001Uh, thank you for being here. I would like to call this March 10th business meeting to order. Um, as you can tell, I'm not listening tonight and sorry if all I get stuff with me and I'm feeling really excited, so who knows how this is going to go. So, uh, first of all, can I get some penis in the pledge of allegiance? You bet. I pledge to the flag of the United States of America and to the stand. >> Thank you very much. >> Um are there any questions to the agenda? >> Before we go any further, Jerry, could you remind us of our um our goals? Yes. Yes. Um at Whitefish uh school district, the trust schools for the district has four goals. Each student will improve academically each year. Our schools will be
002safe, inclusive, and welcoming. And we will strengthen um we'll strengthen the family and community engagement and support partnerships for student learning. and we will maintain and improve our facilities to meet the current and future needs of our school staff and community. Thank you very much. Appreciate that. Uh public comment. This is this item is the appropriate place to make comments on an item not on the agenda but within the board's jurisdiction. Each action action item on the agenda has its own public comment period. In order to protect individual rights of privacy, avoid comments that identify students or staff members. Additionally, public comment cannot be used to make comments regarding contested cases, grievances, or legal proceedings. Individuals with those sorts of complaints should follow uniform complaint protocol policy 1700. Due to open meeting laws, the board
003cannot respond in any way to comments made during the public comment period. The opportunity for public comment is only in person. U is there any public comment tonight? >> I have some public comment tonight. Um just a recognition and thank you to the board for taking the time and effort put in for the new superintendent search that just took place last week. Um just want let you know that we realize that there's a lot of time and effort put into the to this search and these kinds of decisions and it's not easy to make those decisions. Um, as Carrie stated in his uh comment that he made that this is the only place in literally the only building I've ever known in my educational career. Um, and so these kind of decisions um mean a
004lot to us and we're passionate about the great work that we do with the White Fish School District. Also want to thank Dave. Um, doesn't seem adequate enough to use the word thank you for everything that he's done, but I want to thank Dave for everything that he's done for the Whitefish School District. Um, so in summary for everyone up front here, thank you. >> Any other public comments? >> Moving on, uh, public correspondents. We do actually have quite a few um, links if you're online. You can read uh, the public comments we received this last month. So, feel free to give those a look if you want to. All right, moving on to the approval of minutes. I move we approve minutes as presented move by Quincy second by Katie. All in favor? Perfect.
005That's the first one. And then we have the special meeting for October 12th. We approve the special meeting minutes as presented. Second move by Quincy, seconded by Katie. All in favor? Thank you so much, Lucy. Thanks, Quincy. Uh, looks like we're missing our student trustee. Maybe she'll make an appearance a little bit better in when we can, though. I know they're super busy. Uh, WA or WCA update and or just told you I still um, okay, superintendent search or um, update. Uh, I'm just going to give a quick little update on that. But before I do, I guess kind of following in Josh's leadership, I wanted to also send some thank you u thanks out especially to the district office staff and everybody who helps organize and plan. It's a big lift to organize all
006of that and help us as the board make sure this all flows smoothly and gets candidates to all the different schools and taking care of them. So to everybody in the district office who helped with that, um thank you very much. Um, also again want to send a shout out to the community who came and participated whether it was through surveys or meet and greets or sitting in on the interviews. And of course that also includes all of our staff members who spent lots of hours sitting in chairs and gathering information and listening to feedback as well. So update as everyone um should know we did offer the job to Jennifer Fee out of Michigan. Um she we are in contract negotiations. uh she had not seen our contract at all. Um so it's a
007fair ask to say, "Can I look at a contract before I take a job and sign it?" Uh so we got that updated with our attorney and it was sent to Jenny uh late this afternoon. Uh keep in mind she's on the Eastern time zone, so you know, our three o'clock is already five o'clock. So, I don't know if she has received it and looked at it yet or not, but that's where that is sitting because I know we're all anxious to hear back from her. So, any questions on that from the board because it's just a discussion? No. Awesome. All right, moving right along. Uh, Whitefish High School expansion uh report with >> All right. Hello, everybody. >> Hello. Oh no. >> Um this is the March update to the expansion projects at the
008high school. Um there's been a lot of exciting things happening with the team and the work out there over the past month. So this will be a fun update to walk through uh some of those key components this month. Um but starting off as we always do with the budget. Um nothing has really changed here. Uh the key notes that we typically go over are the total spent to date which is uh 2,415,358 and change uh which is right on track with what we would expect at this point. Um over the next uh week to month, we'll be filling out some of this GC information as bids were due last week. So we'll go over that in a minute. Um but this is still consistent right now with what we've looked at previously. Um but
009it'll get more exciting here in the next month or two. Um jumping down to the milestones. Um everything is on track. Uh I think we mentioned last time that bids were um over the past month has has been the bidding process. They were due last Thursday uh from subcontractors. Um and that uh was a they were they were received Thursday and we reviewed them as a team on Friday. Martell was going through all those as they were as they were receiving them. Um, and overall things came in really positively. Um, we've got obviously the two phases, the academic side and the athletic side. Um, we're still vetting a lot of those bids, but we were pleasantly surprised with the academic side. It was a little bit better than what we expected. Um, which is just
