Board Minutes

CRESTON SCHOOL DISTRICT #9
SPECIAL SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
23 June 2021

MINUTES
I. Call to order. Matt Hartle called the Board of Trustees meeting to order at 8:47 a.m. The meeting was held remotely via a Zoom meeting platform. Present were Board Trustees Matt Hartle, Jessica Sandven-Sorensen, Twila Brenneman, Barry Farrell and Nevada Hafer. Also in attendance were Tami Ward, Principal, Tammy Bartos, District Clerk, Jennifer Johnson, 2nd Grade Teacher and CEA President.
II. Minutes of 10 June 2021. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen moved to approve the minutes as presented. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
III. Public Participation / Correspondence – nil.
IV. Information Items:
1. ESSER Basics Presentation. Tammy Bartos, District Clerk presented on the various COVID-19 Funds we have and expect to receive.
V. Consideration of Action Items:
A. Flathead Crossroads Interlocal Agreement 2021-22. This is a standard contract that is being renewed for fiscal year 2022. Educational services are provided to students of participating districts who have been identified with chronic emotional and behavioral needs under IDEA, with the specific intent of building skills necessary to facilitate reentry into the regular public school setting. Barry Farrell moved to approve the Flathead Crossroads Interlocal Agreement for fiscal year 2021-2022 as presented. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
B. Classified Staff Contracts renewal or non-renewal 2021-2022 & Compensation. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen moved to approve the contract renewal and hourly wage of J. Hagen and M. Bilodeau as presented and to approve the intent to rehire agreements for R. Leighty and K. Miller as presented. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
C. New Teacher Hire & Contract 2021-2022. Waiting on documents – no action at this time.
D. Advertise and Interview for a Part-Time Aide for 2021/2022. This is for a position in addition to the other aide positions. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen moved to approve the advertising and interviewing of a part-time aide for the 2021/2022 school year. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Nevada Hafer volunteered to serve on the hiring committee. Twila Brenneman moved to approve Nevada Hafer as the Board representative on the hiring committee. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
E. Auditor Proposals. Additional information is needed from those giving proposals, no proposals were provided, and no action at this time.
F. Principal with Superintendent Duties Salary Negotiation & Contract 2021-2022. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen moved to approve the salary increase of 1.5% and renew the contract for the 2021-2022 school year. Barry Farrell seconded; upon further discussion Barry Farrell moved to renew the contract for the 2021-2022 school year with a 3% increase to the salary. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
G. Clerk Salary Negotiation & Contract 2021-2022. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen moved to approve the salary increase of 3% and renew the contract for the 2021-2022 school year as presented. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
H. Extra-Duty Contract for Principal and Clerk June 2021 & July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2022. These contracts are to cover the additional duties over the summer months required to respond to and implement Covid-19 related tasks. Twila Brenneman moved to approve the extra-duty contracts with a maximum of 40 allowable hours for June 2021 and 80 allowable hours for July1 – August 31, 2021, and to approve T. Bartos compensation as presented and adjust the hourly compensation for T. Ward to reflect the 3% salary increase to the July 1 – August 31, 2021, contract as approved in her 2021-2022 contract. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
I. Revision of Reopening Plan. The plan initially created in July of 2020 in response to the global pandemic of Covid-19 has recommended revisions based on recent board action and to reflect current knowledge and recommendations of local health officials to limit the effect and spread of Covid-19 in schools. Barry Farrell moved to approve the revised Reopening Plan as presented. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
J. Move to Phase III of Creston School Reopening Plan. As Covid-19 vaccinations increase and community case numbers are in a decline, resuming more typical operations in our schools is possible. Barry Farrell moved to approve moving to Phase III of the Creston School Reopening Guidelines for All Phases effective June 24, 2021. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
K. Safe Return to School and Continuity of Services Plan. Each school district that receives ARP ESSER funds must develop and make publicly available on their website a plan as per ARP guidelines. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen moved to approve the Safe Return to School and Continuity of Services Plan as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
Nevada Hafer left the meeting at this time to meet other scheduled obligations.
L. Bus Route(s) 2021-2022 & Interlocal Transportation Agreements. Two routes with no changes, stops where students cross the road, and Interlocal agreements with Cayuse Prairie and Bigfork School Districts were presented. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen moved to approve the bus routes, stops with student crossings, and transportation interlocal agreements as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
M. Safety Transfer – sidewalks, telephone system, bus parking lot. To address expenditures for improvements to school safety such as those listed, but not limited to such. The complete Resolution will be noticed. Barry Farrell moved to authorize the administration to transfer up to a maximum of $45,000 from the 2020-2021 General and/or Transportation Funds to the Building Reserve Fund. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
N. Letter of Reasonable Assurance for Substitute Employees. Twila Brenneman moved to approve issuing letters of reasonable assurance to substitute employees. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
O. Staff Handbook 2021-2022. Revisions to the handbook were presented. Barry Farrell moved to approve the Staff Handbook for 2021-2022 as presented. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
VI. Claims – June 2021 – claim run #2. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen moved to approve the claims as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
VII. Next Meeting Dates:
A. 12 August 2021, 7:00 am Budget & Regular Meeting
VIII. Adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 10:00 a.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

