SUNBURST SCHOOL DISTRICT #2
REGULAR MEETING
BOARD MINUTES March 18, 2014
CALL TO ORDER: The regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Trustees was called to order at 7:05 pm by the Chairman, Jim Nagy with the pledge to our flag. The School District No. 2. Trustees present to constitute a quorum were:
James Nagy, Chairman Jonette Johannsen, Trustee
Marigail Sveum, Trustee Jason Hanson, Trustee (Lisa Kearns, Trustee-Absent)
Guests and staff in attendance were:
Tim Tharp, Superintendent District Staff – See attached list
Peggy Tobin, Business Manager
Dan Nau, Elem Principal
BUSINESS MANAGER REPORT: Minutes from the February 18th Regular Board Meeting were discussed. Jonette made a motion to approve the minutes from the Regular meeting of February 18th meeting as presented. Jason seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously.
Bills, warrants and payroll transactions processed since the last meeting were discussed. Peg noted that in reviewing minutes from many years ago, the payroll transactions had been included in this section of the minutes and recommended that we begin doing that again so that all payment transactions have board approval. Marigail moved to approve the warrants 20801 through 20868, and all payroll transactions. Jonette seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously. February Extracurricular reports were reviewed. Marigail asked Mr. Nau about the 8th grade field trip account – they will be selling concessions for the basketball season and Mrs. Ryan added that they also sold concessions during the volleyball jamboree. February Financial Reports were reviewed and discussed.
Audit Report – the report has finally come. There was just one finding which we expected. All follow-up paperwork has been submitted to OPI and the state.
Election update – Peg reported that two trustee registration packets have been received for the two open trustee positions. We have until March 27th for candidates to complete packets.
PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR ITEMS NOT ON AGENDA:
None were made.
(Dan suggested that the FFA members present their creed prior to his report)
FFA – Members were in attendance at the meeting to recite the FFA creed for the board. Mrs. Umdahl introduced her Ag 1 class – Trevor Cullen, Haylee Koon, McKoy Feland and Liz Owens.
ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL’S REPORT: (see attached report)
Additional comments at the meeting:
Dan thanked the board for their support in sending the 8th grade class and teachers to Austin, TX for the Samsung presentation. Results will be announced on Thursday. The support from the community has been phenomenal. Tim also commented on the amount of interest that has been generated from around the state.
Dan reported on the state science fair which was held in Missoula yesterday– we got two golds and Isabelle & Marryn received a 2nd place 6th grade team-biological.
Dan reported that one student was removed from BB because of academic issues. Kris reported on the Basketball season thus far – 18 boys and 9 girls have come out for BB – the coaches are doing a great job and covering when they can’t be there – lots of teaching! Kris hopes we can get the jamboree season that we lost because of so few teams participating back next year with the reconfiguration of the conference. Dan also commended Kris on doing a great job as Athletic Director.
Dan thanked Tami for filling in while Chrissie was gone – Chrissie is back as of Monday and they will continue to cover for each other through the rest of the school year.
Dan has a student who is being disciplined for insubordination and reported to the board on the current status and potential additional discipline steps if the issue continues.
Dan also gave special thanks to Peg, Lorrie, Kerry and Leisha for keeping the kitchen running smoothly.
SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT:
a) Science Fairs - Tim reported the results of the Science Fairs –
Regional – Blue Ribbon: - Nicole F/Emily G, Jennifer S, Matt B, Mason K
Purple Ribbon (Grand Awards round) – Hannah H, Connor O, Jacob A, Luke B/Tyler T, Sam M/Andy R.
Special Awards:
Hannah – “Outstanding Achievement” from Citizens for Clean Energy & 4th Place Individual Grand Award
Connor – U.S. Metric Award, Intel Computer Science Award, 3rd Place Individual Grand Award
Jacob – 2nd place award from Citizens for Clean Energy, Mu Alpha Theta Award, Yale Engineering Award, 2nd Place Individual Grand Award – ISEF Finalist
Luke/Tyler – 2nd Place Team Grand Award
Sam M/Andy R – Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Award, In Vitro Biology Award, 1st Place Team Grand Award – ISEF Finalists
State – 5 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze
Sam/Andy - 2nd place team, In Vitro Biology Most Outstanding 11th Grade Exhibit, US Dept of Health & Human Services Surgeon General’s special science award, MT Space Grant Consortium Emerging Research Travel Grant Award
Connor – Intel Excellence in Computer Science, UM Computer Science Department Award
Jacob – Charles M Holiday Earth Science Award, Wild Rockies Field Institute Award
NTCHS did not get top small school award but should have – they are reviewing it. Miss Becker guesses that NTCHS and Sunburst JH may have gotten messed up as the JH kids got 2nd place small school award with just three projects.
