001States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> All right, welcome everybody. Um, everybody out in the audience, if you've signed in, please make sure you sign in. Thank you. Um, do we have any public comment tonight? >> Yes, I do. All right, Tammy Ruell, um teacher and parent and community member. I just thought it would be wise since um I have connections in Billings teaching um talked to a couple teachers about the stabbing in at senior. And so it was interesting in the conversation they were talking about how some of the teachers at Senior said it was a kind of a growing intensity of it started with hoods and like the kids weren't supposed to wear hoods and then some
002teachers were letting them and so then they learned that they could break the little rules and then it started getting into more serious rules and then all of a sudden we're at this point. So, I just thought it would be wise like for Joette because we're small school that um it's the little rules that teach the kids what they can and can't do um through this and so we're starting to kind of see some some things peak back up. But um I think it's important that we stay diligent as a as a board and as supporting teachers and administration that when you follow the rules you're teaching kids this is what we mean so that they don't try to escalate those rules into something you know oh this they're not they say this but they're
003not really meaning it and then they say that okay I can bring a knife they don't really mean it like those types of So, um, that was just a comment really from the billing schools teachers that I talked to at Senior was that that's how they felt that escalated was being able to break the little rules. Taught them that they could break the big rules. So, but so just wanted to share that insight with the board. So, >> thank you. [snorts] >> Do we have any other public comment tonight? All right, seeing none, we'll move on to reports. It looks like first up we have student council. Who would like to go first? Middle school, high school? >> High school. All right. >> Just make sure you remember to introduce yourself, please. >> Yeah. >>
004Hello. I am Ruben Miller, uh, co-president student council. [clears throat] Um so past activities we've done is Christmas sing along. U huge success involved the whole school. Different classes presented uh different Christmas songs. Um we had hot chocolate served. Um student council also gave away some gifts through raffle drawing. Overall with much hot chocolate, lots of cheer and everyone wearing their Christmas pajamas. Uh it was a wonderful way to send everyone off for the Christmas break. Um if you haven't seen it, we made a fun phone call video [clears throat] to promote the sing along. Um and then upcoming events we got going on is we are hosting winter formal on February 7th here at the school. Uh theme is winter wonderland. Uh kind of like Narnia. You go through the wardrobe and it's just
005like beautiful winter. Um we have our first of two high school fun days uh this Thursday. We're going to take about 40 kids to Red Lodge Mountain. Uh our next funday will be about midFebruary. I think it's 17th. Um [snorts] and then we are serving breakfast and concessions this coming Saturday morning for the middle school basketball games. um and continuing activities. We've been making more of our morning announcement videos and already have more planned. So, enjoy those, I guess. Uh any questions? >> I'll just say make sure you bring a lot of food on Saturday. >> Oh, yeah. >> Um who did it who was doing it this last Saturday? >> Yeah, >> I think they sold out right away. >> What were they even selling? >> Don't know. I don't even know. I didn't
006get out there. What were they doing? Go bey cream. >> Okay, >> Reuben. I think the expectation now is probably like a breakfast burrito. >> That's what we got. That's what we got coming up. [laughter] >> Yeah. No, I just noticed um because we hosted uh Cole and we'll host them again. Um and who? Red Lodge. >> I think >> but anyways um last weekend I I heard quite a few people from out of town saying concessions is already closed. So yeah, >> so I think they sold out right away, which is a good thing. But >> so maybe double our amount, [laughter] >> but yeah, we really appreciate I think that's a great thing that's um for [clears throat] all the student groups doing on those Saturdays. So thank you. >> Well, that's all
007I have. So >> thank you. [clears throat] >> Thank you. >> Hi, I'm Annie Ingerham. I am president of middle school student council. Um, a lot has happened since I was last here for sure. Um, well, I don't know if we talked about last time, but we did like thing giving. Uh, we went and helped unload trucks and pack boxes and all the fun things. And we went to Chick-fil-A on the way home, so we can't complain. [laughter] Everybody had a great time. Christmas was definitely a hit. We decorated both of the middle school hallways as well as the lobby. Everybody really wanted the lobby decorated, so we made sure to get that at last minute even though it's kind of soon, but um everybody did seem to enjoy the dress up days. Um we
008didn't end up doing the walker decorating contest, but we think we're going to postpone that and do it for like a Valentine's Day thing. Um which will be our next event. Also, in the past couple months, we've had a couple sore assemblies. Um the assembly committee has done an amazing job at planning fun games to do at the assemblies. makes it fun to go. Um, we did a toilet paper game. Whoever could unroll the toilet paper faster wins. Um, we also did a very competitive round of musical chairs. [laughter] It's kind of fun to watch. Um, our last meeting was on the 14th this month. We are discussing dance plans possibly for the spring. Um, which seems to be talked about a lot in the middle school hallways. So, we thought we would start planning
009that right now. Um our next meeting will be on the 28th of this month. We will be discussing the further dance plans, making committees, talking about the preparations and um the theme of the dance, which we have not decided yet. Um another thing we're planning on doing is we want to do student council t-shirts. Um so I'm going to have a couple meetings with our treasur and just with the design committee, see what we want to do on the front of the shirts and how much that would cost. Uh, one of the things we did is for our next meeting, we're having all of the student council people um draw designs and bring them in so we can vote on which one we like the best. Um, also we did the sock drive for the
