March 12, 2009
The March regular meeting of the Elementary and High School District No. 1 Board of Trustees was held on March 12, 2009 in the Choteau High School Library. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Chairman Kirk Moore.
Members Present: Kirk Moore, Robert Stokes, Sharon Rice, Mark Henderson, Perri Lindgren, and Brenda Cunniff.
Members Absent: Katie Rasmussen.
Supt. St. John, High School Principal Achenbach, Elementary Principal Gameon, and Clerk Davis were present throughout the meeting.
A motion was made by Mark Henderson, seconded by Perri Lindgren and unanimously carried (1 absent) to approve the elementary minutes for the February 11, 2009 regular meeting as read.
A motion was made by Robert Stokes, seconded by Sharon Rice and unanimously carried (1 absent) to approve the high school minutes for the February 11, 2009 regular meeting as read.
Visitors: Choteau Acantha Editor Melody Martinsen; District Patrons Ron Daley, Jonathan Stoltz, Mary Skinner, Katie Vandolah, Janie Zwerneman, Becky Larson, Brodie Gollehon, Cliff Heuscher, Sally Heuscher, Josh Sonju and Carla May; Staff Members Eva Anseth, Jennifer Birnel, Greg Alzheimer, and Ann Funk; and Student Lena Heuscher.
A motion was made by Mark Henderson, seconded by Perri Lindgren and unanimously carried (1 absent) to approve the elementary claims clearing warrants #14408-#14477 and payroll clearing warrants #18754-#18706 for payment. A vendor list for claims is attached to the minutes of this meeting.
A motion was made by Robert Stokes, seconded by Sharon Rice and unanimously carried (1 absent) to approve the high school claims clearing warrants #14408-#14477 and payroll clearing warrants #18754-#18706 for payment. A vendor list for claims is attached to the minutes of this meeting.
Correspondence: None.
PRINCIPALS’ REPORTS High School Principal Nate Achenbach reported to the Board on the following matters:
A) High School Principal Achenbach informed the Board that Choteau 8th Grader Sully Smith won the Teton County Spelling Bee recently.
B) High School Principal Achenbach informed the Board that 10 Choteau high school students participated in the Principal Cup Challenge in Great Falls yesterday with 200 other area high school students. The two Choteau teams did very well but did not place and two Choteau participants placed individually – Thane Peebles took a 4th place and Susan Heuscher took a 6th place and received the highest Freshman test score overall.
C) High School Principal Achenbach informed the Board that Junior High Science Teacher Rachael Newmiller took 15 8th Grade and 13 7th Grade students to participate at the Regional Science Fair in Great Falls on Saturday, February 21st. Adam Milewski took 1st place in his division and won a 3 day trip to Yellowstone to study the ecosystem. Mrs. Newmiller will be taking 9 8th Grade and 9 7th Grade students to the State Science Fair in Missoula later this month, which is more than usual.
D) High School Principal Achenbach informed the Board that Mikaila Johnson has finished her elementary student teaching and begun her high school English student teaching under Mrs. Facklam.
E) High School Principal Achenbach informed the Board that he will be taking the high school student council to a leadership conference in Simms next week. High School Principal Achenbach noted that Trustee Katie Rasmussen’s husband, Flint Rasmussen, was suppose to be the guest speaker for this conference but he suffered a heart attack yesterday so is in the hospital in Great Falls and that is why Trustee Rasmussen could not be present at the meeting tonight.
F) High School Principal Achenbach informed the Board that the Junior High and High School students completed the CRT testing yesterday.
G) High School Principal Achenbach informed the Board that there was a drug dog search of the campus on February 26th. High School Principal Achenbach informed the Board that there were zero hits on the locker banks that day and further noted that the day was so bitterly cold that an outside search of the parking lot could not take place. Since there was no outside search, the dog handler had time to take the dog into the classrooms in the elementary and junior high and provide these students an educational opportunity.
H) High School Principal Achenbach informed the Board that the Junior Prom “Music of the Night” will be held on Saturday, March 21st in the high school gymnasium from 9:00-12:00 p.m., with the Grand March being held at 9:30 p.m. High School Principal Achenbach informed the Board that the prom could not take place in the auditorium this year as the school musical “Little Shop of Horrors” is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, March 27th and 28th. The set for the musical is very involved, takes up the entire stage, and must stay in place.
