CRESTON SCHOOL DISTRICT #9
REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
11 JANUARY 2024

MINUTES

I. Call to order. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen called the Board of Trustees meeting to order at 7:03 a.m. The meeting was held in the gym. Present were Board Trustees Jessica Sandven-Sorensen, Twila Brenneman, Barry Farrell, and Nevada Hafer. Absent: Megan Derrington. Also in attendance were Rachel Stevens, Principal, Tammy Bartos, District Clerk, Cindi Conley, Special Education Teacher, Janessa Harkins, 6th Grade Teacher, Jen Johnson, 2nd Grade Teacher and CEA President, Shanta Milne, Kindergarten Teacher and Melissa Potts, Title Teacher.
II. Minutes of 14 December 2023. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the minutes as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
III. Public Participation / Correspondence – nil.
IV. Information
A. Candidates for the May 2024 Trustee Election may file a Declaration of Intent. Candidates for Trustee Election may file a Declaration of Intent and Oath of Candidacy from Thursday, December 14, 2023, through Thursday, March 28, 2024. There is one 3-year position subject to election in May 2024. Trustee candidates must be registered voters within the boundaries of Creston School District.
B. Strategic Planning Process Update. The strategic planning committee is scheduled to meet again on January 16. The committee plans to finalize the vision statement, mission statement, and core belief statements, and refine the statements for the proposed competencies for the Graduate Profile. The committee will also determine goals based on the data obtained from the comprehensive needs assessment surveys.
C. Amerigas Price of Propane Agreement. We received an updated agreement from the corporate office which automatically went into effect on 1/1/2024 for the price of the local Supply Index, plus $0.60 for the period of 1/1/2024 to 12/31/2024, which the local Missoula office representative acknowledged; then it will move to plus $0.80 for the following one-year period as per the signed agreement.
D. 2023 Statistical Report of Schools by Flathead County Superintendent of Schools. This report was provided to the trustees both as a hard copy and an online link. The report is also available on the Flathead County website.
E. Custodian Hiring Update. The candidate for the custodian position has withdrawn the application. We are beginning the search again and the position has been posted in multiple locations.
V. Reports:
A. Clerk. The monthly budget expenditure report was provided through 31 December 2023. General Fund is 42% committed and the Total of all Funds is 35% committed. Accounts are reconciled to the County Treasurer through November 2023. Miscellaneous Funds and Eastside Interlocal accounts were also reported. Completed the online 12/13/2023 MASBO Elections Training. The Fall 2023-2024 Personnel Report was submitted to the Montana Office of Public Instruction on December 20 via Infinite Campus; also, in collaboration with Mrs. Stevens, in December the Fall Teacher-Class Courses and Fall Teacher Class Support Staff data was submitted via Infinite Campus. The on-site portion of the 2021/2022 & 2022/2023 audit has been rescheduled to January 26 – due to the forecasted inclement weather. An ESSER Self-Assessment Monitoring Report was submitted to OPI on January 4; this was a collaborative effort with Mrs. Stevens. The United States Department of Education released the 2022 Census Data which has the population and poverty estimates for all Local Education Agencies; this data is used to calculate school year 2024-2025 allocations under Title1, Part A. The Innovative Educational Program Tax Credit Letter for 2024 has been updated and posted to the district website.
B. Principal. Student enrollment is 103. Monthly building inspections have been completed with no recommendations for repairs. In January, teachers will participate in peer observations related to our district ELA and math goals. Also, in January teachers will participate in a professional development workday, for half of a day, to debrief on the peer observations, review math curriculum, discuss assessment options and continue social studies professional development. In February, Mrs. Stevens plans to attend an online training provided by OPI regarding the new accreditation tool for the Integrated Strategic Action Plan. Mid-year benchmark assessments in reading and math have begun.
C. Staff. Mrs. Johnson was present to share the staff report via a Google Slide presentation.
VI. Policies – Consideration of Action:
A. First Reading of MTSBA Policy Services Updates: 1400, 1511, 2320, 3410, 3600F1, 3600F2, 3600P, 5121, 5330, 7320, 8110, 8125, 5231. The MTSBA Policy Services team has prepared updates to the MTSBA Model Policy Manuals in continued response to legislation approved during the 2023 Legislative Session in addition to amendments to Chapter 55 as adopted by the Board of Public Education. First Read only. No Action.
B. Review Weapons Policies: 3310, 3311, 4315, 5223. This is an annual review by the trustees of the districts weapons policies. For review only. No action.
VII. Consideration of Action Items:
A. Collective Bargaining Agreement Negotiations with Creston Education Association. The Creston Education Association (CEA) presented items to consider for negotiations on the 2024/2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Three items were brought for consideration: 1) a 2% increase to the base salary schedule; 2) an increase in sick leave days from 12 to 15 days; 3) the addition of allowing up to 20 hours of leave for a teacher to coach at a different school district without loss of pay. Discussion only. The administration and CEA will both bring additional information to the trustees at the next board meeting. No action.
B. Transportation Contracts – nil.
C. Before School Care Contracts – nil.
D. Out-of-District Requests – nil.
E. Gym & School Grounds Use Requests. Two requests were presented: 1) J. Edmondson requested increasing the time his group uses the gym on Friday’s to start at 4:00 pm instead of 5:15 and still end at 6:15 (this is a possibility as the other gym user has cancelled their Friday time slot); 2) T. Mumm has requested the gym for a Kalispell Rotary Basketball team she’s involved with on Wednesday’s from 5:00 – 7:00pm, January 17 thru March 6, 2024 for basketball practice. Twila Brenneman moved to approve both requests as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
VIII. Claims Approval – Consideration of Action. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the claims list as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
IX. Next Meeting Dates:
A. 8 February 2024, 7:00 am, Regular Meeting
B. 14 March 2024, 7:00 am, Regular Meeting
X. Adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 8:07 a.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

