CRESTON SCHOOL DISTRICT #9
REORGANIZATION & REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
11 MAY 2023
MINUTES
I. Call to order. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen called the Board of Trustees meeting to order at 7:01 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, Cal Ketchum, Flathead County Superintendent of Schools, Cindi Conley, Special Education Teacher, Jen Johnson, 2nd Grade Teacher and CEA President and Janessa Williams, 6th Grade Teacher.
II. Minutes of 13 April 2023. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the minutes as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
III. Public Participation / Correspondence. A card was received from the Creston Volunteer Fire Department to thank us for the support we give to Creston Fire, especially during the Creston Auction.
IV. Results of Trustee Election. The trustee election was cancelled by acclamation. We had two three-year openings with two candidate filings and one two-year opening with one filing. Elected by Acclamation for three-year terms: Twila Brenneman and Nevada Hafer; for two-year term: Megan Derrington. Barry Farrell moved to approve the trustee election results as presented. Megan Derrington seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
V. Oath of Office for Newly Elected Trustees. Cal Ketchum, Flathead County Superintendent of Schools administered the oath of office to Twila Brenneman, Megan Derrington and Nevada Hafer.
VI. Adjourn Meeting. This portion of the meeting was adjourned at 7:09 a.m. Cal Ketchum left the meeting at this time.
VII. Call to Order. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen called the Board of Trustees meeting to order at 7:09 a.m.
VIII. Reorganization of the Board of Trustees
A. Nomination and Election of Board Chair. Twila Brenneman nominated and motioned to elect Jessica Sandven-Sorensen as Board Chair. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
B. Nomination and Election of Vice-Chair. Nevada Hafer nominated and motioned to elect Twila Brenneman as Vice-Chair. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
C. Appointment and Oath of Office of District Clerk. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen nominated to appoint Tammy Bartos as District Clerk. Twila Brenneman motioned to appoint Tammy Bartos as District Clerk. Megan Derrington seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Note that per Cal Ketchum there is just an appointment and no oath needed.
D. Approval of Board Meeting Dates and Times for the 2023/2024 School Year. Barry Farrell moved to continue having regular meetings take place at 7:00 a.m. on the second Thursday of each month. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
E. Discussion of Procedures and Expectations. Items discussed were special and emergency meetings, board packets and trustee resources.
Twila Brenneman left the meeting after this item at 7:18 a.m.
IX. Public Participation / Correspondence – nil.
X. Information
A. Creston School Scholarship Committee. The scholarship was awarded to Hannah Davidson. She accepted the certificate of award at our school assembly on April 28th. The actual monetary amount of $500 will be given once proof of registration at a technical school, college, or university is provided.
B. MT DEQ Results of Sanitary Survey Inspection of Public Water Supply System. The report in full was provided. Our facility is required to have a sanitary survey inspection once every three years. Results of the survey in all areas were: No issues were observed. Regarding the maintenance, management, safety and operation: “The PWS appears to be well managed and maintained. The historical sample analytical results reflect a well-managed and maintained system. Your efforts are truly appreciated.”
XI. Reports:
A. Clerk. The monthly budget expenditure report was provided through 30 April 2023. General Fund is 64% committed and the Total of all Funds is 52% committed. Accounts are reconciled to the County Treasurer through March 2023.
B. Principal. Student Enrollment is 114. Teachers have reviewed Social Studies Alive! And My World Interactive social studies programs; an email will be sent to families May 12 with the links to review the materials and instructions on how to comment; after the May 12 – 26 review period, a recommendation will be made to the trustees at the June Board meeting regarding this curriculum adoption. Third through sixth grade students participated in the Smarter Balanced ELA and math assessments April 24 – May 11; also, fifth grade students began testing on April 17 as they are required to complete the science assessment. Kindergarten Roundup was facilitated by a team of teachers on May 10; we are predicting our enrollment for the incoming class to be between 18 – 20 students. Kindergarten through sixth grade art, writing, projects, and music will be featured in the gym on May 25 from 7:30 am – 4:30 pm in an open house format. On May 12 our students will participate in an IEFA Collaboration Day with interactive learning activities taught by the staff at Creston School using seven Essential understandings developed by the state of Montana to guide the activities. In April there was a teacher meeting to plan for 2023/2024. School Spirit Days will be June 5 – 9 with Crazy Hat Day, Superhero Day, Crazy Hair Day, Creston Pride Day, and Color Day; also, there will be a drawing held that week during the ice cream social for our “I Love to Read” contest, where we will hold a drawing for three Kindles donated by the Kalispell Masonic Lodge #42. Mrs. Stevens participated in the MTSBA Employment Hot Topics Training in April and attended two hours of Gifted & Talented Team Planning the end of April. Monthly Building Inspections were completed, with minor repairs and the spring/summer facility projects were noted on the Facility Inventory Report.
