Clearbrook-Gonvick selected for Life Skills Training Grant
Tue, 11/26/2019 - 2:34pm
admin
By:
Bonnie Kirchman
The Clearbrook-Gonvick School Board met for their regular monthly meeting on Monday, November 18, 2019. The agenda included the hiring of several new staff members as well as one staff resignation. Equipment needs, including a new school vehicle and a refurbisher for the gym floors, were also addressed during the meeting.
Business and math teacher James Bettin presented the “Spotlight on Education” highlighting recent academic and extracurricular events. These activities included students’ participation in a program honoring area veterans and a special College Knowledge month. A group of art students are creating portraits for young children in Malaysia as part of The Memory Project. Special events for music students included competing at Contest and presenting a Mystery Dinner Theatre. High school students are helping teach a new social-emotional curriculum to K-5 students.
Principal Carl Dugstad reported that parent-teacher conferences were well attended through all grades at the school. Teachers are incorporating Chromebooks into a variety of classroom activities. The credit recovery program is now running, with five students signed up. The students are able to work on getting necessary credits here, rather than in Bemidji. The credit recovery can run year-around, giving students more flexibility for scheduling.
Superintendent Jeff Burgess informed the board that the school has been selected to be in the final group for a Life Skills Training Grant. Schools that are chosen from this group will receive a social-emotional learning curriculum for middle school students. If the district is not chosen to receive the curriculum, it will still participate by completing student surveys. There are no costs to the district for this program. Last year, the district received a $15,000 grant through the Northwest Minnesota Foundation to bring the Second Step social-emotional learning curriculum into the K-5 classrooms. Guidance counselor Megan Godtland is directing that program, with the assistance of high school students. The Second Step program helps elementary students develop skills for getting along with other students.
Burgess stated that enrollment for the school is at 450 students. This number is up from the beginning of the year, and slightly down from last year. He expects enrollment to increase next year, based on the number of anticipated outgoing and incoming students. Burgess presented a brief overview of the World’s Best Workforce Report, which was approved by the board. The district has met some of the goals made under this plan, such as having all children ready for kindergarten. The district also met its goal for 4-year graduation, with 88.9%, a figure well above the state average. Other goals that the district is working toward focus on improving reading scores.
Board members discussed three possible choices of vehicles available for the school’s purchase-a car, a 7-passenger van and a 10-passenger van. Jeff Burgess explained that the old car may no longer be used to transport students, but can be used for driver’s education. The school needs a vehicle that is available for transporting students in case of emergency and also for driving small groups of students for classroom and extracurricular activities. The conversation focused on meeting the needs of students and staff, while addressing costs and future needs, such as a driver’s education vehicle. The board chose to table the vehicle purchase decision until the next meeting, giving time to analyze the costs of maintaining two vehicles, extracurricular and classroom needs, and effects on contracted bus services.
The board approved the purchase of a refurbisher for the gym floors. The refurbishing will be done during longer school breaks and will help maintain the highly used gym floors. The school has received several quotes for refurbishers and company representatives will provide demonstrations for custodial staff before a final decision is made.
Several new staff hires were approved during the meeting. Melissa McCoy was hired as the new administrative assistant. Janelle Maxie, who has been substituting in the kitchen, has been hired as cook’s assistant. Elizabeth Bodensteiner was approved as the new junior high girls’ basketball coach.
The board considered Community Education Director Judy Engebretson’s request to reduce her hours slightly from the 28-30 hours she currently works each week. Judy also requested 2-3 hours of assistance per week to maintain the Community Education activities. The board decided to allow administration to make decisions regarding these changes. The hiring committee will determine rate of pay for the additional staff member.
In other staffing issues, the board accepted the resignation of Garret West from his position as technology support staff. Garrett worked full-time in the summer and part-time during the school year. The board also approved the job posting for an assistant junior high basketball coach. There are currently 21 girls in the junior high program. Administration and the board members agreed that a two to ten ratio of coaching staff to students is preferable for this age group.
The board also voted to change the dates of the January and February regular school board meetings. Both meetings fall on holidays. The meeting dates will be Wednesday, January 22, 2020 and Wednesday, February 19, 2020.
Payments made from the district in the past month include the following: Stein’s Bus Service, LLC, $88,282,72; Marco, $4,464.27 and $3,481.72; Anderson Disposal, $2,195.86; 2 Loons Letters & Threads, $2,044.75; Garden Valley Telephone Company, $1,883.23; City of Clearbrook, $1,865.04; Clearbrook Electric, $1,477.47; and Land O’Lakes, $1,446.49.