001Yes, sorry. Please do. Just might have this one is here. But you're asking those two like You guys want to make sure What's that? There's chairs over here if anybody wants to sit. over by Chris. >> Okay, let's get started. Let roll call show that >> um everyone is present. Dead is on dead. Is Deb on? >> Yes. >> Yeah, I'm here. Thank you. >> All right, let's stand for the pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge algiance 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 for this opportunity. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we come to you tonight and just thank you again for the opportunity to come together. I I thank you for uh
002the community, for the leadership of the school board, for all of us who are interested in the outcome of our students, their growth and progress. I just give this wisdom. Help us to be civil in our conversation and all these things we pray. Amen. >> Second. Any discussion? Hearing none. Proceed to vote. All in favor say I. >> I. Motion passes. Presentation. Okay. So, we're going to share a little bit about our house. We're House Yaspis. um known as the house of refinement. >> So the helmet is a Spartan helmet which symbolizes the warriors of Sparta. Heroic strength, un unwaving resil resilience, standing tall and steadfast against all challenges. Any challenges. Uh the shading blue and gold shading uni unities of all houses and represents school colors. The oak tree provides sturdy foundation, deeply rooted
003beliefs and the diamonds means pressure stone gems that are beautiful formed under pressure. The house brand is crossed axes show determination and perseverance. persistence. >> And then we have the Amorillis on our um shield and which symbolizes pride, strength, and resilience. And then obviously the Panthers, a school mascot that unifies all the houses together. And we chose red for our house to show strength and courage in facing the future. We have the month of February, so we decorated the school. And then at community lunch we invited the community members to sign hearts and then we hung them up in the on the bulletin boards in the hallways. Um every Monday we do candygram. So it's just like sending a letter to somebody and you get a lot of help with it. And then for reading
004buddies we read a little about the history of Cupid and then also wrote some letters to people who have helped us. And then for our K12 activity we're going to do some games with K12. And then we're gonna make friendship bracelets. >> Thank you. to delegations, visitors, communications, and public comments. I have two. I would like to remind everyone that um be respectful. Do not attack anyone personally and um the timer's gone. Um we'll have three minutes to present. I will set the time. Um, Kelly. Um, the first thing I wanted to say was, um, thank you. Thank you for hearing us. Um, thank you for caring the community, the parents and the students and taking action and rebuilding um, the school library. Um, it's a really important part of our school. So, I want
005to say thank you for deciding that it was time to just go ahead and go forward with it. So, I really appreciate that. Um, I asked a lot of questions during the leader and me presentation. Um, and I felt like maybe even some of the committee me members still weren't really sure on how they felt about it. Um, my comment would be don't be hasty with the decision with it. like I don't really know that there's anything that I don't like about it, but I would take some time and make sure that it really truly is necessary. And like I'm just say don't make an easy decision on it cuz um it sounds like a pretty big and I didn't ask you this time. Thanks. >> I didn't have time to memorize this, so you
006have to deal with me reading this. Hello. I have a very simple request to make to the board. I would request that you support Mr. Christensen in doing his job as superintendent. He is the knowledge base and education required to facilitate the operation of our school which is why he is the liaison between school and board. He is supporting and providing for the needs of the staff so that they can do their job to provide an exemplary education for the students that attend Claremont. Without your support of his recommendations, we as a staff cannot do our jobs to the best of our abilities. We support Mr. Christensen as superintendent and he supports us. So I ask that you support his leadership and recommendations so we can continue to provide our students with an education that
007is second to none. Thank you. And I personally as part of the committee feel very strongly that leader and me is the appropriate selection of first. Thank you. >> Okay. Uh let's review our district goals or our strategic plan was able to meet and uh review our leadership governance at the end of January and a little bit of a follow on training from one that they had in August from Frank and Cubby and they had expressed a desire on that day to spend some time walking through and and thinking about where we're at with strategic plan and the agenda was such that we didn't have the time to properly do that. So I I would recommend for the board I think we probably need to just set a work session day, a training day that
008we can go back through the strategic plan. There are a number of things that um between where we were at last year and the year before uh in implementation look a little bit different and our staffing is a little bit different. That was pointed out of public comment a couple meetings ago. things like reviewing an instructional coach report is difficult to do when we don't have an instructional coach to give a report. Um so right now the the three goals of the district are to increase student achievement and uh the sub goals there provide excellent literacy skills for each student and what we're measuring is is the implementation of the programs that we've decided to use for that and then through our data reviews when we look at map growth data and Aadian data as
