001I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and >> to the republic for which it stands, >> one nation >> under God, >> indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you everyone coming to our regular board meeting of January the 20th. Public portions of the board meeting are being recorded in accordance with district policy 1420 and section-2-2-214MCA. By remaining in this meeting, all participants and attend attendees acknowledged they may appear on the recording which will be placed on the school district's website for a minimum of one year from the date of this meeting. like to welcome everyone to our meeting. Anyone wishing to speak on an agenda item, please fill out the pink sheet located at the end of the table and return it to the board secretary as soon
002as possible. First item on our agenda today is in communications approval of minutes regular board meeting December 15, 2025. Motion from trustees. So >> move. Is there a second? Second. Has been moved and seconded. Do trustees have any changes or questions regarding these minutes? Hearing none. All those in favor, please say I. I. I..................... All. Those opposed. Motion passes. Public comment on items not on the agenda. Anyone wishing to speak on any matter not on the agenda may step forward now. Please identify yourself before you begin. I must caution anyone wishing to speak. You may not discuss personnel issues, student issues, or pending litigation during this comment session. Due to time constraints. Each speaker will be allowed three minutes. Do we have anyone wishing to speak on any matter not on the agenda? Seeing none,
003we will move on to the communications part again with our presentation by Miss Kelly Sullivan, Belrest Elementary School. >> Good evening, Madam Chair, ladies and gentlemen of the court. I appreciate you allowing me to come and talk to you today about some things that we have going on at Hillrest. Where do I go? >> Oh, thank you. >> All right. So, um I first wanted to start with talking about our meaningful work program that we have at Hillrest. Um it's a great opportunity for our students to get a sense of belonging and ownership of being a part of the schooling to build those positive relationships with not only the adults in the building but also the students. Um, so a couple of the jobs that we have is our flag, putting it up every day,
004taking it down, making sure it's folded correctly, and putting it away, which we actually have a veteran parent that came in and worked with our students to show how to do that appropriately. Um, and he actually donated that flag to us this year. So, we had a nice brand new flag. Um, we have our morning announcements that happen every day. Um, and we have our students who run around and deliver and pick up breakfast and lunch cards so that we have them in each classroom. So, it's not a shuffling project every single day. Um, and then they also go into classrooms and work with students and other teachers just to help, like I said, build those relationships and work on those things that younger students need that positive role model to have. Um, communication and
005parent involvement is a huge aspect of our building. We always want to make sure that everyone is on the same page, knows what's going on, and there's never a question as to what's going on. Um, class dojo is a huge aspect of that for us. So, we try and post absolutely anything that's going on, whether it's an event or like yesterday us not having school or just sharing pictures of exciting things that are happening. like on the top left corner, it's an award that Miss Hullman had for a bunch of her students. So, sharing that information with those parents. Um, we also have our Facebook page that we relay a lot of that information as well. Um, we also like to acknowledge and take notice of all of the positive things that we have going
006on in our building, whether it's students or staff alike. So every week we have at minimum of one positive postcard that goes out whether it is to a student or a staff member throughout our building just to make sure that they get that positive recognition. And we have students who come in regularly or parents that come and say how much that means to them to get that in the mail. We also have our toodles which is not just teacher to student. We have students who write those toodles to other students. We have teachers that write to other teachers. Our kitchen staff gets them. Um, our engineer gets them. Like, it's just a big community bush that we have in our building to build those relationships. And then every two to three weeks, we do a
007drawing. So, anyone that receives a toodle submits a name to the office and we do a drawing and we put them on our toodel board that I have up there and they get an extra prize and we put it through our announcements and just make an extra big deal. So, those small toodles become an even bigger and then we're having a pizza party at semester for those kids that we put on our board as well. Um, we also have our parent involvement is not always the best, which is partially because week nights get busy. It's hard to find time and get into the school, right? So, we've been trying to add an extra big push to get that going this year just by changing things up. So, our PTO has made a lot of changes