010veterans down at Independence Hall and another one which was called >> I don't remember either. >> It was a lot of fun though. We um we took over a 100 pairs of socks to Independence Hall. Um we put almost four or five pairs in a bag under their little tree in the Independence Hall lobby. It was really cool. Me, myself, and one of our assembly committee um attendants, Barrett Clark, took a trip with Bill to deliver them. We met a few of the veterans to hear about where they served. They were busy getting ready to make their Christmas meal in their kitchen. They had this big lobby with it in there. It was really cool. uh we left feeling like we wanted to do more in the independence hall. So we're definitely going to discuss
011at our next meeting just what we want to put together for them to it was a great experience for all of us and all the things we've done this month. Thank you very much. Do you have any questions? >> Did lots of people go I I might have zoned out. >> No, it's okay. >> Did a lot of people go to the Bridger dance? >> Yes. I forgot to mention that in there. But I'm just >> No, it was a lot of people. I think it was different because they invited sixth grade this year. So, it was like a whole bunch of people, >> but it was a lot of fun. >> Yes. >> So, when you guys have your dance here, do you guys invite the other schools also? >> I think yes. We're
012going to do kind of a county one just so it's more. >> Yeah. Cool. Perfect. >> Kids together. I'm busy. I'm busy. >> They were well behaved. [laughter] >> Thank you very much. All right. Um, elementary principal. >> All righty. Uh, we have our January source assembly taking place next Friday on the 30th. End of second quarter was December 19th and Miss Jill began mailing report cards for the elementary home on Friday, January 13th. Um, a big thank you to Mr. Price and the student council for all their work for the sing along that they put on before the holiday break. Um today we had our first grade students and went on a field trip to a program called Timbernook right outside of town. We have our second and third graders are going to be
013going to a billing symphony performance in Red Lodge on Thursday. Um, the fourth through 8th grade spelling be is going to be taking place tomorrow at 1 in the modular. Thank you to Mr. Beggar, Miss Nelson, Miss Atinson, and Miss Bergome for all their work coordinating that, putting it together for our students. Mr. Case might be hosting this classic book fair in the library starting Monday the 26, and that's going to run all through next week. And I believe it wraps up on February 2nd. and I will be attending the SAM principal conference in Bosezeman Sunday through Tuesday this upcoming week. And for testing update, we have the second window of mass testing opened up last Monday. That's an 8week long window and it will close on March 6. And we also have the optional
014SAT for juniors is scheduled for Wednesday, March 11th. We mailed home notice of the opportunity to all junior class families last week. And Mr. Price is also um getting a list together of kids who would like to take that test during his junior English classes. Do I get to copy that again? Would you like [laughter] it? Any questions for Joey? I have something. Um, we didn't get an update on the um, hoop shoot. And so I don't know how many kids we had, but I know that we had a good um representation at the Hoop Shoot up in Red Lodge. And then we had several kids make it on to the next level. And then I hear we have at least one two two kids going on to the next level, the state. >> I've
015actually haven't gotten the update myself. [laughter] I saw a couple news clippings up on Miss Jill's board, but that's all my information on it. >> Maybe Mr. now can incorporate that into he was the the local site. >> All right. Okay. So, maybe I'm getting ahead of myself here. [laughter] >> But anyways, I think that was really cool that we still participate in the hoop shoot and we have so many kids represented um at all the different levels. So, I think that's cool. So, all right. I'll add in a couple and then I also have um and then I'll just take it because I have Miss Hernandez's middle school high school principal report. She's at basketball game Roberts tonight. Um and then I also have Miss Fenus's uh update here um from from the JTA.
016But just one more thing that I wanted to add in on um Spelling, thanks to uh Craig. Um he's volunteering as a trustee to be a um a spelling be judge tomorrow. Um, so he'll be there. Um, and then also, um, Craig thinks he can be there, but we're probably looking for one trustee to be there next week, um, for the Carbon County, uh, spelling be, which we're going to be hosting, and we're going to be running that in the old gym. Uh, that's one o'clock uh, one week from tomorrow. Uh, we also have um, local state [clears throat] legislator Brad Barker uh, is going to be one of our judges, so he'll be down to do that. Um, and we're looking for for one more person. Josh, um, from the grocery store, um, is
017going to be our pronouncer. Um, so he is obviously our announcer, uh, as well at all of our games. So, he's been diligently working through the words. Um, I sent him the list ahead of time. Um, he's carrying it around with him at at all times, but we're looking forward to a good performance. Um, we have, um, obviously our kids and then, uh, Bridget will be joining us at Belfflumber. um fr and us red lodge and Roberts will be director but the winner will go on to the state be last year uh we did have the winner bel went on and represented us [laughter] at [clears throat] that competition so I do think it's it seems like a little old school you know the spelling be but you know it's a good opportunity for kids
018uh and it's it's really cool kind of puts pressure on you a little bit you know succeed in those moments um and so it's it's been a ton of fun Um, and that was all I had on Mr. Richard's report. So, uh, Mr. Nandez's report, um, it's in the packet. Um, so you can see that quarter two sore assembly. Um, that was that was last week. Um, a chance to stop into that. It's just kind of like a really nice moment. It just feel it just feels nice in there. Um, and the middle school can kind of just do their own little thing and they're celebrating their kids and um, it was it was super cool. So, my hats off to them for doing that. Looks like we've got Valentine flower orders. You'll see them.
