001I aliance 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. >> We will start the meeting with our agenda review um consent agenda. Um we will move on to the approval of claims for October. Did everyone have a chance to review them? >> Are there any questions? Okay. I will accept a motion to approve October 2025 claims as presented. >> I make a motion to approve October 2025 claims. >> I second. >> All in favor? I >> I all oppose. None. So motion passes. Um next agenda item is to review the September 2025 payroll. Um this is a non-action item. So if you have questions, you can ask, but we don't need to have a motion.
002Any questions on that item? >> No, ma'am. >> No. >> Okay, we will move on to the previous month's minutes. So, September 2025 minutes, regular board meeting. Any questions on that? >> No. >> I will accept a motion to approve the minutes for the September 2025 regular meeting. I make a motion to approve the regular minutes for the September 2025 meeting. >> Second motion. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Motion passes. [cough] [clears throat] Um, we will move on to the student activities ledger. And that's a handout that Britain had. That's kind of you. Yep. >> Thank you, Brit. >> Yeah. And it looks like most of them are just refs. Yeah. Fees >> for the fall sports. >> Ready to shift seasons here? >> Mhm. >> Couple weeks. >> Boys basketball starts next
003week. Is that correct? >> Next Monday. >> Any questions on the activities ledger? >> What's the gym fund just for people that use it? Yeah. Um, like the elorn their checked goes in there. Some people are really interesting. >> I was just curious. >> So, the rentals like of the gym go into that fund. >> Yeah. >> No questions other than that. Sorry. >> Okay. I will accept a motion to approve the student activities ledger for October as presented. >> I make a motion to approve the student activities ledger as presented. >> I second motion. >> All in favor? >> Nay. So motion passes. U moving on to the budget verse actual. This also is a non- action item. So it's just for review if you have any questions. Any questions on the budget versus
004actual? >> I don't have any. >> No. Okay. Moving along um to public comment and elementary issues. Uh the board welcomes and encourages public comment. Anyone wishing to address the board is encouraged to do so with these stipulations. The board may limit the amount of time for a comment if they become extensive. If the speaker begins to infringe on the right of privacy of another right to privacy of another, the board may interrupt and end the comments on that issue. Even if the comments are entire entirely appropriate, the board will take no action at them on them at this meeting. To ensure that others want that want to address the same issue have the opportunity to do so. The item may be placed on an agenda for a later meeting. >> [clears throat] >> Um,
005moving along. Communications and comments, letters to the board. We did have one letter that I've lost. Um, a thank you note from the um summer staff. We provided lunch for them. So, they just want to write say thank you. Cool. You guys can write that if you want. >> Um, and then are there any student issues? >> No. >> Okay. So, moving along on accommodations and recognitions. Any of those? Not at this time. No unfinished business uh committee reports. Leadership, we did meet last Monday. >> Um and as far as the Elk Park, I haven't heard back from them. Um but I did send them me my question for more information. I did send that. We would I would put it on agenda for November. >> Okay. just so that if they want to come
006and present that they can do [clears throat] that so it's not going through >> have enough time to get together. Okay, perfect. Um that and then we went over the agenda and then there is a workshop in Helen on Wednesday that Devon had forwarded [clears throat] so we discussed that. Um it's free if anyone is available to go for the school board or the administrators. Um that's pretty it nothing else really. Um, handbook and policy. I don't think you guys met. There's nothing. >> Nope. >> Budget and finance. Probably not. >> No. >> Facilities. No. Transportation. That's about once a year. Um, school safety. Devon and I had like a public forum, I guess, kind of. >> At the end of September about the parking concerns that were brought up at the last meeting. >>
007Um, yeah. give an overview. >> Yeah. So, um we had some different ideas. Uh most of them had been presented or like they spoke at the last meeting about ways to move it. It's really tricky with not having a parking lot and having a drive-thru. Um, we, one of the ideas I think the whole group kind of thought about was potentially for future years, uh, keeping the drive-thru or making it a park, like keep where the drive-thru is now, making it a parking, like an angled parking potentially. Um, and then if possible, we wanted to review maybe moving the bus stop over here or the drop off pickup for the buses over here on this side of the daycare. Um, and then getting that uh drive-thru that was where the buses are now back. So,
008if we had that drive-thru there and angle parking, it would create a lot of more parking for [clears throat] parents. Um, one thing that was addressed was the gates kids were going out of, uh, parents who were saying initially when this change went into place, which I get, there's always with any change there's going to be growing pains. Um, but they were saying that even though they were standing at this south gate, that uh, there were the kids were still they could see their parent but still were were required to go around the west gate. And so then there was some confusion with that and they most of the what the parents expressed was that if they had all gate access possibly it being like a band-aid for the time being just so that they
009don't have to go out a gate if their parent happens to be here. >> Um I know we talked about at the biggest thing would be that the parents meet their child at the gate. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> So, that was kind of part of the stipulation is if they're going to go out the south gate by the buses, the parent has to pick them up inside the gate >> and from there >> walk them. >> Go wherever they want, but meet them at the gate, >> right? >> Um >> Just for safety. Yeah. >> So, the bus can see the parent. Things like that we talked about. We also talked about the another thing that could help in the meantime is adding a few more grades to the middle school side just so that
