CRESTON SCHOOL DISTRICT #9
SPECIAL SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
24 JUNE 2024

MINUTES

I. Call to Order. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen called the Board of Trustees meeting to order at 8:03 a.m. The meeting was held remotely via a Zoom meeting platform. Present were Board Trustees Jessica Sandven-Sorensen, Twila Brenneman, Megan Derrington, Barry Farrell, and Nevada Hafer. Also in attendance were Rachel Stevens, Principal, and Tammy Bartos, District Clerk.
II. Public Participation / Correspondence – nil.
III. Consideration of Action Items:
A. Hiring Process for a 1.0 Teacher Position for 2024/2025 and Combining Classes Options. M. Moore has withdrawn her acceptance of the teaching position. In addition to opening the position for hire there was discussion regarding possible combination classes. Barry Farrell volunteered to be on the hiring committee with all other trustees to serve as backup as needed. Twila Brenneman moved to approve the hiring process for a 1.0 FTE Teacher Position for the 2024/2025 school year, and trustee volunteers for the hiring committee as presented. Megan Derrington seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Nevada Hafer moved to approve that if prior to hiring a 1.0 FTE Teacher the combined class size of any two classes falls within district policy and state limits to move forward with pursuing combining classes for the 2024/2025 school year. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
IV. Next Meeting Dates:
A. 8 August 2024, 7:00am, Budget & Regular Meeting
V. Adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 8:15 a.m.

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

CRESTON SCHOOL DISTRICT #9
REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
13 JUNE 2024