010kind of a kudos to the whole team, Martell and A&E and everyone, you know, coming to this point to estimate what to expect. It was kind of as anticipated, if not a little bit better on that side. Um, so that was a really positive result. The athletic side, things were a little bit tighter. Um, we knew that going into it. There's just a lot of work over there. And so it was basically on par with what we expected. Um there's still a little bit of work to do to finalize that side, but uh we feel like both are in a really good place and um we're working through all of that still. Um so things are going really well in that in that perspective. Um the first item here is is kind of in that
011regard. We're planning to have an an additional amendment to Martell's contract uh finalized by Thursday of this week for a special uh board meeting next week to go over that and review and get approved the amendment number three we're calling it uh to loop in um those next components of Martell's contract to get things started on site. Um and so we'll talk more about that at the next uh at next week's special board meeting on the 17th. Um, we went over this last time, but item number two, we are still we're on track to start construction on site over spring break. Um, so that's really exciting. We're we're all we've all been highly anticipating that start out there. Um, and that will include uh Martell mobilizing, getting fencing up. Um, some of the first activities
012on site will be starting demolition of that gym foyer. Um shortly thereafter we'll start the athletic side getting fencing out there right after the last home track meet um that's out there on site. So um that'll be early April time frame for the athletic side. Uh but things are still on track there and uh it's it's uh quite exciting for the whole team to get that get that going out there. Um I think we mentioned this last time as well. We're planning a community update meeting for tomorrow at the high school at 5:30. Um, so I encourage everybody to uh come out there to get kind of a overall project update uh look at the final design and go over some of the key logistical components for the project. Um, in that same vein, the
013visual this month, um, I know I keep saying that I'm I'm looking forward to construction starting so we can have some exciting, uh, progress photos, but this one is a a newly, uh, freshly updated, uh, what we're calling site access and parking plan um, that we'll go over at the the community update a little bit more in depth tomorrow. Uh but this just kind of gives an overall picture of what to expect with the early uh phases of construction with impacts to uh parking along Pine um where the construction fencing is going to be on the academic side and some of the pedestrian routing for students and teachers um and access points. Uh some things that will be changing on site just due to the disruption of of construction. Um, so that's just a good
014highle picture of the the early impacts. This will be continually evolving over the course of the construction project. So we'll update this as needed, but this is the the early rendition. Uh, this is also going out to adjacent community uh neighbors. I think that was a question last board meeting. Um I think Carrie in the National Honor Society is heading up that um process of of getting this out to uh property owners that are in the adjacent vicinity. Um just to give them an idea uh as well as an opportunity to sign up for updates um that'll be ongoing through the course of the project. Um I think that's everything. Sorry that was a lot. I was trying to keep it keep it flowing kind of fast there. Do you guys have any questions this
015time? Um, excuse me. On those bid packages that we received, um, just for obviously subcut, did we receive multiple bids for each item or was it any particular item or we only received one bid and we're kind of stuck with a number? >> I think we got multiple bids on all of them. Um, generally it was a really good bid response. Uh, I think we got a total of 150 across the entire, you know, both projects, which is a was a good response. Um, Martell was really happy with the responses that we got. Um, and like I said, they're still going through a lot of them and vetting them um to make sure that we have scopes covered and pricing and qualifications are all um, you know, with the selections that will be made. Um,
016but overall good good responses, good coverage for all the scopes. Yep. >> That's awesome. That's a a good sign of you know that we were >> it was good. Yeah, we we generally felt that um there was a lot of competition which was good uh for the project and um good responses as a whole. Yep. Yep. Um, Karen, I know this you taught, it looks like you had student meeting maybe today in base camp with the kids about the new plan. I'm wondering >> Okay. I'm wondering what kind of feedback you got on how far they're going to have to walk now to get to school. I mean, it's like they might as well just park in the moon and have to walk. I know that annex is already far. They're gonna have a really
017hard time with this. >> There were some recommendations on from them. eliminating bells and those silly kind of thing. >> Oh yeah. >> Yeah. >> But you know we are gonna we are going to watch it because we're not really sure how long it will truly take to get like from the cse to you know wrap around. >> Yeah. >> And we will adapt. I mean we had to make a special bell schedule for the annex and if we need to do that with the cse to you know to ensure that everybody has it the appropriate amount of time they need we'll do it. >> Yes. And I said, you know, adaptability and flexibility and keep in mind opportunity. All those things, we're all going to have to be adaptable, >> right? >> And it'll
018be fun. I actually really think it'll be interesting as it moves around to have, you know, and talk about adaptability. Like now we're move now the door entrance is over here, you know. So it's awesome. I was just looking at the big I can see a lot of cranky kids in the morning. >> Yeah, it'll be a change for a lot of the community like teachers as as well. um student drop off, pickup, a lot of a lot of change out there. So, um the first week, the first few weeks will be a huge effort to a lot of signage, a lot of notification and just learning curve for the changes. Um there will be a whole team effort, but and yes, it will continue to evolve over the course of it. So, >> it's
019great. I think it's I think it's great. I just was Yeah, knowing how much they complained about walking to the annex, I thought that was add to their flight. >> So, >> I wanted to say thank you for moving that upate. I think we should reach we started >> problem at all. The team is completely flexible say so thank you for being flexible. I'm sorry that you have a busy schedule as well. So >> it's it was no problem. The whole team is on board. I Martell Aie myself will all be there tomorrow. So um no problem at all. Yeah. >> Um, and also maybe this is more of a car thing because I did get on the the email about opting in for updates and so just to clarify for the community. So you