009our district reading screener we're really measuring that reporting to the board three times a year with regard to how we're doing with student achievement. We have talked in the past about adding a specific math goal in there and I think if the board chose not to last year given that we were in a an early stage of implementation of a math grade might be appropriate if if the board were wanted to do something like that uh going forward. The second sub there is to provide active engaging and explicit instruction in each classroom. Uh this has been a key tenant of our professional development throughout the last three years. Um and into and including the the PD that we're going to be undertaking on February 27th with staff geared toward proper implementation of exit tickets using
010those um some reminders but some new learning and a tool to help coach each other with regard to exit tickets. And then uh that third goal is in or sub goal sorry ensure that students and staff feel welcome and safe. We have been working with multiple uh multiple avenues here. It was as I pointed out previously the the lowest ranked areas on our culture and climate survey as of two four years ago and three years ago. Um those things have been have been improving. Um we've been having lots of conversation around that lately and we we heard presentation from uh committee on leader and meet tonight that if if that were a direction the board chooses to go uh would probably end up replacing sources of strength here on our our strategic plan. Our second
011goal is build a culture of trust through highly effective communication processes. Uh the board is committed to quarterly listening sessions. I they've definitely been hitting that goal lately and with more than quarterly increased engagement in the community through social media presence. Certainly our staff have over the course of time we've had this plan in place have been increasing that both in terms of the number of people that are taking part in it as well as just the the amount of information that's provided to the community that way. and uh our committee report outs. This is one that uh we kind of shifted for uh just in terms of respect to staff time to being copying the board on emails that kind of give an idea of where we're at on agendas and what conversations have
012taken place in those meetings rather than it being a report out to the board and then having conversations in our public meeting. Third goal was prepare each student for their post-secary goals. And the sub goals on that are develop extended flex opportunities. And I'd say that's been a a strength of where we've been this year uh with the time that we've spent in that 3:30 to 4 uh time for 712 especially with implementation of roads to success pulling speakers in every week and and providing opportunities for students to have a broad-based uh exposure to careers. And our panther claw has been continue to be successful in terms of building that culture piece as we talked about up above. And then uh our public speaking that we've implemented both last spring and into this year are
013working toward a communication goal for the the students as well. And then increased workbased learning opportunities. Uh this year five of our seniors were able to take part in uh work-based learning that encompassed a good majority of their day. uh they were able to take part in a English 1010 class that the college offered and kind of tied into that. I'd like to move continue moving forward with the workbased learning opportunity to a point where um any of the classes that would be required outside of a specific degree area that a student might need to get an associates degree and say advanced manufacturing or welding or one of these programs that they would be able to get that done before they leave our school. So it shortens their college experience and when they get to
014college they can focus on the the learning that they're going for. And then C is ensure each student meets college career readiness measure in in the WA model. uh we fell a little bit short of our goal of 100% last year and um we did review where we were at with this graduating class going forward and I think that there are a couple that we're going to need to work with on on some of those metrics before the end of the year. Um but we should be moving toward that 100% mark. That's the one that I firmly believe that we should be at 100% and be able to stay there. I was I think we were at um slightly under 50% four years ago and then we were at 60 and we're at 65 and
015I hope to be above 80 this year and at 100 next year. I think you guys have an option now if you would like to. We can work through and make amendments to this or we could schedule a time to do that between now and the end of the year perhaps in June. >> Is that all right? >> Did you say Kelly? I'm sorry. I said I'm in favor of scheduling a separate session to dig into it. >> Sorry. Thank you for asking. Consent items. Get a motion to approve. I move to approve the consent items as presented. Second. Moved and seconded. Any discussion? Okay. Hearing now we'll proceed to vote. All in favor say I. >> I. Same sign. Motion passes. Okay. Move on to action items. Get a motion to approve the assistant
016principal contract. I move to approve the assistant principal. Just second. Thank you. >> Move and seconded. Any discussion? I hear no. Proceed to vote. All in favor say I. >> See if it's here. What happened? I just had to fill out. >> All oppose. Same sign. >> Okay. Me. I vote I for yes. Motion passes. Approval of assistant special ed director contract. I move to approve the assistant special ed director's contract as recommended by the administration. Second. Moved and seconded. Any discussion? Okay. Hearing none proceed to vote. All in favor say I. I. >> I. All oppose. James sign. Okay. >> Motion passes. Can I get a motion to approve contract with design for summer construction projects? >> I move to approve contracting with a design for summer construction projects as recommended by the administration.
