McCracken suggests entering planning phase of HVAC system replacement

Staff updates and administration reports took up the majority of an hour-long meeting of the Frenchman Board of Education meeting Tuesday night, Jan, 19. Fleming staff members Jessica Japp and Hailey Ruff presented to board members as well as Principal Kortney Firme and Superintendent Steve McCracken. While giving her monthly report, Firme touched on recent student test results, which came back better than expected following mostly at-home learning for the second semester of the previous school year.

Firme said the tests, taken in the first two weeks of school this fall, questioned students on their abilities in four subjects including math, science, reading and language arts. Many districts have seen or expected results to come in below the norm, however, Firme said she was pleasantly surprised with how well Fleming students scored.

“It speaks volumes about how teachers stepped up and allowed kids to excel even while at home,” Firme told the Board.

In the coming weeks, the school principal said she hopes to dive deeper into testing data with teachers to see what it does and doesn’t tell them while celebrating the highs and diving into the challenges. Firme said Fleming students will test on the same four subjects again in the spring, which will monitor students progress over the current year.

Additionally, Firme said she hopes to compile testing data over the next five years to track trends and student progress.

During her report, Firme told board members she is on her second round of formal staff reviews. Board members plan to meet with administration in February to review teacher evaluations during a special work session on the 15th at 6 p.m.

McCracken reported a great start to the second semester, adding that several students who were previously doing online learning at home have returned to in-person learning for the remainder of the school year. He said all are transitioning back into the classroom well.

Additionally, he told board members that he expects to receive about triple the amount of CARES stimulus money in 2021, which should amount to nearly $80,000. Those funds, he said, coupled with three years worth of funds from a rural school grant will hopefully help the District install a new HVAC system in the building.

McCracken said he would like to start the planning phase of the HVAC system now, with hopes to have completion by 2023, when all funds will need to be spent.

The Superintendent also noted that work has begun on the District calendar for the coming school year. The calendar committee along with administration and accountability committee plan to come up with several options, including looking at adding eight minutes to the school day to allow to better balance school days and hours.

At the start of the meeting, Fleming Fourth Grade Teacher Jessica Japp updated board members on her classroom this school year. Japp said she is working with students on taking risks; trying new things, correcting mistakes and celebrating wins. She said she sees a lot of students who are afraid to try in fear of failing and in her classroom, she teaches with the learners pit concept, which helps students recognize that it is OK to fall down the pit, but the important part is to learn to climb back up. Japp said that staying at the top of the pit means not excelling to a student’s full potential.

The fourth grade class recently completed an assignment with an “effort” theme. Students made posters to go along with the assignment, which were then hung in the hall and judged, blindly, based on the criteria given at the start of the assignment.

Japp said she also stresses kindness in her classroom a well as leaning how to respectfully talk to one another.

Board President Randy Kirkwood thanked Japp for her work at the school, specifically with helping students learn positive ways to treat one another.

“It is not all about addition and subtraction at the fourth grade level or where to put a comma or not, especially in times like now. It’s important to learn how to talk to one another,” Kirkwood said.

McCracken told the Board that Japp continues to grow in her role as an educator as well as connects with other educators which is invaluable to the District.

Ruff, Fleming Preschool Teacher, also reported to the Board in the January meeting. She said that all of her students in preschool, with the exception of one student, live within District lines. So far students are working on letters and sounds in addition to number work.

Ruff also touched on the upcoming child find through BOCES, which is slated for March 8 in Fleming. She said that while things will look different due to COVID restrictions, the event is still moving forward.

McCracken expressed his thanks to Ruff, noting that everything at the District starts with her classroom.

“Our main goal is that build up to our graduation requirements and it all starts with you and your program,” he said. “We are proud of you.”

Later in the meeting, board members approved the consent agenda, including a school calendar change, cancelling school on Dec. 4, 2020 for State football.

Board members also approved motions to set their regular meeting date for the third Tuesday of the month and approved Matt Monroe as a bus driver. Monroe will take over the south route, which McCracken had been driving. Board member Carmen Vandenbark thanked the Superintendent for driving a daily route, noting there may not be any superintendents who would step up to do so, she said.

“Thank you for going above and beyond,” she told McCracken.