_____________________________
Tammy Bartos, District Clerk

_____________________________
Matt Hartle, Board Chair

CRESTON SCHOOL DISTRICT #9
REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
10 June 2021

MINUTES

I. Call to order. Matt Hartle called the Board of Trustees meeting to order at 7:01 a.m. The meeting was held remotely via a Zoom meeting platform. Present were Board Trustees Matt Hartle, Jessica Sandven-Sorensen, Barry Farrell and Nevada Hafer; Absent was Twila Brenneman – planned absence. Also in attendance were Tami Ward, Principal, Tammy Bartos, District Clerk, Jennifer Johnson, 2nd Grade Teacher and CEA President, Shanta Milne, Kindergarten Teacher, Janessa Williams, 6th Grade Teacher, Emily Russell, 5th Grade Teacher, Robyn Hall, Parent of Student.
II. Minutes of 13 May 2021. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen moved to approve the minutes as presented. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
III. Public Participation / Correspondence – nil.
IV. Information Items:
1. 5th and 6th grade Classroom Configuration. To provide equitable educational and social experiences, we will offer two 5th/6th grade homeroom classes of 14-17 students, with instruction provided by both Ms. Russell and Ms. Williams for 2021/2022.
2. Audit Engagement Letter FY 2020– Nicole M. Noonan, CPA, P.C. Letter confirming services to be provided; a copy was given to each trustee prior to today’s meeting.
3. Montana Digital Academy Course Offerings. The Academy estimates they will have a course list available later this summer. The course list will be presented at a future meeting when it is available.
4. OPI Preliminary Budget Data Sheet FY2021-2022 Post-Session. A copy of the data sheet was provided. Changes in the Legislature this year did impact our numbers and increased our estimated Highest Budget Without a Vote by less than $1,000.
V. Reports:
A. Clerk. Statement of Expenditure includes payroll and claims through 10 June. General Fund is at 84% committed and Total of all funds is at 79%. Audit for 2019/2020 is in process. A bus fuel comparison of 2019/2020 with the diesel bus vs. 2020/2021 with the new propane bus showed a 25% fuel savings.
B. Principal. Predicted Student Enrollment for 2021/2022 is 114. Spring benchmark results for reading show all students made progress with the help of classroom interventions and Title I support. Currently 92% of students are at or near benchmark in reading. Spring benchmark results for math show 79% of K-6th grade students are at benchmark, 13% approaching grade level, and 8% in need of further intervention. SBAC Assessment results show 67% of our students are advanced or proficient in math and 62% of our students are advanced or proficient in English Language Arts. Our results are slightly lower that two years ago which is to be expected due to remote learning the final trimester of 2020 and ongoing remote learning throughout the 2020/2021 school year. We will continue providing interventions where needed in the classroom and through our Title I program. At the time of the report there were no new cases of COVID in our learning environment. Monthly building inspections have been completed with no recommendations. Summer building and maintenance projects are in progress and summer cleaning projects will begin in late June. Our asbestos inspection is scheduled for tomorrow. Teachers will attend the Western Montana Technology Conference and the NW Reading Council Literacy Conference in August. First aid and safety training is scheduled for all staff in August. Virtual Events – Ms. Russell hosted a virtual Authors’ Party, Ms. Mumm provided a virtual art fair, and Mrs. Davidson hosted virtual fieldtrips with National Parks. The Special Education Cooperative hired a new business manager and two speech and language pathologists for the 2021/2022 school year. Crossroads is planning for the summer program which provides experiences for students to practice social skills. They had one resignation this year, so they are in the process of hiring for that position.
C. Staff. Jen Johnson shared a verbal end of year recap using the word “rollercoaster” to describe the year, which overall went well considering the pandemic, the remote learning, isolating from other classes, etc.

