Minutes of the Regular Board Meeting –March 11, 2021
The meeting was called to order by Board President Cale Rieger in the administration office on the above date at 7:00 p.m. with everyone present.
Superintendent Penka requested one change to the agenda: add 6) new Business d) Personnel 2) New Hires. Troy Hilt made a motion to approve the agenda with the one addition; the
motion was seconded by Danielle McAtee and carried.
The Board reviewed and discussed the items on the consent calendar. A motion was then made by Chris Hingst, seconded by J.W. Milliken, to approve the consent calendar, including the following items:
a) The minutes of the regular Board meeting on February 11, 2021.
b) A list of bills being paid on direct deposit slips numbering 0219001 – 0219075 and on checks numbering 11748-11761 on BANKWEST, and checks numbering 14964-15015 on FNB Bank for a total of $325,612.16.
c) The Cash Summary Report (including two transfers: $10,643.53 from Supplemental General Fund to the Career & Tech Education Fund, and $5,337.17 from the General Fund to the At-Risk Fund)¸ the Grade School Activity Fund Report, and the High School Activity Fund Report – all as of February 28, 2021. There were no gift offers.
No Audiences.
Mr. Morrow will have the necessary scholarship information ready for the scholarship committee sometime later this month. We will contact the scholarship committee members with a meeting day and time.
The hiring committee reported that they have two potential candidates to discuss later in the meeting.
Old business - COVID-19 update: Mr. Morrow requested that at the Jr./Sr. high building that they no longer take temperatures in the mornings. It was the consensus of the board to
approve the request.
At this time under New Business, Superintendent Penka discussed some of the staffing needs. We are still in the process of looking to hire for the Journalism and grade school
Special Education positions.
The Board was reminded that by law (K.S.A. 72-5411, as amended), a school board must notify a teacher in writing on or before the third Friday in May (May 15 th this year) if said teacher’s
contract will not be renewed; and a teacher must notify the school board in writing on or before 14 days after the third Friday in May (May 29th this year) if (s)he is resigning from their teaching contract. Contract offers and proposed reassignments (if any) for the 2021-2022 school year can be acted-on at the regular meeting on April 8, 2021, or at the May 13, 2021, meeting if necessary.
Next under Old Business, Superintendent Penka reported that currently, after Kindergarten pre-enrollment, we have 21 students enrolled.
Under New Business, Superintendent Penka discussed a few items from the legislature and school finance. USD 297 will be receiving ESSER Funds in the near future to be used for COVID relief projects.
In new business under personnel items, Superintendent Penka reported that we have received a resignation letter from Nick Fawcett, resigning from his duties at the end of the current school
year. Mr. Fawcett has been with the district for three years. We have also received a resignation from Rogie Dorpinghaus, resigning from her duties, also effective at the end of the current school year. Ms. Dorpinghaus has been with the district for five years. J. W. Milliken made a motion to accept these two resignations; the motion was seconded by Shawna Blanka and carried.
Also under personnel items, the hiring committee recommended Grant Wiegers for the head football coach, PE teacher, athletic director position and Katisha Wiegers for the junior high
math position. Troy Hilt made a motion to approve these two hires; motion seconded by Chris Hingst and carried.
At this point in the meeting, Superintendent Penka requested a 40 minute executive session to discuss non-elected personnel issues. J. W. Milliken made the following motion: Mr. President,
I move that the board recess into executive session to discuss the performance of individual staff members in order to protect their privacy pursuant to the non-elected personnel exception under KOMA and that the open meeting shall resume at 8:18 P.M. in the board room. Regular session resumed at 8:18 P.M. with no decisions being made.
Under miscellaneous Superintendent Penka reported that Administration, Cale Rieger, and Troy Hilt will be meeting with Cheylin’s Administration to discuss the joining of our sports teams.
School-Improvement Process: KESA is paused for the 2020-2021 school year. It will start up again next fall and we will be on year-4 of the 5-year accreditation process.
Review of Board Policy: Superintendent Penka reported on the Short- and Long-Term Facility Improvement Plan. Miller Construction submitted specs on the Science lab update. This
project will be sent out for bids.
The next scheduled Board meeting will be held on April 8, 2021, at 7:00 a.m. At 9:05 p.m., Shawna Blanka moved that the meeting adjourn; the motion was seconded by Troy Hilt and carried.