008and switched the nights and tried to figure out what's working. And we've actually had between 15 to 20 participants in our PTO meetings lately, which is great. It's allowing us to make some changes that we hadn't done in the past. So, we're super excited about that. We also had instead of our fluency night at the beginning of the year, we shifted it to a literacy center night where our United unified students, what's a leadership team that we had um ran the literacy centers and they were trained on those. So they we had a ton of kids and families that came and they did literacy centers at each table and then they shifted and rotated and parents were able to find out what they could do with their kids at home as well. So, we're hoping
009to continue with that bush and STEM night that we have coming up. Um, as I said, we have our unified youth leadership, but we also have our student council, and we work really closely with them through Miss Burke and myself to try and make sure that we listen to our students and what they think could be upgraded or changed or how we can make things better throughout our building. So, a couple of the things that they've done this year is our second turkey trout. We started that last year and had our second one this year and the students absolutely love it. They either dress like turkeys or just dress up and they run around the interior of the school fence and then we give first, second, and third grade third, second and third place to
010boys and girls in each grade level and they absolutely love it. Talking about making that bigger and better next year always super exciting. our door decorating contest, which third grade got really excited about this year and did their door of Miss Burke got ran over by a reindeer. So, they obviously won with that comical spot and loved it. We have student and staff acknowledgement that they're always working to try and point out those students or the teachers who are going above and beyond and doing a great job. Um they also spearheaded our Hillrest part of the food drive, right? Since it was a competition and tried to find ways to point out to our kids like the reason why like it was a tough time at that point with a lot of things going on
011in our country. So trying to point out that we needed to focus on the why of getting that food in and having little competitions. So that was exciting. And they did their posters for unified basketball tournaments. Um some educational opportunities that we had, of course, we have the Hall of Fame competition, which we were really excited because we have 14 students at Hillrest out of the 30 that competed who actually qualified for the Hall of Fame at Hillrest. And then we have our six that are going to move on to the city and they worked really hard and we're super proud of them. So I thought that should be pointed out. Our volleyball and crossc country teams both did very well at the beginning of the year. We're currently in boys basketball and we'll be
012moving into girls basketball and we have some solid teams. So, we're excited just to get that participation. We have STEM classes that happen throughout majority of our grade levels. um which in fourth and fifth grade we actually had a egg drop competition which was great and we had the fire department involved and they came and dropped the eggs from the bucket all the way down just if they made a certain distance. So that was super exciting for our students and they loved it. Um we have Hooked on Fishing who actually came in today and they're working with our sixth grade students on different projects. They were building fishing hooks today. So, they were super excited about that. And then we have some teachers who volunteer to have homework opportunity and working just with those kids
013who really struggle and need a little extra support. Um, we also have our anti-bullying and social emotional piece. So, we're really thankful to have Miss Berg as our counselor and Ashley as our sorters who regular regularly have their classroom guidance lessons. They're small groups. They have individuals. Um they both work together to do SOS um just to try and make sure that they're helping students and recognizing the needs. So they used their RBHI for sixth grade in our DIS screener in order to decide what our needs were to guide in some of those lessons. So we're very thankful for them. And then we have Miss Ashley's newsletter which she does her family huddles just to go over some things that she sees with the kids she works with and approach some of those concerns. And
014then Miss Burke just recently started doing a monthly newsletter herself. So like over Christmas break with that being so long, we were concerned about that. So just that time. So she put together some tips of what families could do with their kids and how they could make that a positive experience, keeping some routines, making sure they're eating healthy, and some activities that they could do to stay off of their devices. And then for the month of January, working on their sleeping habits and making sure that they're getting back into those routines and how important sleep can be, which our prevention pretty district-wide, but we focus on our sixth grade RBHI, our EIS for kinder through 5th. Um, we have our cyber bullying and social media presentation coming up. We did our fifth and sixth grade