020just say opt in on that and it sends an email to some place. Do you know if that do you know anything about this then? Because this is how you're supposed to get updates or did Dave know I'm sorry. I don't know who ask. Sorry. >> No, it's okay. >> Because it's off the high school page so I do know. >> Well, it's on the district website. Okay. >> So, as you click on that expansion tab, Yes. go in there opt in, but this the first section says opt in email. That email goes to a specific email address. It will be weekly. >> Got it. >> And that then we will add those to our list and and when we send out messages through the campus, you notify. >> Got it. But it's construction specific
021updates only, right? related piece. >> Yeah, it's pretty clear that it's for I didn't know about that. That's really cool. Yeah. >> Okay, >> thank you for explaining how it was going to work. So, it's like I don't know where this is going, but here it goes. Okay, great. Thank you. An update. >> Oh, that's awesome. >> And thank you for whoever's organizing all that. I do think that would be helpful. And then like you said, people who don't know what is this thing, I could just say, "Oh, you can go to any of the websites and that yellow banner. It's on every website. Great. Thank you. >> Anything else for link or instruction related? >> Of course. Thank you guys. >> All right, we started easy. Now we're getting getting in there. >> He
022has a lot going. >> He does have a lot going >> lot of fun stuff. makes it look really preliminary budget 2016. >> Thank you. Can you believe it? It's time to talk numbers already. I guess >> seems like every year >> and every year it comes. >> Uhhuh. >> Well, but thank you for being here. Um I promise to make it exciting and not too bad. We always do. So, uh I would like to present uh the preliminary budget for the 26 to 27 school year. Uh while we have traditionally reviewed only the general fund during the March meeting, I believe we should expand the scope to include all excellent funds at this stage. >> Okay? very >> because then come July we suddenly have an 80page document and it's just overwhelmed. So let's
023set the stage now by going a little bit more in depth. So uh we have uh we have a good uh you know summary to to go to go off by. So we already have three pages. Uh page one is a summary of all tax levy funds of which the general fund is the most important and has the most money. Okay. So if we look at that uh first page uh I presented uh the current year budget numbers compared to what I propose it to be next year. And you can see the differences both in dollar amounts and percentages for both the elementary, the high school and uh the district combined combined. Uh so uh the grand total combined uh the uh budget is expected to go up by approximately 3.4%. Again a reminder disclaimer
024this is a preliminary budget. So these numbers may change slightly. However, uh the general fund numbers are unexpected to change. Okay, I think those those are good to go. Uh the largest increase if we were to pick one single you can see what is the largest technology in percentages. Yes. 12.5%. The reason uh for that increase is uh the constantly increasing cost of handheld devices such as Chromebooks and iPads. I spoke to Jacob, he told me it's up by 25% at least, if not more. >> Okay. So, just to be on the safe side, uh I increased the budget by 12.5%. We'll see where we stand in July and August, but I think that's a good good number and we need to find those increased costs in uh uh as far as dollars go, it's
025the general of the high school gener specifically in the high school that will see the largest increase. Is it a surprise? Not really. The enrollment has been increasing. It's very robust. So, uh, we can, uh, expect over, uh, $400,000 more, uh, in entitlement money from the state. >> And we will dive into the general fund a little bit more on page two. I'm just highlighting those uh, main points here on the first page. Does anybody have a question about the first page? >> I just have a question just to clarify. Yes, it's covered. Sorry. Um the transportation >> because I know we have a contract with Rocky Mountain >> that amount that we pay for that contract that is included in our transportation budget or not. This is just gas and stuff like what is
026>> okay good point. Okay. You're right. On most points so we have two contracts with Rocky Mountain Transportation. yellow buses and activity buses. Yellow buses is what's being paid out of the transportation fund. >> Okay. >> Activity buses are paid out of the general fund. So the transportation fund has that's a different levy at the county level. >> Okay. And we will actually talk about the transportation uh fund a little bit more during our next agenda item which is permissive levies. So remember that uh this fund is permissively levied uh for the yellow busing we propose not we propose we expect the increase in cost to be 8% based on our preliminary uh discussions with the contract. just for the yellow buses. Just for your buses, >> uh the activity busing cost is embedded in
027the general fund, right? >> So the 3.4% increase overall is entirely because of the role. >> No. Okay. >> No. Uh enrollment increase is tied to the general. >> Okay. >> Uh the where does the extra money come from? >> Uh the extra uh money will be coming from the tax. >> Okay. Okay. >> So, uh as soon as we uh give our budget to the county, they will know how much. >> Okay. Got it. >> Got it. >> Okay. Because like the retirement actually comes out of the state retirement fund, right? >> County. Oh, it is county. Yes. >> Oh, okay. >> It's not county and then state. It's just county. >> It's just county. So when you look at page one has a title here tax levy fund. So everything in here all
028those increases with the exception of the general fund where uh most of it comes from state entitlement all the other increases will come from all us in Greece because most of them go to the county and then the county then gives us money for transportation, retirement, tuition So >> thank you. Even though we could of course argue that even the state entitlement money is our test the state gets it from us package it >> they call it it's a state entitlement give it back so all the support taxpayer dollars. >> Okay Lucy. >> Yes. I will really obviously not >> may not be >> um the preliminary how does it end up as a total elementary 7 million compared to the 25 26 18 that question there must be a mistake in the formula I
029think it's excellent Thank you. You know, it looks like uh the first uh line, the 11.8 million for the general fund uh that is not included in the overall forign. >> Thank you. That is >> Thank you. >> There is evidence that the grant total of 19.9 million is also approval. That should be over 30 million. You have to add 11. >> You know, I cannot tell you how many times I looked at this. >> You've been looking at it for so long. It's >> um >> I think yeah, it stops. >> Thank you. Uh that is a great point. So yes, this will be uh will have to be embossed. >> It is helpful knowing all the different. >> Yes, it is. >> Yeah, I think so too rather than seeing the >> just