019They're like, um, up on every locker. Um, I think that went up on Facebook as well. So, if you want that, um, there is a deadline there. Um, senior night, girls basketball, boys basketball, cheer, wrestling, speech and drama, pep band, drum line. Um, that's all going to be on February 13th. summarize your calendars uh for that. Uh speech and drum is in Jefferson for divisions this Friday. Then they have state in Broadwater. Results have been going up online. Um and they're they're doing very well. They had a community performance last night um at the community center. Everybody was doing their pieces. We'll have an escort for them um on Thursday uh January 29th 12 o'clock. And that'll just go in the in the bus loading area. Third quarter midterm, February 6th. Um, Miss Cook navigated
020some second semester registrations, had a few more seniors transitioning to work, study in the afternoon. Um, and she's keeping track of seniors and making sure everybody's on track for graduation. Um, at this time, uh, we don't have any concerns about seniors getting across that stage. And she's continuing to complete her teacher observations. Mr. Rich, Mr. Rich is probably, you know, in the same. Those are all according to the collective party need to be completed by the end of the third quarter. So I think those are progressing. Um the administration um met with Mrs. Fus um right after the agenda setting meeting um last Monday. Uh she asked if we would uh provide the report in her absence. Uh so here's what we have. JTA reviewed and approved the retirement package and theou for the assistant
021FFA advisor stipen and middle school student council advisor for the school year. JTA also reviewed and update the 2628 CBA. Thank you to the negotiation committee for all their hard work. And then finally, Miss Vana says, "Enurance for the 2026 school year will be discussed and reviewed by a committee involving teachers and board members once we once we receive more information from insurance companies." So, I think just on that note, um, uh, Felicia did send an email to Matt Hardy, um, seeing an inquiring of they'd be willing to shop the health insurance a little bit earlier. Um so as we might be able to take a couple two three bids and then perhaps compare it to the bridge um health insurance um program that for all intents purposes looks like it's a go. Um I
022think that they're trying to validate that trust. Um so it would be interesting to compare some of the new stuff with the traditional providers and the jurisd programs um with the the bridge offering. >> You say the bridge is a built >> it. It appears to be. Yeah, it appears to be. Yep. I don't think they quite have I think they have the lives like the required lives that they need. Um I think that they're a little short on the school districts. Um they're I think about 20 districts short, but I think that they anticipate getting to that number. >> I think it might be interesting to shop it. >> Well, I think so. But I think that, you know, when when you talked about what it was, it seemed like there was a lot
023of places that were kind of scared. And I think that's why a lot of districts are just not jumping in right. I think it's up to them >> to make sure that they they make those things so we feel more comfortable join. And I think that >> not having enough there is probably a good thing to make them work on their whole program. >> Yeah. This is a little bit of I think fall and jargon, but that idea of runout claims. Um, so there was something that we've talked about in in the committee on, you know, if you leave if you're in and then you leave the trust early that the district could potentially be held responsible financially for any unpaid claim, you know, from the time that you signify that you're out until the
024official date um in which you're out. So, whatever it is, two weeks, four weeks, six weeks, or something like that. that there could be claims that then they're not going to cover that could be quite substantial. They made some clarifications and adjustments to that that said that's no longer a thing. Um, which could be equally suspicious like why was it even in there anyway? I get I understand that versus now they've addressed it and cleaned it up and said that's they're taking that language out which I think you know they've got I think still a lot of work to do but it >> the kind of things that are going to help people feel more comfortable doing >> Yeah. >> which we need. >> Yeah. So I think that we get the committee together. Um
025not before though we have something to compare. >> Yeah, we have verbal representations from bridge that the runup claims will not be a responsibility of the district, but we have yet to see anything in writing because that's what the law states. So it's a little tricky to get around that. >> So but we want something in writing. >> Thank you. All right. Uh, activities director. >> All right. Hi everyone. Activities director John Counter. Uh, I got quite a bit to cover because I've had a couple of big meetings last week, including the MHSA annual meeting hel. But before I get into that, I'll talk more about what we're doing here. So, last time I talked to you, we weren't in the basketball season yet. So, high school basketball is through what I call the first
026lap. We played every team in our district once with our boys currently hanging out second place in the district, one game behind Big Timber. Then our girls were seeing improvement. Numbers are up from the prior years. So, it's trending in the right direction, which is what we were after there. Wrestling, I emailed their coaches and I asked, "What is it? What's going on with our wrestlers on that front?" quote unquote. Every wrestler thus far this year has shown tremendous growth in both wrestling and character development. They continue to show up and work hard every day. Couple big dates coming up for that. They have their divisional meet in Lockwood coming up February 13th and 14th. And then state at the Metra. It's one of I think the coolest events in the state is the All
027State wrestling meet. Uh that's going to be February 20th and 21st. >> How many do we have? >> We have three. >> Three. >> Yep. And so, uh, one of the meetings I went to last week was [clears throat] just a southern co conference, athletic directors, uh, conference. And what they asked for all of us to do is to go back to our people. And if there's anyone that wants to volunteer for anything in that wrestling tournament, please get a hold of me and I'll get uh, I'll get that information where it needs to go because, as they put it, the people that have done it for 30 years are starting to phase their way out of it. So, they need to start seeing some new people into it and trying to get some more
028people working those meets. Uh, middle school basketball had a great weekend this weekend. They got four games and four wins. So, congrats to coach and the players and everybody involved on that. That was a fun fun weekend for that. Uh, the next two weeks were at home as well. So, that part's kind of nice. They don't have to take very many miles this year. They go I think Columbus and Shepard are your other two. So, pretty close-knit schedule, which is nice. Um, still get a lot of games and seen a lot of great work out of those boys. So, keep up the good work to everybody there. Mr. Veggger kind of stole my thunder here with speech and drama because I pretty much have the same bullet points here. >> Mr. Hernandez, >> sorry, Mrs.