015vaping presentation. And then this year we had Bu cares and inner mountain health come in and talk to our students about the physical and mental well-being of their bodies and minds and just making sure that they take care of themselves as best that they can. Axe is a big part of our school. We um develop our vision between every classroom and make sure that we focus on what we should see and hear on a regular basis in classrooms and hallways. in the lunchroom. We use it a lot and we have our PAX games that we play every day in the cafeteria and then we use our PAX partners to go in and work with our teachers if they're struggling and something that one of the colonels that they use might not be working well. They
016come in and help them whether myself or Miss B cover their class so that they can go over those strategies with the teachers. Um, we are in the thick of testing, so I don't have a ton of data to share with you, but we have a good chunk of our map through at the moment. And we have our math testing on our left and our reading on the right. And we are really happy to see a lot of that green and blue on the winter side of things. and we're hoping to really push and look at our data as we move forward to make the changes that we need and address the concerns that we have. But so far, we're pretty happy with what we're seeing growthwise. Um, which that being said, we've been revamping
017the way that we collect our data and track student growth just to make sure that we catch the needs of all students, that it's making sure we hit those kids who are struggling and need those interventions, those bubble kids that are almost there, that we're helping them, and we're providing enrichment to those kids that go above and beyond. And that's a lot of thanks to our volunteers, reading coach and Miss Amber who we have throughout the building to work with our kiddos. And then lastly, I just would have to say that I have to give a huge thanks to everyone in our building from our engineer to our kitchen to our parah to our teachers to Miss Melissa in the office, our students. We would not be what we are without them and I am
018forever in debt. So, I appreciate everything that they do to make Hillrest what it is. >> Appreciate it. >> Um, thank you um, Miss Sulliv. That was excellent. And, um, go Hornets. >> Hear me. >> Thank you, Kelly. We appreciate the time. >> Thank you. Next is the but backpack midyear impact report. Miss Joner and Mr. Marthaler. Madam >> chairman, members of the board, I just wanted to share uh Mr. Marthaler um received from the Montana Food Bank Network um a midyear impact report on the backpack program. And I just wanted to show you the totals. Um um I think it's important for you to hear the retotals. Um the total from August through December um were 313 bags were distributed. Um um this is just Emerson. Um total students served were 75. Um there
019were um 11 volunteers that were in um um utilized in Emerson for Hillrest. There were a total of 24 backpacks distributed. Uh there were um total stu wait we don't have the exact number of the number of students that were served at um Hillrest but there were um 3.5 uh or three and a half uh volunteers that helped um with the backpack program at Hillrest and no I don't know how they got the half number but um it must be some way they formulize that but anyway that's what the the report states uh for Kennedy 485 bags were distributed from August through December. Total number of students served were 150. Um average number of bags that were given out uh each distribute distribution day was or 37 and um total volunteer hours were 11.5 uh
020um hours of volunteer service. Um the West backpack program, there were um this will blow your mind, 1,192 uh bags that were distributed uh um 200 students were served. Uh the average number of bags that were given out on a distribution day was 153. Uh and the total volunteer hours were two. Um and then finally Whittier had 942 bags distributed from August through December. Um there are total of 53 students served. Um the average um number of bags given out on a distribution day were 58. Total number of all volunteer hours were 21. So that um is just a the numbers of the for the just from August through December. And I just wanted to point out that it's um it's the backpack program is a huge huge piece to um help our students and
021um thanks to all the everybody you know the um everybody that's involved in the backpack program. Um it's making a difference and these numbers really showcase that. So I just wanted to bring that forward. >> Thank you ma'am. Any questions? Miss Jonard. Next >> next on our agenda is technology levy presentation. Miss Jonart, Mr. Mr. Wilbertton. >> Um Madam Chairman, members of the board, I'm going to just um turn this over to Tori and Kevin. Um they worked really hard on this putting these numbers together for you. So, I just wanted to um provide this communication for you guys. So, thanks to Kevin and Corey for their work on this. >> And this would be the elementary technology, correct? >> High school. High school technology. >> High school. Yeah. >> Okay. Madam chair, members of
