Marshall Elementary Students Gave Presentation On Clubs/Families The Eureka USD 389 Board of Education held a routine monthly meeting on Monday, May 12, to cover a wide range of topics from student presentations and end-of-year activities to staff changes and upcoming summer programming.
Students from Marshall Elementary’s (ME) Student Lighthouse Club stole the spotlight with a presentation highlighting the remaining 16 clubs/ families and their activities. Presenters Francis Baxter, Brylee Perry, Stella Shivers, Preston Milner and Kasen Del Pozzo shared insights from their involvement in groups such as the Yearbook Club, Paparazzi Club, Garden Club, Future Authors Club, Puzzle Club, and many others. They also recognized the support of community sponsors and opened the floor for board questions. The clubs and families are an extension of the “LeaderInMe” program, which ME has been designated as a Lighthouse School.
Superintendent Scott Hoyt and the administrative team presented the district’s Needs Assessment. The report detailed the district’s strengths and challenges. The report noted the high percentage of free/reduced students and increased poverty rate; difficulty in retaining and attracting highly qualified teachers and replacing teachers as they retire; high levels or increasing numbers of single family parents; high levels or increase of absenteeism among the student population and increasing level of social emotional challenges. The assessment also noted three budgetary items that could assist with those concerns: increased salary to recruit and retain high-quality certified and classified staff; maintain low teacher/pupil ratio for greater individual instruction and allocating budget to focus on prevention, identification and intervention concerning trauma and mental health issues.
The board held three executive sessions, totaling 13 minutes for student matters, with ME Principal Stacy Coulter and Superintendent Hoyt. No action was taken.
The board also held a 5-minute executive session for negotiations with Board Clerk Tammi Burtin and Superintendent Hoyt. After returning to open session, the board approved the negotiations that would give a $1,000 raise to the base pay and add an additional step on each column allotting for a $900 increase. The board also approved giving a percentage increase to both hourly and contracted employees.
Resignations from Autumn Cress, Eureka Junior/Senior High School (EJSHS) Art teacher and Sharon Mead, food service, were approved.
The following employments were approved as presented: Tiffany Chenoweth, Art Teacher; Cadence Ptacek, Marshall Elementary Paraprofessional and Junior High (JH) Assistant Volleyball Coach; Dusti Fansler, Forensics Sponsor; Matt Mettling, JH Assistant Boys Basketball Coach; and Jackson Oldham, Head High School Boys Basketball Coach. The board also approved the following summer school teachers and paraprofessionals: Title Teachers: Cammie Hoover, Misty Lazar, Lindsay Stapleford, Katie Ring and Shelby Miller. Title Paras: Rhonda Ward, Laura Wallace, Diana Sutton, Ammie Morgan and Betty Crisswell. Special Educaion Teacher: Chelsey Brodie. Special Education Paraprofessionals: Phoebe Bush Amie Mead and Latisha Smalley Administrative reports were given by Marshall Elementary (ME) Principal Stacy Coulter, Eureka Junior/Senior High School (EJSHS Principal Angie Lowe and Superintendent Scott Hoyt.
A retirement celebration was planned for Mead on Tuesday, May 20.
The agenda and consent agenda were approved as presented.
Eureka USD 389 Board of Education will hold their next monthly meeting on Monday, June 9 at 6 p.m.