029Hernandez stole my thunder on behalf of you. So, speech and drama will be in Jefferson for their divisional meet this weekend. Then towns in the following weekend. Uh, and then winter cheer has done a great job this season with their stunts and cheers throughout the winter uh for our basketball games thus far, including some eighth graders in there, which is great. To answer a previously stated question, we have three Hoop Shoot State contenders that advanced from the Big Timber one. We had four at the Big Timber one. Uh the three that I believe made it, Jack Baker, Kaitlin Bangard, and Riot Meyer were the three that were advancing to the state Hoop Shoot contest, which correct me is in Livingston, right? >> Yep. Livingston, February 14th. >> February 14th. Found that date. >> Yeah, there
030you go. Perfect. [laughter] Uh, and so that's kind of just wrapping up what's going on with our activities. A couple big projects I got going on right now. Uh, for those of you that have been to a game in the old gym, you'll notice that the old gym scoreboard is currently not working. Just to give you a quick timeline on that, around October, we had our first malfunction with it. Uh, we replaced it with a fuse. That fuse wound up breaking. So, and then we couldn't get it out of there. So, that's why that board has been out of commission. Uh, I got a band-aid situation with the portable scoreboard down there at the moment, but I'm currently working uh with some people in regards to either figure out a way to replace or repair.
031So, that's that's currently where we're at with that. The football lights, for anybody that was at homecoming, I'm I'm hoping that fire trucks are not our permanent solution. So, >> it was cool, though. >> It was It was something. Yeah. Yeah. Cool might not be the word I would use, but [laughter] >> I thought it was cool. Nice to see the community come together. >> Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I was stressed, but I mean, it was [laughter] >> all right. >> So, just to give you guys an update on that, uh, I have filled out some paperwork to talk with Northwestern Energy. They're going to be coming to, uh, to campus tomorrow to go over possible solutions on that as well. So, they'll be here at 9:00 tomorrow. I think Mr. beggar and I are
032going to go up there and just kind of tell them what the current situation is and see what some opportunities are to proceed forward at this point. So, uh, some things that happened at MHSA meetings. I'm not going to read these proposals word for word, but I'll kind of give you a genesis of what happened on it. Um, so there were seven proposals. Six got passed and I would say about five pertain to us because one of them was a class uh class C six-man football payout thing. doesn't apply to us. So, I'm not really go over that. So, things that do apply to us. One proposal that was passed is if you have a uh if you want to go to immediate and MH MHSA and appeal something used to be $250. If you
033want it, it got reimbursed. That has changed now to $300 and there is no reimbursement anymore at all. >> That was just for like a special meeting, right? If it was outside of their regular meeting. >> Correct. Okay. Yeah. If you have to get a special meeting where all the members have to come in together and do that, it was $250 with a chance of reimbursement if you won. That is no longer the case. It is $300 and it's non-refundable no matter what happens. >> But if there is a standing meeting and you're appealing at that meeting, there's no charge. >> Correct. >> Yep. Uh, another one was the transfer rule. We added another layer to it. So some examples that we were seeing is kids would be in a normal or like in an
034actual school setting and then they would transfer to home school because they were doing that but they were still within district. There was no penalty at that time. We voted to have that be a penalty now where you follow the same transfer rules as everybody else. So if you transfer from home school or excuse me sorry uh in-house school to a home school that's the same thing to Yeah, I think you guys are getting what I'm meaning here. I'm just trying to stumble on the words, I guess. So, you go to public school to home school. Now, there's a 90day transfer rule just like anybody else if you transfer from school to school. There used to not be the case. So, we voted that in as well. Uh the awards rule last year went from
035100 to 500. The part that we added on to it this time is like practice shirts and stuff do not count toward that $500. It used to. So, like the shooting shirts you would get would technically count as an award. >> Can we change that part? Yeah, sure. >> So, the awards, it's anything that, and I'm gonna get it here so that way I'm not misrepresenting myself here. >> So, the award rule, so you used to be able to, you could not accept any award outside of school that was over $100 or you would be ineligible based on amateurism or anything like that. We then changed that to 500 and that then got included. I'll read the bullet points here. training apparel for practice and workouts provided by the school. That was technically an award
036before this year. So any practice jerseys, any shooting shirts, anything like that counted against that kid's number for the entire year. So from calendar year to calendar year, they could get $500 in award. But now with the practice award or the practice gear is no longer incorporated into that $500. That's per per team sport per >> per person. >> Yep. >> So that is >> we get So I could I could give every basketball get $500 worth of >> but they couldn't get five They couldn't get a penny more in anything else. >> You give them $500 worth of socks >> of socks. >> Yeah. >> They couldn't get anything jackets and stuff. Is that is that accurate then? >> But not provided by the school. >> No me. >> Then that's different with that.
