. Wipke and Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Dr. Geoff Macy recommended, and the Board approved, a resolution opposing state legislation regarding open enrollment.

School Bus Lease Agreement

Dr. Macy recommended, and the Board approved, a lease/purchase agreement with Central States Bus Sales to upgrade four 2019 model buses in the district fleet.

INFORMATION ITEMS

School Presentations: Reed and Old Bonhomme

Reed Principal Dr. Chris Schreiner provided updates on Reed Elementary; Old Bonhomme Principal Dr. Stephanie Taggert provided updates on Old Bonhomme Elementary.

Policy Updates

The Board discussed potential updates to several Board policies.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

The next Board of Education regular business meeting is Monday, March 13, 2023. The Meeting ID will be posted on the Featured tab of BoardDocs when the meeting information is officially posted.

This information includes highlights of information received by the Ladue Schools Board of Education at the Feb. 13, 2023 regular Board of Education business meeting. This is an unofficial record. Official minutes of each Board meeting are posted on the district website and are available for viewing at the Administrative Center after the Board approves them, typically two weeks after the meeting.

View a recording from the Feb. 13 Board Meeting

Board President Remarks

• As you know, candidate filing for the Board of Education has closed ahead of the Tuesday, April 4 election. The candidates are myself – Kisha Lee, Pablo Flinn, Christian Tompras, Peter Gariepy, and Kyle Meyer. Tonight, we have Pablo Flinn and Peter Gariepy here at our meeting. Thank you for being here.

• February is Black History Month and I encourage everyone to check in with your students’ buildings for a list of activities throughout the month.

• Most of the Board will attend MSBA’s Spring Virtual Meeting on March 1. I attended the State of Black Educators Symposium on the UMSL campus last week. Carolyn Jaeger and Dr. Wipke were in attendance with me. I felt there was a renewed energy for the educators in the room, with many saying it felt like being in church. I think the speakers there were very dynamic and presented a renewed energy.

• I want to wish a happy birthday to my dad who is 78 years old today.

• I want to remind everyone that this is the meeting of the Board of Education, our opportunity to hold meetings in public.

Superintendent Remarks

• On Saturday, Feb. 4, I had the opportunity to visit with some of the most amazing students you will find anywhere. They were the organizers of the Dance Marathon at our high school and they raised funds for Children’s Miracle Network. Did you know that in one afternoon, they raised over $72,000 for CMN? That is an incredible accomplishment.

• I also want to compliment our STEAM Day, as it was a huge success at our elementary schools and at our Fifth Grade Center. We had guest speaker Ronnie Thomas join us from Fun Weird Science; this was the second time I had the opportunity to talk with Ronnie as he previously has visited Old Bonhomme. We were very fortunate that he visited five of our schools this year. He conducted all sorts of fun science experiments and the students absolutely loved them. We appreciate the Ladue Education Foundation and our PTOs for funding his visit. I also want to compliment Patricia Brown as I believe you are the one who started this whole initiative; I also want to thank our entire Technology Department, including our Digital Learning Coaches, who played a huge role last week at each school.

• The LECC expansion has been on everyone’s mind lately, and as a result of our Board’s guidance in our last meeting, we are in the process of promoting the expansion and scholarships. I want to thank Kimberly McKenzie and her department; they are getting ready to send out a postcard promoting those scholarships.

• I want to congratulate Scarlet Meyer, district wrestling champion for LHWHS.

• Many of our winter sports and activities are celebrating their seniors during Senior Nights; congratulations to all of our seniors who participate in any activity. As you know, the more you are involved in school, the more it produces well-rounded students and citizens – and also improves your GPA.

• We are getting closer to Spring Break, and that means we are getting closer to our middle school cafeteria addition, which I know will put a smile on the faces of LMS students and staff. Reed and Conway are also making significant progress, and the warmer weather really helps us move forward with those outdoor Prop L projects.

• Tonight is the beginning of our school presentations to our Board of Education. I want our Board to know just how proud we all are of our district and building leadership. This past summer, our Board outlined areas of focus in our district goals and I’m proud of our progress. Case in point: STEAM Days. STEAM is an initiative directly connected to our district goals and progress is happening each and every week. This does not occur if we are not aligned in our district and building goals. The leadership from our Cabinet to our buildings is in sync as our teachers deliver quality instruction connected to our initiatives each and every day. We have so much to be grateful for and proud of in Ladue Schools.

