CRESTON SCHOOL DISTRICT #9
FINAL BUDGET & REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
11 August 2022
MINUTES
I. Call to order. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen called the Board of Trustees meeting to order at 7:02 a.m. The meeting was held in the gym. Present were Board Trustees Jessica Sandven-Sorensen, Twila Brenneman, Barry Farrell, Walter Graves and Nevada Hafer. Also in attendance were Rachel Stevens, Principal, Tammy Bartos, District Clerk, Jennifer Johnson, Teacher and CEA President, Shanta Milne, Kindergarten Teacher and one community member.
II. Minutes of 9 June 2022 & 22 June 2022. Barry Farrell motioned to approve the minutes as presented. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
III. Public Participation / Correspondence – nil.
IV. Information
A. Speed Study of Highway 35. Data collection for the study is scheduled for September; when the report is finalized, it will be presented to the Flathead County Commissioners and there will be a minimum 60 day comment period; after the comment period the report and comments will be presented to the Montana Transportation Commission and voted on.
B. List of P-Card Users. A list of current P-Card users was provided.
V. Reports:
A. Clerk. The monthly budget expenditure report will be reflected in the Trustees Financial Statement. Accounts are reconciled to the County Treasurer through June 2022. The onsite portion of the Fiscal Year 2020-2021 audit was completed the middle of June.
B. Principal. Predicted Student Enrollment for 2022/2023 is 121 (second grade is at 100% capacity). The quarterly review of the Safe Return to School and Continuity of Services Plan is due September 8th and information is being prepared to send out to stakeholders. Some teachers attended the Missoula August Institute virtually; they also have an opportunity to attend the NW Reading Council Literacy Conference later this month. The staff will receive a review of CPR and AED training along with First Aid Scenario Training on August 26th. Plans for teacher professional development for the school year are being worked on. All teachers and staff will complete annual safety training by the beginning of September – the training is job specific and assigned accordingly. A tentative date for a full Run, Lock, Fight training is scheduled for the fall of 2023. The site visit from SEC is scheduled for September 28th to evaluate vulnerabilities associated with physical security and emergency preparedness. Mrs. Stevens participated in Egrants training in July and will attend library and counselor training later this month. Our annual Open House is August 29th and families will have the opportunity to meet teachers, bring school supplies, sign up to volunteer and socialize with other families on the playground. The Speed Sign project, initiated by the Bigfork Rotary Club, had been delayed with an encroachment permit and finding an electrician; as a district we moved forward with the speed study, which impacts the speed signs, so at this time the grant with FEC has been withdrawn and after the speed study is completed it may be possible to apply for the grant again. Summer building and maintenance projects are nearing completion, and the Facilities Conditions Inventory Report is provided. Mrs. Stevens attended the August 10th Flathead Valley Administrators meeting – Northwest Montana Education Service Agency, Northwest Montana Educational Cooperative, Flathead Special Education Cooperative, and Evergreen Crossroads Program presented information about their respective services.
C. Staff – Mrs. Johnson was present and noted that several teachers attended the Missoula Tech Conference virtually and that there is also a Math in the Mountains training coming up that will be attended by some teachers.
VI. Consideration of Action Items:
A. TFS. The Trustees Financial Summary (TFS) was not ready for presentation and this portion of the meeting was continued to 12 August 2022 at 9:00 a.m. via an electronic remote meeting on a Zoom meeting platform. 12 August 2022 Jessica Sandven-Sorensen continued the meeting at 9:07 a.m. with Tammy Bartos, District Clerk present. Mrs. Bartos gave an update that the reports were still in progress and at 9:09 a.m. the meeting was continued to 13 August 2022 at 9:00 a.m. via a Zoom meeting platform. 13 August 2022 Nevada Hafer continued the meeting at 9:02 a.m. with Tammy Bartos present. The reports were still in progress and at 9:04 a.m. the meeting was continued to 14 August at 4:00 p.m. via a Zoom meeting platform. 14 August 2022 Twila Brenneman continued the meeting at 4:02 p.m. with Tammy Bartos present. The reports were still in progress and at 4:04 p.m. the meeting was continued to 15 August 2022 at 7:05 a.m. via a Zoom meeting platform. 15 August 2022 Jessica Sandven-Sorensen continued the meeting at 7:10 a.m. Other trustees present were Twila Brenneman and Barry Farrell. Also in attendance were Rachel Stevens, Principal, and Tammy Bartos, District Clerk. The TFS is the school district official submission of annual financial information to the County Superintendent and State Superintendent. The 2021-2022 TFS was presented in its entirety. Twila Brenneman moved to approve the TFS for Fiscal Year 2021-2022 as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Item B was addressed, and the meeting was adjourned at 7:53 a.m.
