Below is a summary of the Caldwell School District Board of Trustees Sept. 9, 2019 meeting intended to provide information about board decisions in a timely manner. It is not the official record. The minutes, which are the official record of the meeting, are finalized the following month after approval by the Board.

AGENDA

EXECUTIVE SESSION

The Board met in executive session starting at 6:30 p.m. After returning to open session, it approved a motion to revise the superintendent’s contract. 

CFEO OUTSTANDING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AWARD & RECOGNITIONS 

Canyon Springs High School - Principal Christine McMcMillen reviewed goals the school has set to increase English Language Arts and math proficiency and graduation rates. Canyon Springs High School student council members shared strategies they used last year and will use this year to create a positive school culture and to give back to the community.

Caldwell High School - Senior Madison Smith shared her experience participating in National History Day in Washington D.C. Her project was on the triangle shirtwaist fire. She presented with students from across the U.S., Japan and China. She shared the website she created for the competition: https://69979980.nhd.weebly.com/

Caldwell High School - Junior Daisy Estrada and CHS math teacher Erin Howard Lokteff reported about their week-long summer research with JASON Learning studying sea turtles and more in the Bahamas. https://www.jason.org/expedition-team#bahamas2019

CONSENT AGENDA

The Board approved the following items on its consent agenda:

• Minutes for the Regular Board Meeting – August 12, 2019
• Minutes for the Board Work Session – August 26 , 2019
• Financials: August bills; August budget to actual; August Checklist
• Personnel Report
• Field Trip(s): Yellowstone; Wrestling; Idaho Business Educators conference
• Surplus
• Student Handbooks - 2019-20
• Lewis & Clark Elementary
• Lincoln Elementary
• Sacajawea Elementary
• Van Buren Elementary
• Washington Elementary
• Wilson Elementary
• Jefferson Middle
• Syringa Middle 
• Caldwell High School
• Canyon Springs High School

• Errata Revision - Policy 3225
• Life Counseling Center - MOU Renewal
• Bank Account Signatory Cards

REGULAR AGENDA

Property Tax L - 2 Certification - Chief Financial Officer April Burton reported to the Board that the first time in a decade, the property tax rate for Caldwell schools will drop.  The district certified its levy with the county at $3.66 per $1,000 of taxable property value, down from $4.19 -- a 12.6% decrease. A taxpayer with $100,000 of taxable value would pay $53 less under the lower rate. Actual taxes paid by a property owner will depend on the home’s assessed taxable value as set by Canyon County.

The overall levy includes past bonds to build schools, the maintenance levy for buildings, a levy for insurance, and the district's supplemental levy. 

The rate drop is attributed to several factors:

• Refinancing of bond debt to a lower interest rate
• Paying off bonds
• Added value to tax rolls from new homes and businesses
• 13.5% increase in property values in the district

Supplemental Levy Discussion - The district’s supplemental levy expires at the end of the school year. Chief Financial Officer April Burton requested that the Oct. 28 work session focus on the levy with an eye toward a ballot measure in March 2020. The current levy provides support for school resource officers, school safety aids, curriculum, and other items.

POLICY DEVELOPMENT/ADOPTION

Proposed  -- The following policies are currently out for review with our committee and/or specific departments as needed:

• 2345 & 2345P Speakers in the Classroom and at School Functions/ Controversial Speakers Procedure
• 3380 Extracurricular & Co-Curricular Participation
• 3320 Substance and Alcohol Use
• 3015 Home School
• 3030 Form for Dual Enrollment

First Reading -- The Board approved the following policies for first reading:

• 4310 Non-District Entities Access to Students - New
• 4510 Public Gifts to the Schools; Donations of Material Equipment Affecting Building Structure, Technology, or Maintenance - New
• 2370 Homebound, Hospital, and Home Instruction - New
• 3016 Direct Online Course Credit Options - Rescinding Policy 618

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Special meeting Sept. 23 to consider the district’s Continuous Improvement Plan due Oct. 1 to the state
• ISBA Fall Region Meeting, Boise School District Services Center, Wednesday, Sept.  25 @ 6:30 p.m., 4167 W. Victory Rd., Boise 
• Homecoming Football Game -  Thursday, Oct. 10 @7:00 p.m. 
• Homecoming Dance -  Friday, Oct. 11
• ISBA Annual Convention – November 6-8, 2019, Coeur d’Alene, ID