C. Staff. Jen Johnson, CEA President and 2nd Grade Teacher was present to share the staff report via a Google Slide presentation.
XII. Policies – Consideration of Action:
A. Board Meetings – Policy 1400. Policy was reviewed, no changes made, no action taken.
B. Termination of Emergency Policies 1900 – 1911. Nevada Hafer moved to terminate the Temporary Emergency Policies Numbered 1900-1911 and direct the administration to remove the policies and related procedures from the policy manual as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
C. Add Policy 8131 – Indoor Air Quality. 1st Read, no action.
D. Add Policy 8303 – Cleaning and Disinfecting. 1st Read, no action.
XIII. Consideration of Action Items:
A. Response to Flathead County Commissioners Re. Speed Study – Montana 35 (P-52) – Creston. A letter in support of the results of the Speed Study conducted by MDT staff was drafted. It informs the reader that the trustees agree with the conclusions and recommendations particularly with the proposed new speed limit transitions around our school. Barry Farrell moved to approve the letter to the Flathead County Commissioners regarding Speed Study – Montana 35 (P-52) – Creston as presented. Megan Derrington seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
B. Request for Leave 2023/2024 – J. Williams. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the request by Miss Williams to take leave with pay for track and field coaching with Columbia Falls High School up to a total of 40 hours from March 27, 2024, through May 26, 2024. Megan Derrington seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
C. School Secretary – Position and Job Description. A request to change our current Office Aide position to a Secretary. Barry Farrell moved to approve the addition of a School Secretary position and the job description as presented. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
D. Classified Contract Renewals 2023/2024 including Renewal or Non-Renewal – nil.
E. New Title Teacher (M. Potts) Contract for 2023/2024 – Correction. An error was discovered to the years of experience and coordinating salary that was presented at the April meeting. This new contract corrects that mistake. Barry Farrell moved to approve the corrected teaching contract for Melissa Potts for the 2023/2024 school year as presented. Megan Derrington seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
F. Safe Return to School and Continuity of Services Plan Review. The plan was provided for review. No revisions submitted from the community. Dates will be updated. Revisions by the administration include noting termination of Emergency Policies 1900 series and adding references to related policies in lieu of those terminated policies. Megan Derrington moved to approve the Safe Return to School and Continuity of Services Plan as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
G. ARP Plan Review. The plan was provided for review. No revisions were submitted. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the ARP ESSER Plan as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
H. District Clerk & Business/Office Manager Job Opening. Barry Farrell moved to approve the withdrawal of the resignation of Mrs. Bartos and approve the job opening as closed. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
I. Amended Employment Contract 2022/2023 T. Bartos. Contract requires amendments as Mrs. Bartos will be continuing her employment through the end of the fiscal year. Amendments include the job description change to Business/Office Manager & District Clerk, an addition of up to 25 paid days, and a job evaluation prior to June 30. Barry Farrell moved to approve the amended 2022/2023 employment contract for Mrs. Bartos as presented. Megan Derrington seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
J. MTSBA Annual Meeting. A copy of the announcement was provided. No action taken.
K. Harvest Haying Agreement at 131 Creston Road with S. Wagoner. Steve Wagoner will harvest the hay and in exchange our property will have some needed maintenance – there is no exchange of money. Megan Derrington moved to approve the haying agreement with Steve Wagoner as presented. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
L. Eastside Parking Lot Improvement Proposal. Double Diamond will be here for another project this summer and was asked to look at the issue of pooling water and ice at the north end of our eastside parking lot. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the proposal by Double Diamond to put in a French Drain in our eastside parking lot as presented. Megan Derrington seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
M. Gym & School Grounds Use Requests – nil.
XIV. Claims Approval. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the claims list as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
XV. Next Meeting Dates:
A. 8 June 2023, 7:00 am, Regular Meeting
XVI. Board Work Session – Training and Discussion for Board Professional Development
A. Introduction to Contracts continued…
XVII. Adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 8:32 a.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
/s/Tammy Bartos, District Clerk
/s/Jessica Sandven-Sorensen, Board Chair