022the board, um and I put together kind of a proposal um for an amount to ask for this fall um from the voters and we kind of took a couple different approaches. We looked at kind of what some of the other doublea's um levies were for like A and B. Looked at those amounts. Looked at kind of um our needs as a district. and then also took into consideration um just a number that we thought might be be passable by uh the public. Um so I guess first start out think Cy has some handouts and then I had some additional information. >> This sheet was what we went came up with for the levy amount the second set of sheets and what and how I guess um do you want to go over the kind
023of the the red one? >> Yeah. But not so we over the last year um have done a massive amount of inventory IT inventory throughout the district looking at every computer document camera um wireless access point network switchboards projectors every every piece of IT equipment that our department's responsible for maintaining and um start of what we kind of looked at in order to build these numbers to come up with a reasonable amount for the mill levy was devices that we in the past we miss Jonart and Kevin and Jim O'Neal has done a great job in finding funds for but um some of this stuff has gotten to the older side so we want to look at replacing old equipment while trying to also bring more technology to the students so this helps us with
024funding needs in order so we can in advance our technology too and bring more to it um and so if you This is just the list of the technology at but high. Um the first set of charts is all the computer labs that are at but high. And if you work your way from left to right, the stuff in the red are the computers that are very old and and about the age they are. Um then as we get into the pink, those are getting what we would consider very much on the edge of needs to get replaced. Um the green stuff starts getting that wasn't replaced too long ago. But our goal is instead of trying to find funds when we need it to have the funds available and start a steady rotation of
025the computers and the the technology so that we stay up on it. Um we do spend a fair amount of time just trying to keep old things running um in order to to keep it available to the students. So you know as you'll see the the graphs going from left to right are pretty scattered with the numbers depending on what funding was available in those years. And so we would like to switch to more of a steady rotation period. And our our goal for the the levy is actually a 10-year levy. So the plan rolls out for 10 years. I only included the first five on the the graph mainly to hopefully help you um to keep it on one sheet of paper so you can see it. So below that the big graph is
026a set of mobile labs that are at BU high. So they have 19 mobile labs up at BU high school and those were purchased in 2020. Um and we've been running those for quite a while now. It's hard to believe but now those are getting to be six years old. So, we need to have a plan in place in order to start rotating those out so that they keep up. Um, particularly with mobile apps, the batteries start dying and parts and pieces in them start dying, so they're harder to to maintain. Um, going on to the second sheet, then we just start breaking out. Our phone system for the whole district was put in over 10 years ago. And so this is a plan to start rotating into replacing some of the phones and having
027funding available to eventually replace parts of the phone system is needed. Um even our wireless access points, they have a lifespan. They go what they call end of life in 2029. So we need to have a plan in place. We purchased them to begin with. It was a large chunk of money and it's hard for the district on those years to go, okay, we're going to find hundreds of thousands of dollars this year. So our our idea and and the way Kevin actually coins it is this is our new IT plan. So we have a plan for this stuff and we're not surprised with it. Um but high school is our data center. We actually have a lot more than 11 servers up there but we consider but high portion of that to be right
028around the 11. So funding was divied out for that. but high school has around 80 projectors and many of those if you look at the list um where it says 27 they're even older than where that year is. It just was nice to put it in a column. So we want to start getting it to where we can replace those projectors so the teachers have viewable projectors the kids can see them. It might be smartboards. It might just be projectors depend on what the the teacher would need. Um couple years ago we discovered that all the projectors have air filters in them. If we replace them every year, they last longer. And so instead of replacing a $500 or $2,000 broken projector over a $15 air filter, let's get a maintenance plan together for that.