VI. Policies:
A. MTSBA Policy Maintenance Program from 5/21/2021 Notice – 1st Read: 3416, 3417, 5230, 5325, 8130, 8301, 8410, 8421, 8411. Updates to ensure compliance with the new expectations from recent regulatory changes affecting school districts from the Department of Public Health and Human Services and Department of Environmental Quality. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen moved to approve the required changes to policies 3416, 5230, 5325, 8130, 8301, 8410 & 8421 and adopt new required policies 3417 & 8411 as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
VII. Consideration of Action Items:
A. Flathead Special Education Cooperative Agreement – Revised 5/15/2021. This is a standard agreement renewal for special education services to students, between the ages of three and twenty-one, attending and residing in the local school district. The FSEC will assist in the development and maintenance of special education programs in participating school districts. One significant change in this agreement is that FSEC will now serve as the fiscal host (previously Kila School District). The agreement begins July 1st, 2021 and the duration of the membership is for three years. A representative to serve on the Management Board is also required. Barry Farrell moved to approve the Flathead Special Education Cooperative Agreement as presented and to designate Tami Ward, Principal, to serve as the representative to the FSEC Management Board. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
B. Flathead Special Education Cooperative FY22 Interlocal Agreement Preschool Program. A renewal agreement, the FSEC Preschool Program is a center-based program that provides preschool services to children ages 3 through 5 who are residents of the participating school districts and meet eligibility criteria. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the Flathead Special Education Cooperative Preschool Program Interlocal Agreement for fiscal year 2021-2022 as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
C. Flathead Special Education Cooperative FY22 Interlocal Agreement Severe Communication Disorders Program. A renewal agreement, the FSEC Severe Communication Disorders Program is a collaborative effort by the member school districts to provide and implement a program to meet the needs of students who have severe communication disabilities with accompanying behavior and learning difficulties. Barry Farrell moved to approve the 2021-2022 school year Interlocal Agreement with the Flathead Special Education Cooperative Program for Students with Severe Communication Disorders as presented. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
D. Classified Contracts Renewal or Non-Renewal 2021-2022 & Compensation – nil.
E. Extra-Duty Contract Summer Program Teaching Contract. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen moved to approve the Extra-Duty Contract for Deborah Christiansen to teach the summer program as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
F. New Teacher Hire & Contract 2021-2022 – nil.
G. Revision of 2021-2022 Teaching Contract for T. Mumm. Mrs. Mumm will be the 1st grade teacher next school year which will change her FTE from .8 to 1.0; her contract will need to change accordingly to revise her wage and benefits. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen moved to approve the revision of the 2021-2022 teaching contract for Mrs. Mumm as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
H. Principal with Superintendent Duties Salary Negotiation & Contract 2021-2022 – nil.
I. Clerk Salary Negotiation & Contract 2021-2022 – nil.
J. Extra-Duty Contract for Principal and Clerk June 2021 & July – Aug 2021 – nil.
K. Appointment of a Representative to the County Transportation Committee. Recent Legislation passed in SB74 requires that every school district is given the opportunity to appoint a representative to sit on and be a voting member of the County Transportation Committee. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen moved to appoint Tami Ward, Principal, as the representative to the County Transportation Committee. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
L. Property Disposal Resolution. A list of property was provided. Barry Farrell moved to approve the Property Disposal Resolution as presented and to approve the sale of the MacBook Air Laptop to M. Potts following the required two-week notice. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
M. Bus Route(s) 2021-2022 & Interlocal Transportation Agreements – nil.
N. Individual Transportation Contract Approval (OPI Form TR-4). Jessica Sandven-Sorensen moved to approve the Individual Transportation Contract #49961. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
O. Remote Learning 2021/2022. During the 2020/2021 school year synchronous remote learning was offered to families selecting remote learning for the school year, students who had extended absences or quarantined, and students who were absent due to extended travel. While teachers were able to provide this type of learning experience, the staff and administration agree this type of instruction is not best practice for elementary students, both those attending school in-person or remotely. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen moved to approve the plan to provide in-person learning for all students, remote learning for whole class quarantines, and independent remote learning with Principal approval for extended absences during the 2021-2022 school year. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
P. Safety Transfer – nil.
Q. Letter of Reasonable Assurance for Substitutes and Classroom/SPED Aides – nil.
R. District Clerk Authority to Process Claims Summer Months. Barry Farrell moved to authorize the District Clerk to process claims from June through August without convening a board meeting. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
S. Substitute List 2021-2022. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen moved to approve the substitute list and hourly wage as presented for the 2021-2022 school year. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
VIII. Claims – June 2021. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen moved to approve the claims list as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
IX. Next Meeting Dates:
A. Special Meeting possibly needed later in June. Date and time to be determined.
B. 12 August 2021, 7:00 am Regular Meeting. This will be a Budget & Regular meeting.
X. Adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 8:26 a.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

