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November 11, 2019 Board Meeting Minutes

Pioneer Elementary School

1937 Dover Road

Billings, MT   59105 Telephone (406)-373-5357

www.pioneerschool.us

Mission Statement:  Our mission is to serve the community and the school by creating a safe environment that fosters Respect, Trust, Accountability, and Responsibility while promoting life-long learning for all.

 

Regular Meeting Minutes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . November 11, 2019

Presented for Approval . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  January 13, 2020

 

DATE: November 11, 2019

 

TIME: 4:30 p.m. 

 

PLACE: Pioneer School, Main Building, Room 106

 

MEMBERS Kari Jones, Chairperson

PRESENT: Luke Rome, Trustee

Colleen Shaw, Trustee

MEMBERS

ABSENT: None

 

CLERK: Marilyn Michael

 

ADMIN: Melissa Schnitzmeier

 

STAFF: Connie Russell arrived at 4:30 pm, left at 5:55 pm

 

VISITORS: None

GUESTS:  None

 

  1. OPENING

 

  1. CALL TO ORDER:

Trustee, Kari Jones called the meeting of the trustees of Pioneer Elementary School District #41 to order in Room 102 of the main building, 

Monday, November 11, 2019 at 4:30 pm.  Trustee, Kari Jones welcomed all those attending.  Trustee, Kari Jones read the Montana Law about public meetings.  

 

  1. MINUTE APPROVAL:  Luke Rome made a motion to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of November 11, 2019.  Colleen Shaw seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous; the motion carried.

 

 

  • HEARING OF THE PUBLIC:  None

 

 

 

  • ADMINISTRATOR REPORT:  

 

  • District Happenings
    • Community News
      • Parent Teacher Conferences were held 11/5/19
      • Christmas Program is scheduled for 12/6 at 7:00 pm at the Lincoln Center
    • Reports & Grants
      • Continuous School Improvement Plan has been submitted
      • GT Grant is submitted – we will get $5330 total for 19-20 & 20-21
    • Upcoming Team PD
      • 11/12 Alisa & Leah will be going to a Reading & Writing Conference
      • 11/13 – Alisa will be going to MANDT Training at Huntley (learning to control a student with behavior issues.
    • PTA Events
      • 11/13 Dominos Dinner Night Out
    • Adult Education 
      • 11/18 Epicure Cooking Class
      • 12/2 Clay Pot Snowman Windchime Class
  • Building Maintenance
    • Hail Damage/Siding
    • Old Building Back Door
    • Basement Railing

 

  1. OLD BUSINESS
  1.  Building Maintenance – The back door of the old building has a large gap at the bottom. Kevin Maddox is waiting on an estimate for replacing the door. The door he is getting a bid for will be a metal door. Colleen made a motion to approve the door replacement for up to $5000. Luke seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous; the motion carried. The board asked if something could be done while we wait for the new door to keep the cold and possibly rodents out of the building. Melissa will talk to Kevin to see if there is a temporary solution to the gap.  The pipes for the boiler heat going to room 106 are leaking. Kevin has them shut off. He has ordered pipe and other parts to replace this. He and his son will do the work. The room is being heated during the day with electric heaters. There are some pipes under room 105 also, but this is not shut off at this time. The board would like this work completed by January 1st. Melissa will let Kevin know of this. If the work cannot be completed by this date, we will have to look into hiring someone to do it. The railing going to the boiler room still needs to have the additional railing added. Kari will speak to her husband to see if he has time to do this.
  2. Safety Enhancements – Melissa asked the board to be thinking of anything that would increase our safety. Colleen suggested contacting KCTR about the metal detectors that they are giving to schools. Melissa will contact them. 
  3. Hail Damage – Jeremy May with MSGIA reached out to see if we had signed a contract with Andy Pirami. He also was wondering why the work couldn’t start this fall. Melissa explained that Safetech will not do the siding removal when students are on campus due to the lead paint. This means that it can’t be done until spring at Easter Break or possibly summer if the weather is a problem. Jeremy has approved the building being wrapped in Tyvek to keep the lead paint from chipping off and being spread around.
  4. Budget Amendment – Melissa explained that we will receive $4086.48 for a budget amendment due to the increase in students if the board chooses to proclaim the need.  Luke made a motion to proclaim the need for a budget amendment. Colleen seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous; the motion carried. Melissa will continue the process of the budget amendment.