B. Budget. The Budget was not ready for presentation and this portion of the meeting was continued. See Item A for information on the continuation of this portion of the meeting from 11 August through 15 August 2022. On 15 August 2022 at the 7:05 a.m. continuation meeting the 2022-2023 Budget report was presented in its entirety. Barry Farrell moved to approve the 2022-2023 Budget as presented. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 7:53 a.m.
C. Resolution Requesting Referendum for PERS. The District is required to have a Section 218 agreement in place with the State when employees are participating in both a retirement system and Social Security. We need to address this for our PERS employees. This is the first step in the process. Twila Brenneman moved to approve the resolution requesting a referendum for PERS as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
D. Amendment to Teacher Contract – CN for 2022/2023. There was an error regarding the salary on the employment contract for C. Nutt dated 9 June 2022. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the 2022-2023 Amended Employment Agreement for C. Nutt as presented. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
E. Audit Proposals Fiscal Year 2021/2022. Two proposals were presented. Barry Farrell moved to approve the audit proposal of Nicole Noonan, CPA, PC for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2022, 2023, and 2024 as presented. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
F. Substitute Pay Rates 2022/2023. Twila Brenneman moved to approve the 2022/2023 pay rates of $14.00 per hour for a substitute teacher/aide and $17.00 per hour for a substitute custodian. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
G. Substitute List 2022-2023. Barry Farrell moved to approve the substitute re-hire lists and approve hiring substitutes from the County Superintendent of Schools list as presented. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
H. Safe Return to School and Continuity of Services Plan. No updates or new information. No action taken.
I. Designation of Representative to the FSEC Management Board. Nevada Hafer moved to appoint Rachel Stevens, Principal, to represent Creston School District on the Flathead Special Education Cooperative Management Board. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
J. Flathead Crossroad Interlocal Agreement 2022/2023. This is a renewal agreement. The Crossroad Program is an extension of special education services at Evergreen Schools and provides a positive environment to meet the unique educational needs of students of participating districts who have chronic emotional and behavioral needs with the specific intent of building skills necessary to facilitate reentry into the regular public-school setting. Twila Brenneman moved to approve the Flathead Crossroads Interlocal Agreement for fiscal year 2022/2023 as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
K. Appointment of Representative to Crossroads Advisory Board. Barry Farrell moved to appoint Rachel Stevens, Principal, to represent Creston School District on the Evergreen Flathead Crossroads Program Advisory Board. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
L. Extra-Duty Bus Driver Training Contract – KM. Bus Driver Training for K. Miller to continue this fiscal year – training provided by Jeff Hagen. Twila Brenneman moved to approve the paid substitute bus driver training contract for Katy Miller at a rate of $15.00 per hour as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
M. Extra-Duty Guided Remote Teacher Contracts – nil.
N. Hold Harmless Agreements with Creston Fire Dept & Eastside Grange – nil.
O. Staff Handbook 2022/2023. Revisions to the handbook were presented. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the Staff Handbook 2022/2023 as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
P. Transportation Contracts – nil.
Q. Before School Care Contracts – nil.
R. Out-of-District Requests – nil.
S. Gym & School Grounds Use Requests. One request by the Creston Fire Fighter’s Association to use the gym, teacher’s lounge and outdoor school grounds, Thursday, March 30, 2023 – Sunday, April 2, 2023, for the Creston Fire Association’s Annual Auction and Community Fair. Barry Farrell moved to approve the school facilities and grounds use request from Creston Fire Fighter’s Association with armed and unarmed security services as presented. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
VII. Claims Approval – July & August. Barry Farrell moved to approve the claims approval list as presented. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
VIII. Next Meeting Dates:
A. 8 September 2022, 7:00 am
B. 13 October 2022, 7:00 am
IX. Adjourn. At 7:53 a.m. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen continued the budget portion of this meeting to 12 August 2022 at 9:00 a.m. via an electronic remote meeting on a Zoom meeting platform. Please see items VI. A and B.
Respectfully Submitted,
/s/Tammy Bartos, District Clerk
/s/Jessica Sandven-Sorensen, Board Chair