__________________________
Tammy Bartos, District Clerk

__________________________
Matt Hartle, Board Chair

CRESTON SCHOOL DISTRICT #9
REORGANIZATION & REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
13 May 2021

MINUTES
I. Call to order. Matt Hartle called the Board of Trustees meeting to order at 7:01 a.m. The meeting was held in the Creston School Library. Present were Board Trustees Matt Hartle, Jessica Sandven-Sorensen, Twila Brenneman, Barry Farrell, and Nevada Hafer. Also in attendance were Jack Eggensperger, Flathead County Superintendent of Schools, Tami Ward, Principal, Tammy Bartos, District Clerk, Jennifer Johnson, 2nd Grade Teacher and CEA President, Melissa Potts, 1st Grade Teacher, and Shanta Milne, Kindergarten Teacher.
II. Minutes of 8 April 2021 & 6 May 2021. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen moved to approve the minutes as presented. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
III. Oath of Office for Trustees Elected by Acclamation. At the 8 April 2021 meeting the Board approved the election by acclamation. Jack Eggensperger, Flathead County Superintendent of Schools administered the oath of office to Twila Brenneman (2-year term) and Jessica Sandven-Sorensen (3-year term).
IV. Reorganization of the Board of Trustees
1. Nomination and Election of Board Chair. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen nominated, and Nevada Hafer motioned to elect Matt Hartle as Board Chair. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
2. Nomination and Election of Board Vice-Chair. Matt Hartle nominated, and Barry Farrell motioned to elect Jessica Sandven-Sorensen as Board Vice-Chair. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
3. Appointment and Oath of Office of District Clerk. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen motioned to appoint Tammy Bartos as District Clerk. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
V. Board Meeting Time / Policy 1400 – Board Meetings. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen motioned to continue to meet on the second Thursday of each month at 7:00 a.m. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
VI. Public Participation / Correspondence. Ms. Potts presented the Board with her resignation letter. Thanks were given for her years of service.
VII. Information Items:
1. FY2021 Accreditation Status Report. Final Accreditation Status for 2020-2021 is Regular. A copy of the report was provided.
2. MTSBA Annual Meeting – June 10, 2021 – Virtual Meeting. A copy of the notice was provided.
VIII. Reports:
A. Clerk. Statement of Expenditure includes payroll and claims through 12 May. General Fund is at 64% committed and the Total of all Funds is at 64% committed. Accounts are reconciled to County Treasurer for March 2021. The 2019-2020 Audit is in process.
B. Principal. Student Enrollment is at 108. Kindergarten Roundup was successful with 16 students completing registration, 4 more students are on the list, and 2 students are on a waiting list. Our annual school performance survey and a separate Title 1 survey were completed by parents/guardians – results were provided. At the time of the report there were no new cases of COVID in our learning environment; our goal is to keep our school open for in-person learning throughout the remainder of the school year. Several teachers plan to attend the Western Montana Technology Conference this summer; also, there are plans to attend the NW Reading Council Literacy Conference. Mrs. Davidson, 3rd grade, hosted a virtual field trip with a park ranger from Glacier National Park; Smarter Balanced Assessments for 3rd – 6th graders in ELA and Math began May 3rd. Students in 5th grade will also take a science assessment. The Safety Committee met May 12th; no major concerns were noted. Updates on the Educational and Special Education Cooperatives were given.
C. Staff. Jen Johnson shared the staff report via a Google Slides presentation.