010it can help lighten the load cuz right now we have 8th, 7th, sixth out of here, right? Um potentially moving fifth and maybe even fourth if needed. Um, and they a lot of what some of the parent some parents said that the if they have an older sibling, they get to go out the middle school side, but then some of the parents or at least one of them was saying that they still weren't being allowed out this side or it then they'd have to walk all the way around. It was like they were there was some confusion there. So I think if we maybe clarify to parents and staff if we [clears throat] do add a couple more grades to the middle school side just because there is um tends to be a little bit
011more parking on that end >> and and like you said at the meeting we had um this is planned for next year not to switch it or do you want to change >> the gates the parents meeting at the gates and the kids going out you know meeting the parents wherever was a this year band-aid. >> Okay. >> Um >> as long as they meet parking. Yeah. As long as the parents are there, that was kind of a >> the moving the buses or the plan. >> Okay. >> That was all a future. That wasn't anything that we were changing. >> Yeah. >> And we definitely had said that we will not be changing anything this year because that's too confusing. I I personally think that was my >> well winter and stuff like it
012just >> I mean the lower elementary usually, you know, they keep the kids around until the parent gets there. But as long as the parents being at the gate, the kids aren't running out >> on the street or or on the buses >> or darting in front of the buses or cars or >> Yeah. >> So, >> um but yeah, I think we had six or seven >> parents there. So, >> I mean it it was worth it. >> Yeah. >> I got a little nervous because flag football happened to be at the same night. So, then I was like, maybe we won't get as many parents. But, we actually had fun. >> It was good. It was good, I think. And I it was productive. >> So yeah. >> And the idea potentially for
013the future years of the bus there would be a lot more that could go like that would have to go into play in order >> just the distance to travel to get to the buses would be >> farther. Correct. >> Yeah. >> But there would also like we'd have to look into gate like >> there. That's why we said it wouldn't happen this year. >> Oh yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. It it definitely would take some planning. So yeah. and discussion prior. >> Good. >> So, no, it went well, I think. >> Yeah. >> And that was really it. >> Dave was there with us >> about snow plowing concerns, but that >> some of that will be addressed. >> Yeah. Hopefully addressed later in the morning. Um, >> so yeah, I think it was good.
014But that's really it. So, we will move on to the superintendent report. >> I don't have a lot. Uh, we are looking for a custodian. We had a custodian quit last week. Um, we're kind of patching it together. Dave is kind of passionate together with one of our pairs who's going to help out and then um, one of our previous pairs is willing to help out some. Okay. >> So, that's how we're doing it. And Britain has advertised for that position. That happened last Wednesday, I believe, that he come and quit. >> Yep. >> So, just so you know that we're >> working at it. Uh Dave's actually putting in he's actually training somebody tonight, one of our pairs just to go through. So that's nice that we have people going to sub until we
015can find it uh full time. >> Um Britney and I talked about sub pay for our kitchen staff and our custodians. It's really low. Um you said it set at $12 an hour. >> Mhm. We're not going to get subs for the kitchen or >> um what we pay subs for a cert or for a non-certified substitute in the classroom is $100 a day which amounts to be about 14 something an hour. I think we should at least start doing that if not just making it even 15 and maybe cuz you know subs for them to you know um with Lisa in the kitchen too. I mean it's tough tough when you're short-handed. So, I just think that we should just go ahead and put it that I don't know if that needs board approval
016or not. >> Um, >> I think if it's non-certified in the classroom, 100 I feel like that's pretty fair for >> Yeah. >> the other positions. >> And for the certified, it's 110. >> 120. >> Yeah. >> But I I just think to help out in the areas cuz we are going to need subs. I know Lisa needs subs once in a while. She gets short-handed and it's tough down there for her. So I I just think that and it shouldn't have much effect. You don't see them gone very often, so it shouldn't have m much effect on the the budget. Um other than that, I think everything's going pretty good. I got some reports done. I got the ESA, believe that's what it's called, the egrant. I got that completed. Um, we also are
017doing our count and we have we're having a little snag with that that we have it getting straightened out in the morning to figure out. Our count is actually up from last year. Yeah. >> So, >> a lot >> a little bit. It just kind of steadily keeps going up. >> Is that a lot to do with the bas? >> Some of it had to do with absorbing basin. We we did and >> I found that once people found out that they could come here from basin, we also picked up a few more families. >> So yeah, part of it was the basin, part of it is just people moving in to the area >> and we are again we are looking for another parah. Um our paras right right now schedules are tight um
018just because we have two class two classrooms that have to have a full-time para because of the numbers. and then with the special ed and others. So we have >> that require them one by one >> and it will also help. I know there's concern about the playground but adding another pair will also help out in the playground especially at the noon hour playground cuz it is a lot of kids out there. So >> and the afternoon play >> is that the concern is that there's not enough supervision out there. Well, what's hard is like if let's say you have a kid fall on the monkey bars, so they're hurt. They need to be brought in. Well, we don't have then that we don't have someone to bring the kid in and someone and other
