Curriculum options for high school students discussed
The Butterfield-Odin Public School (B-OPS) School Board received a signed contract from its newly-hired half-time interim superintendent – and continued on with the timeline to hire an individual for the half-time permanent administrative post – at the school government’s Monday, February 27 regular monthly meeting.
Hired as half-time interim superintendent for the period of March 1, 2017 through June 30, 2017 was Raymond “Ray” Arsenault of Rochester. His contract has a salary of $500 a day for 40 days spanning March, April, May and June, along with reimbursed mileage to-and-from the school at the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) rate. Arsenault is slated to be in the school tomorrow (Tuesday, February 28). (See post on Arsenault’s hiring at: https://www.cross-countiesconnect.com/2017/02/bops-school-board-holds-special-meeting/.)
In order to have a half-time permanent superintendent beginning on July 1, 2017, the School Board has been working with the Minnesota School Boards Administration (MSBA) in the search. The deadline for applications for that administrative position is Friday, March 24.
A look at college/career readiness
Curriculum options for high school students – and how they affect college and career readiness – were addressed by B-OPS 7-12 Principal Barry Schmidt and B-OPS Guidance Counselor Tammi Samuelson.
Schmidt shared information about the work being done to match Butterfield-Odin Public High School (B-OHS) class day to courses offered at St. James Area Public High School. He also noted that school staff is being encouraged to obtain master’s degrees in their content area in order to provide an advanced curriculum.
Samuelson noted that the school prepares students with options for supplemental curriculum – from taking courses at St. Jamea Area Public to online high school courses via SOCRATES Online, offered through South Central Service Cooperative. SOCRATES Online provides more than 100 online and blended course options for high school students and member schools through partnerships with Northern Star Online (NSO) and Dimensional Learning Solutions (DLS) and the career academies. These online school options feature semester, trimester and quarter start and end dates to provide flexibility for school district calendars. SOCRATES Online students are supported by both teachers and learning coaches. Current upper high school students have had access to advanced mathematics, language and foreign language through a combination of these options.
In addition, Post-Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) offers college credits to students in grades 10, 11 and 12. Students are allowed to enroll in one class each semester.
Another option features working with students in order to provide them with independent study classes.
The district also provides technical courses, including training at Fast Global in Windom and Mayo Health System-St. James, where students experience hands-on learning in nine rotations over a wide array of health career options. Schmidt provided information on the positive future of such educational programs, including technology, with B-OHS on-site courses on robotics, coding and graphic arts, taught by Christensen.
Agenda items approved included
+ Presentation of a $1,000 check from the Minnesota State Building and Construction Trade Council. The council had a booth at the Minnesota School Boards Association’s recent convention, with registration for the opportunity to win the financial award. B-OPS School Board Vice-Chair Pam Xayaphonesongkham filled out the form and B-OPS was awarded the grant. The money will be used for the Pathways Program that focuses on school-to-work.
+ Three-year Achievement & Integration Plan for July 2, 2017 through June 30, 2020. B-OPS aligns with Comfrey Public School and Martin County West Public School in the plan.
+ Review of the Teacher Master Agreement by the Minnesota School Boards Association at a cost of $950.
+ Revised technology contract with Steve Christensen, allowing for two weeks of paid-time-off during the month of July.
+ Revised contract for instrumental and vocal director Joshua Tonkin. The revisions include adding one-half-year of choir performances at $287.50, one-half-year of Swing Choir at $400 and theater assistant at $900. (To provide students with a theater experience, Prairie Fire Children’s Theatre of Barrett will be in the school during the final week of March, working with interested thespians to present a production of Jack and the Beanstalk, with performances on Friday evening, March 31 and Saturday evening, April 1. Tonkin will serve as an assistant.)
+ Tabled until the March meeting approving the revised contract for Lauren Collier’s Career/Geography/Keyboarding position, increasing her to full-time teacher for the third trimester so that the accurate cost can be presented.