IX. Policies:
A. 3310F – Discipline Citation – Repeal – 2nd Read. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen moved to repeal Policy 3310F. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
B. 5140 – Personnel – Classified Employment and Assignment – 2nd Read. Twila Brenneman moved to approve the revision to Policy 5140 as presented. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
C. MTSBA Policy Maintenance Program from 3/19/21 Notice – 2nd Read: 1700, 3225P, 5012P, 3310, 3130, 5120P, 5120F- Notice, 5120F – Determination, 5120F – Privacy, 5120F – Dissemination, 5122F, 5232, 5228P, 5228F, 5228F2, 5328P, 7220, 7220P. Updates from the MTSBA Policy Services to ensure compliance with the law and best practices including Title IX compliance, background checks and fingerprinting, Federal Motor Carrier Clearing House Rules, and the use of Title 1 Funds. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the policies as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
D. MTSBA Policy Maintenance Program from 4/20/21 Notice – 1st Read: 3110, 1310, 2100, 2050, 2221. Over the past months the Montana Legislature passed, and the Governor has approved several pieces of legislation; some of those bills were effective immediately upon passage and approval. These policies were adjusted or created to ensure full compliance with the new laws implemented in HB 68, HB 246, SB 18, and SB 75. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen moved to approve the revisions and new policies as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
X. Consideration of Action Items:
A. Flathead Special Education Cooperative FY22 Interlocal Agreement Severe Communication Disorders Program – nil.
B. Flathead Special Education Cooperative FY22 Interlocal Agreement Preschool Program – nil.
C. Extra-Duty Substitute Contract 2021-2022 – AH. Twila Brenneman moved to approve the extra-duty substitute contract for Ariann Hess-Headlee for the 2021-2022 school year. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
D. East Side Flathead Valley Multidistrict Agreement 7/1/2021 – 6/30/2023. This is an interlocal agreement which allows for increased flexibility and efficiency of school districts to transfer funds into a sub fund and then use them when needed – without an increase in local taxes. A fund transfer would require board approval. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen moved to approve the agreement as presented. Motion passed unanimously.
E. Substitute List. Barry Farrell moved to approve the substitute list and hourly wage as presented for the 2020-2021 school year. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
F. Transportation Contract(s) – nil.
G. Before School Care Contract(s) – nil.
H. Out of District Request(s) – nil.
I. Gym & School Grounds Use request(s) – nil.
XI. Claims – May 2021. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the claims list as presented. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
XII. Executive Session for Principal Personnel Evaluation and Consideration of Closed Session Minutes. At 7:35 am Board Chair Matt Hartle closed the meeting to protect the individual rights of Tami Ward, Principal, during a personnel evaluation. The meeting was reopened at 8:08 a.m. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the Principal evaluation and the executive session minutes. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
XIII. Next Meeting Dates:
A. 10 June 2021, 7:00 am Regular Meeting
XIV. Adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 8:09 a.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

__________________________
Tammy Bartos, District Clerk

__________________________
Matt Hartle, Board Chair

CRESTON SCHOOL DISTRICT #9
SPECIAL SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
6 May 2021

MINUTES

I. Call to order. Matt Hartle called the Board of Trustees meeting to order at 7:31 a.m. The meeting was held remotely via Zoom. Present were Board Trustees Matt Hartle, Jessica Sandven-Sorensen, Twila Brenneman, Barry Farrell, and Nevada Hafer. Also in attendance were Tami Ward, Principal, and Tammy Bartos, District Clerk.
II. Public Participation / Correspondence – nil.
III. Consideration of Action Items:
A. Hiring a 1.0 FTE Teacher for the 2021/2022 School Year. Mrs. Ward has received and accepted the resignation of Ms. Potts at the end of this school year. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen moved to approve beginning the hiring process for a 1.0 FTE teacher for the 2021-2022 school year as presented. Barry Farrell seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. Barry Farrell and Jessica Sandven-Sorensen volunteered to be on the Hiring Committee.
B. Claim Approval for Jackola Engineering & Architecture. An initial payment is needed for the architectural and structural design work by JEA for the state approval of our remodel project. The claim is for $688.00. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the claim as presented. Barry Farrell seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.
IV. Next Meeting Dates:
A. 13 May 2021, 7:00 am Reorganization and Regular Meeting
V. Adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 7:35 a.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

__________________________
Tammy Bartos, District Clerk

__________________________
Matt Hartle, Board Chair

CRESTON SCHOOL DISTRICT #9
REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
8 April 2021