030the tech. Oh, sorry. I'll let you go ahead. Um technology is a voted >> voted levy. >> Okay. So if we're expecting an increase then is that are we thinking we might each run a levy or do we have funds for that? >> We have funds for it. >> Okay. >> So this is this technology levy. It has a 10-year term. >> Okay. Uh 1920 was the first year we used. So we have 10 years from so we have we're about we're in year seven of 10 of the levy. So it we don't have to that's all accounted for and okay >> by uh by the taxers uh 70 years ago. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Uh so uh going back to the era uh the grand total for both districts combined is 31,83,711. So
0313183711 it's the number. Um but the differences and the increase is correct. Those are calculated correct. Yes. So the 3.4% increase that is good enough. So we have an opening in the business department. now on time basis >> much work. Holy cow, >> but I do like your descriptions on your purposes. >> Yeah, >> this is just a reminder for all of us and for those who may be online who are new to the community who are not familiar what what what the money is meant for. Uh it's it's a nice uh description. It also uh shows us the the legal uh uh origin of those funds. MCA. Okay. Moving on to the more hope for people. Um page two, general fund only. Um on on top of the page uh I provide a five-year
032look back into A&B which stands for average number belonging which is a number it's a it's a calculation based on enrollment and it's the most important number that uh dictates our budget limits. So when we look at the elementary and middle schools, you can see that again no surprise to all of us here who have been checking enrollment monthly basis. Elementary and middle uh has been declining slightly as they move on to the high school. Um so here in order to soften the glow of the enrollment decrease the state allows us to use a three-year average um including the current year. So for the elementary and middle we will be using that uh three-year average to uh come to the maximum budget number. Whereas the high school um where the enrollment has been increasing. We
033will be using current year right now what we're in right now. That's our 671. And that feeds into the elementary and high school budget. As you can see, the elementary budget has because of the decreasing enrollment only a very slight increase of 1.4%. whereas the high school budget um increases by over $400,000 which we saw on page one and that equals 6.4%. Uh even though I don't at this time uh I don't have every single budget line item uh planned out. It's just not possible at this stage. Um we can assume that uh the personnel cost will be about 91% at elementary and about 87% at the high school and everything else will be in the other category. >> Yeah. So, right now, you know, we've been talking to uh Dave and I've been talking
034to the building principles who provided us with a what I call a shopping list as needs and um we'll do our best uh to accommodate as many of those needs in Can I ask a clarifying question because I know that K through 8 is usually elementary, right? So when you go elementary and you go middle, is middle just 78 and elementary is K through >> for budget purposes? Yes. >> Okay. That's what I was just Okay. >> For budgeting purposes only, the formula is little bit different for seventh and eighth >> than it is for eight. Yes. >> Can we continually use the three-year average or like after so many years they're like you got to go with your actual number? >> You can continually use it if you're going lower and lower. Yes. >>
035That's so for example, next year I expect to use the three language again. be proud of this. >> Yeah, it is really super any questions. Is it ever possible if you do pass a big transportation levy to pull the activities buses out of the general fund into transportation or they always have to be activities? >> It's against the wall. >> Okay. Fund fund number 10 transportation is always buses. >> Good to know. And that's why it's hard because the activity passing is not only very expensive, it's also very challenging to budget >> and estimate and see who's going to go over to stay and then my phone was always serious. Yes. No, you say, "Okay, these have been going to the state for the last 5 years, so I assume they will go again, >>
036right?" >> And and then there are some very nice surprises where other activities go to state as well. So, it's it's really tough. You're in a hard place because you want to root for them. But >> and they did take brain golf. >> Yeah. >> Yes. So they they do some great. >> So when they use a yellow bus for an activity, is it just built differently? Is it like a different code or something that then you get the invoice for? It's coded. >> Okay. >> So, the transportation fund is not just what I call the yellow buses. It's only home to school and back home. >> That's the definition. >> Got it. To get kids to school and get them home again >> is that's a different ball game regardless of what vehicle choose
037to use. So even like a field trip with like the kids went bowling that's a different that would be like an activity bus even though they're taking a school bus. >> Yes. >> Question. Yes. >> Any other questions from Lucy? >> Certainly clarified it. >> I know it's helpful but we still get confused time. It's just so many numbers. What we'll do in summertime, we will pull up this preliminary sheet page one from today and we'll look at it and say did we change it a lot or not >> and why just out of curiosity when you first started what your total budget was now it's 31.8 A it's it's high because uh we have new debt, we have new construction because yeah this is definitely >> yeah it was maybe 20. Yeah. >> Yeah.
038>> Your job's growing as I say and actually I just have one other question or thought. So, cuz we have the overall total going up at 3.4%. >> Mhm. >> But we were giving what 25 or 24 from the state. So, would you automatically assume it's going to go up by that much or no? >> The increase from the state state only goes to the general fund. >> Okay. Not not the other one. Okay. >> It doesn't go for the others. >> Okay. Okay. often tighter. >> Yeah. Okay. All making sense. Thank you. >> Thank you so much, Lucy. >> All right. Moving right along. Oh, it's still Lucy's turn. We're going to talk about 2627 permissive levy. >> And and this is good because we just talked about the budget, so we all have
039this freshly in our minds. Um Rainey, please. Uh check my math again. You never know. Okay. Permissive legs. So just a refresher. Um we have two if we we have two kinds of levies. Bolted levy that goes on the ballot which we will not be doing this year. We have permissive levies which are approved by the board. Okay, we don't need uh the community's uh approval of those plates. Several of those funds that we say are permissively levied are listed on that sheet. It's adult education, transportation, tuition or what we call special education also and building reserve. So those are permissibly led. it's uh to your discretion to increase or decrease uh those levy funds. Um based on my review, I propose an increase in the transportation and tuition fund levies uh by 8% each.
