Board looks to annual goals, advanced reporting

Budgets, bylaws and balances of funds dominated the discussion at the Oct. 10 meeting of the Madison Board of Education.

The board approved August financial and bank reconciliation statements. Board members Dr. Terri Johnson and Phil Schmidt said the finance committee will find reasons for fewer students buying school lunches. Last school year, 57 percent of students bought lunch, compared to 47 percent this year.

Johnson said a possible balance may remain in the capital projects fund after payment of outstanding bills for James Clemens construction.

Jeana Ross, federal programs coordinator, explained an agreement with BaselineEdge for a ‘dashboard,’ or an graphical interface that reports facts that ‘drive’ the school system.

BaselineEdge can use the schools’ “data warehouse on … any collected data (for example, attendance, finance, behavior) to produce analysis reports of any type,” Ross said. Ross proposed to submit student data to BaselineEdge to produce a sample of the data analysis.

For several months, the district has been looking for a dashboard, which Fowler called “a one-stop shop to sell our system.” Johnson said the tool can help with compiling data for possible, future rezoning.

Dennis James summarized the board’s recent three-hour work session on annual goals for the district and superintendent. Goal 1 is implementing “observable methods for school improvement tailored to each school with measurable indicators of greatness,” James said.

Goal 2 is to improve district communications, both internally within the schools and externally to the public. The district’s presence on social media will increase, along with better modes in traditional venues, like email.

Each year, a portion of the superintendent’s salary is awarded on attainment of goals that the board has defined. The board agreed to $10,000 in additional compensation for Fowler to successfully achieve these two specific goals for 2012-2013.

Kim Bowen from Rainbow Elementary School was recognized as the state recipient of the 2012 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

Director of operations Patrick Conner and Fowler attended the fall conference of Alabama superintendents. State Superintendent Dr. Tommy Bice spoke on 2014 state budget considerations and expectations. To plan for the 2014 budget, the rolling reserve act takes data from last completed fiscal year and derives a “15-year moving average,” Conner said.

The board is reviewing revisions to its bylaws for a later vote.

The board approved contracts with Pitney Bowes for the Central Office and James Clemens High School.