 

III.  NEW BUSINESS

  1. Building Use Request – The Reichenberger Subdivision Homeowners Association requested the use of a main floor classroom on January 7, 2020 from 5:30 – 8:00 for approximately 30 people for a meeting of the homeowners. Colleen made a motion to allow the Reichenberger Homeowner’s Association to use the lunchroom if they choose to accept. Kari seconded the motion. The board discussed the use of classrooms as this was the request but it was determined that no classrooms would accommodate 30 people due to size and/or furniture in the rooms making them too crowded. After discussion, the vote was unanimous; the motion carried. Marilyn will contact the Homeowner’s Association to see if they would like to use the lunchroom.
  2. Policy Updates – Melissa gave the board several policies that need to be adopted or revised. She explained that MTSBA updates these policies as needed. Some are required and some are optional but recommended by MTSBA. Melissa asked the board to read these policies. She would like to see them each discussed and approved at the January board meeting.
  3. Inter-Disciplinary Safety Committee Agreement – Melissa attended the County Inter-Disciplinary Safety Committee meeting. All schools are now required to participate in these meetings which will be help quarterly. The school board must vote to state who they want to go to these meetings and represent Pioneer School.  Colleen made a motion to have Melissa attend the Yellowstone County Inter-Disciplinary Safety Committee Meetings. Luke seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous; the motion carried.
  4. Shepherd Attendance Agreement 19-20 – Marilyn presented the Shepherd Student Attendance Agreement showing 56 students from Pioneer School District are attending Shepherd Schools. Kari signed the student attendance agreement. 
  5. Continuous School Improvement Plan – Melissa explained the Continuous School Improvement Plan. She also shared other data on the MAPS and SBAC testing results. 
  6. Superintendent Salary discussion – Melissa explained that due to the budget amendment not being as much as originally thought, she does not wish to negotiate a new salary at this time and will wait until her 2020-2021 contract negotiations. After discussion the board decided that they would like to raise Melissa’s salary this year and if possible give her some kind of a bonus with the goal of raising her salary on an annual basis from here forward. Colleen made a motion to increase Melissa’s salary by $200 per month for the remaining 8 months of 2019-2020 and give her a bonus of $1500 now and possibly another $1500 at the end of the year if there is money remaining in the general fund. Luke seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous; the motion carried.

 

  1. OCTOBER FINANCIAL REPORT

The clerk presented claims warrants numbered 21402 through 21422 in the amount of $7,167.10, and the payroll warrants numbered 9032 through 9036 in the amount of $45,712.35.  The ACH and Direct deposits were included in the amount. The clerk presented the trial balance sheets for each fund and a monthly report stating each line item YTD and budget balance remaining for the each fund.  After review of the report, Luke Rome moved to approve the October financial reports. Colleen Shaw seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous; the motion carried.

  1. TRUSTEE CONCERNS

 MAIL

  1. Weekly Agendas for October 14th through November 15th
  2. November Newsletter
  3. Kenco flyer regarding text communications for the alarm system.
  4. List of sub pay amounts from Yellowstone County schools

OTHER CONCERNS

 

VI .  ADJOURNMENT:  

A motion was made by Luke Rome to adjourn the meeting. Colleen Shaw seconded the motion.  The vote was unanimous; motion carried. The meeting ended at 6:55 pm. The next scheduled regular meeting is Monday, January 13, 2020 at 4:30 p.m. in Room 105 of the main building.