Below is a summary of the Caldwell School District Board of Trustees April 13, 2020 meeting intended to provide information about board decisions in a timely manner. It is not the official record. Minutes, the official record of the meeting, are finalized the following month after approval by the board.

Superintendent Report

Dr. French shared that before the COVID closure, she had planned invite the following students to the Board meeting for recognition:

• Caldwell High School Robotics Team -- Lydia Beardsley, Joselyn Gutierrez, Mason Nelson, and Joseph Mondragon. They competed at ISU in Pocatello against the top 30 robot teams from around the state and took first place. They earned a double-invite to compete at the VEX World Championship. 
• Caldwell High School Wrestling Team -- 4th place in District. State Tournament Results: Hunter Bidelman - State Champion; Alejandro Avila- 4th; Aidan Go- 4th; Christian Sotelo- 6th; August Pena- 6th; Armando Juarez- 6th; Miguel Perez - 3rd 
• Caldwell High School FFA member Kinley Schleicher elected to  the state office of Reporter. Kinley will represent CHS for the next year at all FFA district events. This is the first time in 50 years Caldwell has been represented at the district officer level!

Dr. French shared she also had planned to recognize Nutrition Services Director Child Bonnie Ramsey who applied and received a state grant to improve technology used by nutrition staff.

CONSENT AGENDA

The Board approved its consent agenda which included: 

• Minutes for the Executive Session and Regular Board Meeting – March 9, 2020
• Minutes for the Executive Session and Special Board Meeting – March 16 , 2020
• Minutes for the Special Board Meeting – March 23 , 2020
• Minutes for the Special Board Meeting – March 30 , 2020
• Financials: March Checklist; March Budget to Actual General Fund; March Bills 
• Personnel Report

REGULAR AGENDA

Zone 1 Trustee Interviews - Trustees interviewed two applicants for the open Zone 1 position - Theadore Arellano and Claudia Suastegui. After the interviews, trustees appointed Claudia Suastegui to the position. Suastegui is the Health and Well-Being Director at the Treasure Valley YMCA.  

Washington Elementary Principal - Michael Jones was appointed principal of the school. Mike is originally from Fallbrook, California. He attended The College of Idaho where he played varsity tennis while earning his bachelor's degree in Physical Education. He has been in the Caldwell School District since 2001. He taught one year at Wilson before moving to Van Buren, where he spent the next 15 years teaching P.E. Upon completion of his master's degree in 2016, he became the half-time Dean of Students at Van Buren, and in 2017 he transferred to Syringa Middle School to be the Assistant Principal. 

Certification of Canvass of Election Results - The Board accepted the canvas of the March 10 supplemental levy election results from Canyon County.

State Board of Education School Closure -The board approved a motion to extend the soft closure of Caldwell schools through the end of the school year May 26 or until such time protocols are met to reopen.

School Closure Update

Superintendent French shared the following updates:

• Graduations - Principals are working on options to honor graduates should tradition ceremonies need to change because of stay-at-home orders and limits on public gatherings remain.
• Emergency Learning Resources - elementary schools are providing paper packets for families. Secondary schools distributed hundreds of Chromebooks to students to access materials online and paper is also available. 
• Grading - Students will be held harmless from the impact of the closure. Secondary students final grade will reflect their 3rd quarter grade with the opportunity to improve the grade. Dual credit/AP classes at the high schools will continue with coursework to complete requirements of higher education and Advanced Placement program.
• Chief Academic Officer Jodie Mills was asked to review a new resource a Parent Tool Box 
• Technology Director Caleb Shore was asked to review Technology Support for students and parents.

After the review, the Board approved the following motion on grading: “The Caldwell School Board of Trustees agrees that student work completed during the school closure will not negatively impact a student’s grades. Caldwell School District may allow student work to count during the closure only if it will increase a student’s academics standing.”

POLICY DEVELOPMENT/ADOPTION

The following policies are under review:

• 403 Employee Drug and Alcohol Use.pdf  
• Policy 551 to be revised.docx  
• 940 Use Of Camera Surveillance.pdf  
• Policy - Procedure 2210P.docx  
• 2385 English Learners Program.pdf  
• 2385P English Language Learner - ELL Identification Process.pdf  
• Policy 3300 1.pdf  
• 3320 Substance and Alcohol Abuse - Amending Policy 551 (2).docx  
• Health National State Emergency Closure.docx  
• 7236 - Employees Paid with Federal Funds and Unexpeced or Extraordinary Closures.pdf  

First reading

The board approved for first reading:

• Policy 2420P Title I Parent Involvement Guidelines - New (1).docx  
• Policy 2420 Title I Parent Involvement - Amending (677) (1).docx 
• 3050 Attendance (2).docx  
• 3050P Attendance Procedure (1).docx  
• 3050F1 Notification of Student Absence Letter.docx  
• 3050F2 School Truancy Referral Form (1).docx  
• 5210 Administrative Leave (2) (1).docx 
• 7409 Authorization and Purchase of Technology (1).docx  

Second and final reading

The board approved for second and final reading:

• 5220 Assignments, Reassignments, Transfers - Amending Policy 441 (1) (2) (1).docx 
• Policy 5740 Reduction in Force - Amending Policy 448 (1) (1) (1).docx 
• Policy 5740P Reduction in Force Procedures (1) (1).docx