019people to watch, especially the the littles on the little side. >> Mhm. >> So, that's just been a concern. You always almost always every day have >> some boo boo or owie end up in the office, >> you know. So, it's it's just really >> would really help out the afternoon and the noon. Yeah, >> if there was just some more eyeballs watching the kids. >> So hopefully we have one coming in tomorrow that >> I have an interview I believe in the morning >> for a pair. >> Okay. >> Awesome. Thank you. U Mr. Jamson report. >> Yeah. >> Yep. Um well it's October so the um preK through 8 teachers have a Halloween plan this year. Like last year, the prek through three will be doing the annual parade on Main Street with
020the merchants and other groups. Um the four, five have in-class parties. The six, seven, and eight are doing red ribbon week that week activities organized by the junior high student council uh in conjunction with it's our new counselor, Mrs. Karsten, that's helping organize all of that with Mrs. McCauley and the G and the junior high student council. So, that should all be fun. This today is the opening of the first mast Montana online through the standard through the year testing. Um uh we did some work to get everybody rostered and everything up and running. We had a little technical glitch at the beginning, but it's been solved. So um soon we'll start getting uh data from that. That's ELA and math. And like we talked about last year, last year we did both testing maps
021and math at the same time. This year we are just doing mass uh and we have the three testing windows. So today was the opening of that testing window. Our fall break is this week. Yay. Thursday and Friday. Uh this week we have we're doing the Great American Shakeout which is an earthquake drill that will be on Wednesday morning. Then on Wednesday afternoon we're having a fire safety assembly with the um fire department with some people from the fire department. And then also in conjunction with that, there'll be groups of kids that get to go out and see the fire truck. So it will be an awesome afternoon. It's a good afternoon for that. The Wednesday afternoon before a break. It's always nice to do something. Today was the last day for fall sports. Our
022volleyball is in the gym right now finishing up. Cross country had their meet uh the Friday before here and then football concluded last Thursday. I want to say we're very thankful for all our coaches who give up so much time and all of our coaches have done a wonderful job. Really care about our kids and uh we're just we're thankful for that. Uh especially thankful for um uh Mr. Larry stepping in and being our cross country coach and Mitch who is our football coach. We're new to it this year and um both did a really good job and they have plans for next year I hope so. Uh, boys basketball practice starts already next Monday night. Um, that's later on the agenda. We're going to hire a new assistant coach for that. And then, as
023we did last year, we will have an end of this of the quarter awards assembly on Friday, November 7th. And as I pointed out last year, our handbook states that students who have no absences or one absence from a class in any quarter will be given special recognition recognition. The board will acknowledge students who have no absences or one absence in any quarter with a certificate. So, like I did last year, uh any board members that would like to come to that November 7th assembly, some of you did that last year, um would be welcome to come and and represent the board and recognize our students at that assembly. We also recognize students for academic standing. We hand out certificates for uh honor roll, high honor roll and regular honor roll as well as certificates
024for good attendance. So that's again Friday, November 7th at 200 p.m. for anyone that can make it. >> I will be gone. So if someone else is around, that'd be awesome. >> I will try to make it. It'll just depend on how our volleyball girls do whether I'm individuals or not. Yeah. Awesome. [cough and clears throat] Thank you. And that mask testing that's for fourth through 8th. Is that correct? >> Three through eight. Okay. >> Mhm. >> What are our the little doing? Are they still >> They still do testing with dibbles and then the the um the prek has its own test called the P and then other >> other testing too, but that's what they do for progress monitoring. Awesome. Getting into new business. Um, there is a applicant for the after school
02521st century program. You guys have interview background checks or >> uh should be pending a background check. Does she already have one? >> I don't think she's had one yet. >> I don't think so. I did put pending, but it should be pending on the top of motion. >> Okay, perfect. [snorts] Reckon and Cassie is the one that brings these forward. You don't I'm not going to tell Cassie who she gets the help. She could be really hot. >> And she does like the advertising kind of >> Yes, she does all that. Yep. >> I've seen a few of those on Facebook. >> That's through the gr Okay. Um, I will entertain a motion to approve Ashley McDonald pending background check for the 21st century after school position. I'll make a motion to approve Ashley
026McDonald [clears throat] for the after school program pending a background check. >> I second. >> All in favor? I >> motion passes. Um moving on to basketball coach. >> Yeah. Um Sam he would like to be our assistant coach. Um, Matt has met with both Sam and Cody, our head coach, and so it seems like it works well together. So, >> and obviously he's got his background checks since >> I heard he did basketball for quite a few years. Is that correct? >> He did at the high school. Yeah. >> Oh, okay. Good. >> Mhm. >> I mean here before the high school. >> Oh, was he here before junior high? Yeah. >> Was he under Mr. Canol? >> He was with Mr. Canol. >> Yeah, he did C and JB I think both programs.
