Frenchman BOE preps for Aug. 17 start date

Enrollment numbers, a new bus barn and preparation for the school year slated to begin on Aug. 12 for Fleming staff members topped agenda items for the Frenchman Board of Education in an early morning meeting in late July. The Board of Education approved a proposal for a new bus barn slated to go up this fall. School begins for Fleming students on Aug. 17.

Board members on the Frenchman Board of Education in Fleming approved a quote from American Building Systems for a bus barn for a total of $92,165. According to Superintendent Steve McCracken, the new bus barn will be located on the vacant lot south of the ag shop, just south of the main school building.

Plans are to begin construction in October on the 50 foot by 90 foot building that will have six bays for District busses. The building will also feature overhead doors with automatic electric operators.

At the start of the July meeting, Principal Kortney Firme told board members that all high school schedules have been completed and mailed to students and all new students have been entered into Power School, a computer system used for storing student information. Additionally, she said elementary assessment schedules have been created and mailed to parents with back to school packets to follow in the mail early August.

McCracken gave an update on enrollment numbers; currently Fleming has a total of 210 students enrolled for the 2021-22 school year. McCracken said in later follow up that preliminary enrollment numbers show an increase of 21 students from last year.

He also told board members that he anticipates guidance from State and local health departments in regards on how open the school year. McCracken said the District would open with as few as COVID restrictions as possible.

Actions items in the regular monthly meeting consisted of hiring several employees to help staff classrooms when school starts in a few weeks. Board members hired Ellen Lippstrew as a Title I paraprofessional as well as a substitute teacher. The BOE also gave nod to employment for Samantha Swan as a Kindergarten paraprofessional.

The Frenchman Board of Education approved a third and final reading of policy JFA, Out of District Admission. Changes to the policy including allowing admission to grandchildren of staff members who may live out of District.

“The final reading, which passed, allows full-time employees’ children and grandchildren to attend Fleming regardless of our class size limits,” McCracken said. “The previous policy allowed children, this change added the word grandchildren.”

The next board meeting of the Frenchman Board of Education is slated for Aug. 24 at 7 p.m. in the school/community library.