Elementary Principal Chuck Gameon reported to the Board on the following matters:
A) Elementary Principal Gameon informed the Board that the Elementary students are taking the CRT tests now and will finish up next Thursday.
B) Elementary Principal Gameon informed the Board that the next session of America Reads gets underway Monday, March 16th. Elementary Principal Gameon noted that there are currently 32-34 reading volunteers but by the time the program gets started there will probably be the 45 volunteers needed.
C) Elementary Principal Gameon informed the Board that the Elementary School had the second trimester Parent-Teacher Conferences this Tuesday and Wednesday and there was the usual good turn out. Elementary Principal Gameon noted that there has been little parental feedback about the new trimester system, but it has all been positive.
D) Elementary Principal Gameon informed the Board that the Elementary Student Council continues to work on their goal to make the school a better place by focusing on the playground area. The cookie dough sale continues to be the biggest fund raiser and the students want to continue to use these funds to improve the playground area by finishing installing underground sprinklers, planting more trees, upgrading the new basketball courts, and installing tables, benches, and some new equipment.
E) Elementary Principal Gameon informed the Board that they will need to adopt a policy in the near future regarding the use of the Response to Intervention model to qualify students into the special education program and provided a sample policy for them to review. Elementary Principal noted that the RTI model is being used at the kindergarten through 2nd grade level to qualify students into special education at this time and the staff continues to work on this model and implementing it at the higher elementary grade levels.
SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT A copy of the Superintendent’s report provided to the Bobard by Supt. St. John is attached to the minutes of this meeting.
A) Supt. St. John reviewed his report with the Board at this time.
B) Supt. St. John responded to an inquiry by Chairman Kirk Moore and informed the Board that the District has filed and recorded the necessary paperwork to claim the water rights on 7 acres.
C) Supt. St. John informed the Board that he had just been informed by the County Superintendent that the Bynum District will be requesting that the Choteau District provide bus transportation to several families that reside in the Choteau District but elect to attend school at Bynum.
D) Supt. St. John informed the Board that the FCCLA is sponsoring the Dolly Parton Imagination Library Program which is a literacy program though which sponsors are solicited for a $30 donation or pledge which will provide a child one library book a month delivered to the home.
E) Supt. St. John informed the Board that the term “March Madness” not only pertains to basketball but the transmittal deadline at the legislature, noting that MTSBA has scheduled their Day of Advocacy just before this deadline on Monday, March 16th.
UPOLICYU Supt. St. John reminded the Board that they adopted revised policy #8132 regarding activity trips and team bus occupants after three readings at the February Board Meeting. This revised policy now allows the spouses and children of coaching staff to ride activity busses with administrative approval and there is now a request to extend this courtesy to the bus driver. Supt. St. John noted that the Board can suspend the required three readings to revise a policy with a majority vote and feels this revision is just a housekeeping measure of the already approved revision.
Chairman Kirk Moore asked if the Board wants to consider this additional revision to the policy and if so did they want to waive the three readings. A motion was made by Robert Stokes and seconded by Sharon Rice to waive the three readings policy revision requirement so that the proposed additional revision to policy #8132 regarding activity trips and team bus occupants could be adopted tonight on first reading. Discussion of the motion on the floor was called for. Trustee Brenda Cunniff questioned if there is a time sensitivity that dictated waiving the three readings policy and was informed that time really wasn’t of the essence, but the earlier revision to the policy has been discussed extensively for the past three months and it was felt that allowing the spouse and children of the bus driver to ride activity busses with administrative approval was just an extension and clarification of the revision to allow the spouse and children of the coach to do so. Chairman Moore called for a vote on the motion on the floor that would waive the three reading requirement to adopt the proposed revision on first reading. Trustees voting for this motion were: Robert Stokes, Sharon Rice, Kirk Moore, and Mark Henderson. Trustees voting against this motion were: Brenda Cunniff and Perri Lindgren. The motion carried with a 4 to 2 vote (1 absent) so the proposed revision can be adopted tonight on first reading.