/s/Tammy Bartos, District Clerk
/s/Jessica Sandven-Sorensen, Board Chair

CRESTON SCHOOL DISTRICT #9
REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
14 DECEMBER 2023

MINUTES

I. Call to order. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen called the Board of Trustees meeting to order at 7:03 a.m. The meeting was held in the gym. Present were Board Trustees Jessica Sandven-Sorensen, Twila Brenneman, Megan Derrington, Barry Farrell and Nevada Hafer. Also in attendance were Rachel Stevens, Principal, Tammy Bartos, District Clerk, and Cindi Conley, Special Education Teacher.
II. Minutes of 9 November 2023. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the minutes as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
III. Public Participation / Correspondence – nil.
IV. Information
A. Candidates for the May 2024 Trustee Election may file a Declaration of Intent. Candidates for Trustee Election may file a Declaration of Intent and Oath of Candidacy from Thursday, December 14, 2023, through Thursday, March 28, 2024. There is one 3-year position subject to election in May 2024. Trustee candidates must be registered voters within the boundaries of Creston School District.
B. Strategic Planning Process Update. The committee met for a second time on December 12. They reviewed the work from the first meeting and began brainstorming ideas for the graduate profile.
V. Reports:
A. Clerk. The monthly budget expenditure report was provided through 30 November 2023. General Fund is 28% committed and the Total of all Funds is 24% committed. Accounts are reconciled to the County Treasurer through October 2023. Miscellaneous Funds and Eastside Interlocal accounts were also reported. The on-site portion of the 2021/2022 & 2022/2023 audit is planned for January12.
B. Principal. Student enrollment is 104. Mrs. Stevens attended online training regarding the graduate profile for the Integrated Strategic Action Plan (ISAP) provided by OPI on November 29. The November service project of the Bobcats/Grizzlies food drive brought in 752 items! The items were delivered to the Bigfork Food Bank. The December service project is to collect items for the Kalispell Heart Locker. The formal evaluations for tenured teachers are complete. The non-tenured teachers will receive a second evaluation in either January or February. On November 17, teachers honored students who demonstrated flexibility at our awards assembly. We had many parents and families attend the Trimester 1 Author’s Parties to celebrate student progress in writing. We also had an excellent response to parent/teacher conferences. Monthly building inspections have been completed with no recommendations for repairs. The Terms of Employment, Accreditation, and Master Schedule (TEAMS) report submitted to OPI has changed; information that was once submitted through the TEAMS report is now collected through Infinite Campus or through the ISAP reporting process for accreditation with OPI. Notification that the mandatory 2021-2022 Civil Rights Data Collection opened on December 11 and the data must be reported and submitted by February 26, 2024.
C. Staff. Mrs. Conley, Special Education Teacher was present to share the staff report via a Google Slide presentation.
VI. Policies – Consideration of Action:
A. Second Reading of Policy Updates: 1007FE, 1700, 2050, 2158, 2168, 2170, 2170P, 3110, 3121, 3121P, 3150, 3413F2. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the policy updates as presented. Megan Derrington seconded. Motion passed unanimously.

VII. Consideration of Action Items:
A. Flathead County Planning & Zoning – FSR-23-13 Riverside Glen. A preliminary plat approval of Riverside Glen, a proposal to create four (4) residential lots on 39.32 acres. No action.
B. Amerigas Price of Propane Agreement. A contract for the term of 01/01/2024 to 12/31/2025 was presented. Barry Farrell moved to approve the Amerigas Price of Propane contract as presented. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
C. Review Collective Bargaining Agreement with Creston Education Association. A copy of the current 2023/2024 CBA was provided. Notice by either party is required not later than January 15th if any provisions are to be reopened and negotiated. Information only. No action.
D. MTSBA FY25 Dues Revenue Estimate. The MTSBA Dues Revenues Estimate was voted on via electronic vote in July of 2023. The vote passed as presented and our dues for FY25 are $1,372. Information only. No action.
E. Transportation Contracts – nil.
F. Before School Care Contracts – nil.
G. Out-of-District Requests. An attendance agreement for one 8th grade student that resides in our district and is attending Kalispell Middle School under a District-to-District placement. Megan Derrington moved to approve this attendance agreement. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Attendance agreements for three students that reside in our district, attending another district. Nevada Hafer moved to acknowledge receipt of these attendance agreements. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Attendance agreements for three students that reside in another district, requesting Creston School as school of choice. Megan Derrington moved to approve these attendance agreements. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
H. Gym & School Grounds Use Requests. One request by B. Toelke to use the gym on Tuesdays and Saturdays, January 8 through April 1, 2024, for pickleball with friends. Twila Brenneman moved to approve the gym use request as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
VIII. Claims Approval – Consideration of Action. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the claims list as presented. Megan Derrington seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
IX. Next Meeting Dates:
A. 11 January 2024, 7:00 am, Regular Meeting
B. 8 February 2024, 7:00 am, Regular Meeting
X. Adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 7:46 a.m.

Respectfully Submitted,
/s/Tammy Bartos, District Clerk
/s/Jessica Sandven-Sorensen, Board Chair