High School Computer Lab 7:00 PM
Trustees Present: Chairman Kelly Rutldedge
Brad Weaver Anna Bold Jessica Sheehy Matt Myers
Staff Present: Superintendent Dan Schrock Principal Heather Wolery Clerk Mary Merrill
Visitors Present: Yes
1. Call to Order
Meeting called to order by Chairman Kelly Rutledge at 7pm.
2. Pledge of Allegiance
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
3. Welcome Guests
Chairman Rutledge welcomed all visitors in attendance.
4. Public Comment- Non Agenda Items No Public Comment.
5. Correspondence- Correspondence read.
6. Minutes of the Last Meeting- January 16th 2024, approve/disapprove Jessica Sheehy made a motion to approve the minutes from the regular meeting held on January 16th 2024. A second was made by Brad Weaver. Unanimous. Minutes from January 16th 2024 approved.
7. Reports & Updates
a. National Honor Society & Student Council
Email from NHS advisor J. Jaramillo read out loud. After school tutoring sessions that were hosted by the National Honor Society have ended due to a misuse of time by students.
There were no representatives from the Student Council in attendance.
b. Booster Club
There were no Booster club members in attendance and no report read.
c. Technology
There was no technology report.
d. Clerks report
Clerk Mary Merrill gave an update on the current fund balance for the rental/lease fund. Reporting requirements for the FY22/23 are coming to a close.
i. Action Item- Approval of Claims & payroll k-12 Motion to approve made by Brad Weaver, seconded by Jessica Sheehy, Payroll checks 37723-37751, claims checks # 49837-49901 and Direct Deposit batch 308 unanimously approved.
ii. Action Item-Board approval of claim over $5000.00 for Ekroth Music. Motion made to approve expenditure for purchase of new Timpani, purchased using funds available via the Dora Mahood donation, made by Anna Bold. Motion seconded by Matt Myers. Unanimous. Expenditure for Ekroth Music approved.
e. AD report
Athletic Director Melanie Schwarzbach gave an update on the following: Football : We had three seniors selected for the 6-man all star game. The football helmets that were to take 4 months lead time to get here have arrived. Wrestling: All of our wrestlers placed at the divisional tournament. 8 of 9 qualified for state. Quinn Rodewald placed 4th.
Basketball: The girls tied with CJI as conference champions this year win an
11-1 conf. Record. They entered the 9c tournament as the 2nd seed as CJI beat us by more points than we beat them. The boys finished 6th.
Track: We are excited to begin another track season as we will soon receive all of the snow that we didn’t get this winter. The booster club purchased a new discus cage for the new ring south of the football field.
Other: Melanie has some prelim information regarding schools in our area who charge an activity fee for participation in athletics. She will finalize and present the cost analysis for officials at the next meeting as we still have JH wrestling left to finish up. Addition: Coach Jappe is retiring and AD Melanie would like to acknowledge her appreciation for his dedicated time coaching JH and Varsity football.
f.Principals Report- Principal Heather Wolery gave an update on Winter Benchmark testing with MAPS and that the benchmark has grown significantly for Math from the fall to the winter. Our district wide attendance has been good and very comparable to last year. Our teacher ratio has stayed mostly the same. Elementary went from 7:1 to 9:1. Average class size last year was 15, this year it is 14. The district has 86% of students involved in some sort of extra activity, either sports, student council, FFA, etc.
g. Superintendent’s Report: Met with a contractor from Havre to repair the damage from the flood in the coaches room. The Profile of Mt Graduate survey, using QR codes, has had very little response. The Covid era Safe return to school plan and ARP needs to be updated yet again and will be an item on the next meeting agenda. Certified
negotiations were held earlier this evening. Insurance inspection took place last week with a few recommendations to address. Superintendent Schrock is proud of the girls basketball team’s success. After hearing from a bus driver, the superintendent would like to propose an incentive payment for retention of current bus drivers.
8. Old Business
a. Discussion & possible action item- Teacher negotiations
Brad Weaver reported that the certified teacher negotiations have been positive so far. No action taken.
9. New Business Kelly requested a move of agenda item d to place of agenda item a to facilitate the discussion on a timely matter with representatives from FICO.
a. Discussion & possible action item- HVAC bids and proposal Representatives from Fico present. Bid opened and superintendent Schrock read off the bid proposal amounts. Total bid amount for revamp of HVAC system $428,679, broken into three phases. Phases are broken down in order to create the most efficiency and least disruption for students and staff. Discussion on deadline for bid acceptance. Motion to table until more information is available made by Brad Weaver. Motion Seconded by Matt Myers. HVAC bid acceptance tabled by unanimous vote.
b. Discussion & possible action item- Retirement Letter
Demrece Keller submitted a letter announcing her retirement and requesting a retirement benefit. No action taken. Chairman Rutledge thanked her for her dedication and commitment to the students of Big Sandy.
c. Discussion & possible action item- Track Varsity /JH coaches for 2024 track season. Head coach Wendy Taylor, assistant coaches Shersteen Andreasen and Tucker Taylor; Volunteer coaches Melanie Schwarzbach and Charlie Klimas Brad Weaver made a motion to approve all coaches for listed positions for 2024 spring track season. Matt Myers seconded the motion, no discussion, motion passed unanimously and above listed approved.
d. Discussion & possible action item-Adult meal prices -
Resources have been diminished after ESSER funds dried up and the disparity needs to be made up. Superintendent Shcrock recommended that we increase the rate for adult meals by one dollar. Anna Bold made a motion to raise prices, Matt Myers seconded. Upon discussion centered around the actual impact to the school foods fund with an increase in adult prices, Anna Bold rescinded her motion and the motion tabled until more information is available.
e. Discussion & possible action item- Call for Election
Chairman Rutledge made the call for Election for 2024. Jessica Sheehy made a motion to accept the call for election, Brad seconded the motion, motion approved
unanimously.
f.Discussion & possible action item- Substitute approval for remainder of 2023/2024 school year, pending background check-Nathan Merrill. Brad Weaver made a motion to approve, Jessica Sheehy seconded, motion carried unanimously.
g.Superintendent Evaluation & negotiations. Board members went into Executive session at 8:20 pm. Prior to exiting the room, a public comment was made by Brad Moore exclaiming his appreciation for the service of Superintendent Schrock and his compassion and care for the students and staff of the district. Board members came out of executive session at 8:40 pm. Brad Weaver made a motion to accept the contract for Dan Schrock as discussed in executive session. Motion seconded by Matt Myers, approved unanimously.
10. Next Board Meeting: Regular Meeting, Tuesday, March 19th, 2024
11. Meeting Adjourned by Chairman Kelly Rutledge at 8:45pm.
