The Board of Trustees of School District No. 58, Bingham County, Idaho met in regular session at 7:00 p.m. on April 15, 2020 at the Aberdeen School District Office in Aberdeen, Idaho.
CALL TO ORDER AND ESTABLISHMENT OF A QUORUM
Chairman Todd Lowder opened the meeting at 7:02 p.m. Also present were Mike Shackelford, Sherrie Mauroner, David Wahlen and Elaine Blik. A quorum was established.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Those present recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
DELEGATION AND PATRON INPUT
No patron input was presented to the district office or Board trustees prior to the meeting. Chairman Lowder did not take questions from those in attendance through Zoom video conferencing.
SUPERINTENDENT and ADMINISTATOR REPORTS
Superintendent Ward discussed her written report. She thanked the teachers for the work they are doing as online teachers. Their lessons that are being taught are available to view from the district website. She thanked the parents for picking up the lesson packets each week. Our students are very fortunate to be able to access the lessons they need to be successful. She thanked Simon Bercier for all his help with training and Paul Michael with helping to set up the video conference meetings through Zoom. School will be out until further notice. The Idaho State Board of Education has indicated that schools should be out until the end of the school year unless health authorities indicate it is safe to go back. She added that Governor Brad Little extended the stay at home order through April 30th. The Governor’s office is looking at how to phase in businesses after April 30th. School Lunch delivery is going well. The district encourages all parents to check the district website to sign up for meals each week. The sign-up will be for meals to be delivered the following week. Students that don’t ride a bus may pick up meals at the school cafeteria. Locations to pick up meals are listed on the district website and flyers have been placed in businesses around town. She added that some lunch commodities are difficult to obtain right now, but complete meals are being provided. Lunches are available and free to anyone ages one to eighteen.
Travis Pincock discussed his written report. He thanked all the teachers for the work they are doing. Teachers are reaching out to the students and parents and he encouraged them to call the school with any concerns they have.
Ann Mennear reviewed her written report. Teachers have been posting their lessons online as well as providing packets for students who do not have access to the internet. Teachers have established online office hours for when they are available for students. She added that teachers are working with students beyond the established online office hours to help them as needed. Homeroom teachers are continuing to monitor their students’ progress weekly by emailing or calling them, or by an online meeting. She thanked the teachers for becoming online teachers. The teachers are doing well and are willing to work with students that need the help. The new security door has been installed in the middle school. The middle school students in the State of Idaho Maker Minded Competition took 5th place in the state and received three hundred dollars.
Robi Jo Colton reviewed her written report. The staff in the elementary school are doing an amazing job providing academics at home. Each grade level has a link on the district website to view their lessons. She has spoken with several parents about this new experience as they come to pick up the learning packets for their children. She thanked the staff for doing amazing things and once a week she is having some kind of treat for them to show her appreciation for their work. She added that the elementary school security door was installed.
David Vaughn went over his written report and highlighted that the special education staff are providing services remotely through online learning as well as packets to pick up. IEP and eligibility meetings are being held remotely through Zoom video conferencing with two meetings per day. Any student needing face to face testing can have this done when school resumes and their parents will be providing written notice stating this request. The state department has been providing a weekly to bi-weekly webinar for information on special education services during this time. He added that teachers have contacted students at home and are working with them.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
There was a change to the agenda to approve the retirement letter from special education teacher Carol Garton under Business Items-Actions 8L.
A motion was made by Trustee Shackelford and seconded by Trustee Mauroner to approve the agenda as modified. The motion passed.
CONSENT ITEMS
The following consent items were presented:
Approval of March 18th 2020 Regular Meeting Minutes
Approval of March 26th, 2020 Work Session Minutes
Approval of March 2020 Claims
March 2020 Financial Report
March Bingham County Tax Report
Building Budget Reports
A motion was made by Trustee Blik and seconded by Trustee Wahlen to approve consent items 7 A-F as presented. The motion passed.
BUSINESS ITEMS – ACTIONS
Board Policies for Approval: 575 – Transportation to School Sponsored Activities, 354 – School Closure
A motion was made by Trustee Wahlen and seconded by Trustee Blik to table policies 575 and 354 for a month for further discussion. The motion passed.
Approve Curriculum for 2020-2021
A motion was made by Trustee Mauroner and seconded by Trustee Shackelford to approve the 2020-2021 school year curriculum. The motion passed.
