Sioux City Community Schools -

District Mission: The Sioux City Community School District exists to educate students to believe in their talents and skills, achieve academic excellence, and succeed in reaching their potential.

Facilitator: Dr. Rod Earleywine
Secretary: Sydney Christophersen

The Board Finance & Facilities Committee (BF&F) met on Monday, June 17, 2024, in the Educational Service Center Board Room. Copies of the Agenda and the following Executive Summaries were available:

• Acceptance of Property/Casualty & Workers’ Compensation Insurance Renewal

• Acceptance of Student Participant Accident and Catastrophic Coverage

• FY25 Break Fix Insurance Program Renewal

• Additional Software Licenses for FY25

• Switch Replacement – Phase 1

• Extreme Switch Support Contract

• Backpacks & School Supplies

• Sioux City Transit Bus Tickets

• Abante Marketing/Absolute Screen Art Web Store Agreement

• TalkingPoints

• Contracts for Board Approval

• FY25 Contract for Propane Filling Station and Annual Propane Purchase Price Agreement

• North High Elevator Renovations

• West Middle School Boiler Replacement Purchase

• Community Eligibility Provision (CEP)

• North High and East High Pools Determination

Committee Members Present: Dr. Earleywine, Patty Blankenship, Tim Paul, John Meyers, and Dan Greenwell

Committee Members Absent: Jan George

Guests / Visitors: Dr. Jen Gomez, Chad Fengel, Leslie Heying, Angela Bemus, Jarod Mozer, Rich Luze, and Larry Moser and Steve Schultz (Gallagher)

Call to Order: Dr. Earleywine called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m.

• The administration is proposing to renew the property/casualty insurance as follows:

  • Package Program with Iowa Public Insurance Program (IPSIP) for $2,008,063 (prior year premium $1,706,559).

  • Violent and Malicious Acts with Hiscox for $26,758 (prior year premium $22,074).

  • Excess Liability with Princeton for $335,108 (prior year premium $256,572). Increased limits from $14 million to $15 million.

  • Travelers’ liability for $71,649 (prior year premium $69,489). Increased limits from $3 million to $4 million.

  • Total 2024-2025 premiums of $2,441,579 (prior year premiums $2,054,694).

  • 18.8% increase in 2024-2025 premiums.

  • 30.2% increase in property values.

  • Losses over the past five years have been as follows:

    • 2019-2020 17.3%

    • 2020-2021 100.7%

    • 2021-2022 10.8%

    • 2022-2023 10.7%

    • 2023-2024

      21.1%

  • The administration is proposing to renew the workers' compensation insurance with Iowa Public Insurance Program (IPSIP). The renewal increase is 10%. The 2024-2025 estimated payroll is the same as 2023-2024.

    • Losses over the past five years have been as follows:

      • 2019-2020 67.4%

      • 2020-2021 122.0%

      • 2021-2022 105.0%

      • 2022-2023 53.0%

      • 2023-2024 83.1%

    • The renewal premium is $970,116 (prior year premium $884,585).

• The overall increase for property/casualty and workers' compensation insurance is 16%.

• Funding source: Management Fund

• The recommendation is that the Board of Directors renew the property/casualty insurance and workers’ compensation insurance with Iowa Public Schools Insurance Program (IPSIP).

• This item will be on the agenda of the June 24, 2024 Board meeting.

• The administration is proposing to renew the Student Participant Accident and Catastrophic Coverage insurance policy with Gallagher Student Health & Special Risk. The carrier is Guarantee Trust Life Insurance Company. The policy provides the following coverage:

  • Career Academy, ROTC, and Intern Job Shadowing Accident Medical Insurance, $25,000 per injury maximum, 2024-2025 annual premium $4,475.

  • Catastrophic Accident Medical Insurance (for student athletes, student managers, cheerleaders and band members participating in district sponsored and supervised athletic activities), $5,000,000 per injury maximum, $25,000 deductible, 2024-2025 annual premium $4,447.

  • Total annual premium $8,992.

• The FY24 total annual premiums were $8,013.

• Funding source: Management Fund

• The recommendation is that the Board of Directors approve the proposal from Gallagher Student Health & Special Risk for Student Participant Accident and Catastrophic Coverage for $8,992.

• This item will be on the agenda of the June 24, 2024 Board meeting.

