School board

The Board of Directors of Odessa School District #105 met in the library at 5:30 p.m. on December 20, 2017, with board chair Ed Deife; board members Heather Valverde, Chris Crossley and Carmen Weishaar; superintendent Dan Read; principal Jamie Nelson and business manager Juli Weishaar present. Janie Steward was absent due to family matters. Also present were facilities supervisor Justin Parr and Odessa Record reporter Terrie Schmidt-Crosby.

Superintendent Read added two items to the consent agenda under personnel: The hiring of Adam Palacio to fill the custodian/maintenance II position and the resignation of Ryan Shafer as a bus driver (effective at the end of the school year).

Superintendent Dan Read performed the Oath of Office, swearing in Carmen Weishaar as Director, Position No. 3, and Heather Valverde, Director Position No. 5, At-Large.

Read called for nominations for board chairman. Chris Crossley nominated Ed Deife and Heather Valverde seconded. There were no other nominations. A roll call vote was taken and Ed Deife was elected board chairman by a vote of 4 - 0.

Nominations for vice chairman were opened. Carmen Weishaar nominated Heather Valverde and Chris Crossley seconded. There were no other nominations. A roll call vote was taken and Heather Valverde was elected vice chairman by a vote of 4 – 0.

Nominations for legislative representative were opened, with Crossley nominating Janie Steward and Valverde seconding. There were no other nominations. A roll call vote was taken and Janie Steward was elected legislative representative by a vote of 4 – 0.

Nominations for WIAA representative were opened with Valverde nominating Deife and Chris Crossley seconding. There were no other nominations. A roll call vote was taken and Ed Deife was elected WIAA representative by a vote of 3 – 0.

Chairman Deife appointed board members to serve on the following committees:

o Facilities – Ed Deife and Carmen Weishaar

o Curriculum – Janie Steward and Carmen Weishaar

o Negotiations – Heather Valverde and Chris Crossley

There was no staff or public input.

The board approved the consent agenda which included the minutes of the November 29, 2017 meeting; bills and payroll warrants #610548-610573 and direct deposit warrants #900005886-900005948, for $259,430.94; general fund A/P warrants #610574-610616 for $44,533.52; ASB fund A/P warrants #610617-610631 for $7,671.38; a general fund comp tax wire transfer of $239.58; a capital projects fund comp tax wire transfer of $15.20; an ASB comp tax wire transfer of $197.50.

Under "Personnel," Paige Smith was hired as a part-time paraeducator and Adam Palacio was hired for the Custodian/Maintenance II position.

Resignations were accepted from Larry Weber, as junior-high head football coach; Ryan Shafer, as a bus driver (effective end of school year); and travel was approved for FFA members to visit the Cispus Learning Center in Randle, Wash. on February 10-11, 2018.

The board approved acceptance of a gift from the Edmund & Darlene Braun Family Foundation for $3,000.

Read reported an enrollment of 241.9 full-time equivalent for the month of December, approximately 22 students over the budgeted amount. He reported that the governor's recently released budget allocates additional funds towards education. Due to positive revenue forecasts, the governor proposes full funding allocations starting with the 2018-2019 school year instead of partial funding as voted upon by the legislature. Read also indicated that OSPI has recommendations for the legislature that includes postponing levy changes until January 1, 2020 and changes to levy capacity limits.

Nelson said activities taking place this month included an "Unwrap the Gift of Reading Family Night" for elementary students, an "Hour of Code" taught by science teacher Jeff Wehr and members of his computer science class, the PreK-6 holiday music concert and Christmas festivities for all grades on the last day of school before the holiday break.

Nelson reported that FFA students sold poinsettias at Christmas Fest, the National Honor Society chapter assembled and delivered Christmas food baskets to community members and the FBLA Freshmen won the STCU $100 Project.

Board members complimented the pep band, under the direction of Craig Holman, on their performances at the home basketball games.

Athletic director Bruce Todd's written report to the board included information regarding community use of the weight room. Todd has posted a notice on the weight room door indicating that it will be closed for all high school volleyball and basketball games 30 minutes prior to the start of the first game of the evening. With only eight home volleyball matches and ten home basketball games, the weight room will be closed a total of eighteen evenings this school year.

Due to the numbers of students running around the facility unsupervised during home sporting events, Todd has posted a sign on the gymnasium door reminding parents to supervise their elementary and middle school children during home games.

Todd listed the following coaching positions that need to be filled: JH assistant baseball coach, JH head football coach and HS assistant volleyball coach.

Facilities director Justin Parr reported the lighting retrofit in the bus garage will be completed once the new bulbs arrive. Parr reported the speakers in the big gym will need to be replaced in the near future due to wiring issues.

Superintendent Read presented the ASB balance sheet for November and the financial activity reports for the general fund for November showing an unassigned fund balance of $760,302.

The next regular board meeting will be held Wednesday, January 24, 2018, at 6 p.m. in the high school library. The board scheduled a workshop at 5:30 p.m. before the regular meeting.