SUNBURST SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 2
BOARD MINUTES December 15, 2011
CALL TO ORDER: The regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Trustees was called to order at 7:04 pm by the Chairman, Mike Wallewein. The School District No. 2 Trustees present to constitute a quorum were:
Mike Wallewein, Chairman Jason Hanson, Trustee
James Nagy, Vice-Chairman Lisa Kearns, Trustee
Sarah Turner, Trustee
Guests and staff in attendance were:
Tim Tharp, Superintendent District Staff
Jeanne Fairhurst, Business Manager Colony Members
Dan Nau, Elem Principal
Pledge to our flag.
BUSINESS MANAGER REPORT: Minutes from the October 17th Regular Meeting and the November 15th Regular Meeting were discussed. Sarah Turner made a motion to approve the minutes from October 17th as written. Jim Nagy seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion was carried. Sarah Turner made a motion to approve the minutes from November 15th as written. Jim Nagy seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion was carried
Bills and Warrants from November were discussed. Lisa Kearns made a motion to approve the warrants 18941-19012. The Board discussed the MUST Settlement Offer (Item C on Agenda) before approving the claims. This settlement was assessed by MUST for claims that exceeded the premiums received. Though many schools disagreed with the assess-ment, it was something that was not going to go away. Lance Melton from MTSBA spent many hours working out an agreement between the schools owing the assessed dollars to MUST and MUST (Montana School Unified Trust). Melton was authorized to extend an offer to everyone that says that if everyone pays the nearly half-million in assessments due to MUST, the MSSF board will repay half of that money back out of their own reserves. This means that approval of $6,149.88 to MUST will give us a return of $3,074.94 from MSSF. Jim Nagy seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion was carried. Extracurricular reports were viewed and discussed. Financial Reports were viewed and discussed.
PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR ITEMS NOT ON AGENDA: None at this time.
Elementary Principal Report:
Elem Principal Report given by Dan Nau noted that the Sunburst Elementary/Middle School enrollment is 137, Hillside Colony is 25 and Rimrock Colony is 19. Nau discussed the RTI reading program, the start of the basketball season, and the holiday activities that the Elementary schools had participated in during the past month, per the attached report copy.
Superintendent Report:
a. Athletics/Activities Update: Supt Tharp reported that the season for the basketball teams has begun. There are 13 girls and 14 boys on the teams. Also included are 6 cheerleaders and two managers.
b. Education & Local Government Interim Committee: Supt Tharp discussed the committee that he was called to testify before in November
c. MTSBA Caucuses: Supt Tharp noted that he was one of two Class C Supts to be selected by the MTSBA to be part of a group to study the school funding dilemma in Montana. This group will meet quarterly.
d. MQEC Update: Discussion was held regarding the suit filed by MQEC against the State of Montana for failing to provide the inflationary adjustments for this biennium as required by law. The next meeting of this group was held on the 19th. A response from the State is expected by January 1st.
e. Facilities Update: FICO has been running wire through conduits, ceiling, etc. in preparation for their end of the project. Heartland Mechanical is scheduled to begin their share of the project within the next couple of weeks. The bid to replace the doors to the high school front door and the doors to the high school gymnasium came in from TC Glass in the amount of $12,000. Supt Tharp put off the replacement of the gym doors until a later date and had TC Glass do the front doors which are in the worst shape.
f. New Website: Supt Tharp invited the Board and all others to check out the school’s new website at www.sunburstschools.net.
g. Superintendent out-of-district calendar: Supt Tharp discussed his calendar plans for the month of December.
BOARD MINUTES
December 20, 2011
PAGE 2
AGENDA ITEMS:
a. Consideration of part-time math & science teacher: A lengthy discussion was held regarding the classes offered, how the schedule is set up, to encourage students to take more of the core classes, and the workload for the teachers presently on contract.
b. Approve $100 Christmas Bonus: Since the approval of the Bonus Checks at the November meeting was not added to the Agenda in time to be published, the Bonuses must be formally approved again. Sarah Turner made a motion to officially approve a $100.00 Christmas Bonus to all contracted employees. Lisa Kearns seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion was carried.
c. MUST Settlement offer: This item was discussed during the Business Manager/Clerk report, along with the December claims. Sarah Turner made a motion to approve the MUST Settlement offer in the amount of $6,149.88. Jim Nagy seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion was carried.
d. Approve Substitute Employees – Jessica Nagy and Amanda Bock: Board of Trustees approval to hire Jessica Nagy and Amanda Bock for the position of substitute employees was recommended. Sarah Turner made a motion to hire Jessica Nagy and Amanda Bock for District substitute employees. Jason Hanson seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion was carried.
e. Purchase of new route bus: As the District is due to replace another yellow bus in our rotation, Supt Tharp recommended that we trade in the 2002 Thomas bus, VIN 4UZAAXBV82CK07140 on a 2012 Bluebird with the Cummins engine. The purchase price for the new yellow bus shall be $91,800 less the trade of $4,800 for a final cost of $87,000. Jim Nagy made a motion to purchase the 2012 Bluebird yellow bus and trade the 2002 Thomas, which is our oldest yellow bus. Lisa Kearns seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion was carried.
f. MHSA Proposals: The MHSA proposals in preparation for the annual meeting in Billings came out. The five proposals that will be on the MSHA meeting agenda were discussed.
g. Superintendent Evaluation and Consideration of Renewal or Nonrenewal: Supt Tharp had included copies of the superintendent evaluation form that has been used by the Board of Trustees in the past. It was noted that formal action was required if the Board plans to non-renew Tharp’s contract. No action before that time automatically renews the contract for one year. The Board has the option to renew for up to three years. Chairman Wallewein instructed the Trustees to fill out the evaluations and get them to him before the January meeting so that he may compile the evaluations into one to be discussed in closed session during the January meeting.
The next regularly scheduled Board Meeting shall be on Tuesday, January 17, 2012, at 7:00 pm in the NTC High School Library. Lisa Kearns made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Sarah Turner seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the meeting was adjourned at 08:55 pm.
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MIKE WALLEWEIN, CHAIRMAN JEANNE FAIRHURST, CLERK
DATE: ______DATE: ______