037That is an award. Yes. So yes, >> that seems like a lot. >> it is, but that's what we came up to. So it does not exceed $500 retail value annually July 1st to June 30th. So fiscal year. >> So yeah, I see some other people. Is there any other questions on that one or >> I'm just >> I'm not gonna Okay, fair enough. I was about to say if you're operating >> I have a question. So, we're talking about um the school purchasing new warm-ups for the cross country and track kids. >> That's part of their uniform. >> Does that count towards the award? Do uniforms count? >> Not anymore. With this being passed through, we're good. >> That's the home. I'm confused. >> Only if they >> If it's a take-home thing, it's
038an award. If it stays at school, it's not the Yes, that's the clarification on that. >> Any other questions on that one? because that's pretty much it on that one. And then the last one was just tidying up the ejection policy through MHSA. The prior one was three games or an event. We just changed it to two weeks straight up for the first offense now, which was our policy anyway. So, it didn't really change much on our end. The things that they were coming up with is like if it's during football season, your first punch's three games, that's three weeks. Instead, now it's just two weeks across the board. For volleyball, it could be like you're at a tournament and they're playing two games one day and one game the next day. There's your three
039games, you're out for two days. So they just clarified it up and made it to two weeks instead of three games or MHSA events on that front. And that was all the proposals that were passed on that front. So So yeah, that's all I got. >> Thanks. >> You bet. Uh financial [clears throat] reports. Trisha, anything to add on committee balances, cash reports, revenue, expenditures? >> Um, it's a pretty normal month. Happy to take any questions. We do have, um, in the claims, you'll see once we get to the consent agenda, um, December is when that first half of the tuition payments is due to districts where we have students that live in our district that attend a different school. Um, so we have to pay um that tuition bill in December and half in
040June. So you'll see those. >> Have we gotten our payments from >> Yes. >> from all other? >> Yes. Some schools have paid the full chunk. Um Laurel has paid the full chunk. Um who else? Elder Grove and Bridger and Billings. So, so if they pay the full chunk, do you when you say that is that like for the whole year? >> So, we don't get a payment from any >> but we're billing from last year, correct? Not this year. >> Okay. >> So, we did review that in um in budget committee. So, this is a document that we can make available. Um, this is all the outgoing tuition money that went to districts, but then also all the incoming revenue to see the difference in the two because I know we got more coming
041in now. >> Y, >> but I don't know, >> it's attached to the budget um packet, so you can look at it there. >> Yeah. So, there's there's a couple different ways to think about it, Ken. But yet um no matter which way you look at it, we do have more money coming into the district uh than going out. The um the one complication kind of on it is that the YBGR tuition is also a tuition fund item. So that I think muddies the water a little bit um because it's not necessarily reflecting just in district versus out of district kits that we have. So, um, we went through kind of a discussion on that in budget, um, to to look at it. And the way that I view the tuition payment to see if
042we have more coming in than going out is to eliminate the YPGR payment because that's something that we've always been paying, right? So, that's kind of a static number. And so, my map on it puts it at roughly a $50,000 net benefit roughly. >> And how many do we have at YBGR? >> Two. >> But we're paying tuition for students that we have last year. I think we had four. >> Did you put this in the budget? >> So, this document would actually be in the budget committee meeting in Great. Any other questions, financial reports? All right, moving on to the consent agenda. >> I'll make a motion to accept the consent agenda. >> Second. >> It's been moved by Don and seconded by Ken to approve the consent agenda. Any public comment or discussion?
043All those in favor say I. >> I. >> All opposed. Motion passed eight to zero. Let's see on the action items. New business. >> So we [laughter] have we have a neatism. >> Oh. [laughter] >> So background is included as a quick summary. I think I've read that um a lot of times. Um yeah, >> we need a full board. We need unanimous consent and trustee Gell uh must abstain needed to be posted in a paper of local circulation for 15 days. District clerk Ram on December 18th. Uh the recommendation is the board of trustees hire Tammy Grill as the 68 gifted and talented instructor and middle school student council adviser for the 2526 school year. Um and just as further discussion um obviously the middle school student council advisor position um is new um
044and uh was now bargained in so that's something that's going to have you know um some duration here and I think that's the right way to do it. Um we've Tammy's been doing u gifted and talented I think for the past is this your this is this is your third year of doing it. So, we've done it, but I think that hiring it is really the result of um a couple of things. I think that it is number one increase and improved communication between JTA um and the administration on these issues to solidify and um better communicate um out on positions that teachers are holding and then to make sure that they're adequately um compensated for those positions. So, it's been a position that's been here. We've been funding it. Um, and as long as
045I've been here, I think Allison did it, you know, before I got here. I did it for a couple years and now Mr. Kim last month and came here um, continuing on with it. Um, and then also, I think, um, you know, improved efficiency in the business office as well. We have Julie, she's a dedicated person. She can issue the contract for these positions um, and to to clean up those processes. So, not new positions. Um but I think doing it the right way, hiring them at the board, make sure everybody's accountable and everybody's being appropriately compensated um for their time. So recommendation remains the same. >> We have a motion. >> I'll make a motion to accept Tammy Gr. I'll second. It's been moved by Kelly and seconded by Craig to hire Tammy Bruell
046as the gifted and talented and middle school student council advisor. Uh any public comment >> for discussion? >> Um >> point of clarification, Kelly cannot vote because both of these positions are panel. >> Oh, okay. Um, can you make the motion then? >> I'll make the motion. [laughter] >> I know. I'm sorry. Just in my mind I'm like, wait a minute. These are both middle. >> That's right. Just being here. [laughter] >> Sorry. Didn't mean to rain on your >> You could have come later. >> Thank you though, Kelly. [laughter] >> Sorry, Tammy. School supports you. >> Yeah. >> All right. It's been uh we have a motion by Craig and second by Jenny. Uh any other uh board discussion? >> All those in favor say I. >> I. >> All those opposed? All those
047abstaining? >> I abstain. >> So motion passed six to zero. Right. Six. >> All right, moving on to policy. Few first readings. >> Personnel action report. Is that >> Oh, wait. You said >> Oh, no. Personel, sorry, I skipped personnel action report. >> Personel action report. So, spring uh coaching hires and spring activities um are included. Um happy to take any questions. My only question was with eight track coaches, are there going to be any kids left in school? >> Is there that that many trap kids? That sounds like it's really >> We're going to need more cruisers. >> Don't get me started. [laughter] >> Oh, that and a huge TV screen. >> Don't get me started. [laughter] >> How many do we have? Do you have track numbers yet at all? >> Don't have
048survey. Yeah, we usually wait. So what we did, so we actually budgeted for one more track coach. Um, so we didn't hire the whole battery. >> One more than what's here? >> Yeah. >> Oh, so nine. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> But can there 40 kids? >> There's 40 eighth graders alone. >> Oh, really? That's what I was wondering is how many numbers you >> We'll predict at least 30. >> You know, eighth graders will go out and then, you know, it's open to seventh graders as well. Um I don't think we extended to sixth grade. >> Yeah, because the numbers were just too many because all of six would probably go out too >> because barring, you know, um any sort of inclement weather, they get to miss every >> Thursday. Y >> incor.