A motion was made by Brenda Cunniff and seconded by Robert Stokes to adopt Policy #8132 regarding activity trips and team bus occupants as amended, allowing the spouse and children of both coaches and bus drivers to ride activity busses with administrative approval. Trustees voting for this motion were: Brenda Cunniff, Robert Stokes, Sharon Rice, Kirk Moore, and Perri Lindgren. Trustees voting against this motion were: Mark Henderson. The motion carried with a 5 to 1 vote (1 absent).
ADOPT ELECTION RESOLUTION Supt. St. John reminded the Board that by law they must adopt a resolution to call for the annual school election at least 40 days before the election date of May 5th or by March 26th, which is also the deadline for filing trustee nominating petitions. Supt. St. John further reminded the Board that it is a legislative year and the level of school funding is completely unknown at this point in time, so whether a voted levy is needed or feasible is also unknown. Clerk Davis noted that the resolution only needs to state that a voted levy will be held in conjunction with the annual school trustee election if necessary so the voted levy amount just needs to be set before the deadline to certify the ballot, which is April 10th.
The Board reviewed the proposed election resolution and a motion was made by Mark Henderson and seconded by Perri Lindgren to adopt the election resolution as proposed without the names of the election judges specified. Discussion of the motion on the floor was called for. It was noted that the proposed resolution only lists the Choteau High School polling site and if there indeed needs to be a high school voted levy, the electors in the Outlying Bynum and Pendroy Districts should not be required to drive to Choteau to vote but have the Pendroy Fire Hall polling site available. A motion was made by Robert Stokes, seconded by Perri Lindgren and unanimously carried (1 absent) to amend the motion on the floor to include the Pendroy Fire Hall polling site. Chairman Kirk Moore called for a vote on the amended motion on the floor to adopt the proposed election resolution and the motion carried with a unanimous vote (1 absent). The entire election resolution as adopted is written below.
Now therefore, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees for Choteau School District No. 1. Teton County, State of Montana, will hold the Annual Regular School Election on Tuesday, May 5, 2009, which date is not less than forty (40) days after the passage of this resolution.
The polling sites for this election are the Choteau High School for the Choteau Elementary and High School District and the Pendroy Fire Hall for the Outlying Elementary Pendroy and Bynum School Districts for the Choteau High School District. The polls will be open from 12:00 Noon until 8:00 p.m.
The purpose of the election is to elect two (2) trustees to the Joint Elementary and High School Board of Trustees for Choteau School District No. 1 for a three-year term and elect one (1) trustee to the Choteau High School District No. 1 Board of Trustees, representing Outlying Pendroy Elementary District No. 61. Additional levies to operate and maintain the Choteau Public Schools may be requested if necessary. The Board of Trustees will make this determination at the April 7, 2009 regular meeting. If it is later determined that any portion of the election is not required, the Board of Trustees authorizes Gloria Davis, Election Administrator, to cancel that portion of the election in accordance with 13-1-304 and 20-3-313, MCA.
The Board of Trustees further authorizes Gloria Davis, Election Administrator, to contact and appoint at least three qualified electors for each polling site to serve as election judges.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Clerk of Choteau School District No. 1 is hereby directed to notify the election judges of their appointment and to notify the county election administrator of the date of holding said election, and request her to close registration and to prepare and furnish election materials as required by law. If any of the judges should not be able to serve, the Election Administrator will choose a replacement from certified judges.
APPROVE 2009-2010 SCHOOL CALENDAR Supt. St. John informed the Board that the PIR/ calendar committee proposed four different calendars that were voted on by the staff and provided the Board with a copy of the calendar that received the majority of votes, noting that the vote was very close. This option has the first teachers PIR days on August 24th and 25th, with students beginning school on August 26th, the usual Wednesday-Sunday Thanksgiving break, a long Christmas break again from December 21st-January 4th, the usual Thursday-Monday Easter/Spring break, and students getting out of school on June 2nd and teachers checking out on June 3rd.
The Board questioned what the other calendar options were since the vote was close. Supt. St. John informed the Board that the other calendar option with a number of votes was essentially the same as outlined above but with a shorter Christmas break so school would be out at the end of May and before Graduation because of where the Memorial Day holiday falls, which has its drawbacks. The length of the Christmas break was once again discussed by the Board, as well as what the optimum school calendar should be.
