by Matthew Liberati
Agency descriptor from The Poudre School Board of Education website: The Board of Education is the elected body that sets policy and governance for the school district. Board Directors are voted on at large. Voters vote for one candidate from each director district that is open during the general election.
Meeting Summary*
Superintendents Report
The current annual capital improvement budget for Poudre School District (PSD) is $800,000 per year.
A school calendar survey will be sent in early October with preferences for start and end dates, holidays, days off etc.
Colorado has the 6th lowest fertility rate in the country. The fertility rate within PSD is 1.09 and maintaining population is 2.1. Also, the overall population is aging.
There will be discussions on population decline impacts to PSD during the October 10th board meeting. Additional information will be sent to the community after the meeting.
Community Comments
Some community comments focused on board transparency and a need to improve communications (The next community engagement session will be October 17, more details will be provided in the PSD Now newsletter Communications | Poudre School District (psdschools.org)).
A teacher talked about the new reading curriculum and the need for better training and more time to prepare, and flexibility in executing the program.
Universal Preschool in Colorado and PSD
Challenges exist navigating the enrollment system for non-English speakers, and for families experiencing poverty or with limited access to technology. Originally up to 30 hours of prek was offered to families experiencing at least one risk factor. The state did not have enough money to fund the program so the qualification criteria was changed to multiple risk factors. PSD is using supplemental funding to cover all students with at least one risk factor. That supplemental funding expires September 30. To date billing has been inconsistent.
Air Conditioning Feasibility Study (McKinstry)
Over the next 20 years replacement costs for existing infrastructure that is expected to fail is estimated to be $555 million. Full AC implementation at all schools is estimated to cost between $165 and $225 million in current dollars. The project would take 7 years if 5 school systems are done every year. A typical school implementation would take approximately 3 years from approval to full operations.
The board went into executive session to discuss School Resource Officer contracts
Next Meeting: Tuesday, October 10, 2023 @ 5:30 p.m., Johannsen Support Services Center, 2407 Laporte Avenue, Fort Collins
Agency Website: | |
Date & Meeting Time: | October 10, 2023; 5:30 PM |
Members Present: | President District F, Rob Petterson, Vice President District C, Kristen Draper, DJ Anderson District A, Nate Donovan District B, Jim Brokish District D, Carolyn Redd District E, Jessica Zamore, District G |
Members Absent: | N/A |
Others Present to Note: | N/A |
*Citizen Observers further the commitment of the League of Women Voters to its principle of Citizens Right to Know, however, we are not acting as journalists. Omissions and errors are possible. It is assumed that users of this information are responsible for their own fact-checking. This could include contacting a government clerk, conversing with an elected official or staff, and/or asking us to speak to the Observer who attended.