Superintendent's Update:
Board Meeting Summary 12/15/22
Next Regular Session Board Meeting: 1/19/23 in School Library.
Financial:
All bills were approved for payment. Additionally, the board approved specific payments to the following:
- Mound City School District for Speech Services.
- Falls City Mercantile for food supplies in our school breakfast and lunch program.
- Farmtown Printing for CTA T-shirts.
- Seitz Fundraising for FFA fundraiser items.
Our current fund balance is $1,157,198,
Facilities:
- We are gathering bids for a new/upgrade to our current bell system.
- The retractable flag is being rotated over Christmas Break.
- We've had a plumber on site multiple times to fix leaks in the boiler system.
New Business:
- The district CSIP was approved and will be uploaded before 12/31/22.
- Schoolinsight (Teacherease) was approved as our new student information system (SIS).
- In compliance with board policy a budget forecast for 2023-2024 was shared with the board. The forecast included a potential salary schedule, matches for CSIP budgetary requirements, increases in funds to the band program, and a projected contribution to district reserves. It is too early to determine how the budget for next year will be structured but it doesn't hurt to start the budgeting process early.
Old Business:
- Members of the Covid Safety Plan committee were contacted for feedback regarding our current safety practices. This process is required in order to stay in compliance with ESSER requirements. No changes were suggested.
Executive Session:
- As you all know, Mrs. Twilla Clark is retiring and her retirement was accepted by the Board. Good luck to her in her retirement.
Board Meeting Summary 11/17/22
Next Board Meeting: 12/15/22 at 6:30 p.m.
All bills were approved for payment.
Our draft CSIP was reviewed with the board during the work session. A copy can be found on the district website.
Finances:
YTD Expenses: $626,446
YTD Revenues: $442,629
22-23 Reserve: $1,283,047
21-22 Reserve: $1,232,007
Salary Grant Bonus Check: This payment for teachers and non-administration certified staff, was approved for payment with the December paycheck.
Policy Changes: P3170 Purchases and Solicitation of Staff
- This policy was changed to allow staff to aid in the solicitation of families for approved fund-raisers and school related activities. Please be sure that any fliers sent home that involve sales or fundraisers have been approved by Mr. Barnes or Dr. Burright. Administration will be tracking which items have been approved.
Approved Payments:
- Lou's Sporting Goods $2137.30
- Maryville Glass and Lock $4115.00
- Northwest Technical School $3000
- Hillyards Chemical $1550
- Falls City Mercantile $4156.20
- Renaissance Learning $2040
- Midwest Data $1661.60
- First Student $1335.04
Personnel: Nancy Harrington was approved as a sub.
Board Meeting Summary 10/20/22
The Fairfax R-III School Board met last night and provided action on the following items:
The Regular Board Meeting began at 6:35 pm.
All regular bills were approved for payment.
Upcoming meetings:
- 11/17/22 5:30 CSIP work session and regular meeting immediately after.
- 12/15/22 5:30 Budget work session and regular meeting immediately after.
- All meetings not specified as "Executive" are open to public attendance.
Financial Report:
- YTD Sept 2021 Expenses: $384,001
- YTD Sept 2022 Expenses: $405,527 (+21,526)
- YTD Sept 2021 Revenues: $224,389
- YTD Sept 2022 Revenues: $326,151 (+101,762)
- 21-22 Sept Fund Balance: 1,289,945
- 22-23 Sept Fund Balance: 1,387,487 (+97,542)
- Did you know..? Our bills are approved every month. All bills under $1000 are included in the check registries shared with the board and approved during the approval of the consent agenda. Expenditures for non-emergency items are approved when bids are presented and then payment is approved when satisfactory services are rendered. The $1000.00 threshold exists for transparency to the board from administration and from the board to the community. It also allows the board time to contest a large bill that the district feels is attached to sub-par work or that is incorrect.
Superintendent's Report:
- Facilities: Playground chip and seal asphalt, roof repairs, and gutters are finished. There is still a leak in the girl’s locker room. Next step is to excavate the area around the girls locker room to determine where the water is coming from.
- Food Service: Water heater is working perfectly.
- Transportation: Our bus 6 should be back on site soon. Its age makes it difficult to find parts but MC Auto has come through by finding and replacing a leaking pressure hose. Next will be Bus 17 which also has a small leak.
- Teacher Spotlight: Marisa Hedlund presented how the district currently implements ICAPs (formerly four year plans) with our 8th grade students.
CSIP Work:
The Board worked to add their input to the creation of a set of district values. Their input will be combined with other stakeholders, families, students and staff to create a final list. The items chosen by the board were:
- Safety-including a focus on mental health.
