Waitsburg School Board Update

Board members: Christy House, Marilyn Johnson, and Randy Pearson were present with Ross Hamann and Russ Knopp absent.

Elementary Principal’s Report:

-Kindercamp began on Thursday, Aug. 11 and will meet each Thursday for the remainder of the month. There are currently 25 children registered for Kindergarten.

-The Home and School Association will host coffee from 8:30-9:30 on Sept. 6, the first day of school. They will repeat it on Thurs., Sept. 8 for the Kindergarten parents.

-Parents will be encouraged to take “Back to School” pictures of their children in front of a photo backdrop on the first day of school.

Facilities/Maintenance/Transportation Report:

- The building is largely cleaned and ready for the coming year. Painting projects will be completed in the coming weeks.

-The new football goalpost installation was delayed due to PP&L’s schedule and an irrigation main that runs under the poles. The bases should be set this week and the posts should be installed the following week, assuming a crane is available.

-Bus driver inservice has been completed.

-Transportation Manager Colter Mohney completed Bus Driver Training and can now train and sign off on new drivers.

Superintendent’s Report:

-The Home and School Association has purchased all school supplies for Waitsburg students. Student need to come to school with only a “smile and a backpack.”

-Repairs to the Academy Street sidewalk will be delayed until spring break because there wasn’t time to get bids in and get the project done prior to school starting.

-All staff inservice is Aug. 30 and instructional staff will return Aug. 31 for a professional development day.

New Business:

-Approved eighth grade students to participate in cross country at the high school level. The decision will be reevaluated on a yearly bases. There is currently one eighth grade student interested in participating in cross country.

-Approved transfer of $11,500 from the Transportation Vehicle Fund to the Capital Projects Fund.

-Approved a General Fund budget extension. This will allow the district to spend $15,000 of priority grant funds. The funds will go to purchase Chromebooks for the elementary classrooms. If the funds are not spent they will be lost.

-Approved K-12 2016-17 certificated instructional staff salary schedule as approved by the state legislature.

-Approved extra-curricular advisory stipend schedule with no changes from last year.

-Approved high school coaching stipends with no changes from last year.

-Approved middle school coaching stipends with no changes from last year.

-Approved 2016-17 fee schedule. Fees are the same as last year with the exception of lunches. Grade K-5 lunches will increase from $2.15 to $2.25 and Grade 6-12 lunches will increase from $2.40 to $2.50.

-Approved Becky Dunn as Affirmative Action Officer. Approved Rosy Nechodom as McKinney-Vento Homeless Liaison and Foster Care Liaison. Superintendent Carol Clarke previously served in all three positions.

-Accepted letter of resignation from P.E. Teacher and Head Coach Jeff Bartlow. See story on Page 1.

-Approved recommendation to hire Garrett Leahy as the new sixth grade teacher. Leahy will also teach seventh grade language arts.

-Approved recommendation to hire Angie Potts as high school softball coach and Allan Wilson as high school softball assistant coach.