Meeker superintendent receives satisfactory rating from board

MEEKER | Last week’s Meeker Board of Education (board) meeting started off, after the pledge of allegiance, with some student celebrations. Via high tech video, freshman Jenifer Kincher presented her Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) STAR project. STAR here stands for Students Taking Action with Recognition, which involves identifying a challenge in their community and seeking a solution to help overcome the challenge. Within FCCLA, participating students compete with their projects and presentations, and if successful, are recognized for proficiency and achievement in chapter and individual projects, leadership skills, and career preparation. Kincher’s issue was entitled “Recycle and Redesign” about repurposing materials (“household trash”) that would otherwise hit the dump, as useable items.
Freshman Kolbi Franklin’s identified challenge was “Unwelcome Chatter” dealing with rumors and gossip in a society. She emphasized how rumors and gossip are different. The former can be, and often are, harmful or hurtful, often intentionally, while gossip is typically more idle or innocent. Franklin suggested ways to deal with negative rumors and gossip. Both Franklin and Kincher have done so well on their projects they are going to the FCCLA national competitions to be held in early July in Nashville, Tenn., and are focused now on raising the money to support their trip.
Graduating senior Casey Turner described for the board all the steps, iterations, interviews, and essays involved, beginning at least a year and a half ago, which he went through in applying for appointment to the Air Force Academy and for a Colorado Boettcher scholarship. Turner succeeded in both efforts.
The board acknowledged and expressed their appreciation for all these student successes. Another celebration announced by high school principal Amy Chinn, was that counselor Trina Kennedy Smith had successfully completed her master’s degree in school counseling.
The board approved and released a statement of the evaluation they had conducted of Superintendent Chris Selle over the last couple of months. To no one’s particular surprise, Selle was given satisfactory (as opposed to unsatisfactory) ratings in fulfilling adopted district objectives, fiscal management, district planning responsibilities and supervision and evaluation of district personnel.
A large number of policies were approved on first, second or third reading. On third and final reading, policies approved concerned employment of retired staff members, privacy and protection of confidential student information including hearing and compliance procedures, conflict of interest for board members, staff ethics and conflicts of interest, voting methods, employee and board member expense authorization and reimbursement, board member compensation and insurance, federal fiscal compliance, and federal procurement.
On second reading, a revised district graduation requirements policy, proposed by a staff work group, for students beginning with the Class of 2020 was reviewed and moved forward. This policy will be re-visited for final adoption at the June 20 board meeting. The proposed policy changes the high school grading system to allow some weighting for higher level courses in determining final student grade point average standings.
On first reading, policies concerning school wellness and implementation, food services, free and reduced price food, use of school vehicles by community members and the cooperative education program (BOCES) were considered. These policies will be up for second reading in June with final reading in August (there is no board meeting planned in July).
Further discussion ensued on the 2017-2018 preliminary budget which will be reviewed again at the board’s June 6 work session and will be finalized at the regular June 20 meeting. This proposed budget totals $9.7 million, with a student headcount of 736, compared to the current year’s approved budget of $10.9 million for 743 students, and a 2015-2016 budget of $9.8 million for a 705 student count. Selle presented that there would be changes made yet due to final actions by the State Legislature.
New budget items in the preliminary budget include an elementary/middle school counselor, an additional sixth grade teacher, a cost of living increase and step increase for all eligible staff, a five percent increase in health benefits, and an increase required by the state retirement fund.
Hiring and coaching personnel approved by the board were Barone Middle School football head coach Jason Browning with Clinton Kilduff as assistant coach; BMS volleyball co-coaches Michelle Selle and Keely Winger; new MHS volleyball head coach Greg Cravens; and continuing MHS head coaches: Marty Casey, cross country; Shane Phelan, football; Briana Williams, softball; and Becky Ridings, cheer.
Meeker Elementary School principal Kathy Collins reported how pleased they are with the addition of Hallie Blunt as the new counselor, who has already been working with small groups and individuals, thanking the board for the new position. She further reported that the third grade was enthusiastic about their Glenwood Caverns field trip, the fourth grade their fish release experience, and the fifth grade their middle school orientation tour.