School Board minutes frame

The North Star Public School District #10 School Board met in regular session on Wednesday, March 17, 2021 in North Star Room 101 and via Zoom meeting ID 894 7753 8431.

PRESENT: Chris Doehler, Michelle Gibbens,, Vickie Jacksen, Bob Kennedy, John Peters; Administration: Jeff Hagler, Nancy Reiser, Cathy Johnson. ABSENT: Jeana Jorde, Jay Nicholas.

NO VISITORS.
Board President Jacksen called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. No changes to the agenda.

MOTION by Gibbens, seconded by Kennedy, to approve the minutes of the February 17, 2021 meeting. MOTION CARRIED-all voting aye.

MOTION by Gibbens, seconded by Peters, to approve the March bills presented for payment.

MOTION CARRIED - all  voting aye.

Reviewed monthly financial reports for February 2021.

Principals’ Reports:
Elementary Principal report by Mrs. Reiser: PK-6 enrollment: 194; attendance: 94.2%; state assessments in reading and math will begin March 22; two applicants for elementary opening will meet with interview committee members M. Gibbens, N. Reiser, J. Gunderson, V. Jacksen, and an elementary teacher to be selected.

High School Principal report by Mrs. Reiser: JH/HS enrollment: 124; attendance: 94.3%; state assessments will begin April 5. Discussed student handbook wording error/omission re: determination of 1st/2nd class rank in case of GPA ties and implications for the class of 2021. Consensus was to name co-valedictorians for 2021 and correct handbook wording to be applied in future years. Completed/upcoming activities include induction of 11 students to Honor Society, North Star music contest with 31 groups participating, and Knowledge Bowl and NS Carnival t/b held in April. Activities Director report by Mr. Hagler: Reviewed handbook guidelines and student declaration form for dual sport participation; discussed the need for an additional track coach due to high participation numbers (43 students).

MOTION by Peters, seconded by Doehler, to approve a salary of $1,450 for a fourth track coach for the 2021 season. MOTION CARRIED on a roll call vote: Doehler-yes, Gibbens-yes, Kennedy-yes, Peters-yes, Jacksen-yes
(Jorde, Nicholas absent).
Discussed replacement and disposal of the current activity coach bus including cost to fix the current bus, options to  be included on a replacement bus, quotes received from National Bus Sales and possible ESSER funding; update on prom planning: guidelines yet t/b determined; North Star app being used to send text notifications re: eligibility.

Superintendent’s Report by Mr. Hagler: Update on summer school: one application received to date, letter to go out with elementary students, application deadline of March 31; update on staff COVID vaccinations and discussion re: continued mask usage; home school monitor required 2-3 hrs/wk for student t/b home schooled for last quarter of 2021: Karmen Teubner will provide monitoring at hourly rate approved by board. MOTION by Peters, seconded by Kennedy, to approve a rate of $19/hour for home school monitoring for last
quarter of FY21. MOTION CARRIED on a roll call vote: Doehler-yes, Gibbens-yes, Kennedy-yes, Peters-yes,  Jacksen-yes (Jorde, Nicholas absent). Presented update re: budget and federal COVID-related grants including revised revenue/expenditure budgets,
summary information re: federal monies, and possible uses for remaining grant funding; graduation planned for 5/23/21 in school gym; discussed school branded debit card agreement requested by First Community Credit Union: no concerns voiced by board; commitment for FY22 purchase of social work services from Lake Region Special
Education presented for board action; to remain eligible for state CTE funding, North Star will pay for CTE certification classes for Michelle Swanson; plans to reconfigure use of elementary classroom space for FY22 include using elementary computer lab for 2nd grade classroom and moving PreK classes to current Murchie kindergarten room.Page 2 of 2

MOTION by Gibbens, seconded by Doehler, to commit to purchasing two days/week of social work services for the 2021-22 school year from Lake Region Special Education. MOTION CARRIED on a roll call vote: Doehler-yes, Gibbens-yes, Kennedy-yes, Peters-yes, Jacksen-yes (Jorde, Nicholas absent).

Old Business: Reminder re: 4/5/21 school board candidacy filing deadline. Reviewed and discussed options, features, and bids received for integrated bell/intercom/clock systems; will request live presentation(s) at April board meeting.

New Business: Having received appropriate petitions from the North Star Teacher Group, Board action was taken to determine and recognize the appropriate negotiating unit and to recognize the representative organization for the negotiating unit.

MOTION by Peters, seconded by Kennedy to determine the appropriate negotiating unit (Appendix B): “Pursuant to 15.1-16-10 of the North Dakota Century Code, the Board of North Star School District recognizes as the appropriate negotiating unit all employees licensed to teach by the ESPB or approved to teach by the ESPB and employed primarily as classroom teachers.” MOTION CARRIED on a roll call vote: Doehler-yes, Gibbens-yes, Kennedy-yes, Peters-yes, Jacksen-yes (Jorde, Nicholas absent).
The School Board, having accepted the description of an appropriate negotiating unit, has on file a dated petition from the North Star Teacher Group, which contends that it represents a majority of teachers within the negotiating unit. Appendix D notice was posted in every school in the district to announce that the Board would meet on March 17th to consider the petition and to determine the question of representation.

MOTION by Doehler, seconded by Kennedy to recognize of the appropriate negotiating organization (Appendix E): “The School Board has investigated the petition filed by the North Star Teacher Group requesting that the Teacher Group be recognized as the representative organization for the negotiating unit and has determined that the Teacher Group represents a majority of the teachers within that unit. The Board recognizes the North Star Teacher Group as the representative organization for a minimum of one year beginning March 17, 2021.”
MOTION CARRIED on a roll call vote: Doehler-yes, Gibbens-yes, Kennedy-yes, Peters-yes, Jacksen-yes (Jorde, Nicholas absent).
Brief discussion held re: summer daycare at the school; decided that multiple concerns preclude offering this service.

Next meeting set for Wednesday, April 21, 2021 at 7:00 p.m.

Meeting adjourned at 9:31 p.m.