- Accountability
- Faith
- Teamwork-including leadership, serving, and stewardship
- Innovation and Longevity
If all goes as planned, we will have a draft CSIP to present to the board in November. Community input on our draft CSIP will be solicited prior to the first time the board reviews this document.
A final CSIP is due to DESE on 12/15/22.
New Business:
- The 2023 Prom Venue was approved. Thanks to Trent Kingery for presenting to our board.
- Expenditures in excess of $1000 were approved for the following items:
- FFA Convention Travel $1500.
- Winsupply for our kitchen water heater booster $2900.
- First Student for votec transportation $1580.
- Approved Paving for chip and seal service on the playground $19,250.
- Midwest Recreational for swing set materials $7446.
- Payment to Craig McAdams LDS for mowing $2475.
- Crystal Woodring was appointed as the board reviewer for Title IX.
- The board decided to modify Policy 3170 to limit the financial solicitation of Fairfax R-III families to school and community fundraisers. The revised policy is set for approval at the November regular meeting. All fundraisers and solicitations must currently be approved by the principal or superintendent.
Executive Session:
A student issue was discussed.
The regular board meeting ended at 8:08.
Board Meeting Summary 9/15/22
All bills were approved for payment.
Financial:
Fund Balance Sept 22: $1,488,838
Facility
- Still no applicant for Maintenance.
- Gutters around the main gym and music room are getting work this month. Work will begin 9/23.
- Playground safety and deferred work was discussed.
- Teacher Ice Machine-Grant
Food Service
- Expenses: 21-22 $5895.90 / 22-23 $3682.34
Transportation
- Break pads were replaced on our Ford van during some general maintenance.
- Another set of keys and an additional key fob were made for the Chevy van.
Title:
- Doing BOY testing for reading.
Teacher Spotlight:
- Mrs Price presented how she introduces a new artist to her classes.
New Business:
- New board policies and regulations have been approved: Policies 0320, 0412, 1210, 1725, 2550, 2670, 2876, 4130, 4150, 4630, 5205, 6118, 6119, 6190, 6191, 6215, 6251, 6273, and Regulations 2240, 2785, 2876, 4515, 5620, 6190, 6191, 6215, 6251. Policies are posted on our website by MCE and should be there for reference in the next few days.
- Policy 4130-Certificated Staff Contracts. I have attached a document that might help break down the routes to teacher certification for us. Unfortunately, I do not have anything definitive on where the changes to 4130 would apply. By letter of the law, the testing exemption would only apply to candidates going through an alternative certification program. I consulted our DESE area supervisor for clarification and should receive a call back when DESE has a hard answer.
- Our drug testing policy in our Athletic Handbook was approved. Changes make refusing to test carry the same consequence as a positive test. Prior to the rewrite a refusal to test carried a 365 day ban on the first incident while a positive test carried a 30 day ban. Now refusals and positive tests are cumulative and move an individual through levels of violations and increasing consequences.
- Payments to Falls City Mercantile, Josh Ohlensehlen, and ACES Sped. COOP were approved.
Old Business:
- Covid Plan: New CDC recommendations were reviewed and no changes to our District Covid Plan were made. It is important that students stay home when they are sick.
The Fairfax R-3 School Board met on 8/18/22 at 6:30 in the school library for regular and executive sessions. Please see the highlights below.
Next board meeting: 9/15/22
First Day of School: 8/24/22
All bills were approved for payment.
Financial:
- Fund Balance = $1,481,477
Facilities:
- We are thankful to volunteers who have been helping with our exterior property.
- All floors are finished.
- Gutters on the gym are scheduled for work in September.
- We are in the process of another storm claim for roofing on the band, library, and vocational building.
Transportation:
- Bus riders will be called 8/22/22 to inform them of pickup and dropoff times.
Federal Programs:
- Our Title program is sponsoring hotdogs, chips, and drinks for our back to school night.
SPED
- All teachers should check in with the SPED teacher for their grade level to ensure they have reviewed IEP goals and accommodations.
New Business:
- Tax Rate: Our tax levy was set at $4.7848. At full collection rate, with increased assessed valuation, local tax revenue may be as much as $1,245,766.00. We budget a 95% collection rate as revenue in the budget which is $1,183,478.
- Budget amendments were adopted to reflect the increase in local tax dollars.
- The modified salary schedule was approved. This schedule reflects the impact of the Baseline Salary Grant.
- Bus routes were adopted.
- Payments to Froeschel Floors, for work in the elementary, were approved.
