Dayton School Board approved lease, reschedules May meetings

DAYTON – The Dayton School Board met in the High School Library at 6:30 PM on April 17, 2024. School Board members present were Chair Jeffrey McCowen, Zac Fabian, Ryan Paulson, Aneesha Dieu, and Grant Griffin. Superintendent Rich Stewart was also present.

The board approved the consent agenda, which included the approval of Kelly Steinhoff as a middle school track volunteer, Adam Puckett as MS Head Baseball Coach, and Carlos Norris as MS Assistant Baseball Coach. The consent agenda also included the resignation/retirement of Terry Lambert as a bus driver.

Athletic Director Sam Korslund said the HS baseball and softball teams were likely to qualify for the district tournaments, with the baseball team at 9-0 and softball at 6-2. He also reported that the MS baseball team has nine students participating, MS softball has 12, and MS track has 14. Korslund said that Dayton restaurant R& B Barbecue will start selling food at some sporting events.

Elementary School Principal Amy Gillick said Cinco de Libro Night is scheduled for May 1, 2024. She shared her time as the dunk tank target for students who met reading goals.

Guinevere Joyce, the secondary school principal, reported on the school’s progress in climate, communication, and academic excellence goals.

Stewart presented the maintenance, operations, and grounds report for John Delp. He said the HVAC project is well underway. New ducting is being installed, and six classrooms have had HRV (Heat Recovery Vessels) installed so far. Electricians are installing new distribution panels in the boiler room and two other locations.

Stewart asked to reschedule the board’s May meetings to avoid conflicts with Cinco de Libro Night on May 1 and the Hidden in Plain Sight event at The Liberty on May 15. The new dates are now May 8 and 22.

Jana Eaton gave the financial report saying that everything is on target in the general fund, and she is considering a budget extension because revenue may come in higher than expected. Stewart said the district was applying for grants to improve some classrooms.

The board conducted the first reading of several policies. The board approved the new 50-year lease agreement for the sports fields with the City of Dayton.

The meeting went into executive session to discuss an individual’s qualifications for public employment for 15 minutes with no action to follow. The next meeting is scheduled for May 8, 2024.