MINUTES
I. Call to order. Matt Hartle called the Board of Trustees meeting to order at 7:04 a.m. The meeting was held in the Creston School gym. Present were Board Trustees Matt Hartle, Jessica Sandven-Sorensen, Twila Brenneman, Barry Farrell, and Nevada Hafer. Also in attendance were Tami Ward, Principal, Tammy Bartos, District Clerk, Jennifer Johnson, 2nd Grade Teacher and CEA President, and Shanta Milne, Kindergarten Teacher.
II. Minutes of 11 March 2021 and 1 April 2021. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen moved to approve the minutes as presented. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
III. Public Participation / Correspondence – nil.
IV. Information Item(s) – nil.
V. Reports:
A. Clerk. Statement of Expenditure includes payroll and claims through 6 April. General Fund is at 57% committed and the Total of all Funds is at 57% committed. Accounts are reconciled to County Treasurer for February 2021. The 2019-2020 Audit is in process.
B. Principal. Student Enrollment is at 107. Kindergarten Roundup is scheduled for this afternoon and we currently have 19 students on our list for next year. We did not have any applicants again this year for our scholarships. All staff and teachers who wanted a Coronavirus vaccine, have been vaccinated. At the time of the report there were no new cases of COVID in our learning environment. Monthly building inspections have been completed with no recommendations; countertops were installed in the 6th grade room over Spring Break; the Facility Conditions Inventory Report was provided with updates. A cohort of teachers met on April 7th to ensure everything is in place for Smarter Balanced Assessments which are to start the end of April; also, a small cohort of teachers met to plan and prepare for Kindergarten Roundup. Third grade hosted a virtual guest speaker through the Buffalo Bill Museum; and we hosted our final virtual Student Assembly with talent and awards on March 19th. We continue to have a need for substitute teachers, custodians, bus, and maintenance for the 2020/2021 school year. Teachers will begin progress monitoring for math the middle of April; students at risk in reading continue to be progress monitored with the Dyslexia screener. Updates on the Educational and Special Education Cooperatives were given.
C. Staff. Shanta Milne shared the staff report via a Google Slides presentation; Kindergarten was the focus class this month.
VI. Policies:
A. 3310F – Discipline Citation – Repeal – 1st Read. Due to an updated Policy 3310, this form is no longer referenced in the policy. No motion at this time.
B. 5140 – Personnel – Classified Employment and Assignment – 1st Read. Changes in the interpretation of the Wrongful Discharge Act require adjustment to policy and practice of hiring new classified employees. No motion at this time.
C. MTSBA Policy Maintenance Program various policies – 1st Read: #1700, #3225P, #5012P, #3310, #3130, #5120P, #5120F – Notice, #5120F – Determination, #5120F – Privacy, #5120F – Dissemination, #5122F, #5232, #5228P, #5228F, #5228F2, #5328P, #7220, #7220F. Policy updates from the MTSBA Policy Services to ensure compliance with the law and best practices including Title IX compliance, background checks and fingerprinting, Federal Motor Carrier Clearing House Rules, and the use of Title 1 Funds. No motion at this time.
VII. Consideration of Action Items:
A. Levy & Trustee Election Cancellation by Acclamation. We had two trustee openings and two candidate filings – Twila Brenneman for a two-year term and Jessica Sandven-Sorensen for a three-year term. There was no need for a levy election. The levy and trustee election were cancelled. Nevada Hafer moved to approve the Levy and Trustee Election Cancellation Notice as presented. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.
B. Maternity Leave Request. Mrs. Milne provided a written request for maternity leave at the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year, followed by a three-day work week for the remainder of the year. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen moved to approve the maternity leave request as presented. Twila Brenneman seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.
C. Teacher Contract Renewals 2021-2022 including Renewal or Non-Renewal of Non-Tenured Teachers. Barry Farrell moved to approve the contract renewals for the list of tenured teachers for the 2021-2022 school year as presented. Twila Brenneman seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. Barry Farrell moved to approve the contract renewals for the list of non-tenured teachers for the 2021-2022 school year as presented. Nevada Hafer seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.
D. Curriculum Director Appointment. The Northwest Educational Cooperative is currently undergoing reorganization. Due to the unique structure and pedagogy of our instructional model, our teachers have been – for several years -receiving curriculum support, professional development and collaboration through conferences or bringing professional development to them through other resources. Currently due to our school size, the principal/administrator may serve as the curriculum director for the district. Twila Brenneman moved to appoint Tami Ward, Principal, as the Curriculum Director of Creston School for the 2021-2022 school year. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.
E. Mini-Split Heat Pump System for Remodel Project. This quote is to ventilate the planned remodeled office areas. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen moved to approve the purchase of the mini-split heat pump system from Great Northern Heating and Air, Inc as per quote E2138. Barry Farrell seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.
F. Substitute List – nil.
G. Transportation Contract(s) – nil.
H. Before School Care Contract(s) – nil.
I. Out of District Request(s) – nil.
J. Gym & School Grounds Use request(s) – nil.
VIII. Claims – April 2021. The trustees approved all claims as presented.
IX. Next Meeting Dates:
A. 13 May 2021, 7:00 am Reorganization and Regular Meeting
X. Adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 7:42 a.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

