MEEKER I The Meeker Board of Education (BOE) budget is expected to be approved later this month with a variety of changes proposed.
Preliminary discussions in May led to the board approving the establishment of a full-day kindergarten, an additional fifth grade class, a credit recovery paraprofessional, a step increase for teachers plus a step for step losses due to budget cuts, and retirement fund increases per the state Public Employees Retirement Association.
The current projected 2016-2017 budget deficit is nearly $700,000.
At the June 7 meeting, the board approved a bid for new lighting wiring in the high school auditorium. In addition, communications with the community, the high school’s concurrent enrollment agreement with CNCC, tweaks to the budget, the football field and track rehabilitation project, district accreditation and curriculum change procedures were discussed.
The board’s next regular meeting, when the budget is expected to be approved for submission to the state, is 7 p.m. on June 21. Also scheduled for June 21 are final policy changes, including the school district mission, staff involvement in decision making, purpose and composition of the employee council, staff leave, professional staff recruiting and hiring, concurrent enrollment, early completion and graduation.
Proposed policy statements on the schools’ purpose are as follows.
Overall vision statement: “Excellence in All We Do.”
Overall mission statement: “It is the mission of the Meeker School District to seek the highest possible level of success for each student. The district will provide a safe environment in which students learn those skills necessary to become well-informed citizens and contributing members of society.”
The Board of Education’s mission statement: “It is the mission of the Meeker School Board, with careful stewardship of community resources, to provide the best possible personnel, curriculum and facilities that will give students maximum opportunities to learn.”
In recent meetings, the board has accepted several resignations and named new hires. The resignations have come from: Shelly Baker, first grade; Larisa Merrell, MHS math; Heather Burke, BMS track; Kay Bivens, MES librarian; Greg Chintala, MHS basketball coach; Makeysha Slaugh, bus driver; Megan Cowles, second grade; and Shey Musgrave, MES paraprofessional.
New hires or reassignments have included: Marty Casey, MHS head track coach; Brittany Shubnell and Greg Chintala as assistant MHS track coaches; Zach Clatterbaugh, MHS track volunteer; Gary and Laurie Zellers, MHS drama co-sponsors; Brian Conrado, part-time grounds; Kitti Piloni, certified substitute; Jamie Rodgers, MHS girls basketball head coach; Shane Phelan, MHS football head coach; Janae Stanworth, MHS volleyball head coach; Marty Casey, MHS cross country head coach; Briana Williams, MHS girls softball head coach; JC Watt, MHS wrestling head coach; Klark Kindler, MHS boys basketball head coach; Becky Ridings, cheer head coach; Boadachia, second grade; Diane Ewing, MHS math; Cody Smith, MES physical education; Denee Chintala, MHS ag education; Ann Franklin, MES library paraprofessional; Kaila Sandquist, MES classroom paraprofessional; Haley Kracht, MHS credit recovery paraprofessional; Brittany Bennett, substitute teacher; Andrea Urista, temporary classified substitute, and Jackie Meyer and Thomas “Obie” Deming, kindergarten teachers.
