School board meetings involving annual updates to handbooks for staff and students are often long in duration, and the meeting Monday night to approve the handbooks for transportation, classified and certified staff, and students stayed true to form, lasting approximately three hours.
Besides the handbooks, a full docket of topics faced the board, with 11 major items scheduled for board consideration, as well as hiring for multiple positions.
School Counselor Dori Phillips updated the board on the ACT scores of Broadus students. The ACT, or American College Test, is a standardized test given to high school juniors, and is used as an assessment for college readiness. Since 2015 all Broadus Juniors have taken the test (before that time, those who were not necessarily college bound could forego the test).
Phillips provided over 20 years of ACT data showing that Broadus students have historically scored above the state average most years on the ACT in each facet of the test. As an example, the most recent data for the students taking the test in 2022 (that is, students from the graduating class of 2023 as well as any from the class of 2022 who retook the test as seniors) shows an English score 7% above the state average, a math score 3% above state average, a reading score 4% above average, a science score 3% above, a composite 4% above the average, and a writing score (which is a fairly new addition to the test) a whopping 10% above the Montana state average.
The board hired Amy Minow as ½ time science teacher/ ½ time consumer science teacher. Minow has completed her degree and will take over ½ time science teaching duties for Wanda Smith, who will move to part-time in the science department for the coming school year.
Chrystal Mitchell will be hired as Title 1 teacher.
LaTeshia Cameron will work as a summer custodian and one-on-one aide next school year.
One application was received for the Head Football Coach position, with the board hiring Brett Emmons to take over the team for the coming season.
Kristie Lanke was hired as the Head Girls Basketball Coach.
Chad Gatlin was re-hired as Head Golf Coach.
Raevyn Slovek was hired as Assistant Volleyball Coach; Brooke Billing as JH Volleyball Coach.
Miranda Sturdevant was hired as a Substitute Teacher.
The board agreed to have Superintendent Hansen hire an Assistant Football Coach; the way the schedule is arranged the board will not meet for a July meeting, and football practice starts before the August School Board meeting.
The next item on the agenda was the handbooks. The classified and transportation handbooks breezed through with minimal changes. The certified handbook was changed to reflect the slightly longer days expected of teachers due to the modified 4-day school week.
The student handbook provided the bulk of discussion, as the board discussed the rules regarding travel and who could or could not pick up students at events. As an example: the basketball team travels to Wibaux and a Broadus athlete has a note from their parents allowing them to ride home with a boyfriend or girlfriend. Prior rules indicated that the school needed to be notified of potential changes the day before the event via written consent. Staff members commented that the amount of time processing these releases sometimes amounted to half a day per week, and staff was not comfortable with the amount of risk they were taking on by signing off on these releases. Principal Ternes noted that other schools she has worked in allowed no travel for activities outside official school busing or in some cases with parents only, as the school took on too much risk – a factor in the litigious society we live in.
The language of the handbook was updated to show that students may now travel with parents at any time, or with grandparents or parents of another students with 24 hour notice.
Another change to the student handbook involved updates to what classes qualify for dual-credit with colleges, showing that AP and 100 level college classes qualify for both credits. This change allows a wider range of classes for Broadus students to complete at the college level, giving a head-start in the college realm and saving a tremendous amount of money, as the courses are discounted when taken as dual-credit status.
Other agenda items included approval of the school’s bus to be used for the FFA National Trip this fall, a review of the COVID plan, updates on ESSR funds, transfer of funds between the Interlocal Fund (essentially an account which both the high school and elementary are able to draw from), and updates from the Buildings and Grounds Committee.
Updates to the electrical system at the high school are still in the works, and the shower towers in the boys locker room are in the process of being replaced. Future updates include a remodel of the principal’s house, replacement of circulation pumps for the boilers, and other electrical upgrades.
The duplex house which will be placed on the new foundation across the street from the high school is expected to be delivered next week.
The board then voted to not hold a July meeting and allow the clerk to pay all bills for the month. The next scheduled meeting will take place in August.
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