ITEM ADDED TO AGENDA FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION

Board Member Excused Absence

Kisha Lee introduced, and the Board approved, a motion to grant Board director Sheldon Johnson a 60-day leave of absence from the Board.

ACTION ITEMS

Board Advisory Committee Update

Dr. Wipke recommended, and the Board approved, the addition of Amy Kuo Hammerman to the Legislative Board Advisory Committee.

District Landscaping Contract

Director of Facilities Mike Noonan recommended, and the Board approved, an extension of the district’s contract with Green RX for one year for $159,746.

District HVAC Service Agreement

Director of Facilities Mike Noonan recommended, and the Board approved, awarding a three-year contract to Trane with a locked-in annual cost of $114,485.

2023-24 Staff Leave Update

Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Dr. Julie Helm recommended, and the Board approved, updates to Certified Staff Leave Allotment. Administrative procedures for professional staff short-term leaves were also discussed.

2023-24 Meet and Confer

Dr. Helm recommended shared agreements and resolutions from the Meet and Confer process between the district and Ladue Educators Association. The Board approved the report.

LECC Scholarships

Assistant Superintendents Dr. Geoff Macy and Dr. Derrick Wallace recommended, and the Board approved, a $300,000 threshold to support LECC scholarships in order to increase accessibility to pre-K for district families.

INFORMATION ITEMS

School Presentation

LHWHS Principal Brad Griffith shared various accomplishments and updates from the school so far this year.

LEF and LHWHS Activities Department Athletic Event Advertising Package

LHWHS Activities Director Nick Gianino shared a proposal for a partnership between the LHWHS Athletics and Activities Department and the LEF to sell advertising packages to businesses for Ladue Schools activities.

Roof Replacement

Director of Facilities Mike Noonan discussed roofing improvements needed at LHWHS and the Fifth Grade Center. He recommended awarding Jim Taylor, Inc. the work at LHWHS to replace four roof sections for $426,600, and at the Fifth Grade Center to replace one section for $50,000.

Open Enrollment Resolution

Dr. Macy, Dr. Wipke, and the Board discussed proposed open enrollment legislation.

School Bus Lease Agreement

Dr. Macy recommended approval of a lease/purchase agreement with Central States Bus Sales to upgrade four 2019 model buses in the district fleet.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

The next Board of Education regular business meeting is Monday, Feb. 27, 2023. The Meeting ID will be posted on the Featured tab of BoardDocs when the meeting information is officially posted.

This information includes highlights of information received by the Ladue Schools Board of Education at the Jan. 30, 2023 regular Board of Education business meeting. This is an unofficial record. Official minutes of each Board meeting are posted on the district website and are available for viewing at the Administrative Center after the Board approves them, typically two weeks after the meeting.

View a recording from the Jan. 30 Board Meeting

Board President Remarks

• I’d like to remind everyone about our upcoming Board of Education election. Candidate filing has closed and the election will be held on Tuesday, April 4. We have five candidates running for three vacant seats, including: myself – Kisha Lee, Pablo Flinn, Christian Tompras, Peter Gariepy, and Kyle Meyer.

• I had a meeting with the High School Student Advisory Council on Jan. 18. It is always insightful and the discussion is always impactful and broadens the perspective of the adults in the room.

• Also on Jan. 18 the Legislative Board Advisory Committee met. We had the opportunity to hear from our educational lobbyists who provided some insightful information on pieces of legislation we need to watch during this legislative session.

• I also took part, along with Dr. Wipke and Dr. Julie Helm, in the MSBA Practical Personnel Law Webinar titled Marijuana Madness. The webinar provided participants with a number of eye-opening challenges that exist with the passage of the new recreational marijuana laws as they relate to public schools.

• This Friday is the State of Black Educators Symposium which will take place at UMSL. The special guest will be Dr. Bettina Love from Columbia University.

• I’d also like to remind you that meetings of the Board of Education are an opportunity for the Board to hold its meeting in public.

Superintendent Remarks

• I just want to mention what an honor it is to work with Mark Williams of Spoede, tonight’s Excellence in Education Award recipient. He is hard to keep up with; I’ve tried to visit Spoede in the morning a couple of times and do bus and carpool duty with him, and as soon as I think he’s in my sight, he’s turned around and gone again. He’s always helping out and letting kids out of cars, not to mention he’s just a phenomenal P.E. teacher and a wonderful dad – taking his daughter to prom, that’s the dance that Dr. Zielinski mentioned. He always fills me in on how his son’s doing with his soccer team; he’s a really good soccer player. I knew I would like Coach Williams when I first saw him because he’s one of the people who has cooler shoes than I do. I think Spoede made a wonderful choice with this award.

