USD 480 Board Meets Approve AVID Contract

The USD 480 Board of Education met on Monday evening at the East Campus. On the Consent Agenda items included Band Trips, Overnight Travel, Early Graduates, Gifts, Wednesday Activities, and Employment/Retirement/Resignations/Transfers. Included in the Resignations were Carter Kruger, Assistant Principal at the High School.

In new business, the Board heard information on adding eSports to the activities at Liberal High School. Also discussed and approved was a proposal and job description for an Instructional Coach for Interim Instructors. Approved was the proposed 2023-24 school calendar, and the purchase of Into Literature textbooks for middle school ELA.

The Board approved the AVID contract in the amount of 21,418.00 for both middle schools for the 2023-2024 school year and approved a professional leave request for middle school staff members to attend training over the summer in Denver, CO.

Approved was the renewal of the KASB membership and legal in the amount of 15,245.44.

The Board accepted the proposal for professional services from Michael Aitken, MEA Consulting Engineers in the amount of $80,000 to recommission the HVAC systems at Eisenhower and Seymour Rogers Middle Schools. The recommissioning services will include evaluating the current system settings and making necessary changes to ensure that the building HVAC systems are processing the appropriate amount of fresh air in the most efficient manner to ensure a healthy, comfortable learning environment.

At Eisenhower Middle School the bid from Hellas Construction in the amount of $109,780.00 was approved to resurface the running track at Eisenhower. The Board also approved the bid from First Wireless, Inc in the amount of $715,061.33 to provide a bi-directional amplification system to support emergency communications throughout the following buildings:

-Bright Start Early Learning Center

-Sunflower Elementary

-Cottonwood Elementary

-Prairie View Elementary

-MacArthur Elementary

-Meadowlark Elementary

-Seymour Rogers Middle School

-Eisenhower Middle School

Approved at the meeting was the bid for Art Supplies, Paper, and General Stock Supplies.

Approval was also given to pay for the increase to the Board Benefit and the renewal with BCBS of Kansas to include the new High Deductible Health Plan and HSA. The renewal is an increase of 6.2% over the previous year. The Board of Education will have an estimated increase in costs of $131,544.