049No, I think that I think it's good that we have that many kids >> middle school >> and and I think the high school numbers I think Mark is Mark is predicting pretty good high school numbers as well. Um I saw some communication too. He's actually going over to Froberg. Um he worked with Jennifer Hickok over there and he's doing an inerson signup day over in Proberg. So I think he can probably recruit just because of that effort. You know, I would say that he'll probably get a couple more um doing that. So communication was great. Um he's one of those people. So I think it's been brought up in the past too that that track requires more coaches because there's so many more events. >> Well, they're all over the place. So, they need
050a lot of supervision. >> They're all over the place. >> I heard you were volunteering. [laughter] >> I can sit in the stands. That's all I'm good at. >> Not even very good at that. I'll make a motion to approve. >> Why don't you second? >> Kelly, not Kelly. >> Um, it's been moved by Don and seconded by Kathy to approve the personnel action report. Any public comment? Further board discussion? All those in favor say I. >> I. >> All opposed. Motion passed 8 to zero. Now we can get to policy. [laughter] >> You. >> So we have um a couple of first readings under policy. Um I'll just go through this one. policy committee met on January 13th uh to continue the review of the required and recommended policy updates. Uh we're still largely
051working through a November update that came out from MTSBA. Um to my knowledge, I have not seen the December update, so we feel pretty good about that. We have we have one left um on the November update. Um, but we were about an hour and 15 minutes into the policy committee meeting and the last one was an AI policy and it just felt pretty heavy um to get into it. I think what we all decided was we'd rather be fresh and we're probably not even going to solve, you know, the the work that needs to be done on an AI policy. Who knows whenever, but um that stuff is coming um and we need to keep an eye on it um just to make sure we're positioned, you know, to to do what we need
052to do with it. So um everybody was there um in attendance um committee as well as um chair Amanda um will be able to update um but the first oh in addition to that we also reviewed all of the required policies that require an annual reading. Uh so we have you know a couple of those policy committee worked through those and we didn't determine that any of them because we had just reviewed them last year needed to be brought to the committee. um but those will be reflected um in simply as having been up. So first one is uh the recommendation to approve the first reading 50-15. >> I move to approve the first reading of 5015. >> I'll second. >> It's been moved by Ken and seconded by Don to approve policy 5015. Any
053public comments or discussion? All those in favor say I. >> I. >> All opposed. >> Motion passed 8 to zero. >> Next policy is 2158P. Recommendation is the board of trustees approve 2158. >> Make a motion to approve 2158. >> Second. It's been moved by Kelly and seconded by Ken to approve policy 5158P. Uh, public comment >> 2158. I'm getting tired. [laughter] I'm trying. My slice is kicking in. 2158. Uh, any public comments? >> For discussion. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> All opposed. Motion passed 8 to zero. >> Next policy is 5321 and 5321P1. Recommendation is to approve. >> I'll make that motion. >> Second. It's been moved by Don and seconded by Craig to approve policy 5321 and 5321 P1 public comments. Uh more discussion >> I will say on
054this one I I'm sure we can change it later but just in the effort of like I don't know how important it is on changing things. There's some very bad grammatical errors in eligibility 3 A and B. um unpelling that should probably be fixed before we >> I think we might change that. >> Yeah. Yeah. As long as we can change it later. And I know that >> sometimes is a little sketchy. >> I think it's a little tricky on changing anything. Um so I wanted to make sure those were pointed out before we >> So I'll do this before we do our second reading. I'll fix those and we can just make sure they're accurate. >> Which one? Um 5321P1 eligibility 3A and B and it's on the draft which is our correct >>
055is our new one. >> Yeah. Eligibility 3A returns to work for the district. >> Oh yeah, there's an S in there. >> And B, um failure in the second sentence. I told you to fix those. [laughter] >> I like that. >> That's That's important. >> All right. So, Felicia will update those. >> Thank you. >> Uh although any other board discussion? >> Uh all those in favor say I. >> I. >> All opposed. Motion passed eight to zero. >> 2335 recommendation. >> I'll make a motion to approve 4550. >> 2335. [laughter] >> Sorry, I was looking at the next one. >> Yeah, that's it. [laughter] I'll do the other one. >> It's been moved by Kelly and seconded by Jenny to approve policy 2335. Uh public comments for discussion. >> All those in favor say
056I. I. >> All opposed. >> Motion passed 8 to zero. You skipped all the way to second reading. >> Yeah. >> The right arrow works. >> Yeah. >> On to collective bargaining. >> Um so any of the committee members um that put in, you know, the hours and hours of work. Um feel free to chime in. We've kind of updated the board um on this process, but recommendation is the board of trustees approve the draft collective bargaining agreement with the Jelly Teachers Association um >> and the attached >> well doesn't the [clears throat] apply to this year the CBA starts July I guess I'd like to say that, you know, the negotiations I think went well, but I also think that that you guys as a board and the administration, we treated our teachers very