• In FY24, the District continued an insurance program with Specialty Underwriters (SU) designed to reimburse the District or make direct payments to District vendors for specified equipment repair, maintenance, and replacement costs. The insurance program enables the District to conserve general fund spending authority. The premium was $1,421,276. The administration is estimating the Break Fix Insurance Program will provide $1,140,000 of spending authority relief.

• For FY25, the administration is recommending renewal of the Break Fix Insurance Program with Specialty Underwriters (SU). The estimated premium is $1,492,340. The estimated spending authority relief is $1,190,000.

• Funding source: Management Fund

• The recommendation is that the Board of Directors approve the renewal of the Break Fix Insurance Program for FY25 with Specialty Underwriters (SU) for an annual premium cost of $1,492,430.

• This item will be on the agenda of the June 24, 2024 Board meeting.

• To request Board approval to purchase software licenses for FY25. This software was not on the list presented to the Board at the June 10, 2024 Board meeting.

• Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment

  • Istation $10,882.50

  • The Art of Education $27,272

• Communications

  • K12 Insight $27,522

• Funding source: General Fund

• The recommendation is that the Board of Directors approve the purchase of the additional software. Total cost of $65,676.50.

• This item will be on the agenda of the June 24, 2024 Board meeting.

• The Technology Department received the following bids for switch replacement:

  • RTI $2,670,800

  • High Point Networks $1,910,481

  • Marco $2,345,155

  • Heartland Business Systems $2,448,290

  • C&C Group $2,087,550

• High Point Networks submitted the lowest bid.

• This is Phase 1 of the project, and will replace switches at Hunt, Perry Creek, Unity, Leeds, Irving, Liberty, West High, and West Middle. The total cost for Phase 1 is $725,272.02.

• Funding source: FY25 ERATE $580,217.62 and FY25 General Fund $145,054.40.

• The recommendation is that the Board of Directors approve the purchase of network switches from High Point Networks for $725,272.02.

• This item will be on the agenda of the June 24, 2024 Board meeting.

• The District network uses Extreme switches.

• Annually the District purchases the ExtremeWorks Support Contract for upgrades and troubleshooting support.

• Funding source: General Fund $7,127.17 and ERATE $28,508.68.

• The recommendation is that the Board of Directors renew the ExtremeWorks Support Contract through HighPoints Networks for $35,635.85.

• This item will be on the agenda of the June 24, 2024 Board meeting.

• The Department of Student Services and Equity Education provides backpacks and school supplies to students in need of assistance.

• The budget for FY24 was approximately $48,000. The estimated budget for FY25 is approximately $41,000.

• Funding source: General Fund (McKinney-Vento/ARP HCY, At Risk, and Equity Department Budget).

• The recommendation is that the Board of Directors approve the purchase of backpacks and school supplies for students in need of assistance. Total FY25 budget is $41,000.

• This item will be on the agenda of the June 24, 2024 Board meeting.

• The Department of Student Services and Equity Education Department provides Sioux City Transit bus tickets to students identified as homeless and students who do not qualify for free bussing but still have a need.

• The FY24 budget was approximately $98,000, less than the FY23 budget of $134,640. ESSER III subsidized the FY24 budget.

• The administration is proposing a budget of approximately $135,000 for FY25.

• Funding source: General Fund (Equity Department Budget, At Risk, Title 1A, and JOM Grant)

• The recommendation is that the Board of Directors approve the purchase of Sioux City Transit bus tickets throughout the 2024-2025 school year in the approximate amount of $135,000.

• This item will be on the agenda of the June 24, 2024 Board meeting.

• The Abante Marketing/Absolute Screen Art web store provides employees with an opportunity to purchase approved district-branded apparel.

• If the proceeds from the online store do not exceed $1,000 the District will pay the difference. In previous years, the sales have exceeded the $1,000 minimum.

• Funding source: General Fund (Communications Budget)

• The recommendation is that the Board of Directors approve the agreement with Abante Marketing/Absolute Screen Art for an online apparel store.

• This item will be on the agenda of the June 24, 2024 Board meeting.

• TalkingPoints is a multilingual, two-way dialogue platform that provides a secure, safe, and seamless way for staff, students, and families to communicate.

• TalkingPoints will provide a standard method of communication. District employees will be required to use it.

• The total cost of TalkingPoints is $46,650.

• Funding source: General Fund. Funds from the discontinuation of the Let’s Talk Platform ($25,000) will be used in addition to At-Risk funding.

• The recommendation is that the Board of Directors approve the purchase of TalkingPoints for $46,650.