040The transportation fund, we already talked about the 8% increase. It's our expectation of the increase of the uh cost to the contract. So we think it's going to be about 8%. And the tuition slash special education permissive levy fund is also increased by 8%. Because those funds are very heavy in personal costs. So I would I recommend we increase the funding in those funds also by 8% or 103,000 and $57,000 in elementary and high school respectively in the elementary tuition fund. uh um especially would like to increase that be to because of the corresponding not a decrease but uh the general fund is not getting as much of an increase. So the special education staff getting paid out of the general fund can now be allocated hopefully to the purp. So that's my reasoning between
041those two increases if you were to approve those. Uh on the right hand side of the table, we'll see uh what the annual impact is on the taxpayer. Uh in the 2025 legislation, uh there were some fairly big uh and hot hot discussion uh about new tax rates on residential properties if you may remember. So um her county no longer has 1.35% uh tax of taxable value of the house taxable. It's now tier. >> Okay. And uh the tax rates used in that calculation are explained down here. Pretty much it has a lot to do with what the state median value is which is $378,000. >> Okay. up to that level um uh the you know the percent there's a certain percentage and above that it goes up to 1.9 1.1 or 1.9% above that
042number. Okay. Uh so uh using those numbers uh the annual increase on the right hand side that's how the numbers scale out. Uh just um an interesting note, $378,000 is the statewide median value. Now median doesn't mean average. Median really means most okay where most properties live. And then the Department of Revenue looked at all 56 counties and said, "Well, what is the actual market value in Flathead County, for example?" And they found that it's $695,000. Yes. So uh this just say I look like Gian County where Volman is their median is 690. So floodhead is close second. So yes uh and uh so one um attachment in the agenda item it's the spreadsheet that you are looking at. Uh the other attachment is the resolution that uh I will uh recommend you adopt and
043the resolution as it appears here will also be published in the Whitefish pilot uh from law school. So, is it fair to say that it's misleading? I mean, one of the reasons why the legislature may start breaking out taxable value by 100, 300, 600, but so you could try to figure out easier, I thought, like what your cost would be. But if your home is a million dollar, that $100,000 value is not you can't really take that by 10 anymore because >> not anymore. >> Okay. So, it's really kind of a midpoint. I mean, it's like really it's misleading in a way. >> It is misleading. It's not our misleading. It's But that's something that's not really >> You're right. We no longer can say, "Well, if you have a million dollar home, you just
044take that number times 10." That is no limit. Yes. >> Okay. Right. >> Because you're going to be at above the >> you're be the 1.9. >> You're going to be the one point. Yeah. 9%. >> Okay. Interesting. Thank you. Um, and then I just wanted to clarify the tuition levy is when we send kids out of district, >> right? So when we get income in from kids who are coming into our district, where does that what where is that money going? Great question because logically you would think well if the money goes out of the tuition fund it should also come back to the tuition fund. No it comes back to the general fund. So if Callispel pays us for kids coming here $50,000 let's say that revenue is deposited in the general fund
045and it decreases the taxpayers's obligation in that fund. Mhm. >> However, if we pay money out of the tuition fund and we increase our tax obligation in the tuition funds, then the offset doesn't go back into the same fund. And at the end of the day, maybe $1.50 annually is saved for each taxpayer. >> What is the headache? >> It is. It's a lot of headache. or what I just said the impact on people is very minimal considering all the work that goes in and you know Dave Fern and Dave and I talked about it and Dave Fern asked me well what do you think how could it be maybe I don't and I said I don't know or AI there's a lot of just uh entry and bring just a paperwork. >> Well, if
046you are a district that doesn't have a Lucy, that would be very >> Yeah. >> You know, has actually she has more work with the out of district students than I do. >> I just look at her summary and say, "Okay, this times that number. Okay, that's the number." She actually has when looking at ways of sort of AI or something. >> Are there any other clarifying questions for Lisa? Any public comment on this item? All right, back to the board for >> I know they are not >> back to the fork for further discussion. Uh, how about a motion? I move we >> accept the resolution of intent to impose e an increase or a decrease in levies. >> I'll second that. >> Moved by Jerry, seconded by Rainy. All in favor? >> Thank
047you everybody. Thank you guys. Thank you very much, Miss Lucy. That's so helpful and so important. >> Okay. Moving on to a donation for orchestra Lucy. >> Oh yes >> and you are on tonight. >> Yeah. >> Um presented for your consideration is a donation check uh in in the amount of 8,1 91. Um this money has been earmarked for the trip to the orchestra trip to New York City and uh they raised money for 99 pledges on the fundraising platform online. >> Are there any uh clarifying? >> So we've seen money come in from 99 pledges I'm assuming for the same thing before. Is this or is this the first one for orchestra? >> I think this is the second for orchestra. >> Do you know the total security? It's okay. >> I do
048not know. >> Okay, fair enough. >> You have a clarify question. Any other comment? Back to the board for further discussion. No motions. >> I move away as presented. Moved by Katie, seconded by Quincy. All in favor? >> Thank you everybody. Thank you guys. Thank you. And great work, Orchestra. That's awesome. Um, all right, Dave, looks if we might let you say something. >> Okay, first recommendations for hire. >> All right, then for your consideration, we do have recommendations for hire. I do want to point out we had one candidate withdraw uh from the application process since the recommendation for hire put on the agenda. That candidate is Richard Peterson. So the rest of the candidates are up for your consideration this evening. One for food service and speech language pathologist and WHS tennis head
049coach. >> Are there any clarified questions? Public comment back to the board for uh further discussion. See not a motion. >> Can I just ask a question I guess? Sorry. >> No, you're fine. What is a 2 FT? Thanks. I was wondering question and now I notic there are eight candidates for deposition. Do we go back to the other seven? >> It's a good question. We need to analyze that and look at the process. I believe we can go back to that. Okay. Thank you. I move we accept the candidates that have been the three that are presented for high moved by chair seconded by Ry. All in favor everybody. Yay. Thanks. Good work hiring committee. That is great. Okay. Next on the agenda is a teacher leave of absence request. Um, and so due
