Haxtun BOE opts to move forward with sidewalk project

Adding in a sidewalk around the elementary parking lot, approving resignations and new hires, fall coaches and sub lists topped agenda items in a short August meeting of the Haxtun Board of Education. Board members also acted on a proposed agreement with the Holyoke School District to share time with the band/music teacher and agreed to transfer funds to cover the cost of new busses in an Aug. 23 meeting held in the high school meeting room.

As typically done, board members heard reports from the administrative team to open the meeting last week. Board members present include Audree Edwards, ChristiAnne Gibson, Steven Hadeen and Amy Kilgour, who presided over the meeting in the absence of President Rich Starkebaum. Board Member Dean Michael was also absent. Abby Henry logged in via technology to participate in the meeting.

Principals Becky Heinz and Dustin Seger both reported initial numbers for the 2022-23 school year. Heinz said enrollment numbers for students in grades kindergarten through sixth grade total 143. Seger said numbers for students in seventh through 12 grade come in at 164. That leaves a grand total of kindergarten through 12th grade at 307. Official numbers will be reported to the State for funding on Oct. 1. That number will be based on the number of students in attendance at school on that specific date.

Seger noted that with 116 students in high school this year, classrooms are full. He said that while the rooms are full, teachers have been flexible with schedules, both in the high school and junior high, to provide students with the classes they need. Particularly, junior high math teacher Ashley McFadden has stepped in to teach some algebra 1 classes so high school math teacher Stan Kennedy can offer additional algebra 2 classes as well as some college algebra prep courses. Seger said that 17 high school students are in concurrent enrollment for college classes and six are in the process of earning additional certifications to use outside of school and post-graduation.

In her report to board members, Superintendent Marsha Cody talked about the possibility of adding in a sidewalk on the north side of the elementary parking lot that would run from the school building over to the football field. She also mentioned the possibility of resurfacing the elementary parking lot.

Board members voted to move forward with the sidewalk portion of the proposed project, which will include curb and gutter work, at a total of $4,480, and the addition of the sidewalk, for $14,856. Work will be completed by LEC Construction, the same company who has been doing cub and gutter work for the Town of Haxtun’s street project. Of the total $19,336 for curb, gutter and sidewalks, the Town of Haxtun will reimburse the District nearly $4,000 as part of the curb/gutter/sidewalk replacement program.

Cody also talked to the Board about the possibility of resurfacing the elementary parking lot in partnership with the Town of Haxtun. She said Town Superintendent Ron Carpenter plans to propose the idea to the Haxtun Town Council. The project would cost $115,000 total and if split between the two entities, would cost each about $57,000.

“We know we need to do something,” Cody said about the state of the current parking lot at the end of Colorado Avenue. “Adding in the sidewalks is the first step towards that.”

Cody also went into detail regarding a memorandum of understanding between the Haxtun and Holyoke school districts to share time with Patricia Wiebers as a music and band teacher. The MOU, later approved during action items, stipulates that Wiebers will be a full-time teacher with the Haxtun School District and will work from 9:30 a.m. to 4:14 p.m. while teaching third through eighth hours.

The first hour of the day, Wiebers will work in the Holyoke School District to teach music and band to those students. Holyoke will pay 25 percent of the total salary and benefits for Patricia Wiebers. Payments will be made in monthly invoices. The agreement is to run from Aug. 24 to June 30, 2023.

Before moving onto action items, Cody explained the need to clear out line items from the activity fund. The motion, later approved by board members, agreed to do so up to $35,000.

Cody explained that the activity fund was specifically for use of funds that use money raised by students, club and organizations for specific events, competitions, etc. She said that some expenses have been coming out of line items in the activity fund that should be coming out of the general fund, such as accounts regarding sports and other athletic related fees. To correct this, Cody suggested the Board move to clear out the activity fund line items that do not deal with funds raised through student efforts, not to exceed $35,000, and move those lines to the general fund. Now, the activities fund will be used strictly for funds raised by student efforts, specifically clubs and other organizations.

In other business:

• Approved the resignation of Brandy Nichols as a para-professional;

• Approved Melyssa Ham’s resignation as a part-time special education para-professional;

• Approved Allison Johnson as a part-time junior high janitor;

• Approved Maddie Melvin as an assistant junior high volleyball coach;

• Approved Laura Beard as a special education para-professional;

• Approved the following as fall coaches for the current year: high school volleyball, Don Schelling, Marissa Schelling, McCall Etl and Doug Kamery; football, JD Stone, Marc Bornhoft, Andy Wernsman and Garrick Biesemeier; junior high volleyball, Kailin Bishop and Melvin;

• Approved the following list of substitutes: Tim Hahn, Jessica Henry, Gay McDaniel, Jessie Stewart, Kelcie Yockey, Stephanie Chaney, Candie Fix, Carmen Vandenbark and Susan Wolff;

• Approved moving $177,431 from the general fund to capital reserves for the purchase of busses as previously approved;

• Approved hiring Laura Coffin as a para-professional substitute.