• I want to thank our community for its patience with the two snow days that were called. We have several things that we must consider when calling a snow day, and the safety of our students, families, and staff is always at the forefront of our minds. The storms we saw over the past two weeks were very different; one was snow and one was ice. As superintendent, I’m in contact with local meteorologists and other superintendents before making the final decision. In fact, we were on a call at 4:15 this morning. I also have a team that drives the roads and we all report back to each other on what the road conditions are like. Another major factor that we sometimes don’t recognize are the road conditions for our staff coming in. We must be able to have enough teachers in our classrooms with our students and enough bus drivers to ensure our children are taken care of. It’s so much to consider and again, I really appreciate everybody’s support on those snow days.

• I want to thank Kisha, Carolyn, Jeff, and Jennifer for participating in our Student Advisory Committees; we have one from the middle school and one from the high school. From our last meeting, I want to give a shoutout to our board members because the students participated in an activity in which our Board members collected feedback based on some of our Panorama findings. Student voice is critical toward improvement as a district; our students are wonderful about sharing their thoughts and insights about their experiences. The Board members did a remarkable job of facilitating conversation and I will share feedback with our principals at our principals’ meeting this week.

• Many of our students have fully transitioned into their new spaces at the middle school and all of our Spoede Turtles are in their new classrooms. I think it’s safe to say the new spaces are a big hit with students and staff. We are now moving toward more renovation at the middle school and Spoede before we can move into our next phase. The cafeteria at our middle school will be turned over roughly around Spring Break and we welcome that addition – I know the middle school is excited about getting that new cafeteria.

• I want to remind the Board of our work collected with the System Design Zone in seeking waivers from the state and federal government around our MAP test. I discussed this in greater detail at our last Board meeting, and I know you’ve heard updates from Dr. Zielinski as well.

• I want to highlight our Legislative Board Advisory Committee which held a meeting on Jan. 18. We have a wonderful group of parents that meet with us, and at our last meeting we heard from educational lobbyist Scott Kimble about some bills that may gain traction, in particular the personal property tax bills that would impact district funding and the open enrollment bills that could have a tremendous impact on funding and enrollment in school districts throughout the state. I have included additional information for each Board member in regard to the specific bill, House Bill 253 dealing with open enrollment. At future Board meetings, we will ask our Board to adopt a resolution opposing open enrollment. We’ve included this in your weekend update, but I also wanted to mention it tonight as a reminder.

• Ms. Lee did a great job reminding everyone about our five Board of Education candidates who will run in the upcoming election. As a reminder, those candidates are Kisha Lee, Pablo Flinn, Christian Tompras, Peter Gariepy, and Kyle Meyer. We appreciate their dedication to our district and being willing to run for the Board.

ACTION ITEMS

S.M. Wilson Presentation #19, Change Order Requests, and Pay Application

Representatives from SM Wilson provided an update on Prop L construction at Old Bonhomme, Spoede, and Ladue Middle School, along with the latest change order requests and pay application. The Board approved all items as presented.

Wachter Presentation, Change Order Requests, and Pay Application

Representatives from Wachter, Inc. provided an update on Prop L construction at Conway and Reed, along with the latest change order requests and pay application. The Board approved all items as presented.

INFORMATION ITEMS

Board Advisory Committee Update

Dr. Wipke shared information related to a new applicant to the Legislative Board Advisory Committee.

2023-24 Staff Leave Update

Dr. Julie Helm shared recommendations for changes to certified staff leave.

Panorama Survey Data

Dr. Derrick Wallace gave a presentation on the results of the district’s Fall 2022 Climate/Culture Survey.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Update

Dr. Jennifer Riesenmy shared updates related to the district’s DEI initiatives.

LECC Scholarships

Drs. Geoff Macy and Derrick Wallace continued the discussion on establishing a threshold of funding dedicated to offering scholarships for early childhood education.

2022-23 Budget Update

Dr. Geoff Macy provided an update on the 2022-23 budget. The current budget is tracking closely with the predictions and assumptions established in June 2022.

District Landscaping Contract

Director of Facilities Mike Noonan recommended that the district extend its contract with Green RX for one year.

District HVAC Service

Director of Facilities Mike Noonan recommended the district award a three-year contract to Trane.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

The next Board of Education regular business meeting is Monday, Feb. 13, 2023. The Meeting ID will be posted on the Featured tab of BoardDocs when the meeting information is officially posted.