050to as a presiding officer of the school board, I'm going to call this meeting into executive session for the purposes of individual privacy for the SE section section. Um, we will also pause a video stream and come back on maybe 10 or 20 minutes. I don't have to stay by your computers and wait. I don't have time anyway. Sorry if anybody's online. Uh, so we'll be back. Right. >> Thank you all for stepping out. I now call this open session back into order. Um and with that I would take a motion on item G. >> I move we approve as presented. >> I second moved by Katy second by Quincy. All in favor. That is everybody. >> Thank you very much. Thanks to everybody online to everyone here. Appreciate it. All right. Moving right along
051to report. Uh, first off, we have administrator announcements. Do we have anybody willing to take the stage tonight? Oh, good. Lisa's up here. That's exciting. >> Hi, Greetings from the department. Lucy, you wear the crown tonight. I don't know yet. Let's see your presentation. all day long, every day. We benefit. >> Uh, two quick announcements I wanted to share with you. One is regarding teachers. Uh, Montana has um a program called the Natural History Day in Montana and the Montana 250 Commission. We're looking for 15 Montana teachers in grades 6 to 12 to join a cohort co a co cohort of teachers for a year beginning in April. Uh they would attend all expense paid workshops in April, August, and October. They would participate in ongoing virtual trainings and they'd earn $1,000 stipended and $500
052in classroom materials. And I am pleased to say we have not one but two teachers from Whitefish. They are two of our newer teachers to the school district. Stephanie Mat from Whitefish High School will join this cohort and Peragin Friselle from Whitefish Middle School. So, super exciting. It's great to see um new teachers do um new things. Um super excited about that. I will also just share Stephanie also took a group of students to academic worldquest at the University of Montana with Sarah Crumb um couple weeks ago. So, we're just tapping those new people right now. Super excited. The other quick announcement I want to share is Kelly and Josh and I just returned from a teacher clarity conference in San Diego. >> Very very worthwhile conference. Uh we learned I'm going to take a
053>> copy Josh's slide because it it was such a great summary. Uh learning depends on more than just curriculum, resources or programs. Depends on clarity which is a shared understanding among teachers, leaders and students. Um that shared understanding includes what is being learned, why it matters and how success will be recognized. Uh it is a mindset and a framework that transforms the way educators think, plan and talk about learning. And when clarity is alive in every classroom, teaching becomes intentional and learning becomes visible. You will hear a lot more about that. The administrators need to get together and um discuss how we're going to continue to roll this out in the district. I think we will be developing a comprehensive plan. Kelly or Josh, did you want to add anything to that? And we had
054a really good time. The weather was nice with all the sun. >> We success plan, but I guess I'll take it this time around. >> We successfully mastered math transportation. Didn't get lost. >> You were in San Diego, right? >> Yeah. >> Oh, that's awesome. Um, can I ask a question about the history day? Yes. So, what are they learning or what are like what's the outcome of them going to these trainings and what are we hoping for? Uh let's see. They are going to learn learn the ins and outs. They're going to serve as a judge for the uh Montana State Natural History Day. They're going to learn the ins and outs of um being a judge. They'll learn how to introduce their students to historical thinking, research, and argumentation. Uh, let's see. They'll
055have research projects that they're going to work on with their students. All in the name of Montana history. >> Yeah. I mean, it's great. >> National or natural? >> Natural. >> National History Day in Montana. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Can you ask a question? >> You bet. about conference. So I think anytime you're in education, there's a new initiative, we're talking about the roll out, you're like, "Oh my god." >> Yep. >> But Josh said something interesting to me just in like what was it? He was like, "It's not something new." >> That's true. >> Yeah. >> One of the speakers says, "It's not nothing. It's not another thing on your plate." Yeah. is the plate that holds everything, >> right? >> So >> clarity >> brings clarity to teacher clarity. >> So it's
056what you're already doing. >> Yes. >> Okay. That really helps. You know, I and I was talking to Dave about this and I said it's like in education holding up a pair of binoculars and sharpening the uh scope so that it really comes into vision and it's very clear. So that's what we want to do with student learning. We um it's essentially being very specific about what you're teaching and kids know exactly what they're learning and they know what they need to do to show that they have learned it. >> Got it. And one of the speakers lit said that they wish they named the conference student clarity rather than teacher clarity because at the end of it it's all about making sure that the students understand why it's important what they're learning and how
057that's going to look and I really like they talked about that they too as an educator it's like got one more thing for me the first thing you hear about your new initiative is like they have time not a new initiative at all and to I I wanted to speak to the a little bit because I know you've been concerned about lesson plans. This really takes care of that issue because teachers have to know exactly what it is that they're doing in order um for there to be clarity for the students, which is great. And when Josh and Kelly left, I stayed for two additional days to get to they had what was called the certification course. And during that certification course, I was able to actually visit a school that was using it in
058action. Um, and it was really they actually had everything posted. It was really neat to see where the kids knew exactly what they were doing in those classes and teachers knew exactly what they were doing. There was no um there there the there wasn't any wasting of time because they were very efficient. If kids already knew it, they didn't learn it again. They they zeroed in on what it was that the kids needed to learn. >> Student clarity. I like it. >> Yeah, we're doing clarity. Student clarity. >> Making make decisions for it's not even in our in our job. >> It's not in our but >> and the neat thing was all the teachers modeled it in in everything else that they were doing. They modeled that same format. >> Cool. >> Yeah. >>
059Thanks. >> Oh, worthwhile trip. >> Very worthwhile. >> Yeah. >> Oh, wait. Let me see. >> Good. Okay. >> On one thing. >> Did they touch on when students know what to expect anxiety? >> Yeah. >> Oh, that makes sense. >> Yeah. And it's much more engaging for students. >> Well, that helps teachers, too. But I hate it again. >> But don't they also know how they're going to be assessed and what and what will be assessed? >> Yeah. >> So that's also something to lessen >> anxiety. >> It was plan backwards, teach forwards. >> Yeah. >> And it was a lot of the students assessing themselves too. Yes. You know, they knew where they were at learning progression. >> Well, this is going back to Stiggins and Wiggins that he had in the district,