- The bid from Porters Guttering was approved for work on the gutters around the gym.
- A bid from Imagine Learning for Odesseyware was approved.
Executive Session:
- A student issue was discussed
- The sub list was approved.
The Fairfax R-3 School Board met on 7/21/22 at 6:30 in the school library for regular session. Please see the highlights below.
Open hearing for tax rate: 8/18/22 at 6:30 pm in Fairfax School Library. Regular board meeting to follow.
All bills were approved for payment.
Visitors:
- Brad Dush, Methodist Minister, introduced himself to the board.
Financial:
- June year-to-date expenditures: $2,659,420
- June year-to-date revenues: $2,676,717
- Fund Balance: $1,449,567
Facilities:
- Exterior lights: six exterior lights have been replaced by LED packs
- Light poles: have been removed, clearing the drop off lane from obstruction
- Floors: Elementary refinishing in non-asbestos classrooms is complete and HS is on schedule. New floors are set to be installed starting the last week of July with a completion date of August 5th. Gym floor will be refinished the last week of July.
- Bushes: by vocational building have been cut back.
- Weeds: on playground and parking areas have been sprayed multiple times with Round-up and now Esplenade.
- Downspouts: Many downspouts have been repaired but we still have guttering to repair on the main gym and by the entrance to the band room.
- Water in the gym: I have been in contact with Rob Liles regarding the next steps for our locker room leak. The ground has been regraded multiple times, the downspouts and guttering are working correctly, and there is still water coming in. Mr. Liles recommends excavation to examine the foundation.
- Manhole cover: This was broken by snow removal and has been repaired in the last month.
New Business:
- Baseline Salary Grant: An optional staff meeting to discuss this topic will take place on 7/26/22. This optional meeting is a follow-up to the discussion of this topic in June and July regular board meetings. The board's decision regarding participation in this grant will be shared on 7/26/22.
Meeting Details:
Topic: Teacher Baseline Salary Grant Start time: 9:00 a.m. Optional for all staff. Time Frame: One hour or less Location: Library
- Payments were approved for the following:
Gerken Environmental: Asbestos Removal
ERATE Program, LLC: for ERATE facilitation
Varsity Spirit: Cheer Uniforms
HTK Architects: Final payment for services in the 21-22 school year
- SPED Compliance Plan: the DESE model compliance plan for SPED was approved without modification.
- Asphalt Bid: Approved Paving was approved for asphalt work on our playground.
- Falls City Mercantile was approved as our food supplier for the 22-23 school year.
Old Business:
No modifications were made to our Covid Safety Plan.
The Fairfax R-III School District Board of Education met on 6/14/22 at 6:30 p.m. in the school library.
All bills were approved for payment.
The next regular meeting of the Board of Education will be 7/21/22 at 6:30 p.m.
Community participation: All members of the community are welcome to attend and address the board during the meeting. This is done during the time allocated to receiving visitors, petitions, communications and citizen's comments. Anyone wishing to address the board should contact Mrs. Karen Burke prior to the meeting. (660)686-2421
Financial:
- May Year to Date Expenses: $2,314,243
- May Year to Date Revenues: $2,240,605
- Fund Balance: $1,555,928
Personnel:
- Mrs. Madison Hagey was approved as EA Wolves Head Volleyball Coach.
- Mrs. Ashley Grossman was approved as EA Wolves Assistant Football Cheer Sponsor.
- Mr. Kameron Schieffer was approved to coach the Fairfax Summer Weights Program.
Facilities:
- Asbestos removal is scheduled for the 5th to the 11th of July. The elementary will be sealed off and there will be no access to that area of the building during the removal.
- Our area next to the new gym has been regraded for drainage.
- We are slowly checking off maintenance tasks and refinishing floors.
Food Service:
- We are still collecting food supply bids in hopes of reviewing these during the July meeting.
New Business:
- 22-23 Budget: The 22-23 Proposed Budget was reviewed and approved.
- Salary Grant: Discussion took place regarding the Baseline Teacher Salary Grant. A recommendation regarding this grant is scheduled for the July regular session.
- Fund 4 Transfer: The board approved a fund 4 transfer of $84,495.05.
- PD Plan: the PD Plan for 22-23 was approved as presented.
- Custodial Supply Bid: The board approved Hillyards Chemical as our primary custodial materials supplier.
- NWEA Renewal: The board approved the renewal of the district's NWEA licensing.
- COOP Board Members: Mr. Jon Graves and Mr. Miles Smith were selected as EA Wolves COOP Board representatives.
Previous summaries available upon request.