This information includes highlights of information received by the Ladue Schools Board of Education at the Jan. 9, 2023 Board of Education work session. This is an unofficial record. Official minutes of each Board meeting are posted on the district website and are available for viewing at the Administrative Center after the Board approves them, typically two weeks after the meeting.

View a recording from the Jan. 9 work session

Board President Remarks

• I attended the Diversity Recruitment and Networking Fair on Saturday that our district hosted along with the School District of Clayton. We hosted more than 40 potential candidates who had an opportunity to interview with both districts and network during the event with students, staff, administrators, and board members. The positive response from participants was well-received and I will say that while there was some friendly competition going on between us and Clayton, the first person to hug me was Clayton Superintendent Dr. Nisha Patel.

• Board filing for the three open seats in the April election closed on Dec. 27 and we have five candidates who will run for those seats. They are: myself – Kisha Lee, Pablo Flinn, Christian Tompras, Peter Gariepy, and Kyle Meyer. The election will take place on Tuesday, Jan. 4.

• I would like to remind you that a meeting of the Board of Education is an opportunity for the Board to hold its meeting in public.
  
  

Superintendent Remarks

• For those who are running for a Board of Education seat, we appreciate that and the fact that some of you are in the audience tonight. It is a huge commitment to volunteer all of those hours, not just to run, but to serve if you are elected.

• I also was at the Diversity Recruitment Fair. I want to thank Dr. Julie Helm and your department for collaborating so well with Clayton to make it a wonderful event. I believe we interviewed several high-quality candidates for potential positions within our district.

• We are almost down to just one year away from full completion of our Prop L projects. We are scheduled to complete those in Feb. 2024. As we started the second semester, we opened up new academic spaces at Spoede for our kindergarten, second grade, and third grade classes. We also opened up a new wing at Ladue Middle School that welcomed sixth and seventh grade students. It is an exciting time to be in the Ladue School District, and we are so appreciative of the Board’s leadership and our community’s support.

• There is an organization we are working with called the System Design Zone, and that is led by Dr. Amy Zielinski’s Curriculum and Instruction department. As our Board members know, we are working with a group of other school districts at the possibility of applying for a waiver from DESE, which would grant us the ability to use nationally normed assessments rather than the state MAP test for our credibility purposes. Although this is a much lengthier topic than my update can provide, we will begin to share this information with many of our parent groups and committees to seek feedback. If you have questions, you can reach out to Dr. Zielinski who is the liaison with the System Design Zone team.

• I want to thank Dr. Geoff Macy for all of his preparation for our Board Finance Workshop tonight. We have tackled so much over the past year, and I believe we are in a strong financial position because of the work of the Board with Geoff and his Finance team.
  
  

WORKSHOP

Finance Workshop

Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Dr. Geoff Macy presented a Finance Workshop focused on Prop L, budget carry-over calculation, LECC expansion, and future financial topics including community education, transportation, and expansion of middle school activities.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

The next Board of Education regular business meeting is Monday, Jan. 30, 2022. The Meeting ID will be posted on the Featured tab of BoardDocs when the meeting information is officially posted.

This information includes highlights of information received by the Ladue Schools Board of Education at the Dec. 12, 2022 regular Board of Education business meeting. This is an unofficial record. Official minutes of each Board meeting are posted on the district website and are available for viewing at the Administrative Center after the Board approves them, typically two weeks after the meeting.

View a recording from the Dec. 12 Board Meeting

Board President Remarks

• Board filing is now open and will be open through Dec. 27 at 5 p.m. We currently have five candidates who have registered, including myself, to run in the upcoming election.
  
  