060>> right? And and and again and I have a slide later on when we when we do a much deeper um share with you. I I have a slide that it will show you that Yeah. This has been around for a long time. >> Cool. Thank you. Thank you guys for Thank you for >> Well, I'm going to San Diego anyway to Chicago February. Yes, thank you. I know it's hard to leave your building, but you know, that's awesome. Um, any trustee announcement? Any questions? I don't I had something, but I thought I wasn't sure if Lucy was going to hit on it in her report. So, if you are, then we don't have to talk about it. But I did see on our MTSBA emails that the health insurance was approved. >> Yes. So,
061I thought validated >> or validated. So, that's exciting. very very >> um we we knew about a month ago that uh they have met they met the numbers >> uh a minimum of 12,000 lives insured and at least 150 districts and I know they exceeded those numbers >> so we knew that they were going to they were going to the state to validate I mean just thank you for bringing that up >> so exciting I think been a long um hardfought battle for education and the districts and I'm so glad 150 districts to me seems really overwhelming and I'm worried about it but super happy about that. So thank you. Um, any other trustee? All right, Dave, >> see click on the WSB calendar. I know we have some exciting things happening this week for
062some of some of our activities. Oops. >> No, the other video. Sorry. >> Okay. >> VHS calendar for sure. Right. So, we got state basketball tournament. Great Fall. Excited for our girls to be headed to Great Fall this week starting Thursday. >> And then uh of course you can see some things coming up about all state jazz festival >> and then we're getting into spring sports. >> All right. I wanted to make I also shared some information about the surveys. I think we've just talked about this, but the timing we're still on track to have after spring break we'll do the school climate surveys. Those are just get finalized. I've seen drafts of those really, you know, essentially the PBIS school surveys and then we have the communication surveys scheduled with Darling CH that would
063be near the end of the sticks look like tracking pros it's coming up and then enrollment you can see uh attached is the enrollment see some fluctuations there some interesting changes this time a little bit where you could see some um some withdrawn to parts of valley but also southern US and northwest Montana and then also people coming from the valley and eastern US re so then let's see we have resignations there for you and retirements as well okay so Quincy and I were noticing that our April work session is survey results review but we won't have correct for that work session. >> Yeah. A lot of the guide this >> Yeah. >> calendar is a guy. >> Yes. It's just a guy. >> So, um Yeah. >> Then we were like, "Oh, >> we're
064all tired." >> And then we have a work session next week kind of snuck up on us because it got bulked up a week early because of spring break. So, we were just curious. >> We were wondering if the March one could be the April one then and we could have one less. >> Oh, next week. >> Yeah. Do you think >> well the special board meet that we have different >> we we could do that I think we were going to do winter assessment data March one next week >> but we could do that in April >> we could >> potentially yeah >> says we won't have survey result >> that's an interesting idea of course with the board if you're interested we could consider a >> not having a work session We still
065need to schedule that like that would take five minutes >> and maybe we have a contract to >> realize we really need to >> have some recommendations for another. >> Yeah. >> Something to consider. Maybe if you want to consider it, you don't have to decide. >> Yeah. Look at your agenda. But it seems like an opportunity. >> Yeah. >> February opportunities. opportunity. We have an opportunity for opportunities. >> We're doing flexibility, adaptability, and opportunities. number >> calendar. >> Can I just ask a general question about enrollment because it's come up a couple times and it came up when we were doing our interviews and such just about and even just talking about a um since I've been on the board uh the declining enrollment is new to me uh as a you know thing
066to contemplate. What what is the plan? Like what what does one do when you have a particular age group especially where enrollment is declining? You just kind of watch your numbers or is there something you do to reach out to the community to encourage enrollment or what does that look like? >> Well, >> or you just it just is what it is. I honestly just don't know the answer. >> You know, we've been watching these trends closely over the past years. Yeah. Or so I think what we're seeing is there may trend of decline. Well, maybe those early grades K through four, but not necessarily middle, high school. So, uh what we're seeing trend or we have seen over the past about 12 years now an increasing trend of middle school and high school people
067moving into the so so it's hard to make the the general elementaryaries decline necessarily. I think maybe the very younger ages possibly seeing increases to those high school levels people move on but will that continue or not that's that's the key and like you said if you just continue I think that's the thing to do really continue to monitor watch that trend line see what's happening >> it's so hard to put >> I'm just looking thinking back to the AMVS that she posted and how we used the average of the last three for both elementary and for middle school so to me That also indicates even though yes more people are moving into the valley or we have more students enrolling I should say at some I think the students might hear they just might
068be at other homeschool programs up until a certain point or private schools and then filter as well as people moving in >> in addition. Yes. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> So I was just curious um if there's not how do we compete with that I guess for those patriot age groups. I don't know. >> Provide a better product. >> Yeah. But how do we let them know about our better product? But I I think one of the things we also have to consider is >> how many of these people are living in apartments or rentals that they could no longer afford. And we've always had this problem of people moving from district to district find trying to find cheaper rent. And we really don't know because we don't know why they're moving specifically. But I do
069think that the higher, you know, price tube does make a difference and makes people move out because they can't afford it. And I think that what's interesting to me, again, this is just I don't I'm not integrated into the system as much. Um, but I do realize that in the last couple years, the legislature passing a tuition like that you can move now differently. So yes, I think before that maybe would have been, you know, 10 years ago a thought and it's accurate that it's harder to live here because you have a six, seven, eight year old in theory depending upon your income etc. and where you are in your life at that point. It was 10 years ago. But if you do live in another school in the valley or you do, you know,
