The Bloomfield School Board approved the district’s CSIP (Comprehensive School Improvement plan) at its June meeting. The CSIP is required to be completed by DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) every five years.
The plan was presented by Dr. Jim Welker, director of the Southeast Regional Professional Development Center (RPDC) presented the CSIP. He said the CSIP process began in January when he met with the board. The process included the formation and meeting with focus groups made up of district staff and students as well as surveys and reviewing other dist information.
From this process the CSIP was formed. The vision of the district’s CSIP is Bloomfield R-XIV Schools, where every student becomes an upstanding, productive citizen and lifelong learner.
The mission is to provide a safe and positive educational environment that allows every student to reach his or her fullest potential to be a productive and successful lifelong learner.
Can’t Hide Our Wildcat Pride! One School! One Team! One Dream!
The beliefs of the plan are:
• All students are unique with inherent value.
• All students learn in a safe, positive, and caring environment.
• Staff, parents/guardians, and students share responsibility for student achievement.
• The educational process involves social-emotional support from staff and parents/guardians.
• Every student should develop an appreciation that learning is a lifelong process.
The goals of the plan are: The School District will improve student performance on multiple measures focused on academic, social, and emotional success. The School District will attract, support, and retain high-quality faculty and staff. The school system will increase opportunities for two-way, reliable, and consistent communication with all stakeholders. The district will develop a long-range financial, facilities, and infrastructure plan.
The board approved the district’s CSIP after Welker’s presentation.
The board then approved a bid for the construction of the ag building expansion. One bid was received from Jeff Jarrell for $874,759. The district has $600,000 in ESSER III (these are funds received from the state during the pandemic, the district has until 2024 to use them) funds along with other funds to put toward the project. Board member Juston Jarrell abstained from this vote.
The board received three bids for a new school bus. The bids were from Midwest Bus Sales for an International (the make of the bus) with a base bid of $138,086, air conditioning $9,976, engine warranty $7,200 and surveillance cameras $1,781 for a total of $157,043. The second was from Midwest Transit for an International Bus with a base bid of $141,862, air conditioning $7,970, engine warranty $6,115 and surveillance cameras $985 for a total of for a total $156,932. The third Central States for a Bluebird Bus with a base bid of $131,742, air conditioning $11,480, engine warranty $5,975 and surveillance cameras $1,500 for a total of $150,697.
The board accepted the bid from Central States. Superintendent Toni Hill said this is a 68 passenger bus with spots for two wheelchairs and a lift on the back. She said a seat can be removed to allow for a third wheelchair if needed.
The board approved the pay schedules for the certified and non-certified staff. The board tabled the Career Ladder program until the July meeting in order to collect additional information before rendering a decision.
The board approved the One to One Handbook. The only change from the previous book was the dates.
The board approved the A+ Handbook. The updates were changed dates, added all requirements for completion, updates received on semester report cards jJust so parents know where that update will be, added new state math requirements, changed log turn ins to semester instead of weekly because weekly just wasn’t manageable, just added community service to tutoring guidelines and added a printed student name because signatures were always hard to read in some cases.
The board approved the Extra Curricular Handbook and schedule. Updates to the handbook were dates and an added blank page so the handbook signature page is separate from drug testing consent form. The signature page in redone by the district every year. The drug testing consent form is kept by the district until individual formally asks to be removed. The only schedule change was the addition of summer weight lifting.
The board approved the Flex Program Handbook. The updates were dates, in the first paragraph added a part about paid and unpaid internships, just so everyone knows you don’t have to be paid to be in the program. In the last two pages the district changed the check in dates and added a column for administration to verify hours worked each month.
The board approved the Alternative School Handbook with the only change being dates.
The board approved meal prices for the 2023/24 school year. Breakfast was increased $0.10 to $1.40 for students and $1.50 for adults. Lunch was increased $0.10 to $2.40 for elementary students, $2.55 for middle school and high school students and $2.80 for adults.
Hill said during her report that some basic summer maintenance will take place. In addition to the basic maintenance some larger projects will take place. New HVACs will be installed including the band room, Natalie Johnson’s classroom and a rooftop unit on the elementary school. Quotes are being gathered for the HVAC projects. Hill also said the tile is being replaced in the lower part of the middle school.