029The new clock system that we put in, we don't know the lifespan of it, but eventually it's going to need to be maintained or replaced. So, we make a line item for that. Um, but high school has 49 network switches throughout the building and many of those were put in when I started or before. So, we make a plan to start rotating through there and that way we're not asking the general fund to have to come up with hundreds of thousands of dollars, we can start doing the stuff on a regular basis. So, and then the last column is the the uh maintenance and service kind of stuff. If we have a projector break out of place or we have a clock break out of place, that sort of thing, then we have funding available
030to maintain or if a a one-year extra expenditures come across that's been allocated for. We're not there's no surprises in the budget. So, that's where we come up with this number of $320,000 down at the bottom. Um, our extensive inventory. When we did this inventory, we went through and did it the same thing for the grade schools. So, that'll come around one day. Um and and so it was really good for us to get a a view of what we actually have out there. And I know um Miss Joner's goal has always been and my goal has been we want to eventually get to where we have one to one to computing with the kids. We we've seen such a huge increase in the technology needed for the curriculum. Uh Mr. Rickettts has seen that
031where we we need it for everything now. So if we're ever going to get funding available to have every kid have a computer in their hand all the time and we need to start having a a little more funding source available to maintain and purchase those. So that's where we came up with that amount. >> I guess to to kind of along with that amount was that sheet I just passed out. We're pretty much the only doublea I think we are the only doublea that does not have a technology levy. Um, so if you look at the um that sheet I kind of showed, it lists elementary and high schools. Then it takes the FY26, so this year levy amount that they um levied their taxpayers. And then um it kind of then it shows
032their A and B for those particular schools. And then it breaks that last column is kind of a per student um just a way I guess kind of to make it more comparable for oranges or apples to apples. Um so if you look what we're asking for at be high we're at about $242 would be per student. Um I'm not sure when some of these other schools uh how long they've been having their levy, but you can see like Helena's they're at about $215 per student at their high school. Um Billings is about $192.96 per student. So, we feel with like inflation and this year the $242 is not um I mean it's it's comparable to what other school districts are asking. So, um that's kind of the other uh tool that we use to
033kind of come up with that $320,000 a year too. So, turn it back over to Clo. Um I think one part too I think and Judy would can confirm this could confirm this is I don't think the high school has ever had a technology levy. It's always been running with general fund um that have been available and so absolutely a great job. >> Yeah. >> Done a great job in all these years of not having to have this but um just the 10 years I've been here the amount of requirement for technology I mean the standardized testing the curriculum it's just grown um and then the the amount of software we have. So this that first sheet that I gave you this is the money that we have already been spending every year on only
034renewals of the software that we have then use for the students. Um so this is the money that we're going to keep funding this way but it doesn't leave us any room for growth or m or maintenance plan. So this shows um you'll see the first column a lot of this stuff is for the district as a whole. So there's a split between it, but um it does show that the high school has already been have been budgeted and spending $140,000 a year on just renewals of our software that doesn't include any new laptops or desktops or network switches or servers. We've always had to find available funds for that sort of thing. So I mean our our just our software bill alone is is quite substantial. Um, so this gives you a good look
035at where where we're funded now of things that we have to have. So we could have a year where we don't have the money to replace computers because we've we have to make sure this stuff goes out first. So this is secure now. We'd like to be able to help bring the high school into the future. Um, the little sheet I gave you is just kind of a little intro kind of umformational pamphlet that we kind of designed to to help the community and everybody understand some of the things and where we're coming from. Um, on the bottom left corner shows the the mills that we're asking for and what that cost would be for a homeowner. Um, and that's kind of what I have prepared. Hopefully there's good information. there's any questions, Kevin? >>
036Yeah, if you guys have any questions. Um, I think kind of what tonight we're hoping is to kind of get um I guess you guys' agreement on if you think what that number that 320,000 a year. Is that something? Cuz come um March 26 is the deadline that we have to uh do a resolution to set levy amounts. Um, but between now and then, we would like to start getting information out to the public. And so, we were just kind of wanting your guys's opinion on if that 320,000 um dollar amount is something you guys could live with and that we could start pushing out information with that that number. >> Was this that be going to be you said for the next five years? Does that help? >> We're hoping to run it for