A motion was made by Brenda Cunniff and seconded by Mark Henderson to adopt the 2009-2010 school calendar as proposed above by the administration, teachers, and staff. Trustees voting for this motion were: Brenda Cunniff, Mark Henderson, Robert Stokes, Sharon Rice, and Kirk Moore. Trustees voting against this motion were: Perri Lindgren. The motion carried with a 5 to 1 vote (1 absent). A copy of the calendar as adopted is attached to the minutes of this meeting.
ACCEPT ELEMENTARY BOYS TRACK COACH RESIGNATION AND EMPLOY HIGH SCHOOL HEAD GOLF COACH Supt. St. John reminded the Board that the administration has been advertising for a High School Head Golf Coach for this school year as this position is open due to the recent resignation of Zach Murphy. Supt. St. John informed the Board that the administration had only received one letter of interest for this coaching position and that was from staff member John Shepherd, who is currently assigned as the Elementary Boys Track Coach for the spring season. Supt. St. John informed the Board that the administration believes Mr. Shepherd would do a good job coaching golf and recommends that he be released as the Elementary Boys Track Coach and assigned as the High School Head Golf Coach for the 2008-09 school year.
A motion was made by Mark Henderson, seconded by Perri Lindgren and unanimously carried (1 absent) to accept the administration’s recommendation and release John Shepherd as the Elementary Boys Track Coach and assign him as the High School Head Golf Coach for the 2008-09 school year.
EMPLOY ELEMENTARY BOYS TRACK COACH Supt. St. John informed the Board that the administration has advertised the Elementary Boys Track Coach vacancy due to the reassignment of John Shepherd. One letter of interest was received for this coaching position and that was from staff member Emily Bouma and the administration would recommend she be employed to fill this vacancy.
A motion was made by Perri Lindgren, seconded by Mark Henderson and unanimously carried (1 absent) to accept the administration’s recommendation and employ Emily Bouma as the Elementary Boys Track Coach for the 2008-09 school year.
PASS RESOLUTION TO STOP PAYMENT AND ISSUE DUPLICATE WARRANT A motion was made by Robert Stokes, seconded by Brenda Cunniff and unanimously carried (1 absent) to pass a resolution to stop payment on payroll clearing warrant #18594 in the amount of $1,017.21 issued to Patricia L. Mellinger on February 20, 2009 as it has been lost and issue a duplicate warrant. Clerk Davis informed the Board that the necessary indemnity bond has been completed.
CONSIDER CHOTEAU EDUCATION FOUNDATION ACCOUNTS Clerk Davis informed the Board that retired High School Principal Neal Wedum established the non-profit Choteau Education
Foundation over 8 years ago for the purpose of funneling the donated money to build the tennis courts and the Barney Scholarship. Clerk Davis noted that the Barney Scholarship has not been awarded for quite some time and the benefactor cashed in the certificate of deposit and retained the principal amount this December, but allowed the interest earned to remain in the Choteau Education Foundation savings account. Clerk Davis informed the Board that at this time the Choteau Education Foundation has $15.25 as a checking account balance and $1,182.23 as a savings account balance at Citizens State Bank. Clerk Davis stated she would like the Board to approve closing these accounts and transfer the balances to the Contingency Donation High School Activity Account. Clerk Davis informed the Board that she has discussed this with Mr. Wedum and he agreed that this would be a good course of action, as he established the Contingency Donation High School Activity Account for the purpose of covering various expenses for students that could not afford to; and the benefactor of the Barney Scholarship was also one of the main contributors to this contingency donation account when Mr. Wedum indicated a need for such funds. Clerk Davis noted that the Choteau Education Foundation will retain its non-profit status and is available for the District to reactivate if need be.
A motion was made by Robert Stokes, seconded by Perri Lindgren and unanimously carried (1 absent) to direct Clerk Gloria Davis to close the Choteau Education Foundation checking account in the amount of $15.25 and savings account in the amount of $1,182.23 and place these balances in the Choteau High School Contingency Donation Activity Account as outlined above.
ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF AND APPROVE DEPOSIT OF CHECKS A motion was made by Brenda Cunniff, seconded by Perri Lindgren and unanimously carried (1 absent) to acknowledge receipt of and approve depositing the following checks in the appropriate funds.
1) Big Sky Special Needs Cooperative check #7259 in the total amount of $791.85 for the reimbursement of Special Education Collaboration substitute costs, with $186.85 used to restore the Elementary General Fund Budget and $605.00 used to restore the High School General Fund Budget.
