ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
With 19 items of new business, the USD 480 school board will have a full agenda to tackle at its next meeting Monday evening starting at 6:30. Monday’s meeting will be in Room B110 at Seymour Rogers Middle School at 721 Griffith Ave.
After discussing republishing the 2023-2024 budget, the board will also be asked to set July 8 as the organizational meeting for 2024-25 school year. The board will also be asked to approve the deletion of Policy CGA Administrative Index and the modification of GAAAA.
Up next for the board will be a request to approve the increase of the board health benefit from $6,600 to $7,200 per year, which is aligned with the increase to the board health benefit proposed in the negotiated agreement, and then the board will hear the first reading of Policy JGG.
“Proposed changes to Policy JGG, Transportation. The policy has been reviewed and approved by legal counsel and the Policy Committee,” the agenda information noted. “Changes include bus rider eligibility, transportation denial appeals process and formatting. The current policy on file and proposed red line version are attached for the board’s review.”
The board will also be discussing the purchase of Redcats with Flexmikes from Lightspeed Technologies.
“Lightspeed Technologies is the company that provides USD 480 with our Redcat Systems for classroom audio,” the agenda information noted. “These sound fields will benefit all students, but especially for students with hearing disabilities. It is a commitment to have a Redcat system in classrooms across the district. This donation will allow for 40 more classrooms to benefit from the sound field functionality. Staff is recommending the board approve the purchase of 40 Redcats with Flexmikes from Lightspeed Technologies in the amount of $49,680.”
The board will also be discussing the eLuma SLP service contract.
“During the 2023-2024 school year, USD 480 successfully partnered with eLuma Therapy for one Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) position,” the agenda information noted. “Due to the lack of qualified applicants and the fact we cannot use interim instructors, there is still a need to contract with eLuma Therapy for 2024-2025 to service approximately 40 students that need speech related assistance. This contract will help service students in the district that have speech on their IEPs, while also keeping the caseload numbers of our current staff manageable for the coming year. Services provided by eLuma staff are comparable to staff employed by USD 480. A job description for USD 480 staff is included for informational purposes and the corresponding responsibilities of eLuma staff are included within the agreement. Staff is recommending the board approve the service agreement with eLuma Therapy in the amount of $82,840.00 to cover the costs for one Speech Language Pathologist position for the 2024-2025 school year.”
Later in the meeting, the board will also be discussing some new positions, including a speech language paraeducator, a sign language interpreter, virtual/itinerant special education case manager, and a full time social worker for Bright Start Early Learning Center.
The board will also be discussing service agreements with Motor Mouth Therapy Services and Cultivate Education.
“USD 480 is looking to partner with Motor Mouth Therapy Services for 1.0 Full Time Equivalent Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) for the 2024-2025 school year, due to a recent resignation and our inability to get qualified applicants to replace the position,” the agenda information noted. “Motor Mouth has two SLPs working part time that can fulfill our one full time position. Having two part-time therapists will benefit USD 480 because it will allow each part time staff to take on one of the elementary schools that will need speech services covered. Both elementary schools would total between 60-70 students depending on enrollment. Motor Mouth Therapy provides services to students at an hourly rate of $80/Hour. A projected amount for servicing 60 to 70 students during the year is $115,200. This contract will help service students in the district with speech on their IEPs, but will also keep caseload numbers of our current staff manageable for the coming year. Services provided by Motor Mouth staff are comparable to staff employed by USD 480. A job description for USD 480 staff is included for information. Responsibilities of Motor Mouth staff are included within the attached agreement. Cultivate Education recently helped the district with the reorganization of tiered behavior supports during three separate professional development days in 2023-2024. In an effort to continue to support the district in the development and sustainability of a behavior team, Cultivate Education is looking at providing up to 20 days of onsite implementation support for the Liberal USD 480 Behavior Teams over the course of the 2024-2025 school year. This support will be in the form of professional development, technical assistance, and coaching support to the members of the team in order to provide a sustainable model for behavior interventions and supports for all students, staff, and families in the district.”
The district will also discuss the purchase of a replacement floor scrubber for Sunflower Elementary School, and will conclude Monday’s meeting with discussion of the purchase of replacement digital copier machines.
“We have five digital copiers that have reached the end of their lives. Three of the five were purchased and installed prior to 2018 and have become obsolete. Southern Office is no longer able to source parts for these obsolete machines. Two of the five are very close to 2 million copies as of May 2024,” the agenda information noted. “Southern Office has provided us a quote for Sharp Digital Copiers with external finishers and 75 ppm at a Sourcewell price of $12,580 each for a total of $62,900. Staff is recommending the board approve the purchase of five new Sharp digital copiers for $62,900.