057very carefully and and that was one of our goals is to make sure that we can retain them and and encourage and, you know, recruit. But I feel real good about what we've offered the last the last few years. I think we've done a very good job. I don't know how long that will continue with the way Felicia is spending money, but [laughter] we're going to do the best we can because it's real good sometimes. >> It was real good to have the teachers and and the and the board sit there and discuss it and come up with ideas and bounce back and forth without any animosity or anything. was very beneficial >> and Matt Sky Mediator did a very good job as well. >> Max, >> yeah, I'm hearing I'm hearing from other districts
058that they're they're just starting their negotiations now, >> you know, which I think has been the traditional timeline, you know, >> I know. Um, so I think that Yeah, I think it was much nicer to start in September. >> It does feel good to be done with it. a little pressure because it does >> take. So that took how long? You know, >> four months >> really. Five months from start to finish. It's a long process. >> Are you waiting for a motion? >> Sure, I'll take a motion. >> Okay. I move that we approve the uh collective bargaining agreement with the JTA. >> Sorry. Second. >> I got it. Okay, >> it's been moved by Kathy and seconded by Dawn to approve the collective bargaining agreement with the Jelli Teachers Association. Any public comments?
059Further board discussion? I'd like to thank the committee members and Felicia and Julie and Clark for spending and our JTA teachers for spending all that time. Um, I was on that committee before. It is time consuming and mind boggling. Um, I appreciate how you guys stepped up and and and came up with the retirement package for guidelines for us and all the work you guys put in. Thank you. Any other board discussion? All those in favor uh say I. >> All opposed. Motion passed 8 to zero. >> Nice lead in to the retirement compensation package. negotiations committee recently negotiated a retirement compensation package to be offered to retiring certified teachers. Um remember that the board ultimately retains you know the final approval in those but it's attached um for for everyone to agree um you
060know prior to this it kind of just been an administrative uh administration would get together okay um what are we thinking one year health insurance uh two years health insurance three whatever um is it a cash compensation um what whatever it seemed like you know was was the going fad uh at the time. I think we've done a good job of kind of outlining something makes it much easier from the administration standpoints off of these. So, um there's really kind of three retirement packages that we need to consider and they're listed in that that document. So, you have a um which would be teachers eligible with at least 15 years of experience um but not 20. Uh [clears throat] the individual may opt to receive district paid health insurance premiums for two years. Um, we
061would have we would have and I don't have the number off the top of my head, but we would have a number of teachers probably with at least 15 years. Um, I don't know if those teachers are necessarily eligible to retire, which is a stipulation of this. >> Yeah. They have to be eligible TRS. >> Have to be eligible through TRS to retire. >> Eligible and retire. >> Yes. >> Not just eligible. >> That's true. Yeah. And >> they have to follow through and retire. >> That's right. Yeah. >> They can't say retire here and go to work for another year. >> Yeah. They could potentially go to work in other states. Yes. >> And they can sub. There are things they can do, but >> but the retirement runs through my office. >> So
062I would know if they're retired or not. >> Teachers having 20 years of experience but not 30. Okay. Maybe receive two years of health insurance premiums or one year of cash equivalent of the health insurance continuum paid to the teacher. And there's kind of some some outlining of when those payments are made. And then teachers with 30 or more years of experience can have three years of health insurance or one and a half years cash equivalence. So um recommendation uh is the board of trustees offer two retirement compensation packages. >> Do we also need to vote to approve theou? That was what we just did. >> Oh, I thought that was on the bargaining up above. >> It was included. >> So move >> to approve two. >> I'll second. >> It's been moved by
063Ken and seconded by Kelly to offer two retirement compensation packages. Any public comment? for discussion. >> Can you review the timeline that this because you offer it they have a certain amount of time and also um if two of them come in the one with the most years if those those timeline is what >> I think it's 10 business days >> when it's when it's offered. >> So when it's offered yeah so if approved tonight I'll send that out tonight. Um, and so I don't know if that starts tomorrow as day one or if tomorrow is day zero. >> So you do it right away then? >> Yeah, I was planning on setting it up tonight if it's approved. That way everybody knows and it's not we ran into this issue kind of in the
064past like first come first serve with some language that we had inherited on these that becomes tricky. And so I think we outlined um in there that it's based on seniority and that's dated hire. Um and Felicia has that document. Um and >> and the union has that document too. >> I think it cleans [clears throat] it up a lot more than in the past. It was like well let's >> we don't have as much. Let's just talk of this. And I didn't like that. I think >> well a lot of times retirements didn't come in till close to the end of the year >> and then you got to teachers, >> you know, they still money. >> Well, but I thought you said they have 10 days. >> People that want to take the
065compensation package >> would have to let us know if you didn't want the compensation package or you know you're not going to get one. You can still retire later. >> Well, yeah. lose that. >> The good thing is it is it allows us to start looking for replace if we need and I think that's that's the reason I like to do >> it kind of makes teachers make a decision. >> Yeah. >> Because some they may not but >> now they have the option. Here's here's what you can do. >> Yeah. And to that point I can talk about it maybe in the discussion. The the jobs for teachers job board is already quite active. looked at. >> Oh, people posting jobs >> everywhere. >> Because we track what's going on, right? >> Oh, well,