Confirm Date and Time to Hold Budget Hearing as June 17, 2020 at 6:30 p.m.
A motion was made by Trustee Mauroner and seconded by Trustee Shackelford to confirm the date and time to hold the budget hearing on June 17th, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. The motion passed.
Approve Bid to Pick Up and Deliver FY 20-21 School Curriculum
A motion was made by Trustee Blik and seconded by Trustee Shackelford to approve the bid from Western Flyer for $800 to pick up and deliver the FY 20-21 school curriculum. The motion passed.
Approve March 2020 New Hire
A motion was made by Trustee Mauroner and seconded by Trustee Shackelford to approve the March 2020 new hire. The motion passed.
Approve 2020-2021 School Calendar
A motion was made by Trustee Shackelford and seconded by Trustee Mauroner to approve the 2020-2021 school calendar. The motion passed.
Approve Retirement Letter from High School Teacher Tim Satterfield
A motion was made by Trustee Shackelford and seconded by Trustee Mauroner to approve the retirement letter from high school teacher Tim Satterfield. The motion passed.
Approve Retirement Letter from School Bus Driver Penny Adams
A motion was made by Trustee Wahlen and seconded by Trustee Mauroner to approve the retirement letter from school bus driver Penny Adams. The motion passed.
Approve Resignation Letter from High School Varsity Girls’ Basketball Coach Ryan Wahlen
A motion was made by Trustee Shackelford and seconded by Trustee Mauroner to approve the resignation letter from high school varsity girls’ basketball coach Ryan Wahlen. The motion passed.
Approve Retirement Letter from Special Education Teacher Carol Garton
A motion was made by Trustee Shackelford and seconded by Trustee Blik to approve the retirement letter from special education teacher Carol Garton. The motion passed.
Coronavirus/High School Graduation
There was discussion on options for high school graduation and the schools reopening. Superintendent Ward provided a draft handout from the Idaho State Board of Education on school re-entry criteria to return to normal operations. A workshop was scheduled to be held at 3:00 pm on May 1st, 2020 after Governor Brad Little gives an update on the statewide stay at home order. For discussion only, no motion is necessary.
Appoint Trustee Attending 2020-2021 negotiations
For discussion only, no motion is necessary.
BUSINESS ITEMS – DISCUSSION
There were no business items for discussion.
TRUSTEE INPUT
Trustee Shackelford appreciates the effort from all school employees. The school lunch grab-and-go program and the buses delivering lunches to our students is working and everyone is doing their best with the situation.
Trustee Wahlen appreciates the work the administrators are doing and the social distancing we are practicing every day. This is a great challenge and no one is happy about it. He is positive about the school effort during this pandemic. He stands in favor of being back in school as soon as possible and is concerned over our personal freedoms and protecting them, and our economy. This is very close to a real problem for our country if our economy isn’t going.
Trustee Mauroner agrees with the comments from Trustee Shackelford and Trustee Wahlen. Our school district is in a unique situation and we will get through this.
Trustee Blik is an optimist, but now feels shattered with what is happening during this pandemic. She is thankful that we live in the area that we do. She feels for the teachers, staff and their jobs being turned inside out and succeeding at it. She is thankful for the Chromebooks for the students so they can do their work from home. She wants to get back to school as soon as possible.
Trustee Lowder has heard only good things about our teachers from the parents. He is grateful that students are being contacted by their teachers and the administrators have been getting things done. He feels like he has spent more time focusing on the school board in the last three weeks than he has in the previous several years as a Trustee. He thanks God every day he lives in Aberdeen and said for everyone to try and keep a positive attitude.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
At 9:00 p.m., a motion was made by Trustee Blik that the Board of Trustees of School District No. 58 recess from an open meeting into executive session pursuant to Section 67-2345, Idaho Code, in order to discuss Section 67-2345: Subsection b (Consideration of personnel issues) and that following the executive session the Board will reconvene in public session for the purpose of conducting further business or for adjournment of the meeting.
A roll call vote was held with the following results:
Elaine Blik – Yes; Sherrie Mauroner – Yes; Todd Lowder – Yes; David Wahlen – Yes; and Mike Shackelford – Yes. The motion passed.
The Regular session reconvened at 10:13 p.m.
With no further action needed, a motion was made by Trustee Shackelford and seconded by Trustee Mauroner to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed and the meeting adjourned at 10:15 p.m