03710 years. So, yeah, on the on there, um Corey just projected out five years, but the other five years are going to look exactly the same as the first year. But yeah, we'd ask for 320,000 for a 10 year. And 10 year is the maximum that you can run um a technology levy. If if you guys you can do less, but 10 is the most. Um so, we're kind we were shooting for the the maximum. Um but but that number is uh you know definitely depending on what you guys want to do can change. >> Um for I appreciate this greatly have the stuff in front of us a little bit ahead of time to kind of um absorb ahead of having to make that vote that decision to move forward with the levy. Um,
038I guess my question and I think or just confirmation that I mean as you've run these numbers because that's always the thing I've been looking at is these licensing things seem to be you said they eat everything up and then you're not left with anything when you got all the software licensed but nothing to plug it into or to plug it out of. So, um, just kind of based on your numbers, feel that we're in an okay place to continue with these licensing things within our budget, but really need this levy to focus on that hardware stuff, >> the hardware stuff. And and I I I think one of our main focuses or what we would like to the the public to know is that we want to be able to bring more technology to
039the kids. I mean anyways we I just in the last couple of years some of the new curriculum we've gotten is requires the kids to be on computers and so a lot of times it's hard for us to um and particularly sometimes around standardized testing. They like with our new mass testing the grade schools are forced to do a lot of maneuvering around just to get all the kids to a computer. And so our goal is to hopefully get as much technology to them as possible so they can utilize the curriculum that they that they're being served with. >> Did you? Yeah. And so then that first sheet is we maintain the budgets that we have because those are funded and that way we're not trying to dip into petty money and we can have
040additional funds to move forward. >> Yeah, we're trying we're trying to get our like have the bare bones budget so the general fund can fund it. So, with a lot of those um subscriptions and stuff, but we just don't have a a constant revenue source to be able to put these computers and devices and network and all that stuff on on a schedule because Corey and his team with these computers getting so old, they're spending a lot of their time and effort just trying to keep that stuff up and running. And so if we can get, you know, get into a cycle, um, it's going to free up their time to do other stuff. And, um, and I think too, it's just going to be better for the students. They're just going to have newer
041upto-date machines >> along with all the the little technology. One of our things is some of those older ones we try and keep running, but as we had this year, we had to move from Windows 10 to Windows 11, which had more minimum requirements. So, we had a a good bunch of computers that didn't meet the minimum requirement. So, >> we can't even keep them updated, but we do spend a lot of time just in labs onesie twoosies that are >> and then I'll just add just so you guys know um so we will if we go with the $320,000 levy, we do have also um we talked about the elementary general fund like operating levy and just a heads up like I don't have exact numbers but I I'm anticipating that for us to
042get up to Our maximum budget in the elementary is going to be somewhere between 150,000 to 200,000. It's kind of what we'd also additionally be asking the taxpayers for. So just so you have, you know, bolt numbers, that's kind of what um you'd have the 320 plus ballpark maybe around 200,000 that would go out on the ballot. That elementary's operational not that's that would be what we're asking for for the >> Do we still have a tech levy in play for the elementary? >> Yeah. And that is that's next year is the last last year on that one. So >> and on your sheet there that's elementary 128 that's the that's all technology love yell elementary right now usage. >> So yeah so that's a good question. Next year, um we'll be probably asking you
043guys to make a decision on um rerunning that and probably because of inflation and some other needs, it's going to probably be more than the 300,000. So, probably bump that up a little bit, but we'll but >> we'll do >> Yeah, we'll come to you with the same thing with kind of some itemized costs and all of that just to um show you where where we're getting these numbers from so the public knows too where where that stuff's coming from. >> And basically, you're also telling us that the high school levy general fund high school levy is frozen still. >> Yep. It's still frozen. Yeah. >> And it's going to be frozen >> more than likely. Yeah. if if a like because you know A and B drives that. So until we start seeing an