066so we I'll get maybe I'll we'll approach that when we talk about >> Yeah. >> Sorry. >> Any other discussion? Okay. All those in favor of offering two retirement compensation packages say I. >> I. >> All opposed. Motion passed 8 to zero. Old business. We have a collection of second readings. Recommendation. Um all of the readings uh passed unanimous consent at the December meeting. uh they're being considered as a single motion. Background information on individual items is included if you click into those. The recommendation is the board of trustees approve the second readings of policies 1401 2161 2161P 3110 3600 3600 NF1 3600 P1 and 4550. >> I'll make that motion. Second. >> It's been moved by Don and seconded by Ken to approve the second reading of this list of policies. Uh any public
067comments for discussion? All those in favor say I. I. [clears throat] >> All opposed. Motion passed 8 to zero. uh informational discussions. >> Um so yeah, I'm going to a couple of our items on the template I think um aren't there like they typically are. So um we did include all the policy committee meetings from December. Um one of the things that we usually put in there that's not in there is employment opportunities. Um so that's just currently up on the the website. Um still have our link to volunteer opportunities. We can take down I'll get Marina on that. Take down speech and debate um judges. uh currently looking for, you know, folks that might be interested in riding um afternoon bus routes. We have that posted as a bus aid. Um I think that
068we probably need to be doing everything we can uh to encourage community members and anybody that you know uh to consider being a route bus driver. So, I would encourage everybody to have those conversations um because um I don't know if I mean obviously all of our bus drivers aren't going to be around forever. Um but I hope that doesn't come sooner uh rather than later. Um and I know that we got a lot of families that are out there that rely on on those bus services. Um so it's something that um you know we're in conversation with transportation director um Sam on. um it's a concern of his, but there's just not a lot of people getting into that line of work uh anymore. So, that's still posted. Um so, we have a PAR
069um that's going south um here I think at the end of the month. >> Moving this week, >> yes, going south. [laughter] >> End of this week. Uh so, looking for paras substitute teachers. I saw another application come in. Um, our longstanding math teacher position is up there. I think we got um our high school track and middle school track hired up. So, we're looking good there. Um, to the point about um, you know, what area schools are doing. Um, so it it is just kind of like an interesting thing to to keep an eye on. Um, if you go to jobs for Montana teachers, we run a very the state runs a pretty effective um, job board. Um, and so, you know, most school administrators are kind of keeping an eye on this, seeing
070what's what's out there, who's posting what, but, a lot of schools are already posting for the for the uh, 26 27 school year. Um, and Jelly has included in that. Um, so we have posted for the anticipation um, that we'll have two kindergartens next year. Um that's not that's not a certainty by any means, but if we look at Kinder One, you know, we're beginning to have those conversations again. Obviously this year, uh we ran that, you know, as a single um you know, financial benefits to that. Um obviously within that elementary budget, but I think there's some real world complications also that we're starting to feel from, you know, running that thing at 17. Um we get, you know, a new kid moving in and um it's it's, you know, it's a lot in
071there. So just prep preparing for that. We also made the post in a way that um could potentially be attracting and try to build us a pool that if there is some some turnover, but we haven't heard of any uh we'll see what might happen with the retirement incentive. But if you get a pool of early applicants, you know, you you might have a little bit more in the stack than if you're posting in April, May, and June. Um so that's what that post is up. Um, no known openings um that we're aware of, just anticipation for potentially splitting and having two kindergartens next year. >> and we got an application >> is it from the Philippines? >> No. [laughter] >> An application for what we >> uh certified teaching position that we posted yesterday.
072>> Yeah, we just posted that >> for an elementary. >> Yeah, it came in about five minutes ago. >> Really? So, I was just curious in your conversations with other schools that are forcing these jobs, are they getting applicants? Like, are there applicants coming in or if you don't know, that's fine. >> I I can't speak. I haven't necessarily had that conversation. Um, we have one. Um, you know, and because if you think about it, you know, folks are student teaching, right? They're student teaching right now. Um, or maybe they're having those conversations and they're considering. So yeah, we might and in this sense we might have some phone calls that we can make, >> right? Um when we when we're posting in May um in June, you're refreshing the email pretty regularly hoping, you
073know, for for something to come in. So I think it's a strategy shift, you know, um to, you know, maybe develop a pool >> and if if we have two people take the retirement incentive, two positions. >> Yeah. As well. >> Yeah. Yeah, that's exactly right. Um, so that was the one of the things that we we typically discuss. Um, any for discussion? >> I don't see anything. We don't have any correspondence. >> All right. Well, at this time we will move into executive session. Um, do we need to take a little break? >> Sure. >> We'll take like a five minute break. Um, thank you to the public. Okay. [laughter] >> You're welcome. >> Uh, if you wish to stay, we will go back into open session after our executive session. I have >>
074I will. Yep. >> Sorry.