017Second move and second. Any discussion? >> Second. Just clarification, um not approving projects at this time. This is just uh contracting with a designer to to >> get us to a point of bidding those and planning for the project. >> Plan as we're approving planning or should not the project itself. >> Okay. >> Trusty Hackey asked about cost right now. All the the concept development and getting us through the that bidding process is expected for the security vestibule not to exceed 5,000 and the fancy not to exceed four. That's the planning portion later. >> Yeah, we we chose not to go forward with the concession stand for this. So it would be that that's in that contract, but we'll just say go forward with these two and skip that one. >> Any discussion? Okay, proceed
018to vote. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Um >> all opposing sign. Motion passes. Uh the leader in the curriculum. I think we after our meeting today and talking um with a couple of our board members, um I think would be wise to table this until March, which will give us more time to um send this off to uh the district steering committee for teachers to evaluate and give some feedback to us and uh just a little bit more information on the front end before We approve this. Do you need a motion? >> I move to table the decision on leader and meeting to the March meeting to allow more time for second. Any other discussion? Second. Sorry. >> Okay. Uh hearing no proceed to vote. All in favor say I. >> I.
019Sign. Motion passes. Okay. Approval of amended district salary schedule. Uh I move to approve the amended district salary schedule as recommended by the administration. >> A second. >> Dusty seconds. Any discussion? It's a pretty non-standard move for the board. Uh but we have we have a change in staffing occurring right now and really a change in job responsibilities that uh to my mind required us to increase compensation for one position. So this does not affect any anything beyond one position for the district and it brings the salaries for that position up to match others in similar roles. Any other discussion? Okay, proceed a vote. All in favor say I. >> I. >> All oppose. Same sign. Motion passes. >> Great. I get a motion to approve high school head volleyball coach for the next season.
020>> I move to approve the hiring of Morgan Kmers as a high school head volleyball coach for the 2026 2027 school year as recommended by administration. Second move and seconded by Kelly. Any discussion? >> Where does where she come from? >> Here. She's graduated from here. So, this is Morgan M. They just moved into district. >> So, they're an in district family. Um, and she graduated from high school here and is currently working at Buffalo School >> doing what? >> teaching. What? >> Uh, I think she's got certifications for elementary education and special education currently. Special ed teacher. >> Any other discussion? Proceed to vote. All in favor say I. >> I really want to get back and have. >> Motion passes. >> Okay. A motion to approve letter retirement. >> I move to approve
021Brenda Mitchellina's letter of retirement as recommended by the administration. >> Second that. Moved and seconded. Kelly. Any discussion? I just want to say thank you to Brenda for her dedication and service and standard she has set for that position over the many years here and she will be very sorely missed. >> I' I'd like to say uh Brenda, thank you so much for all your dedication. you're a steadfast employee, um a good team partner for everyone there in the in the school district and you pay attention to all the details and it's mattered. Thank you very much. >> Happy meal writing. >> I would add uh Bren Brenda has been instrumental to helping me come into the district and understand all that goes on within the business office. It's an area that I thought was
022a strength coming in and Greg and Brenda have only strengthened that even further. She she has over the course of the past year and a half since we attended a training and really got in the habit of writing processes for the district. and she has taken that on more than anybody and gotten to a point where our business office I I would like to think that she has done that to a level of detail that um if we had to had to somebody could walk in and follow the instructions and be able to to get that job done. But not only has she uh recorded those processes to that level, she also has has trained a replacement and brought brought us to a point where I have zero worries about moving forward in a great
023spot. >> Thank you, Brenda. Thank you, Brenda. >> All right, proceed to vote. All in favor say I. All right. >> Hi. >> All posting a sign. Motion passes. >> Okay. Superintendent report. >> Thank you. Take most of the time tonight. I know that many of the crowd were at at uh hearing listening session for recalibration. We had an opportunity to talk there. Uh since then that that bill has uh ping bombed around the legislative house but Senate has introduced it went to committee and was amended. The the main amendment that I had asked the community to support previously was one that kind of guaranteed a level of staffing for small districts such as ours at at 17 FTE. That amendment was introduced and passed and the bill is in a spot where, you know,
024it it basically protects what we've got going here. It it allows us to continue to offer the high level of education that we have done and there aren't existential threats contained within that bill. Now, it's made it through Senate Education Committee. Um, it's made it through Senate Appropriations Committee. It'll be on the Senate floor uh tomorrow, I believe. And then it'll go to the House. We'll see what happens with the House. Still may or may not pass. And we'll be we'll be all right either way. That does dictate some of the planning that goes into the next few months as it has been. other important legislation. There's a a school discipline bill that failed introduction. That was one that that I was watching and and intent on asking legislators not to pass and and they've
025made that an easy ask. Another one is the K12 literacy bill. This is one that's worried a lot of districts around the state because it asks for middle schools and high schools to do quite a bit of work to be closing gaps for students with reading difficulties. Fortunately for us, this is work that our our staff has has prepared for and largely accomplished over the course of the past three years. and uh but for some professional development requirements and and recordkeeping, I don't know that that bill is necessarily one that is is going to be too much of a worry for us. Um I do know that larger districts are going to be pushing pretty hard against it because it's it's asking a lot without providing any funds or or means to get that done.