070just wondering could still come here in theory. Yeah. You have to drive affording the gas to drive and the depends on your income. Absolutely. >> And if they get into high school, they can >> Well, that's what I was >> But then I was curious too like what happens if they do >> just thinking and I think you bring up some good points. I think it is all about monitoring. You've been monitoring closely and continue to do that and watch the fluctuations both at the elementary and high school levels and then departmentalize it middle school seven eight and high school look at those trends. I think that's going to be really helpful. In addition to something we've added, we've been adding the number of other >> Yeah. Yeah. >> districts that's a monitoring tool too
071based on some of the things you're talking about. Yeah. >> How does that look? Is that continuing or is that trending in a different direction or >> is there some things to >> Well, I know when we talk about the open enrollment like you know finding a niche or a different way to you know distinguish yourself. So like we have the AP diploma, right? That's really like a high school, right? You know, so what can we do? I know what you're saying. Like you're like thinking marketing wise. What can you do as an elementary to be like we're really strong our reading program. Our students know exactly what's happening because we have student clarity. Yeah. >> You know. >> So I think that's what you're saying. Yes. How are we marketing or can we market
072in a way that's not >> I mean at the same time you got to be careful what do you get in because some years they might not be taken back just based on >> well that's local numbers. So it's kind of a tricky or even just capturing kids who are but yeah >> other things >> I think it's to me it's really easy to market yeah you know in terms of the sense of we have some of the highest achievement in the state >> right I think we have the best educators in the state I think we have the best district in the state >> absolutely >> and I think we need to to share that >> talk about the accomplishments that we're seeing on a regular basis >> and u and then in high
073school I think you can really capture a lot of the wonderful things that are happening there. Addition to being ranked nationally and all those kind of things, but also the addition of our some of our career technical education courses that we're doing. I think that's something to really talk a lot about. I think that is an exciting engagement for students too. >> I think there's some opportunity there. But >> yeah, there's a lot to celebrate >> for sure. That's what I I totally agree with all that. That's why I was like, but how do we sing it from the laptop for K through four? I think it's just easier to do that like you said. It's more Yeah. >> playing sports. >> Yeah. I just didn't know if there was a secret sauce that I
074just did. >> Yeah. >> One thing I forgot to mention, so I'm sorry I'm going to kind of go back one, but um I wanted to send a shout out to Chad and the entire maintenance staff. you know, when when we were had those candidates in, every one of them commented on the buildings and how well they're upkeep and how nice they look. And I'm sorry I missed that because I wanted to acknowledge that entire maintenance facility and crew and how hard they work and um the janitorial staff and really keeping the buildings in tiptop shape. So um thank you also to all of them. >> All right, Lucy. uninsuring force. So, back to the annual audit. The audit is still ongoing. >> Oh, wow. >> Yeah, it always when did they start? >> You
075know, I I I don't know exactly when they start. Um, they always u give me a list of items that I need to submit and then list maybe 250 items. >> Oh gosh. and I did it back in the fall. So I can't tell you exactly what internally I I don't know um I'd say from you know having been auditor in my prior life an audit such as this is maybe 120 to 150 hours of labor. Um and that was you know 10 years ago or more when I worked uh with uh constantly increasing uh requirements for audit and compliance that number may be high >> but uh just um on February 25th which is two weeks ago uh one of the auditors was here on site in the business office and she audited our
076internal controls or systems over financial reporting. Okay. So, she calls me and says, "Okay, I'll be there, too. I'll just look at internal controls and I'll think if it's so great, she'll be gone in two hours." She spent the entire day here, eight hours. She didn't even take one. >> Oh gosh. And I have to give kudos to Carly Watkins and Katie McKay at the district office who spent seven out of those eight hours with her and uh I I I'm happy to report that an internal control part of the audit went very well. Uh so let's do internal controls because the theory is if you have internal controls over your processes then you can assume that the risk of throat is lower. U so I think we passed it with flying cows. Uh however
077that's only a very very small piece of the audit. Uh they the auditors are looking at all uh sections of the financial statements. That means uh cash, liabilities, receivables, payables, capital assets, revenues, expenditures, bond issuance and budget. Budget is also small this whole thing. Um the deadline uh for the audit to be completed and sub and submitted to the state is March 31st. So uh uh it's uh I'll give you an update uh in April about about the results. >> So that's the audit uh financial report. Uh the number does anybody have any any questions about the financial report? Uh Luke has mentioned that our spending uh uh for the construction is over 2 million. It's 2.4 million to be exact as of the last day of February. And that represents only 5% of the
078funds of the funds. Um grants uh grant spending is going well. Uh the general spending is right where it should be for this time of the year. >> Any questions for Lucy? >> Geneful. She has her wonderful graphs. >> You know, exciting to see the um high one starting to turn a little yellow. Yes. >> You know, it's kind of mixed feelings because I was like, "Oh, I like that we had all this, especially the savings account. I don't Absolutely not. I know we have to spend it, but >> I love that Mickey bento >> on page. So, we spent the first $57 of thousand. So, we're on our way. And uh good news uh that grant um uh the new uh cycle application cycle uh has been open for 26 27. So, I'll just
079delegate it to Sarah. Sh. Thanks, Sarah. >> She's great with applications. >> Red applications. >> Yes. >> Anything else? >> All right, we went right on to the consent agenda. Is there any public comment on the consent agenda? Assuming you all want to get paid, so let's do it. Motion on the consent agenda. >> I move we approve the consent agenda. >> Second move by cherry second. All in favor? Thank you. And one last motion move by second move by Katie. Second by Alex. Thank you so much. Thank you all for being here.