Primary teachers to pilot new math program at Haxtun Schools following Christmas break

Two new members and an incumbent took oaths of office to join the Haxtun Board of Education during a Nov. 16 meeting last week. Incumbent Audree Edwards and newly-elected members Dean Michael and ChristiAnne Gibson joined the Board following elections in early November.

The November meeting held in the high school meeting room last week kicked off with oaths of office for the three board members followed by special recognition of two members leaving the Board. President Richard Starkebaum honored Tamara Durbin and Jay Wisdom for their years of service to the Haxtun School District with keepsakes of appreciation. Durbin chose not to seek re-election as her four-year term expired. Wisdom ran for another term but was not elected to fill one of three open seats on the board by District voters.

Once new board members were sworn in and signed all official documentation to take their seats around the table, Starkebaum began elections for board offices. Starkebaum was elected to remain President followed by elections for the following offices: Vice President, Amy Kilgour; Secretary, Edwards; and Treasurer, Abby Henry. Additionally, the following appointments were made: representative for the Board of Cooperative Educational Services, Henry; representative to the Colorado Association of School Board, Gibson; District Accountability, Kilgour and Edwards to share duties; and Scholarship Committee, Michael.

Later, in her report to the Board, Superintendent Marsha Cody reviewed upcoming changes to the Haxtun School District mill levy, noting residents within the District will soon see a maximum one mill increase on their property tax mills.

Cody explained that the change in tax collection is mandated by House Bill 21-1164, which was signed into law in June. The bill was designed to help untangle a misunderstanding by the Colorado Department of Education and others on how Colorado's Taxpayer's Bill of Rights should be interpreted.

TABOR limits the amount of tax revenue the State can retain and spend. In the 1990s and 2000s, most school districts asked voters to allow them to retain and spend revenue in excess of the property tax revenue limitation imposed by TABOR - a voter decision that is also known as "de-Brucing" or "de-TABORing."

Districts that de-TABORed had permission from voters to keep their local property tax collection mill levy at the level in place at the time of the de-TABOR vote. However, CDE and others interpreted State statute in such a way that de-TABORed districts should, instead, reduce their local property tax collections through 2007. Legal interpretation now concludes this was incorrect. Property taxes should never have been reduced.

For the local Haxtun District, that means increasing the mill levy from the current 26.621 to 27 mills. For a more complete description of the changes, see the article titled "Taxpayers in Haxtun District will see a maximum one mill increase in their property tax mills" inside this week's issue of the Herald.

In her Principal's report to members of the Board of Education, Becky Heinz said primary teachers plan to pilot a math program when students return from Christmas break this year. She said plans are to test the program for six weeks before deciding to purchase for the upcoming school year or test out additional curriculum. Heinz said right now a group of teachers are looking through samples to choose a pilot program.

Cody added to the conversation that the purchase of new math curriculum was not included in this year's budget, however, it is a necessity. She said giving teachers the opportunity to pilot a program this winter with the idea of making a purchase this spring allows ample time for the materials to come in as well as time for staff members to become familiar with it before it is implemented at the start of next school year.

Right now intensions will be to purchase new curriculum for at least kindergarten through eight grade but that may change to include high school following conversations with the secondary math teacher.

In other business the Board:

• Reviewed chapter one of board professional development with Cody. Plans are to review chapters of a handbook provided by CASB each month to assist board members with their role on the Board of Education;

• Approved Dave Shafer for a transition year in 2021-22 as part of his retirement plan with the District;

• Approved Shafer and Pat Wiebers as PERA critical shortage personnel;

• Gave third and final reading and approval to the following policies: Accountability; Part-time and Substitute Professional Staff Rate; Student Dress Code; and Graduation Requirements. All of the policies have been discussed, at great length, with board members over the past few months. Graduation requirements now align according to State standards and mandated metrics.