Gearing up for a new year

The Board of Directors of Odessa School District #105 met in the high school library on Wednesday, July 25, 2018 at 6:05 p.m., with board chair Ed Deife, board members Heather Valverde, Chris Crossley, Janie Steward and Carmen Weishaar present, along with Superintendent Dan Read, Principal Jamie Nelson, Business Manager Juli Weishaar and Maintenance supervisor Justin Parr.

The regular meeting was preceded by a board workshop in the district office at 5:30 p.m., with Superintendent Dan Read giving a brief overview of revenues and expenditures budgeted for each of the funds. A budget hearing followed, with Read giving an overview of the 2018-19 budget proposal, explaining that expenditures were budgeted on the high side in order to avoid the need for a budget extension later in the school year, while revenues were based on actual enrollment projections and not understated as in previous budgets.

Hearing no input or questions from the audience, Deife closed the budget hearing at 6:05 p.m. and declared the regular board meeting open.

The board approved the consent agenda which included the minutes of the June 27, 2018 regular meeting; July bills and payroll warrants #611160-611184 and direct deposit warrants #900006318-900006376 for $248,958.27; general fund A/P warrants #611185-611226 for $70,603.76; ASB fund A/P warrants #611227-611231 for $4,484.12; general fund void warrant #611160; July payroll warrants #611232-611233 for $75.53; a 2018-2020 contract for Superintendent Dan Read; the hiring of Samuel Harder as music teacher (partial year); the appointment of Lanae Carper as special education teacher/coordinator and out-of-endorsement assignments for the 2018-2019 school year for Marianne Iksic for online Spanish and Larry Weber for consumer finance.

Superintendent’s report

Read reported on a busy summer preparing the budget and working on contract negotiations, processes which were more complicated this year due to changes made by the passage of EHB 2242 in the state legislature.

Read indicated that tentative agreements have been negotiated and reached with both groups of school employees and such agreements are based upon current allocations and student enrollment. He stressed that any future decreases in enrollment or state allocations could very well result in future budget complications and could lead to program cuts or possible layoffs.

Principal’s report

Nelson reported she has been busy working on her summer projects, which include crisis management/social emotional issues, Skyward data tracking and ASB guidelines.

Board member reports

Carmen Weishaar commended the maintenance crew on the work they’ve been doing on the tennis courts and baseball dugouts.

Chairman Deife will bring information to the next board regarding concussions and their effect on the future of junior high football.

Carmen Weishaar expressed concern about the basketball tournament scheduled on December 27 and 28 in Kettle Falls during Christmas vacation.

Legislative report

Read reported that the tentative top priorities of the Eastern Washington Schools Coalition will be eliminating funding inequities under HB 2242 and SB 6352, improving school safety and security, and passing a simple majority for bond levies.

Facilities report

Justin Parr said work is progressing on both the tennis court and baseball dugout projects. They have begun to tar the cracks on the tennis courts and are prepping areas for the concrete pads at the dugouts.

Parr reported the sidewalk project has been sidelined due to the inability to get anyone to come out and do the project. The asbestos removal and demolition of the Els house is scheduled for the first week of August, and installation of the new security doors is scheduled to begin August 6.

Financial report

Read presented the ASB balance sheet for July and the financial activity reports for General Fund for July showing an unassigned fund balance of $848,462.

The next regular board meeting will be held Wednesday, August 22, 2018 at 6 p.m. in the high school library, with a workshop scheduled at 5:30 p.m. before the regular meeting.

Budget resolution

A motion was passed to approve resolution #6-2017-18 reading, in part, as follows: “Whereas, WAC 391-123-054 requires that the Board of Directors of every school district meet for the purpose of fixing and adopting the budget of the district for the ensuing year; and Whereas, a public notice was published - - - - , Now, Therefore, be it Resolved, that the Board of Directors - - - - has determined that the final appropriation level of expenditure for each fund will be as follows:

A. General Fund $4,607,559

B. Capital Projects $350,000

C. Debt Service $89,650

D. ASB $185,600

E. Transportation $130,709

Be it further resolved, the Board of Directors authorizes the Superintendent to apply for State and Federal grants and programs as follows:

Program #24 IDEA Part B

Program #24 IDEA Pre-school 619

Program #28 Carl Perkins Vocational

Program #51 Disadvantaged (Title I, Part A)

Program #52 School Improvement (Title II TQT)

Program #52 School Improvement (Title VI SRSAP)

Program #55 Learning Assistance (LAP)

Program #58 TPEP Teacher Training Funds

Program #74 Highly Capable Program

The board approved a motion to accept the $1,200 Community Service First Place Award from the FBLA National Conference.

2018-2019 fee schedule

Read reviewed the 2018-2019 Paid Lunch Equity Tool with the board that identifies that an increase of $0.37 to meals should be implemented for the upcoming school year. Read’s recommendation, however, is an increase of only $0.25 with the remainder being subsidized with non-federal funds.

Based upon inflationary costs, Read recommended increasing the ASB dues for grades 7-12 by $10 and to increase four-year-old preschool tuition by $5 per month.

Read presented the recommended fee schedule for the 2018-2019 school year, which the board approved:

ASB Dues/Card, K-6 $20

7-12 $45

Annual, 9-12 $45

AG/Shop fee $10

Preschool tuition 4-yr-

olds (per month) $90

Reduced preschool tuition (monthly) $45/NC

(based on lunch qualification)

Breakfast prices

Grades PreK-5 $1.75

Grades 6-12 $2

Adults $2.50

Lunch prices

Grades K-5 $2.50

Grades 6-8 $2.75

Grades 9-12 $3

Ala Carte entrée $1.90

Ala Carte side $0.75

Adults $4.25

Milk price (1/2 pint) $0.40

OEA collective

bargaining agreement

Read reported negotiations with OEA representatives have been completed. Due to the state eliminating a state-wide salary schedule, each district is required to create a local salary schedule. Odessa received regionalization allocations that dictated a starting salary of $43,206. Odessa will also receive experience factor allocations that will help provide for an overall increase in teacher salaries at approximately 11 percent. The new contract will include an increase of contract days of 180 to 183, and will also eliminate previous stipends for TRI (stands for time, responsibility and incentive whereby local money pays teachers for extras such as serving as a department chair or staying after school to tutor struggling students) and longevity.

Certificated employment assurances were approved for the 2018-2019 school year.

PSE collective

bargaining agreement

Superintendent Read reported negotiations with PSE representatives have been completed and represent an overall a seven percent increase in pay, an increase to the standby rate for bus drivers and a reduction in the number of clock hours required for incremental pay increases for classified staff.

Classified employment assurances were approved for the 2018-2019 school year.