CRESTON SCHOOL DISTRICT #9
REORGANIZATION & REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
8 MAY 2025
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, Gina McWilliam, District Clerk in training, Cindi Conley, Special Education Teacher, Jen Johnson, CEA President and 2nd Grade Teacher and Crystal Bridges, Friends of Creston.
II. Minutes of 10 April 2025. Twila Brenneman moved to approve the minutes as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
III. Public Participation / Correspondence – nil.
IV. Results of Trustee Election. There were two trustee openings and two candidate filings; the election was cancelled by acclamation. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the trustee election results as presented. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
V. Oath of Office for Newly Elected Trustees. In the absence of the Flathead County Superintendent of Schools, Jessica Sandven-Sorensen, Board Chair administered the Oath of Office for the elected trustees: Megan Derrington and Barry Farrell.
VI. Adjourn Meeting. Meeting adjourned at 7:05 a.m.
I. Call to Order. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen called the Board of Trustees meeting to order at 7:05 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, Gina McWilliam, District Clerk in training, Cindi Conley, Special Education Teacher, Jen Johnson, CEA President and 2nd Grade Teacher and Crystal Bridges, Friends of Creston.
II. Reorganization of the Board of Trustees
A. Nomination and Election of Board Chair. Twila Brenneman nominated and moved to elect Jessica Sandven-Sorensen as Board Chair. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
B. Nomination and Election of Vice-Chair. Barry Farrell nominated and moved to elect Twila Brenneman as Vice-Chair. Megan Derrington seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
C. Appointment of District Clerk. Twila Brenneman moved to appoint Tammy Bartos as District Clerk. Megan Derrington seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
D. Approval of Board Meeting Date and Times for 2025/2026 School Year. Twila Brenneman moved to continue having regular meetings at 7:00 a.m. on the second Thursday of each month. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
III. Public Participation / Correspondence.
IV. Information
A. Creston School Scholarship Committee. Malia Simonson was the recipient of this years $500 scholarship. A certificate of award was presented to her at the school assembly on April 25th. The monetary amount will be given once proof of registration is provided.
B. ESEA/ESSA Title Programs Desk Monitoring. The Montana Office of Public Instruction conducted a desk audit of the ESEA/ESSA Title Programs (Title I-A, Title II-A, Title III-A, Title Iv-A) and the McKinney-Vento Homeless Program. The report identified zero program findings that necessitate a response and corrective measures from the district. A copy of the official letter and certificate was provided.
C. Propane for Bus. CityServiceValcon provided a proposal for our propane needs to fill the bus. They propose to fill our school bus at Creston School using a CSV propane delivery truck as a temporary service while they work to find a long-term solution. Pricing will be based on the current market. A copy of the letter was provided. There will be no contract to sign for this service.
V. Reports:
A. Clerk. The Statement of Expenditure was provided through the end of April 2025. The General Fund is 61% committed and the Total of all funds is 49% committed. Accounts are reconciled to the County Treasure through March 2025. Recent professional development included the MTSBA/MASBO Employment Hot Topics and weekly MTSBA Legislative Updates.
B. Principal. Student Enrollment is 85. REAP/SRSA grant award application process has been delayed; schools will be contacted when it opens. The Title VI agreement required by the USDOE was submitted for Creston School on April 17, 2025. Third through sixth grade students completed the third MAST assessment window on May 2nd; there is one more assessment window in May; OPI is conducting a review of the MAST assessment this summer to refine the descriptors and competencies. Fifth grade students completed the state science assessment in April. MAST and Science assessment results will be shared with Board, teachers and parents as they become available. Kindergarten Roundup was held on April 30; currently we are predicting our enrollment for next year at approximately 12 Kindergarten students. Kindergarten through sixth grade art, writing, and projects will be featured in the gym on May 20 during the Learning Fair. On April 21 Mrs. Stevens met with the teachers to plan for the upcoming school year. School Spirit Days will be held the last week of school. A drawing for three Kindles, donated by the Kalispell Masonic Lodge #42, will be held at the ice cream social for our “I Love to Read” contest. Monthly building inspections have been completed with no recommendations for repairs and the facilities inventory report was provided.
C. Staff. Teachers that were present provided additional information during the Google Slide presentation.
VI. Policies – Consideration of Action:
A. Policy 1400 – Board Meetings. Review for information only. No action.
VII. Consideration of Action Items:
A. Collective Bargaining Agreement Negotiations with Creston Education Association. The CEA has approved the proposals and changes to the CBA and salary schedule as presented to them after the 10 April 2025 board meeting. The CBA for 2025/2026 has been updated with all negotiated changes. Barry Farrel moved to approve the CBA for 7/1/2025 to 6/30/2026 as presented. Megan Derrington seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
B. Teacher Contract Renewal 2025/2026 including Renewal or Non-Renewal of Non-Tenured Teachers. Megan Derrington moved to approve the contract renewals for the list of Tenured Teachers for the 2025/2026 school year as presented. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Megan Derrington moved to approve the contract renewals for the list of Non-Tenured Teachers for the 2025/2026 school year as presented. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
C. Crossroads Interlocal Agreement for 2025/2026. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the Flathead Crossroads Interlocal Agreement for fiscal year 2025/2026 as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
D. SPED Coop Preschool Interlocal Agreement for 2025/2026. Megan Derrington moved to approve the FSEC Preschool Interlocal Agreement for fiscal year 2025/2026 as presented. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
E. SPED Coop STAR Interlocal Agreement for 2025/2026. Megan Derrington moved to approve the FSEC STAR Interlocal Agreement for fiscal year 2025/2026 as presented. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
F. 2025 MTSBA Annual Meeting – nil.
G. Individual Transportation Contract Approval (OPI Form TR-4) – nil.
H. 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. Twila Brenneman moved to approve the haying agreement with Steve Wagoner as presented. Megan Derrington seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
I. Transportation Contract – nil.
J. Before School Care Contracts – nil.
K. Out-of-District Requests. Attendance agreements for 19 students, grade K – 6, requesting enrollment in Creston School District as their school of choice for the 2025/2026 school year. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the attendance agreements as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
L. Gym & School Grounds Use Requests – nil.
M. District Clerk Evaluation – Executive Session. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen determined that the demands of individual privacy clearly exceed the merits of public disclosure and at 7:37 am closed the meeting for an executive session to conduct the personnel evaluation of Tammy Bartos. The meeting was reconvened in open session at 8:13am. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the personnel evaluation of Tammy Bartos and to approve the executive session minutes. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
VIII. Claims Approval – Consideration of Action. Twila Brenneman moved to approve the claims approval list as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
IX. Next Meeting Dates:
A. 14 August 2025, 7:00am, Budget & Regular Meeting. Note that the 12 June 2025, 7:00 am Regular Meeting was unintentionally left off the agenda.
B. 11 September 2025, 7:00am, Regular Meeting
X. Adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 8:16 a.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
/s/Tammy Bartos, District Clerk
/s/Jessica Sandven-Sorensen, Board Chair