044increase in the enrollment at the high school then we're not going to see um in us being able to vote the maximum up in that. So >> thank you. Any other questions, concerns? >> Yes, Miss Michael Dragoich. I think you guys have done an amazing job with this and it's something that I have wondered about. I mean, technology is just so exponential and it's nice to see this 10ear plan. So, I appreciate all the work. >> I guess great work. Great work. Judy, you have >> no um thank you um gentlemen. Um I've been um working with the two gentlemen as well on the um on these plans. So, um, actually it started out last year when we really started to work on our inventory. So, can't tell them thank you enough for all their
045work. Um, so just one quick, I guess, thing. So, I know we don't have to um do an actual formal vote until March, but in order to get some of this information out to the public, are you guys comfortable with that $320,000 number that we can start pushing out or um do you want us to hold off or thoughts? >> I personally have no problem you with you coming out with the numbers now. >> I agree with that. >> I do too. >> Good. We'll try we'll try to start pushing some information out just so the public um knows that's kind of what the school board's looking for >> and that it's out there. >> All right. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right. leading into this next one. We can get somebody to
046put $320,000 in our >> I know. Next one is next item on the agenda is the education donation portal. Mr. Patrick, >> Madam Chair, members of the board, uh I just wanted to give you a heads up and um let everybody know that actually opens tomorrow at 10 o'clock. So, um all the school districts in Montana will be logging onto the computer department of revenue tomorrow to put in um any donations that they receive. the innovative tax credits, I guess they're calling them. And this year, the amount um the cap on it is 7.2 million this year. We we did receive a couple today, but soon. And then I I did have another call potential um another donation. So there there's a few people that are uh donating to us. So >> thank you. >>
047Do we have to have when do you have to have the money? I can give it to you. >> Um so it opens tomorrow at 10. The first year like all the money was gone like within minutes but last year it um there was still money for few days afterwards. So if you if you can't get it by tomorrow um there's still a chance that there might you know still be some of that money that credit left >> for a couple days. Yeah, tonight's too good too. Thank you. >> I got a form. >> Okay. Okay. >> Did you make copies? >> And I can make copies. Yes. >> Thank you. Uh, all right, Kevin, back to you. Election update. >> Madam Chair, members of the board, just want to give an update. February 9th
048is the deadline to file. Um, the election day is May 5th and then, like I mentioned before, March 26th is the deadline for um, the levy amounts. So, I'll bring the res resolution forward um in our March March meeting. You guys can vote on those. So, that's all I have. >> Thank you. Um adult basic education, Miss Melissa Johnson. Madam chair, members of the board, I am just making you aware that the adult um education program is now being taken over by the Department of Labor. Um OPI has um dwindled out after the first of the year. So now the Department of Labor is who we answered to for our grant and for any planning forward. Um we had a meeting just right before now that the big push is going to be the integrated
049educational training. They'll still do the high set um and the GED program will still be part of the adult basic ed, but really it's this big push on uh training on the jobs training, workbased learning. I'm trying to shift it more to that realm and trying to get more programs in our communities on training. Right now, we only have the one the boilers license is our one IET we have. Um, but we're going to try to work with others to see if they write the plan. If we can just like mimic their plan if we find instructors for those areas. Um, and then the community programs will run the same for our community. We have an enjoyment a lot of yoga, painting, um, those types of things. But they are going to try to see
050if there will be any need in communities for more on the job training things offered at night for people to benefit in the career aspect of life, not just the hobbies. >> Thank you, ma'am. Any questions from the board? >> Mr. Billy, it may be too early to say this, but I'm going to ask her to see, but to ask this anyway. Is this is this do you see this as more of a procedural administrative switcheroo or do you potentially see there's some pretty good opportunities by this being moved over to department of labor? >> I think that yeah I do think the department is way more work based like and I've only did this last year was my first year but I've kind of been a part of it. It was really a big
051push for the high set like you know getting kids ready for their high set. Now they're pretty much saying if a if a student is spending a lot of time trying to get their high set is that really worth their you know bang for their buck before we lose them could we try to get them into a different pathway and if their skills are not based off a sophomore year for the high set now should we find a pathway for them in a different route. So, um, one the one of the big things that the the high school, I guess, now is looking at that behavior initiative that came out. They called me today to see if the school district plus the adult basic ed program, maybe we could uh partner with them for that.
