A resolution was passed at the March school board meeting to ask for a $175,000 override levy Monday, March 17.
This is the same amount as last year, which was a reduction from previous years. The breakdown as to where these funds would go are as follows: Technology, $30,000; Utilities, $55,000; Substitute Pay, $16,000; Maintenance Repairs/Supplies, $36,000; Janitorial Supplies, $12,000; Speech and Language Parapro, $26,000. These amounts will also be printed on the ballots.
That was the only action item on the agenda.
In the reports Matt Elven reported that Ryan Hasselstrom and Jeff Martin took 16 students to compete at the State BPA event on March 3-5. 4 students qualified for nationals in Orlando, FL.
Liz McLeod took 19 students to the State HOSA event in Pocatello. They had 7 top ten state placers and 5 students who have qualified for nationals in Nashville, TN. See story on page 6.
106 students attended the school ski day at Cottonwood Butte on March 7.
Junior High track has 38 students signed up. Glenn Poxleitner and Vicki Riener are the coaches.
Elven and 3 students attended a Blue Collar Tour event sponsored by the Wester Welding Academy and hosted by Grangeville High School. They took part in several demonstrations and activities at GHS and then visited Advanced Welding where they went on the factory floor to take part in demonstrations. They participated in the fabrication of steel girders.
Missoula Children’s Theatre was hosted by the high school with performances on the high school stage on Friday, March 14.
Elven, Eric Coffelt and Lisa Labrum took part in the Idaho Lottery’s Scratch for Schools. They earned $647 tying them for first with Kendrick Jr. High.
They had 30 successful donors at the Vitalant Blood Drive on March 12.
Winter sports banquets were held.
Parent teacher conferences were to be held Monday and Tuesday, March 17-18.
Upcoming events are a PE class on trapshooting at Cottonwood Gun Club on April 4.
Prairie will host the final Knowledge Bowl of the season on April 7. Prairie is currently in second place.
The SAT will be given on April 9 at the Spirit Center.
ISAT testing will be April 21.
Jon Rehder reported he hopes to have his summative evaluations of Elementary staff done by May 10.
Hunter Safety will be held for fifth graders following Spring Break. Morgan Deards of Idaho Fish & Game will be teaching the course.
5^th and 6^th graders will be competing in a Battle of the Books on Wednesday, March 19.
Parent/Teacher conferences are March 18-19.
There is no school this Friday, March 21 with no school all of the following week for Spring Break.
The 4^th graders will be going on a field trip to Dworshak Fish Hatchery on April 2 as part of Idaho History curriculum.
Summer Educational Camp will be offered June 24-26, June 30-July 2 and July 8-10 to help students get caught up. As of now there are 55 referrals from K-5 teachers. Parents will be consulted to see who wants their children to participate.
In his facilities report Rehder said he reached out to both contractors. After editing their bid for the large windows, A Touch of Glass was still the low bidder. Rehder will meet with Derek VanderPas on March 27 during Spring Break so he can measure all the windows while there are no students there. Work will start on Monday, June 9 and it is expected work will take 4-5 weeks.
There was a toilet issue in the gym during the 6A and 3A state play-in games on March 1. The urinal began leaking. Travis Mader got the water turned off but they had water in the restroom and concessions area.
In his superintendent report Rehder said he has seen a need for another special education teacher. Numbers have been increasing. They hired a second teacher at the Elementary last year. They will advertise for an additional teacher at the high school.
In positions for next year they need to fill a paraprofessional job at the high school and potentially one at the Elementary as well.
He informed the board of the 2025 Idaho School Board Association Leadership Institute set for May in Moscow.
Rehder, Denise Uhlenkott and Shelley Schlader represented Prairie Elementary at the Scratch for Schools and after winning a heads/tails standoff with the other 6 schools in the top 7, earned an additional $200 for a total of $672.
Sydney Shears will be hired again as the summer help and will work with Rick Forsmann and Dave Shears.
A retirement party for Denise Uhlenkott is planned for Thursday, June 5^th at Keuterville Pub & Grub. There may be a few others leaving the District as well.
Rehder reported that Phil Gore from the ISBA sent out an email pitching the board on using $6,600 allocated by the state for board development and training. Gore shared flyers about popular board workshops.
The board adjourned to an executive session on personnel at 7:29 p.m. and to another regarding a student at 8:19 p.m.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:35 p.m. The next regular meeting is set for Monday, April 21 at 7 p.m.