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 and Nevada Hafer. Absent: Barry Farrell. Also in attendance were Rachel Stevens, Principal, Tammy Bartos, District Clerk, Cindi Conley, Special Education Teacher and one community member.
II. Minutes of 9 May & 29 May 2024. Megan Derrington moved to approve the minutes as presented. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
III. Public Participation / Correspondence. A thank you note which was received from B. Toelke and her gym use group was shared– a donation was also received.
IV. Information
A. Speed Signs Highway 35 Project Update. The installation of the school speed limit lighted signs is to be completed prior to the start of school in August; this is according to the Flathead County MDT office.
B. Hiring Committee Update – the committee met to hold an interview for an aide on June 12 and pre-employment steps are in process prior to presenting any recommendations to the Board.
V. Reports:
A. Clerk. The monthly budget expenditure report was provided through 31 May 2024. The General Fund is 96% committed and the Total of all funds is 76% committed. Miscellaneous Funds and Eastside Interlocal accounts were also reported. Accounts are reconciled to the County Treasurer through March 2024 – unchanged from the May report. Information about the MTSBA June 2024 Ballot was provided – the ballot itself will not be voted on as the notice was received after the 6/13/24 agenda was set. The audit is scheduled to be completed by June 30th.
B. Principal. Student Enrollment is 102. The work on the parking & bus lots is scheduled to be completed mid-July. Overhead lighting was installed in the container – Thank you Mr. Hagen! The red playground spinner will be adjusted to make it a stationary piece of equipment prior to the return of students for the 2024/2025 school year. Clearwater Contracting LLC recently conducted a free inspection of our sewer pipes, as more information becomes available it will be provided. The last week of school included student and staff participating in spirit days as follows: crazy hat day, crazy sock day, crazy hair day, Creston pride day, and color day. The Creston Boosters provided an end of the year lunch for the staff and students. Monthly building inspections have been completed with one recommendation to tighten the handle bolts on the monkey bars which has been done. The School Facilities Inventory Report was provided. Third through sixth grade students have completed Smarter Balanced Assessments – data was provided. Reading and math benchmark assessments have been completed and data was provided. A report on Creston School Goals 2023/2024 was also provided.
C. Staff. Cindi Conley was present to provide a verbal report on the end of the year happenings.
VI. Policies – Consideration of Action:
A. Second Reading of MTSBA Policy Services Updates: 1420, 3410F, 2132, 3110, 5325, 8110, 8121, 8132, 3416F3; Delete: 2113, 7008. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the policy updates as presented. Megan Derrington seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
VII. Consideration of Action Items:
A. Employment Contract for Custodian June 2024 – CS. The probationary period of C. Sydnor is coming to a close and a specific term contract is recommended. Nevada Hafer moved to approve hiring Cassandra Sydnor as Custodian for June 18 thru June 30, 2024, as presented. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
B. Classified Contract Renewal or Non-Renewal 2024/2025 & Compensation. A list of employees with proposed wages was provided. Twila Brenneman moved to approve the employment agreements and compensation for the 2024/2025 school year as presented. Megan Derrington seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
C. Hourly Paid Classified Employees Stipend 2024/2025. A stipend of up to $3,060 per annum for a 1.0 FTE hourly paid classified employee was proposed – prorated by FTE. Twila Brenneman moved to approve the stipend to the listed classified employees for 2024/2025 school year as presented. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
D. Extra-Duty Contract for Vehicle Maintenance 2024/2025 – JH. Megan Derrington moved to approve the extra-duty contract and pay rate for Jeff Hagen to provide vehicle repair maintenance for the 2024/2025 school year as presented. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
E. Principal Salary Negotiation & Contract 2024/2025. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the compensation and employment agreement for the 2024/2025 school year as presented. Megan Derrington seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
F. Business/Office Manager & District Clerk Salary Negotiation & Contract 2024/2025. Twila Brenneman moved to approve the compensation and employment contract for the 2024/2025 school year as presented. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
G. District Clerk Authority to Process Claims Summer Months. Megan Derrington moved to authorize the District Clerk to process claims June through the end of August 2024 without convening a board meeting. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
H. Bus Route 2024/2025. Twila Brenneman moved to approve the bus route and stops with student crossings for 2024/2025 as presented. Megan Derrington seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
I. Cayuse Prairie – Creston Transportation Interlocal 2024/2025. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the transportation interlocal agreement with Cayuse Prairie for 2024/2025 as presented. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
J. Property & Liability Insurance Renewal with MSPLIP 2024/2025. Our current policy expires June 30. The premium for 2024/2025 is $15,302. The preliminary 2024/2025 General Fund Budget included an estimated premium of $15,000. Megan Derrington moved to approve the property & liability insurance renewal with MSPLIP for 2024/2025 as presented. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
K. Transfer to East Side Flathead Valley Multidistrict Interlocal. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the resolution to transfer up to a maximum of $40,000 from the 2023/2024 General Fund to the East Side Flathead Valley Multidistrict Interlocal Fund as presented. Megan Derrington seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
L. Records Destruction RM88. A form FM88 was presented to dispose of personnel records. Twila Brenneman moved to approve the records destruction request as presented. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
M. Flathead County Planning & Zoning Preliminary Plat Request. A preliminary plat request for FSR-24-09 Many Lakes subdivision was received from Flathead County Planning & Zoning. Information only – no action taken.
N. Letter of Reasonable Assurance for Substitutes. A letter to current substitute employees giving them reasonable assurance of employment for the 2024/2025 school year on the same basis that existed during the past school year. Twila Brenneman moved to approve issuing the Letter of Reasonable Assurance for substitute employees as presented. Megan Derrington seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
O. Flathead Special Education – Preschool Interlocal Agreement 2024/2025. The FSEC Preschool provides a comprehensive developmental approach to meeting the needs of children with disabilities ages 3 through 5 that meet eligibility criteria. Megan Derrington moved to approve the FSEC Preschool Program Interlocal Agreement for fiscal year 2024/2025 as presented. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
P. Flathead Special Education – STAR (Communication) Program Agreement 2024/2025. The FSEC STAR (Communication) Program meets the needs of students who have Autism or related characteristics and behaviors that impede their ability to communicate and be successful within their neighborhood school. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the FSEC STAR Program Interlocal Agreement for fiscal year 2024/2025 as presented. Megan Derrington seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
Q. Renewal of KPS Interlocal Agreement for 7th & 8th Graders at KMS. The agreement is still being worked on by Kalispell School District Administration. Information only.
R. Property Disposal Resolution. A list of abandoned, obsolete and undesirable property was provided. Megan Derrington moved to approve the property disposal resolution as presented. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
S. Early Entry Kindergarten Enrollment for 2024/2025. A request for early entry into kindergarten for next school year. Twila Brenneman moved to approve the enrollment of an early entry into kindergarten for the 2024/2025 school year as presented. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
T. Transportation Contracts – nil.
U. Before School Care Contracts – nil.
V. Out-of-District Requests. Attendance agreement requests for nineteen (19) students that reside in our district, to attend another district in 2024/2025. Nevada Hafer moved to acknowledge receipt of these attendance agreements. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Eleven (11) requests for students residing in other districts to attend Creston School District for the 2024/2025 school year. Megan Derrington moved to approve these attendance agreements. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
W. Gym & School Grounds Use Requests – nil.
VIII. Claims Approval – Consideration of Action. Megan Derrington moved to approve the claims approval list as presented. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
IX. Next Meeting Dates:
A. 8 August 2024, 7:00am, Budget & Regular Meeting
X. Adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 8:09 a.m.

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