052So, I do think they're going to try to get the high set there with, but that was the major push of OPI and now I don't think that's going to be we want to push those numbers and get the high sets, but I don't think it's going to be as predominant as this on the job training. Um because right now um teachers um what were some there's a lot of them that are looking at on the job training they still pace pass the basic practice test or nutrition test but they no longer will go to school for these things they'll kind of do it in the industries. >> Thank you. >> Yes ma'am. >> Melissa um this really dubtales with our pathways doesn't it? >> Yes. Well, it is and I think high school across
053the board is kind of have taken this shift and I mean all the trainings we've been on for this pathway academy is how work-based learning is so big. um right now work on my class 4 for the you know to be able to do work-based learning but I do think that shift is really there to get people in the community more working and not you know waiting around to get maybe end products that are not feasible for them you know and getting everybody working in pathways that might interest them and when school might not be their thing >> thank you ma'am uh moving to approval of payroll claims, budget transfers, revenue reports, budget versus actual reports, travel requests, grant applications, and school budget reports. Could I have a motion from trustees? >> Is there a
054second? >> Second. >> Has been moved and seconded. Do trustees have any questions regarding? >> Hearing none. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. All those opposed. Motion passes. No one ever did. >> All right. Moving to Miss Alli. Approval of par number one. >> Madame Chair and members of board, I present the January 20th 2026 R um of the pending background checks. Three of those four are back. The fourth will be back tomorrow. Um I'm looking for the um approval of one appointment under certified, one resignation, three retirements, three leaves of absence. Under classified personnel, I'm asking for approval of five appointments, six resignations, one inactive removal, one leave of absence. Under supplemental personnel, I am looking for approval of 10 appointments, four resignations, and seven inactive removals. Motion from trustees. >>
055Is there a second? Second. It >> has been moved and seconded. Do trustees have any questions to Miss Ali regarding FAR number one? >> Hearing none. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> All those opposed. Motion passes. Next is the approval of FAR number two. Miss Ally. Madame Chair, members of the board, as noted in the confidential memo, I am asking for the termination of unclassified personnel. Appreciate your support. >> Motion from trustees. >> So move. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Has been moved and seconded. Do trustees have any questions to Miss Ally regarding par number two? Hearing none. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> All those opposed? Motion passes. Approval of the contract for the DPHSS air quality testing coordinator, DEEQ LED in schools
056program director and emergency callout services. Miss Allen. >> Madam Chair, members of the board, I'm asking for approval of a contract. It is um for Jeremy Whitlock for DPH SS air quality testing coordinator, DEEQ1 program director and emergency callout services. I would appreciate your support of the contract. >> Motion from trustees. So moved. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> It has been moved and seconded. Do trustees have any questions, Miss Ally, regarding the contract for Mr. Whitlock? >> Yes, sir. >> Do we have to refer to him with all of those things at the end of it? If we come into contact with him at any point or >> Yes. All those titles and he's going to list them. >> I think we'll get a jacket so we can write it down. All
057those in favor? I >> I. >> All those opposed? Motion passes. Approval to amend the superintendent's contract. Miss Ally. >> Madam chair, members of the board, and presenting proposed changes to the superintendent's contract as noted. I would appreciate your approval. >> Motion from trustees. >> So moved. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> It has been moved and seconded. Any trustees have any questions, Miss Ally, regarding the superintendent's amendment? Hearing none. All those in favor, please say, "I." >> I. >> All those opposed. Motion passes. Moving into new business, approval to hire after school teachers. Miss Jonard. >> Madam Chairman, members of the board, I'm requesting your approval to hire after school teachers for uh total of six hours per week at the Hillrest Elementary. um this will be paid out of title four
058funds and um you know they don't have they do not have a Rocky's program so this is uh this is kind of to try to provide them some um extended learning time for their students >> motion from trustees move >> is there a second >> has been moved and seconded do trustees have any questions miss Jonart regarding the hire after school teachers Hearing none. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> All those opposed. Motion passes. Approval of the bid for the but high school bleachers replacement. Mr. Whitlock. >> Madam chair, members of the board before you was just the uh final numbers for the high school bleachers. Got to take my glasses off. I can't even see. But anyways, on December 3rd, we opened up bids. We had three three bids submitted
059for this project. Um the the lowest bid was for Montana school Equipment. They're actually based out of Great Falls. Iron they are actually the company that actually installed the original bleachers we have up there now. Uh Langerson Associates also submitted a bid for 432,000 and change and then cut construction for 454,000. I am asking for approval to move forward with the project accepting Montana school equipment company's $424,650. It should be noted too that there is a a $25,000 contingency that's built into that bid for unforeseen. So um you know it's a pretty straightforward project. I don't foresee a whole lot of um reason for that. So that money would would obviously would not get paid out if we don't have to dig into that. >> Motion from trustees. >> So is there a second? >>
060Second. >> It has been moved and seconded. Do trustees have any questions for Mr. Whitlock regarding the bid for high school bleacher replacement. Hearing none. All those in favor please say I. >> I. All those opposed. Motion passes. Thank you Mr. Welcome. speaker system, >> Mr. Speaker system. >> At this time, we are through with our business and I move for adjournment. Motion from trustees. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> It has been moved and seconded. All those in favor, please say I. I. I. All those opposed. Motion passes. Thank you very much. Here we walk down there. Take