026staff right now are just continuing walking into classrooms. It's pretty amazing. They're providing great instruction every day. Um, it's it's a great atmosphere in the building and I look forward to after board's decision last night with being able to move back into having some more of the the culture building that we had previously and moving back into some Panta Claus and giving students the opportunities that they've been asking for is going to only help in that realm. So, thank you for those decisions from the committee and turn over to board. Okay, from the board every time. I just want to thank the teachers for all their hard work and the kids for all their hard work. And I want to thank um everybody for the um Valentine's Day thing. It brought the community together. I'd
027like the It was just fantastic. It made my heart happy to see everybody smiling and just having a great time. And I want to thank everybody that helped with that, the teachers, the alumni, everybody, because it was much needed and it was great. Thank you. >> I would echo what Gina said about the Valentine's Day dinner. I um yeah, it was awesome and I really hope to see it happen again. I know it was a lot of effort. Everybody that put it on was like, I don't know if I want to do this again. But it Yeah, it was great. My entire family enjoyed it. It was couldn't have been better way to spend Saturday evening. Um, I also want to say thank you to the staff for all of their efforts. Um, I'm sure
028there's something I'm missing at the moment, but I don't know what it is. >> I just want to thank everybody that put that thing on. You got to do a lot of work. Appreciate it. a lot. Appreciate it. >> Okay. Um I wrote mine down today because I have a lot of thoughts. Um I want to start out by saying thank you to our teachers and staff in the school. The board sees the dedication and work you put into your students. This is evident by the MAP scores that are presented to us three times a year. It is evident when we talk to you about curriculum and it is obvious that your students appreciate being here. This school would not have become such a great place to educate students without you. I want to thank
029Mr. Christensen for the leadership that he has brought and the heightened expectations he has for this staff. They would not have level educators without your decision. I want to thank Mrs. Vets for your extensive commitment to this community and dedication to this small school. We look forward to seeing how you continue to grow and improve uh this school in your new position. Next, I want to thank parents for wanting what is best for your children. You are the biggest cheerleader for your child. You know what kind of person you want your child to grow up to be. The board recognizes that role for you. We also recognize that you have entrusted the school to educate your children. We recognize that you want a say in what happens in the school as you should. The decisions
030the board has made in recent months as well as recent years have been made with the consideration of all members in our school community. Um I do recognize that some of you don't think this board is suited for leadership of the school. Have any of you asked what qualifies us for this position? Most of you have said to us we don't since we don't have kids in the school, how can we possibly know what is best for this school? What those of us who have school age children decide to do with our family is does not reflect our ability to do this job. If anything, we are able to better serve because we are able to see all the angles rather than make decisions that will be more beneficial to our children and not think
031about others. What is the main role of the board? Financial decisions, policies, and our only employee is the superintendent. Kelly has a financial background. Deb is a teacher or was a teacher in a juvie prison nonetheless and has been leadership role in her current employment where she is able to manage a large amount of people. Dusty and Gina both have such a vast wealth of knowledge from their lives that that they have lived that they bring wisdom, knowledge and the conservative way of life this small town wants and I was a teacher for seven years and has and have a masters in education. To say this board is not suited for this role is a grave misconception. If you still think we are not suited for these roles, I look forward to seeing your names
032on the election ballot in November. Thank you. >> And Caris. >> Okay. I I would like to show my appreciation and thank the staff for their dedication to the students and also um to the to the families, the community. Your work is acknowledged and greatly appreciated. Keep up the good work and please keep in contact with us. We're always here to listen to you as well. Mr. Christensen, your leadership and support for the staff and students and all your hard work uh for the past year towards recalibration are also beyond measure. Uh we do appreciate that you brought small districts and our our needs to the forefront. Um we will continue to also back you up on what we need to do with the Senate and the House. Thank you all. >> Thanks, Deb. um
033March board meeting. We'll only have one meeting in March, March 10th, which is Tuesday, I believe. Yes. At 7. That agenda is up on our website if you would like to start looking over it. Can I get a motion to adjurnn? >> Make a motion to move and seconded. Any discussion? Proceed to vote. All in favor say I. >> I. Sign. Motion passes. >> Thank you for being on tonight, De. >> No problem. >> Thank you all. >> Thanks.