+ 2016-2017 contract with B-OPS K-12 Principal Barry Schmidt at a salary of $91,625, a retroactive 4% increase over the previous contract. Schmidt’s two-year contract had expired at the end of June 2016. The vote in support of the motion was 5-2. Voting in favor were B-OPS School Board Chair Kristy Haseman, B-OPS School Board Vice-Chair Pam Xayaphonesongkham, B-OPS School Board Renae Meyer, B-OPS School Board Treasurer Shannon Sykes and B-OPS School Board Director Leon Wenner. B-OPS School Board Directors Joel Penner and Andy Pierson voted in dissent, citing the percentage increase, that Principal Schmidt was presented a bonus last year and that the school had added technology support to lighten the load Schmidt was previously carrying in that area.
+ Contract with Kevin M. Longtin as 7-12 Science teacher for the 2017-2018 school year at a salary of $35,889. (BA, Step 1). Longtin, a native of Thief River Falls, graduated from Bemidji State University with a degree in aquatics biology and worked for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resource (DNR). He has currently been attending college on the fast-track to licensure as a science teacher.
+ Agreement with Springsted Incorporated to retain their services as a Municipal Financial Advisor. The agreement features no upfront cost, with fees assessed as needed. The group is most often used for bonds and referendums.
+ Facility Master Planning Agreement with facility planners, Unesco Incorporated of White Bear Lake. This agreement has no upfront cost, and, if the agreement is severed, the break fee will be $3,500 for planning services provided.
+ Designated incoming Half-Time Interim Superintendent Arsenault as the IIWA (Identified Individual With Authority) to have access to secure information on the Minnesota Department of Education website.
+ Set Thursday, April 13 as a snow day make-up school day.
Committee Reports presented
+ Academic/Athletic Pairing – Committee Members Haseman, Pierson and Sykes will meet with their counterparts from St. James Area Public School in mid-March.
+ Building/Grounds/Health/Safety/Transportation – Commitee Members are Wenner, Pierson and Sykes. Pierson shared building repair plans for this summer that include replacing steam piping in the elementary school, replacing carpet in the band room hallway and repairing the gymnasium floor.
+ Negotiations – Current Committee Members are Haseman and Sykes. Meyer had been a member of the committee but removed herself due to possible conflict of interest as her husband, Doug Meyer, is the school’s head custodian. Pierson raised the question on why this change was not done at a public meeting, as the list of committee assignments was approved at the school board’s reorganizational meeting. He, along with Wenner, agreed that a three-member committee was a “good idea.” Haseman called for the issue to be added to the agenda for the March regular meeting.
+ River Bend Education District – Commitee Member Meyer updated the board on information pertaining to the cooperative alternative education option.
+ Staff Development – Commitee Member Haseman noted that a meeting was held on Wednesday, February 15, in the fifth-grade classroom of Lucille Ammann. Haseman, however, was not able to attend, and had not yet received an update.
+ Watonwan Family Collaborative – Council Members Haseman and Xayaphonesongkham updated the board on the group’s issues addressed at a meeting held on Wednesday, February 22.
+ Wellness – Committee Representative Haseman had Schmidt update on a ongoing staff wellness program that features a pair of teams competing to see which team could lose the most weight.
+ World’s Best Workforce – All Board Members serve on this committee. A meeting has been set in March.
+ Superintendent – Current Half-Time Interim Superintendent Allen Stoeckman (through Tuesday, February 28), updated board members on his meeting with the district’s financial advisors, Clifton, Larson and Allen and the snapshot of the current budget and assumptions that could be determined for next school year. Stoeckman noted that the district is under budget, but that the board needs to look ahead to district needs funded by the Capital Fund.
+ Principal – Schmidt presented information on a number of items, including:
- A presentation on social media issues is slated for Wednesday, March 15, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the big gym. The community, staff and students are encouraged to attend.
- Registration for next school year’s first trimester will be at the end of March.
- Conferences slated for March have been moved to Wednesday, April 12.
- The Speedway Builders 4-H Club held a book donation in celebration of “I Love to Read Month.”
- Summer School planning is underway.
+ The next regular monthly meeting is Monday, March 27, 7 p.m., in the Media Center.
