BIG SANDY SCHOOL DISTRICT #2
Board of Trustees Meeting
Held on November 19th, 2024
Held in Big Sandy High School Computer Lab
This meeting has been recorded and will be available on the school website
Trustees in attendance: Vice Chairperson Jessica Sheehy, Amanda Hoffman, Matt Myers, Kyle Danreuther.
Absent- Chairperson Brad Weaver
Staff in attendance: Superintendent Dan Schrock, Principal Heather Wolery, District Clerk Mary Merrill
Guests in Attendance
1. Call to order made by Chairperson Jessica Sheehy at 7:00pm
2. Pledge of Allegiance recited by all in attendance
3. Public Comment, non-agenda items: No Public Comment
4. Correspondence: Card from Big Sandy Medical Guild thanking Staff and students for their help with the annual rummage sale read out loud by Chairperson Sheehy.
5. Minutes of the last meeting held on October 15th, 2024. Motion made by Matt Myers to approve, with no changes, the minutes from the previously held board of trustees meeting on October 15th, 2024. Motion seconded by Kyle Danreuther, motion approved unanimously.
6. Reports and Updates:
a. National Honor Society-None
b. Booster Club- President Traci Rodewald gave update on projects that were completed including the new lifetime poster having been hung, a request from the boys & girls wrestling program for warm up gear; new booster club gear coming in on Friday; will be switching out signs on main street for winter sports. Next regular meeting will be December 3rd.
c. Student Council-Student gave report- Halloween activities included a carnival for students, Hayride and hot chocolate, group went to senior center to visit everyone. The Student Council thanked everyone who was involved. Red ribbon week was good. Coming up-thanksgiving goodie bags saying thanks. Donating to the food bank and the group would like to encourage more participation this year in the food drive by all in the school. The drive will run December 2-18th. There will be a Secret Santa exchange as well.
d. Technology - Tech report sent in by Travis Baumann: Our Erate gear showed up and has been partially installed, with the hope of completion over the Thanksgiving break. Hope to increase internet speeds.
e. Athletic Director-Melanie Schwarzbach stated that policy language may need to be shored up regarding daily food amount allotted to athletes and use of funds; tournament timeline regarding win or lose and staying at the tournament. Parent player meetings are happening this week. Possibility of adding an addendum to the policies in the handbook. Mr. Schrock will investigate the policies as they stand currently and compile some model policies as they stand with other districts.
f. Clerk: District Clerk and business manager Mary Merrill reported that the minutes from the first and second strategic planning sessions will be available for approval at the December board meeting; update on budgeted funds as they currently sit and an emphasis on the balance and expected revenue of the building reserve fund as it will apply towards the HVAC project; reported on trainings attended; reported that in December the opening of the trustee candidates filing will begin.
i. Approval of Claims #50225-50265, payroll check #’s 38130-38163 , payroll direct deposit batch #322. Motion to approvel all claims and payroll warants as listed made by Matt Myers, motion seconded by Kyle Danreuther, motion passed unanimously
G. Principals report-Heather Wolery reported that the Christmas concert is coming up; we currently have 182 enrolled students and all have at least one guardian per student officially logged in with the ROOMS app. Universal reporting system- access will be available on the website.
H. Superintendents report- Dan Schrock spoke to the current status of the EPA efficiency grant and is also requesting to include the football field lights in his grant proposal, given that the deadline for the grant has been extended once again. He, along with Principal Wolery & Counselor Keane attended a threat assessment training and are looking forward to implementing safety protocols learned in the training. Will not be able to attend the coming session of strategic planning due to a prior commitment; Spoke to his plans to attend the Day of Advocacy in Helena in March. Superintendent Schrock thanked the following individuals, business & community center for their generosity and help to facilitate another successful Halloween for the students: Deb & Ronnie at The Grocery Store, Shane & Erica Chauvet, The senior center and Chairman Brad Weaver.
7. Informational: None.
Action Items
8. Old Business
a. None
9. New Business
a. Request to open a school-Mr. Schrock reached out to other districts for their colony policies for comparison and he spoke on his concern of filling yet another teacher role. Kyle Danreuther made a motion to deny the request, Matt Myers seconded the motion, no discussion, motion to deny the request by Medow Lane Colony for Big Sandy School District to open an attendance center in our District approved unanimously.
b. National honor society advisor- Motion to approve contract for Calista Worrall to take on the advisor role of National Honor Society for the remainder of the 2024/2025 school year made by Matt Myers, motion seconded by Kyle Danreuther, motion passed unanimously.
c. Volunteer girls’ basketball coaches & Volunteer wrestling coach for 2024/2025 seasons: motion to approve all volunteers as listed for listed positions made by Kyle Danreuther, motion to second made by Amanda, no discussion, all volunteers approved unanimously: Girls Basketball volunteer coaches Anne Favel & Lacey Christianson; Wrestling volunteer coach Samuel Cox.
d. Substitute Pay-
i. Per new rules effective January 1, 2025 by Teachers Retirement system, substitute pay needs to be changed to an hourly rate rather than current district standard of full day or half day, keeping the distinction between certified and non-certified but breaking the existing full day rate into an 8.5hr day and wage paid per hour. Discussion. Matt Myers made a motion to approve the TRS required hourly rate with a guaranteed minimum pay of four hours a day, effective immediately, motion seconded by Amanda Hoffman, motion approved unanimously.
ii. Motion to approve the addition, effective immediately, to the district’s current substitute pay rate of a rate for one to one paraprofessional substitutes, set at the annual classified salary matrix starting hourly rate for all one to one paraprofessionals, made by Amanda Hoffman and seconded by Kyle Danreuther, no discussion, motion passed unanimously.
e. Invoice over maximum threshold for administration approval- motion to approve Kelley contract invoice for annual elementary printer contract of $10,377.20 made by Amanda Hoffman, motion seconded by Matt Myers
f. Invoice over maximum threshold for administration approval- motion to approve Kelley contract invoice for annual High school/JH printer contract of $5168.94 made by Matt Myers, seconded by Amanda Hoffman. Motion approved unanimously.
g. MTSUIP multi district participation agreement: Motion to enter the Mutli District Participation Agreement with the Montana Schools Unemployment Insurance, effective as of July 1, 2024, made by Matt Myers, motion seconded by Kyle Danreuther, motion to enter agreement for fiscal year 2024/2025 passed unanimously.
h. Route Driver- recommendation by Dan Schrock, after successful interview, to offer contract to Mr. Gilbert Meyers pending a successful background check, motion to approve made by Matt Myers, motion seconded by Kyle Danreuther motion passed unanimously.
i. Christmas gift card purchases for all staff- Motion to approve the purchase and distribution of gift cards to total $100.00 per employee, from local businesses, made by Amanda Hoffman, seconded by Matt Myers, approved unanimously.
10. Next Board Meeting to be held Monday, December 16th at 7 pm to account for scheduling conflict of annual High school Christmas program being held on regular board meeting date of the 3rd Tuesday of the month.
11. Adjournment by Chairperson Jessica Sheehy at 8:07pm.