Superintendent Remarks

• We are at the end of our first semester. I want to thank our Board of Education for its support and efforts throughout this first semester. We have a lot to be proud of, and I want to highlight a few of those items: we had 18 National Merit Semifinalists at our high school that we celebrated, we have some amazing Prop L projects being completed throughout the district and continue to be in a strong financial position, our Catalyst program finally was able to take off and grow, we have a new district website and building-level websites and we are piloting a new mobile app, training and consistencies have been put into place throughout our district in terms of safety and security and we appreciate Dr. Derrick Wallace for his leadership there, we have the number one-ranked high school and elementary school in Missouri according to Niche.com, our girls’ tennis team won a state championship, we have made some strong, diverse hires and Dr. Helm will show us more about that tonight, we are financially stable and continue that work as a district, our Holiday Happiness program was a tremendous success and we appreciate all of Danielle Green’s work on that, we continue to meet with our Parent District Council and have successful meetings, we’ve had two successful meetings of The Village, more than 500 people attended our Spoede Open House, we’ve had eight reunion groups join us this fall for high school tours and to see our new timeline wall, the LEF ran a very successful ‘Due Run, we have two new Board Advisory Committees including our LECC committee and our Legislative Advisory committee, we hosted another One Book, One Community book discussion, and we have three Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award winners: Mark Biernbaum, Katie Reeves, and Ellie White. I could go on and on about our first semester accomplishments, but none of this happens without the support of our Board and the amazing staff that works with our students. Tonight we will dive into start times and LECC tuition rates. I want our Board to know that our Cabinet is willing to work tirelessly, regardless of what decisions are made, to support our students. As we look ahead to second semester and to the future, we are honored serve the Ladue Schools community. We talked in the beginning of the year about putting the joy back in education and I think we have been successful in doing that during this first semester. Let’s also recognize Kisha Lee and Stacy Carlock who will both be recognized at the Deluxe Power100 soon. It celebrates our region’s most inspiring and influential leaders. We have a lot to celebrate and be proud of from our first semester.
  
  

ACTION ITEMS

S.M. Wilson Presentation #18, Change Order Requests, and Pay Application

Representatives from SM Wilson provided an update on Prop L construction, along with the latest change order requests and pay application. The Board approved all items as presented.

Wachter Pay Application

The latest pay application from Wachter, Inc. was presented. The Board approved the application.

2023-24 LECC Tuition and BASK Rates

Dr. Geoff Macy provided information related to current LECC and BASK tuition. The Board approved the proposed tuition rates for the 2023-24 school year.

Acceptance of Auditor’s Report

Dr. Macy recommended the Board approve the annual audit report from Daniel Jones & Associates. The Board approved the report.

2023-24 LECC Salary Schedule

Dr. Julie Helm reviewed recommended changes to the salary schedule for LECC teachers. The Board approved the changes.

2023-24 Support Staff Salary Schedule

Dr. Helm also reviewed recommended changes to the salary schedule for district support staff.

2023-24 Middle School New Courses

Dr. Amy Zielinski reviewed course change proposals for the 2023-24 school year at LMS. This includes the addition of one new course and a name change for another course. The Board approved both changes.

2023-24 Start Times

Dr. Zielinski reviewed student, staff, and community feedback surrounding proposed changes to start times next school year. School start times will not change in the 2023-24 school year, but the Board approved a motion to explore a two-tier bus system with both its current and new potential vendors.

INFORMATION ITEMS

Staff Summary/Diversity Recruitment/Retention Plan

Dr. Helm presented information related to Human Resources goals and staffing data.

Counseling Presentation

Dr. Derrick Wallace provided an update on district counseling services.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

The next Board of Education regular business meeting is Monday, Jan. 9, 2022. The Meeting ID will be posted on the Featured tab of BoardDocs when the meeting information is officially posted.

This information includes highlights of information received by the Ladue Schools Board of Education at the Nov. 21, 2022 regular Board of Education business meeting. This is an unofficial record. Official minutes of each Board meeting are posted on the district website and are available for viewing at the Administrative Center after the Board approves them, typically two weeks after the meeting.

View a recording from the Nov. 21 Board Meeting

Board President Remarks

• Over the weekend, several Board members and I had the opportunity to serve as judges for the Ladue Novice Invitational Speech and Debate Competition. If you have the opportunity to see these students compete, it is confirmation of the brilliance of our young people from across the state.

• The SSD Leadership Council met this past week for its inaugural meeting. This is a product of the SSD Public Review Committee, on which I’ve served, and it includes representation from the SSD Board of Education, Governing Council, and SSD Parent Advisory Council.

• I also took part in the Nov. 15 One Book One Community event. We discussed Disability Visibility by Alice Wong; the event featured a great panel of speakers who live with a disability and/or are advocates for others with disabilities. The panel included recent LHWHS alumni Annie Donnell and BeLov’ed Brooks, parents Joya Brooks and Rachel Katzman, SSD Director for Ladue Schools Dr. Catina Lyles, and Marquita Warner from the United Cerebral Palsy Foundation. This is a very important topic for our district as it relates to our DEI goals. When we talk about DEI, the conversation often stops after race, but the plight of differently-abled students fits appropriately with this topic. I’d like to thank Dr. Jennifer Riesenmy, Laila Crabtree, Melody Frese, and Kimberly McKenzie for continuing to lift our consciousness with these community events that provide a seat at the table for anyone within our community.

