Principal Barry Schmidt receives salary increase
The Butterfield-Odin Public School (B-OPS) School Board approved the hiring of two new staff additions at their Monday, May 16 meeting. These include Joshua Tonkin, grades 5-12 instrumental music director and Katelyn Blais, grades 7-12 mathematics instructor.
Tonkin is a 2015 graduate of South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota, and was a substitute teacher at Lake Crystal/Wellcome Memorial this past school year. He holds a Minnesota licensure to 2017. He was hired with a base salary or $35,889, with an additional compensation of $1,850 ($450 for Marching Band, $575 for contests and concerts and $825 for Jazz Band) for a total salary of $37,739. He is interested in working with St. James Public School to have Butterfield-Odin Public High School students play at sporting events. If the Pep Band is able to play at three or more events, the co-curricular compensation of $475 will be paid in addition to the above total compensation.
This will be the first teaching assignment for Blais, who is a spring 2016 graduate of St. Cloud State University. Her starting salary is $35,889.
Salary increase for Barry Schmidt, K-12 principal
Board members additionally approved a salary increase of 3.79% ($84,883 to $88,101) for Principal Barry Schmidt for the 2015-2016 school year. Holiday pay is included in the increase.
In other business
+ Approved the revised Fiscal Year 2016 budget. The original General Fund budget predicted a $136,859 increase to fund balance (revenues in excess of expenses). With the revised budget, there is a proposed $181,507 decrease to fund balance (expenses in excess of revenues). This is a swing of $318,367. Key changes include interim superintendent contracts that were not budgeted ($45,000), an increase in the legal expenses budget ($20,000), budget increases for water heater purchase and to update doors to fire code $35,500), increased payments to St. James Public School ($10,000), increase budget for administrative salaries/wages for overtime pay and potential overtime pay ($17,500), an increase of 3% for administrative salaries ($7,000), increase in the budget for teacher salaries and benefits based on staffing changes and as a result of contract negotiations that were not budgeted for 2015-2016 ($70,000), a budget increase for transportation wages and benefits due to an increase in hourly wage for all drivers and addition of a paraprofessional riding the bus and Board contribution for one additional transportation on health insurance ($20,000) and a decrease of $93,000 in budgeted state aid revenue (original budget based on 232 ADMs, revised budget based on 222.5 ADMs).
+ Approved a $11,327 decrease to fund balance for the Food Service Fund (expenses in excess of revenues). The original budget predicted a $191 decrease. This change results from increased budgeted expenses and decreased budgeted revenues. The key changes included a decrease in food service sales (charges for full-priced student meals, adult meals, ala carte and food service changes to other departments), a decrease in salaries and benefits, an increase in supply costs (mainly food and milk), an increase in the budget for food license and freezer repair and the elimination from the budget for fuels.
+ The Community Service Fund originally looked for a $6,141 decrease, but, with the revised budget, the proposed decrease to fund balance is $4,220. This shift results from increased budgeted expenses and increased budgeted revenues. Key changes were an increase in state aid based on updated revenue projection models from the Minnesota Department of Education, additional Pathways II Grant funding from Families First offset by a decrease in the budget for Day Care fees, Pathways II Grand funding that increased staff allocations and funded with additional grant revenue, an increase in payments to St. James Public Schools for Early Childhood Family Education, an increase in the supply budget as a result of the Pathways II Grant and to reflect historical food costs for the Day Care and equipment purchases based on no known equipment purchases.
+ Approved payroll, expenditures, receipts and investments.
+ Accepted the resignation of Christie Olinger, special education teacher, with appreciation for her service for the district. Olinger will be retiring from teaching.
+ Approved a leave of absence through the end of this school year for Beverly Lenning of the kitchen staff.
+ Approved the resignations of Ana Poplow, paraprofessional and Dave Johnson, part-time custodian. Johnson will be retiring.
+ Approved the Summer School program. The goal is to provide interventions and close the achievement gap for reading and mathematics, along with focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). There will be a total of 16 days of Summer School. School time will be 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. June Summer School will run Monday through Thursday, June 13 to June 23. July dates will be Monday, July 11; Tuesday, July 12 and Wednesday, July 13; as well as Monday through Friday, July 18 to 22. Plans are for 30 students in grades kindergarten to six, although there are 40-45 on the list. Kids Kaffe will provide breakfast and lunch on Summer School days.
+ Approved the certification for Class of 2016 graduates. There are currently 20 seniors who will be receiving diplomas. Roger Fast is the Class Valedictorian, with Michelle Perez recognized as the Class Salutatorian. There are eight Honor Students, including, Mackenzie Blickem, Roger Fast, Elizabeth Fuglsang, Paul Hanson, Hayley Johnson, Haley Kaehler, Derek Meyer and Michelle Perez.
+ Approved the first reading of Board Policy – Public Participation in School Board Meetings. Formal guidelines in a written policy on public participation during school board meetings defines the desire and intent of the school board and guides administrative action. The B-OPS School Board has decided that the Minnesota School Board Association’s (MSBA) Model Policy, Public Participation in School Board Meetings would be good for the school community. The policy will now be placed on agenda for the June meeting for further Board discussion, public comment and Board approval.
+ Approved partial payment of $500 for Ben Pelzel, Butterfield-Odin High School science teacher, to take a science course this summer to work toward his science licensure. The three-credit online course through Minnesota West & Technical College will broaden science concept knowledge while teaching on a variance.
+ Approved the environmental consulting contract with Harbo Consulting Agency from July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2019, at an annual rate of $9,900.
+ Received a Health and Safety Committee report.
+ Approved as surplus a list of kitchen items which had been deemed unsafe for school use by the Health and Safety Inspector. These items include 12 dunnage racks, two light-duty wire racks with four shelves. Sharp carousel microwave, Sharp carousel II microwave and Lan electric meat slicer. The protocol for items purchased with public dollars is to declare them as surplus and allow for the purchase of them.
+ Received the professional development report for 2015-2016.
+ Received a presentation from the participants of Career Class. Five Butterfield-Odin Public High School students have been training and learning at Fast Global Solutions in Windom through a pilot program. These students included Nikkia Clipperton, Roger Fast, Paul Hanson, Dylan Hovdet and Gage Bolte.
+ Honored the elementary and secondary students of the month. Taovia Bokampo was recognized as the Elementary Student of the Month, with Heather Pankratz noted as the Secondary Student of the Month.
+ Approved summertime health and safety projects of $24,000 – $18,000 to replace hallow doors and $6,500 to replace the water heater. Work on these projects is to be completed prior to June 30.
+ Approved a tentative date Monday, June 27, for a Board Workshop to continue training from Minnesota School Board Association (MSBA) to enhance Board effectiveness, cohesiveness and trust. The date is subject to MSBA availability.
+ Heard reports from the Administrators and Committees. Principal Schmidt noted in the technology report that 30 computers will be added for next school year through CTS as part of a three-year plan as a cost of $20,220. He also stated that wiring needs to be redone.
