At the December 13 school board meeting, board members Jill Harstad, David Sowinski, Mark Johnsrud, Katie Priebe, Josh Thompson and Tom Keefe were present as well as Superintendent Ed Harris, principals Shane McBroom and Eric Nelson, Rinnea Kreter, administrative assistant and Trista O’Connor, business manager. Student Senate members Taylor Ask and Lexi Kivimagi were also present.
Eric Nelson, in his report ,highlighted two intervention programs that were piloted this year at the high school during the first trimester. The Algebra Skills course and the Reading Skills course were put into place to provide an additional opportunity for students in the upper grades to master skills that they had not fully achieved in their previous courses. The Algebra Skills class included students that were likely to have a hard time in the Algebra II course because their skills were not ready for higher level math. Algebra II is often a course where the content becomes particularly challenging for students that have struggled in math or have a history of math anxiety. These students would then take Algebra II the next two trimesters. Many of them said this was a definite help in preparing them for this math class. The Reading Skills course was offered to students whose reading levels on the MCA exam underperformed expectations and on recommendations from their English and social studies teachers. These student have typically struggled with nonfiction reading and informational text. The performance results for this course were extremely encouraging. Pre- and post-course assessments mirroring the ACT exam format demonstrated very significant growth. Nelson stated that these interventions may require a student to take an additional course or two but do count toward their elective totals. He also informed the board of changes to graduation requirements starting with the class of 2028. These changed help to meet statutory requirements from the 2023 legislative session.
Elementary principal, Shane McBroom, also discussed curriculum changes from new legislation called the READ (Reading to Ensure Academic Development) Act. Because of this act, teachers will need additional and potentially extensive training in reading. The teachers will be working on this through their PLCs (Professional Learning Communities).
Superintendent Harris along with the other two principals thanked the Chatfield Education Foundation for the very successful event that raised over $100,000 for educational purposes in the Chatfield school system. Harris then went on to explain the Truth in Taxation process with a slide show. The proposed levy for 2024 is $3,410,998.52, which is an increase of 2.42%. The board later approved this under action items.
Under the consent agenda the board approved:
•The November 8, 2023 minutes.
•New hires: Daysha Borst, ECFE assistant; Marley Harris substitute paraprofessional; Jaden Glenzinski, floating substitute; Brent Berge, varsity softball coach; Jackson Schild, substitute paraprofessional and Annika Bakkum-Ekern, One Act Play director.
•Job postings: JV softball coach, Title One paraprofessional.
•2024 fall head coaches: Jeff Johnson, football; Kristi Rindels, volleyball and Niki DeBuhr, cross country.
Action items approved:
•Certified the final levy payable FY 2024.
•Resolution directing the administration to make recommendation for reductions in programs and positions and reason therefore.
•Resolution establishing combined polling places.
The board discussed the Facility Update/Maintenance project, which was a group of board and community members that looked at facility needs in the district. Harris thanked the committee for the work they had done. A survey of possible projects the committee suggested was sent to all households in the Chatfield School District and the consensus of the board was that there was not enough support in the district to pursue the issue at this time. Board member Katie Priebe encouraged district patrons to talk with school board members about the needs in the district, as there are areas that need improvement. She is hopeful that this will facilitate more discussion even though the board will not pursue it at this time.
Superintendent Harris did address the need for a possible levy in the future since the district has had deficit spending the last two years. Labor costs are increasing and inflation has had a role in this deficit. The revenues have decreased because of lower enrollment. This spring there will need to be a purposeful reduction of expenditures.
The meeting was adjourned. The next meeting of the board will be on January 10, 2024, in the high school Forum room at 7 p.m.
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