• This item will be on the agenda of the June 24, 2024 Board meeting.

• The administration is recommending that the Board approve and execute the following contracts:

  • Memorandum of Understanding Teacher Candidate Student Teacher Placement Confirmation from Northwestern College.

  • Clinical Practice/Practicum Affiliation Agreement from Wayne State College.

  • Agreement between Party Fun Rentals, LLC, and Leeds Elementary School for $1,009. (Funding source is 1K - Building Activity Fund.)

  • Agreement between Western Iowa Tech Community College (WITCC) and Sioux City Community School District (Participant) for a Concurrent Enrollment Contract for College Level Courses from August 1, 2024 - July 31, 2025. Cost is determined by credit hours, section fees, and per student enrollment. (Funding source is the General Fund.)

  • Agreement between Tribe 99 Choreography, LLC and East High School for $2,200. (Funding source is the Student Activity Dance Account.)

• The recommendation is that the Board of Directors approve and execute the above contracts.

• This item will be on the agenda of the June 24, 2024 Board meeting.

• To enter into a one-year no cost agreement with New Century FS for a propane filling station and a one-year agreement to purchase propane at a fixed cost of $1.37 for 15,000 gallons. No change in the fixed cost from FY24.

• Funding source: General Fund

• The recommendation is that the Board of Directors approve a one-year no cost agreement with New Century FS for a propane filling station and a one-year agreement to purchase propane at a fixed cost of $1.37.

• This item will be on the agenda of the June 24, 2024 Board meeting.

• Sealed bids were received for the North High elevator renovations.

• Nelson Commercial Construction submitted the low bid of $436,173. The initial estimated cost was $432,950.

• Funding source: FY24 Sales Tax Fund $331,000 and FY25 Sales Tax Fund $105,173. The elevator replacement is a priority project and other projects from the FY24 and FY25 capital project list were removed or pushed back.

• The recommendation is that the Board of Directors accept the low bid of $436,173 from Nelson Commercial Construction for the North High elevator renovations.

• This item will be on the agenda of the June 24, 2024 Board meeting.

• The administration is recommending that the three boilers at West Middle School be replaced with new high-efficiency boilers as designed by KCL Engineering.

• The current boilers are 22 years old, outdated, and parts are no longer available.

• Two bids were received.

  • Verne Simmonds Omaha Nebraska - Lochinvar Boiler FBN1501 $96,552.

  • Dakota Supply Group South Sioux City Nebraska - Viessmann Boiler ZK05782 $92,472.82.

• The administration is recommending the bid from Verne Simmonds because the O&M staff have experience with Lochinvar boilers.

• Funding source: FY24 Sales Tax

• The recommendation is that the Board of Directors approve the purchase of three boilers from Vern Simmonds for $96,552.

• This item will be on the agenda of the June 24, 2024 Board meeting.

• The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) provides free meals for all students enrolled in a building regardless of family income. CEP is based on direct certification (DC) from the state.

• Currently the District has nine CEP sites, eight elementary schools and one middle school.

• The USDA provides a Community Eligibility Provision Monthly Federal Reimbursement Estimator to help estimate the level of Federal reimbursement received under CEP.

• The presentation shows six different scenarios.

• The administration is recommending Scenario 5, which adds Leeds and Riverside Elementary Schools, North Middle School, and West High School as CEP sites for 2024-2025.

• The estimator shows that Scenario 5 will generate a shortfall in revenues. We anticipate that the number of meals served and ala carte sales at the new CEP will increase, which will help make up for the revenue shortfall.

• The CEP status will be reviewed again in April 2025 to determine if the sites can maintain the CEP status.

• Funding source: School Nutrition Fund

• The recommendation is that the Board of Directors select Scenario 5 as the CEP sites for the 2024-2025 school year.

• This item will be on the agenda of the June 24, 2024 Board meeting.

• The committee members discussed the status of the District pools.

• The East High School pool is currently not operating. The North and West High School pools are operating. All three pools need major repairs.

• The committee members discussed a potential agreement with a private entity. The committee members did not think they could support the agreement.

• There was discussion about whether this topic should be on the next board agenda.

• The administration will discuss this topic with Board leadership.

• John briefly discussed the AEA funding that will now stay with the District.

• This was a discussion only.

• The finance reports for May were briefly reviewed.

• This item will be on the agenda of the June 24, 2024 Board Meeting.

The next meeting of the Board Finance & Facilities Committee will be Monday, July 8, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. in the ESC Board Room.