027Okay, I will accept a motion to hire Sam Heaton as the assistant basketball coach for the 2025 2026 season. >> I'll make a motion to hire Sam Heaton as the boys basketball coach for the 25 2026 season. >> I second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Motion passes. Um no non-resident student acceptance uh liquidation of school property nothing as >> no ne next month I am going to um for disposal that old thing that Dave is using if the tractor's approved tonight. >> Okay. >> Um no policy updates as of right now. Moving on to item five is a a tractor for snow removal. [clears throat] >> Does it do >> it will have a a loader bucket? >> Okay. >> And then a blade a hydraulic blade that you can put on instead
028of the bucket. Um I I had him install the h or quote for the hydraulics cuz otherwise you have to get down. You can only really do one way unless you get down and switch it all the time. Um, and I got a quote from Helen, the farm farm supply. Uh, attach the quote on on your um board packet >> on the email. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> It's a a compact four-wheel drive coyote tractor. Um Dave has a small one of his personal self that he likes. I actually have the same tracker that I got quote on it. It works well. >> And this is an upgrade from the lawn mower that he uses with the blade. [laughter] >> So just >> just to clarify that so he can remove snow >> mainly. We
029had talked about it at that is the parking >> cuz >> y >> it's going to be a bigger area to plow. >> Um >> but he also plows when we get a lot of snow this whole area with the pavement and it will make all of that just a lot more efficient too >> for him. >> Okay. >> Yeah. And it will have a loader on it you said? >> Yeah. >> The [clears throat] when they price it out they price it out as if you were taking finance. >> Correct. So, by not by paying with a check, they actually throw in that loader, which is $3,700. >> That's what I thought. >> And but the blade itself is I mean, we would have got both. Obviously, you can't just have the blade, but
030yeah. >> And this tractor would work for that walkway on that west side cuz that was like >> it's Yes. It's a It has a 5ft blade. And [cough] I asked, "Is that big enough or too big?" And he said, "No." I talked to him this morning and said it would have worked great. So, >> yeah. And we have a place to store it. >> Yep. That's why I'm going to surplus that other one, too, cuz it's just a then he already said he's got his place by his pickup in there that he can put it. So, >> and if you don't put on a back blade, they're actually not all that long. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> So, >> okay. Any other questions? I >> we do have the funds that uh Britney and I
031looked at the budget and we do have the funds I to purchase this now. So >> well that I'm assuming building maintenance >> uh actually when you do it under uh equipment it's the equipment fund. Yeah. We actually will have to put that in there >> when we purchase it. You just can't put it under the maintenance. It has to be under its own because it's over $5,000. can be depreciated then. >> Yep. Or >> Okay, perfect. Anything else? I will accept a motion to approve the purchase of the Coyote tractor from Hellfort's Helena Farm Supply for an estimated cost of $16,271. I make a motion to approve the purchase of a Cody tractor from Halford's Helena Farm Supply for estimated cost of $16,371. >> I second the motion. >> All in favor? >> Motion
032pass. [laughter] >> You'll have a new shiny toy. >> The maintenance on that pretty >> very simple. Yes. [clears throat] >> Whatever. >> Yeah. In fact, when I when I had bought mine, I made sure that, you know, like all the oil, everything is just very simple. >> Awesome. >> It'll have a warranty for a little bit, I assume. >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. I'm not sure what the warranty is. I guess I didn't look when I got mine either, but um yeah, it is warranty for I guess >> I assume there's a standard warranty that >> Yeah, they're uh they're they move a lot of them coyotes. Um, and I priced the different ones like the K Cabota and then there's a couple other implement dealers in town and the Coyote is by far the
033best deal. >> Best bang for your book. >> Yeah. Good. >> Perfect. All right. Well, that is the last agenda item. Our next scheduled board meeting is November. My calendar. >> Make sure 10. Yeah. >> November 10th in this room. So, meeting adjourned.