The Chatfield School Board met on June 19, 2018, in the art room at the high school. Board members present were Scott Backer, Amy Jeffers, Katie Priebe and Matt McMahon along with Superintendent Harris, Administrative Assistant Lorri Lowrey, and Technology Integration Specialist Kristi Cook. Board member Lanny Isensee was not present.
Reports
Kristi Cook, technology integration specialist, reported on the Spring Clarity Survey that is done every year to assess the technical skills of teachers and students in technology. The survey showed that Chatfield’s classrooms are on the high end of the proficiency scale. Kristi said that this score was up 50 points from last year and gave credit to the teachers and students who are continuing to improve these skills. Areas that she will focus on for the 2018-19 school year are digital citizenship and increasing the 4 Cs in the classroom. Digital citizenship is teaching students to be safe online and cautioning students about sharing information online. She has worked with third graders on this concept and hopes to add the upper elementary grades this year. The 4 Cs in technology are Creativity, Collaboration, Critical Thinking and Communication and she will be teaching them throughout the technology curriculum. This summer she is working on preparing the new iPads for teachers, training teachers on Schoology, preparing a video for parents on Schoology, and other technical issues to get ready for the next school year.
Superintendent Harris updated the board on the Finance and Facilities Committee meeting that was held on June 7. The preliminary budget projects a $280,000 deficit for the 2019 school year because state money continues to fall short of the annual inflationary cost increases and enrollment remains flat. The district will be focused on cost controls and opportunistic saving for the 2019 school year. Depending on the outcome of the finalization of the 2019 budget, budget cuts for subsequent years may need to be explored. Operating Capital and Long Term Facility Maintenance fund balances are sound. Since the pool will be removed from its present site, he is working with Wendel Companies on a site survey and recommendation for parking lot and traffic pattern changes to this area. Additional revenue for facility projects may be seen from the sale of dark fiber (fiber optic) that the district no longer has use for. The construction budget has an estimated $250,000 surplus that the committee recommended using $140,000 for additional facility and equipment items. These items were for safety, security and site improvement. The rest of the surplus will be reserved until after the new construction is occupied. Because these monies were bonded specifically for new construction, they must be used for this purpose.
There was a long list of consent items in part because the new fiscal year of 2018-19 starts in July. Under consent items the board approved Karyl Lyon, business manager, as designee to wire transfers, excess funds and bond payments, The Chatfield News as the official newspaper, Ratwick, Rozak, Maloney and Bartel as official legal counsel, and the authorization for the treasurer to approve end of year bills. The official district depositories are the Root River Sate Bank, Minnesota Liquid Asset Funds and F and M Community Bank (Alice Groen Trust Account). The superintendent and business manager were designated as district representatives and school board meetings will be the third Monday of each month at 7 p.m. in the high school media center with some exceptions on legal holidays. Hires approved were Greg Silha, summer weight room supervisor; Kelsey Gwidt, ninth grade volleyball coach; Matt Mauseth, high school special education teacher and reading teacher, and Kiya Virgin, SADD co-advisor.
The annual reading of district policies of Family and Medical Leave and Health and Safety were reviewed only with no changes. The first reading of the Crisis Management Policy will be reviewed for the next meeting and the second reading of four policies was approved.
Under new business, the food service contract was renewed for one year with no increase in lunch prices. A resolution for establishing dates for filing affidavits of candidacy for the next school board election were approved. Board member Matt McMahon encouraged others to file and run for the school board. Approval of donations and grants of $28,711.27 for the 2017-18 school year was given. The policy for early entrance to kindergarten was officially approved by the board. There have been guidelines and procedures previously used by administrators that will continue with board approval. The 2018-19 school year budget was approved. Superintendent Harris showed a spread sheet of each fund. The General Fund shows a small fund deficit as discussed earlier. The Food Service and Community Education have a positive fund balance. Other funds approved from the General Fund were the Construction Fund, Debt Service, and the Trust Fund.
The meeting was adjourned with a reminder that school board meetings are at 7 p.m. the third Monday of each month at the high school. Summer office hours are Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The office will be closed July2-6.
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