b) Superintendent’s Spring Conference – Tim reported on his recent state-wide spring superintendents’ conference. One of the big issues is a move by parents to not have their students participate in the new testing process. The test is very different and very difficult but Tim feels it’s the direction that we need to be going and he fully supports it. Tim reported on several other aspects of the conference and reported that the next election of our legislators will be very important.
c) Testing – Tim reported that they are also doing a tremendous amount of testing at the HS level. Science MontCas, ACT for all Juniors, practice tests and soon field tests for the new Smart Balance Testing.
d) Athletics/Activities Update:
i. Track & Field – Monday was the first day of practice with 4 girls and 9 boys
ii. Golf – Monday was the first day of practice – there are currently 12 – 5 girls & 7 boys.
iii. Football – The new football coach approached Tim regarding flipping home and away sides of the field as Tim wanted to do last year but was overturned. Tim asked for the board’s thoughts. The board’s response was whatever the coaches want.
iv. Additions to the NTCHS gymnasium - Tim reported that Dave Ryan approached him about doing something similar to other schools who have mascot signs/banners of their opponents as well as doing something like what Conrad has done (displaying their old Cowboy logo from the old gym floor in their new gym). These are both great ideas and Tim would like to pursue ways to make both of these things happen.
Dave reported that he knows a company in Billings that could provide signs made from a corrugated plastic for all of the teams in the conference. He said that Tim can provide all of the logos for the teams that participate in gym sports. Dave is also working on funding so it wouldn’t cost the district anything. Dan added that the sign at the Elem/JH gymnasium made out of a similar material to what Dave is recommending has held up very well.
Dave has also been thinking about the gym floor – Cleve Johannsen has the old center from the old gym floor. We just need to build a frame and hang it from chains and Tim has a place to hang it.
e) Budget 2014-2015 – Tim recommended that we not run a levy election. As such, our maximum budget for next year will be $2,001,446.59 which is a reduction of $36,431.18 from this year. We won’t set it for another five months, but this is where we are at this point. Funding is based on ANB numbers. This budget is based on a 3-year average as our actual enrollment continues to decline. Tim feels that we can absorb the decrease with gas and oil funds.
f) K-9 Inspection – On Wednesday, March 12th we had a routine inspection from Interquest K-9. Two high school students were discovered with tobacco products in their vehicles and have been placed on 45 day extra-curricular suspension. Both students have been offered assistance with cessation programs. Several vehicles were identified as having either spent or unspent ammunition in them but no guns were in any vehicles. One student really took issue with the fact that the inspector went through a bag in their sibling’s vehicle, but I told them that if it was in the vehicle, and the vehicle was identified by the dog, then the handler has the right to go through it. The way to avoid any unwanted intrusion is to not bring contraband on campus and these students would be subject to expulsion hearings in other places for having ammunition found. Tim isn’t upset about ammo. The parents were supportive of the other issue. Dan reported that there was a K-9 hit on a young student which resulted in a call to DHS.
g) Superintendent out-of-district calendar – (see attached)
AGENDA ITEMS:
a) Bus Route Change Request from Hansons – Jason & Tawna Hanson requested a minor extension of the bus route to accommodate them. What we are doing right now is still shorter than what the county committee already approved so Tim told Vince to go ahead and make this change. Marigail moved to accept the bus route change from the Hansons. Jonette seconded it and it passed unanimously with Jason abstaining.
b) Tim received a thank you from the 8th Grade Class for allowing them to go to Austin, and another from Jodi Griffin for allowing her to attend the special education conference in Seattle which he read to the board.
c) Personnel Report
i. Resignation of Diane Fauque- Tim read Diane’s resignation letter.
ii. Resignation of Shirley Kimmet - Tim read a resignation letter from Shirley Kimmet.
Tim recommended that the board accept both resignations with thanks for so many years of service. Jonette moved to accept the resignations of Diane Fauque and Shirley Kimmet. Jason seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
iii. Update on Head Cook – Tim reported that it is Dan’s recommendation to hold off for a while longer. Dan added that he would like to potentially hire next month with the thought that we finish with the crew we have and that the new person begin with the new school year unless they want to work the month of May to start getting up to speed. Peg reported on the survey that she did of all students and adults for the cafeteria. Some very good ideas have come out of it and there are four new items on April’s menu.
NEXT BOARD MEETING: - April 15, 2014 at 7:00 PM
ADJOURN:
Jonette moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:25pm. The motion was seconded by Marigail and the passed unanimously.
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JAMES NAGY, CHAIRMAN PEGGY TOBIN, CLERK
DATE: ______DATE: ____________
Board Minutes March 18, 2014 Page 3