• Spoede’s Open House was attended by more than 500 people including former teachers, administrators, and students, along with some prospective families.

• Deluxe Magazine will host the Power 100 Gala on Dec. 18, where LECC Director Dr. Stacy Carlock and I will be honored. This event recognizes 100 individuals who break barriers and raise the bar in their respective fields.

• Board filing opens Dec. 6 at 8 a.m. There will be three open seats as the three-year terms of incumbents Andy Bresler, Carolyn Jaeger, and I will be up for re-election. Currently, I will be the only returning member seeking re-election. If any member of the community is interested in running for a seat, please contact Fern Wagstaff at (314) 983-5302.

• Tonight’s presentations concerning proposed new start times and LECC expansion will be information items; both have received increased input from the community. Please note that we have received your emails and phone calls and take all of your thoughts into consideration as we process the option of changes to our current structure. All who have submitted a comment card will have the opportunity to speak, but no vote will be held on these issues tonight. The Board hears information items during one meeting and will not have an official vote on any item until a subsequent meeting. I would also like to remind our community that a Board of Education meeting is an opportunity for the Board to hold its meetings in public.
  
  

Superintendent Remarks

• Congratulations to Kisha Lee and Dr. Carlock on their upcoming recognition at the Deluxe Power 100 Gala.

• I want to recognize LHWHS Principal Brad Griffith – we celebrated our National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists tonight and I appreciate that you mentioned the last three years, as we’ve had a total of 76 Semifinalists in that time. The key to me there is longevity, and it’s quite an accomplishment that we have the most Semifinalists in that span of any public or private school in Missouri. It speaks to the leadership, tradition, and focus on academics at LHWHS.

• How great was it to also recognize our girls’ tennis team? The common thread between these two groups is the great students that are earning these achievements.

• Last week was American Education Week, a week during which we celebrated our three Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award recipients: Mark Biernbaum, Katie Reeves, and Ellie White. Katie and Ellie work for us through SSD. You can’t teach without passion and I think it’s safe to say that all of our award winners, and all of our teachers here in Ladue Schools, have tremendous passion. Our teachers know that they are responsible for making sure our students receive the best education possible. We are fortunate to have wonderful teachers and educators in our district.

• As we reflect on the year and express gratitude, I’m grateful to serve this community and district as superintendent, I’m grateful to our staff and students who work so hard every day, and I’m grateful to our parents and community for entrusting us with making sure the future is well-prepared. Finally, I’m incredibly grateful to each one of our Board members for their volunteer hours of service. Each of you spends hours upon hours working to make this a better district for our children.

• I wish each and every one of you a restful and relaxing Thanksgiving with family and loved ones.
  
  

ACTION ITEMS

Board Advisory Committee Update

The Board received four qualified applications for the newly created Legislative Board Advisory Committee and approved all four applicants.

S.M. Wilson Presentation #17, Change Order Requests, and Pay Application

Representatives from SM Wilson provided an update on Prop L construction, along with the latest change order requests and pay application. The Board approved all items as presented.

Wachter Presentation and Pay Application

Representatives from Wachter, Inc. provided an update on construction at Reed and Conway and the latest pay application. The Board approved both items as presented.

INFORMATION ITEMS

2022-23 District Goals Review

Dr. Wipke and the Board reviewed district goals for the current school year.

Early Childhood Presentation

LECC Director Dr. Stacy Carlock provided an update on Phase I of Early Childhood expansion.

2023-24 LECC Tuition and BASK Rates

Dr. Geoff Macy provided information related to current LECC and BASK tuition.

Auditor’s Report

Dr. Macy provided updates and a timeline related to the district’s annual audit.

2023-24 LECC Salary Schedule

Dr. Julie Helm reviewed recommended changes to the salary schedule for LECC teachers.

2023-24 Support Staff Salary Schedule

Dr. Helm also reviewed recommended changes to the salary schedule for district support staff.

2023-24 Middle School New Courses

Dr. Amy Zielinski reviewed course change proposals for the 2023-24 school year at LMS. This includes the addition of one new course and a name change for another course.

2023-24 Start Times

Dr. Zielinski gave a presentation containing student, staff, and community feedback surrounding proposed changes to start times next school year.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

The next Board of Education regular business meeting is Monday, Dec. 12, 2022. The Meeting ID will be posted on the Featured tab of BoardDocs when the meeting information is officially posted.