__________________________
Tammy Bartos, District Clerk

__________________________
Matt Hartle, Board Chair

CRESTON SCHOOL DISTRICT #9
SPECIAL SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
1 April 2021

MINUTES
I. Call to order. Matt Hartle called the Board of Trustees meeting to order at 4:02 p.m. The meeting was conducted via a Zoom meeting platform. Present were Board Trustees Matt Hartle, Jessica Sandven-Sorensen, Twila Brenneman, Barry Farrell, and Nevada Hafer. Also in attendance were Tami Ward, Principal, Tammy Bartos, District Clerk, Shanta Milne, Kindergarten Teacher, Jennifer Johnson, 2nd Grade Teacher and CEA President.
II. Public Participation / Correspondence – nil.
III. Information – nil.
IV. Consideration of Action Items:
A. Executive Session for District Clerk Personnel Evaluation and Consideration of Closed Session Minutes. At 4:03 p.m., Board Chair Matt Hartle closed the meeting in order to protect the individual rights of Tammy Bartos, District Clerk, during a personnel evaluation. The meeting was reopened at 4:26 p.m. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen moved to approve the Clerk evaluation and the executive session minutes. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
B. Classroom & Office Remodel – Contract for Construction. The remodel project is to enlarge the classroom next to the office, relocate the office to the ball closet and Title room, and relocate the Title I classroom to the teacher’s lounge. Hammerquist Casalegno, LLC has provided us with a remodel plan and contract with a total project sum of $62,652.71. This company has extensive historical knowledge of our building and its limitations and they have facilitated several projects for us in the past. The contract has been reviewed by the MTSBA legal staff. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen moved to approve the contract for construction with Hammerquist Casalegno, LLC as presented. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
C. Administrative Workloads – Work Session. A discussion regarding the workload of the Administrative office personnel and possible solutions to maintain a reasonable workload and work hours for the Principal and District Clerk. Several suggestions were discussed; budget and scheduling needs will need further consideration. No action at this time.
D. MSSA Letter of Agreement for MSSA Programs 2021-2022. This is a standard agreement between school districts and the Montana Small School Alliance. MSSA provides a teacher certified and appropriately endorsed professional to help our district meet the Library and Guidance Chapter 55 requirement. The fee for this is $600 for the year. Barry Farrell moved to approve the agreement as presented. Twila Brenneman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
V. Policies:
A. Policy 3310 – Students – Student Discipline – Revision – 2nd Read. This policy has undergone two significant changes with recent Title IX amendments at the federal level and also Montana Legislative changes due to LR-130 & I-190. Twila Brenneman moved to approve the policy as presented and to change any references of “Superintendent” to “Administrator”. Barry Farrell seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
B. Policy 3600F1, 3600F2 & 3600P – Revision – 2nd Read. These revisions were presented to include updates due to FERPA, missing children electronic directory photograph repository, a complete listing of directory information, and student records containing video footage. Barry Farrell moved to approve the policy revisions as presented. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
C. Title IX Policy Revisions due to Legislation – 2nd Read (#3210, #3225, #3225F, #3225P, #3226, #5010, #5012, #5012F, #5012P, #5015). Policy updates due to recent federal regulations to address and establish detailed procedures for how educational institutions must respond to allegations of sexual harassment. Jessica Sandven-Sorensen moved to Designate the Principal as the District Title IX and Section 504 Coordinator and approve the policies as presented with the optional language for policy 3210 omitted and to change any references of “Superintendent” to “Administrator”. Nevada Hafer seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
VI. Next Meeting Dates:
A. 8 April 2021, 7:00 am Regular Meeting
1. Discussion regarding meeting format: in-person or via remote access. Future meetings to be held in-person.
B. 13 May 2021, 7:00 am Reorganization and Regular Meeting
VII. Adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 5:10 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

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Tammy Bartos, District Clerk

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Matt Hartle, Board Chair