2) Dupuyer School District No. 12 check #7662 in the amount of $1,035.00 for reimbursement of library and counseling services provided, to be deposited in the Elementary Miscellaneous Federal Fund.
3) Schwan’s Food Service check #206238n in the amount of $3.76 for the food rebate program, to be deposited in the Elementary Lunch Fund.
4) Teton County check #069789 in the amount of $381.01 for the reimbursement of student travel expenses for the Tobacco Coalition program, to be used to restore the High School General Fund Budget.
CONSIDER APRIL REGULAR MEETING DATE Supt. St. John informed the Board that the second Thursday of the month, April 9th, happens to fall on the Thursday of the Spring/Easter break so there will be no school that day. Supt. St. John noted that if the Board wants to consider changing the April meeting date because of this, it is recommended that it be scheduled to the evening of Wednesday, April 8th so that the Board can set the voted levy amount at that time, since the ballot language must be certified by April 10th.
A motion was made by Brenda Cunniff and seconded by Robert Stokes to hold the April Regular Board Meeting on Wednesday, April 8, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. in the Choteau High School Library. Discussion of the motion on the floor was called for and Trustee Sharon Rice questioned holding the meeting on Wednesday, since it is designated as Family Night. The Board and administration discussed the various conflicts with rescheduling the meeting from Thursday to Tuesday or Wednesday.
A motion was made by Brenda Cunniff and seconded by Robert Stokes to amend the motion on the floor and hold the April Regular Board Meeting on Tuesday, April 7, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. in the Choteau High School Library. Trustees voting for this motion to amend the motion on the floor were: Brenda Cunniff, Robert Stokes, Sharon Rice, Mark Henderson, and Kirk Moore. Trustees voting against this motion were: Perri Lindgren. The motion to amend the motion on the floor carried with a 5 to 1 vote (1 absent).
Chairman Moore called for a vote of the amended motion on the floor. Trustees voting for the amended motion were: Brenda Cunniff, Robert Stokes, Sharon Rice, Mark Henderson, and Kirk Moore. Trustees voting against this motion were: Perri Lindgren. The amended motion to hold the April Regular Board Meeting on Tuesday, April 7, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. in the Choteau High School Library passed with a 5 to 1 vote (1 absent).
CLERK/BUSINESS MANAGER’S REPORT Clerk Davis informed the Board that no investments were made by the Teton County Treasurer on behalf of the Teton County Investment Committee for February due to a lack of cash flow.
SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT Supt. St. John had nothing further to report to the Board or wrap up with at this time.
K-12 TEACHER EVALAUTIONS AND COACHING EVALUATIONS Chairman Kirk Moore announced that the next items on the agenda involve individual privacy. Chairman Moore declared that the meeting would be closed while the evaluations of the K-12 teaching staff and the fall and winter coaching staff were discussed, as he had determined that the demand for individual privacy clearly exceeds the merits of public disclosure. At this time Chairman Moore asked any of the staff present if they wanted to waive their right of privacy. Teacher Jennifer Birnel informed the Board that she did not want to waive her right of privacy but did want to sit in on her evaluation in closed session.
The Board went into executive session to hear reports on teacher and coaching evaluations. High School Principal reviewed the 7-12 teacher evaluations and the 2008-09 fall/winter coaching evaluations with the Board, conducting Mrs. Birnel’s evaluation first so that she could sit in as requested. Mrs. Birnel left the executive session after her evaluation was discussed. Trustee Robert Stokes left the executive session at 11:10 p.m. so that he was not present as High School Principal Achenbach reviewed his daughter Rachael Newmiller’s Junior High Science Teacher evaluation. Josh Sonju, the Elementary Boys Basketball Coach, had stayed in the building and requested to sit in on his coaching evaluation and went into executive session with the Board at 11:10 p.m. while High School Principal Achenbach reviewed his evaluation. Mr. Sonju and High School Principal Achenbach departed the executive session at 12:10 p.m., at which time Elementary Principal Chuck Gameon went into the executive session to review the K-6 teacher evaluations with the Board. After discussing all of these evaluations, Chairman Moore declared the meeting open again for regular business.
There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 12:30 a.m.
ATTEST: ______________________ CLERK _________________________ CHAIRMAN