CRESTON SCHOOL DISTRICT #9
REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
8 DECEMBER 2022

MINUTES
I. Call to order. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen called the Board of Trustees meeting to order at 7:04 a.m. The meeting was held in the gym. Present were Board Trustees Jessica Sandven-Sorensen, Twila Brenneman, Barry Farrell and Nevada Hafer. Also in attendance were Rachel Stevens, Principal, Tammy Bartos, District Clerk, Cindi Conley, Special Education Teacher and one community member.
II. Minutes of 10 November 2022. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the minutes as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
III. Public Participation / Correspondence. A notice regarding a community and legislative event held by Superintendent Arntzen at Sykes Diner in Kalispell on December 12, 2022 was shared. An email from a community member regarding board meeting times was also shared.
IV. Information
A. Intercom/Phone Committee. The committee held a meeting on November 10 and met with Systems Northwest. Once that quote is received another meeting will be scheduled.
B. Flathead County – Statistical Report of Schools 2022. The report was shared with the trustees it contains a variety of pupil enrollment and school financial data for schools in Flathead County.
C. Flathead County Planning & Zoning – FSR-22-08 Flathead River Retreat. A copy of a request for a preliminary plat approval of a 4 lot subdivision on Riverside Road was shared.
D. ARP Plan Review – Call for Stakeholder Input. Due to the last submission date of November 23, 2022, the next review and submission will be scheduled for May 2023 – a call for stakeholder input will be sent out prior to that.
E. MSPLIP Cyber Risk Mitigation Campaign. An update from our business liability company was shared regarding the services they have engaged from Paladin Cyber, a cybersecurity company that specializes in helping entities without large IT teams and budgets to deploy effective security controls. One of the benefits of this is the help they may provide to lower our cyber insurance retentions (deductibles) and increase insurance coverage by deploying controls to meet the insurance carrier’s requirements.
V. Reports:
A. Clerk. The monthly budget expenditure report was provided through 30 November 2022. General Fund is 26% committed and the Total of all Funds is 21% committed. Accounts are reconciled to the County Treasurer through November 2022. On November 16th employees who are part of PERS participated in an information session with the Montana State Social Security Administrator regarding the Referendum to be held December 21, 2022.
B. Principal. Student Enrollment is 120. The November service project of the Bobcats/Grizzlies food drive brought in 448 items – they were delivered to the Bigfork Food Bank. The formal evaluations for tenured teachers are complete. The non-tenured teachers will receive a second evaluation in either January or February. An awards assembly was held on November 18. The position of District Clerk & Business/Office Manager has been posted. Monthly building maintenance inspections were completed with no recommendations for repairs. The School Facility Conditions Report was provided. Mrs. Stevens attended and completed Title IX and Gifted & Talented Education training; she serves as the coordinator for our district in these two roles. Mrs. Stevens and Mrs. Sandven-Sorensen attended the Education and Legislative Summit on November 30, which was hosted by NWMASS; topics included funding, school safety, student wellness and mental health, and recruitment and retention of staff – “an informative and worthwhile event”.
C. Staff. Cindi Conley, Special Education Teacher, was present to share the staff report via a Google Slide presentation.
VI. Policies – Consideration of Action:
A. Policy 2335- Health Enhancement – Update per MTSBA – 1st read. An update to this policy is under consideration due to new legislation requiring all districts to adopt a policy on the issue if the district offers any instruction on the topic of human sexuality; currently the school offers puberty instruction to 5th and 6th grade students every other year. No action taken on this first read of the policy.
VII. Consideration of Action Items:
A. Trustee Resignation & Declare Vacant Trustee Position. Nevada Hafer moved to declare a vacant trustee position due to the resignation of Walter Graves and to fill the vacancy by appointment. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
B. Substitute Contracts. A recommendation to use the provided template when employing substitute personnel. Barry Farrell moved to approve the substitute employment agreement template as presented. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
C. Substitute List 2022/2023. Twila Brenneman moved to approve the addition to the substitute list as presented for 2022/2023 school year. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
D. Substitute Bus Driver 2022/2023. Barry Farrell moved to approve the addition of Robert Tracy as a substitute bus driver at an hourly rate of $22.00 per hour as presented for the 2022/2023 school year. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
E. Safe Return to School and Continuity of Services Plan Review. The plan was provided for review. Dates will be updated. No other revisions were submitted. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the Safe Return to School and Continuity of Services Plan as presented. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
F. Review Collective Bargaining Agreement with Creston Education Association. Three provisions were recommended for the trustees to reopen with the CEA: 1) Change the sick leave bank total maximum cap in section 10.2.3 from $2,500 to $3,000 per school year; 2) Change the total cash value of sick leave in section 10.2.4 from $800 to $1,000; and 3) add wording to section 10.5 to clarify the practice that a teacher may apply to use the sick leave bank when on maternity leave. Barry Farrell moved to approve presenting the changes to the CEA as presented. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
G. Transportation Contracts – nil.
H. Before School Care Contracts – nil.
I. Out-of-District Requests. Attendance agreement requests for seventeen students that reside in our district, attending another district. Twila Brenneman moved to acknowledge receipt of these attendance agreements. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Attendance agreement for one student that resides outside of our district, requesting Creston School as their school of choice. Barry Farrell moved to approve this attendance agreement. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
J. Gym & School Grounds Use Requests. One request by Jerimy & Sara Edmondson to use the gym on Friday’s and Sundays from December 9, 2022, through the end of February 2023 to have basketball practice with family and friends. Twila Brenneman moved to approve the gym use request. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
K. Board Work Session – Training and Discussion for Board Professional Development
1. Nepotism Policy and Procedures. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen led a discussion covering this topic.
VIII. Claims Approval. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the claims list as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
IX. Next Meeting Dates:
A. 12 January 2023, 7:00 am
B. 9 February 2023, 7:00 am
X. Adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 8:14 a.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

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