The Newtown-Harris R-3 Board of Education March 8th approved retaining the Ozark Schools Benefits Association for health insurance. Superintendent Doctor Matt Copeland reported there was relatively no change to the costs. There will be a $575 board contribution.
The board approved an After-Prom request to attend Extreme Racing in Chillicothe from 12:30 to 2:30 in the morning. A bus will be needed for transportation. End-of-night activities will conclude upon returning to school. Prom is scheduled for April 28th.
A senior trip update was given. The seniors will stay at an Airbnb in Branson. They will leave on May 14th and return on May 18th. They plan to attend the Dolly Parton Stampede and go to Silver Dollar City. Other outings are also planned in the area. The board requested an in-person presentation by the senior class at the next meeting.
The Cybersecurity Plan and Incident Report were approved. Copeland reported the plan needed to be approved by July 1st to keep the district’s Missouri United School Insurance Council premiums low. Copeland and the technology director would complete a form and administer any training or plans to the necessary staff.
The board approved Bookkeeper Amanda Neff as a notary. That will allow her to serve as the notary for Newtown-Harris and the community for an additional three years.
GRM Networks will run fiber to the ball field. The school district will serve as the liaison to access and support it on campus. Copeland noted there should be hardly any cost, maybe $200. The setup will allow Newtown-Harris to have better connectivity at the ball field. There was a similar setup with Princeton.
Three school calendar options were shared with the staff. Copeland tried to have the calendar be close to 150 school days, be similar to Grundy County R-5, finish in mid-May, and avoid a week-long spring break in favor of a four-day Easter break. The calendar will be voted on and approved soon.
Copeland spoke to a couple of banks and received feedback from mentor superintendents on banking options for the next school year. They recommended a bid process to help with any bank-related transition.
The district’s Continuous School Improvement Plan is due at the start of the next school year. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released a Culture and Climate Survey that the district can share with the community to help with the next phases of CSIP work.
DESE’s Annual Progress Report will start the Missouri School Improvement Plan 6 foundation for the next assessment cycle. Newtown-Harris scored 118 points out of 152 possible for a score of 77.6%. The scores reflect a baseline that the district can assess its progress.
It was reported School District Administrative Claiming is part of the Claim Care special education process Newtown-Harris is participating in to receive reimbursable amounts. The programs work together, but they are separate. School District Administrative Claiming will start once the Claim Care process has started. The district’s first reimbursement is expected around August.
As of March 6th, one bus had passed inspection. One was to be inspected this week in Bethany. Two buses were waiting for fuel sample results to determine the next steps related to a bus fuel incident. Samples could be back from Rush Trucking at any time. MFA reported its sample from the tank was within specifications for diesel. Newtown-Harris’s samples are being prepared to send for evaluation.
A 10-passenger van is on campus. D and H Automotive inspected it. Copeland reported the air conditioner needed to be investigated a bit more. The catalytic converters were aftermarket, which could have been the result of theft at some time. The van ran its first trip on March 3rd with the elementary school basketball team.
Community Building Solutions presented an onsite evaluation on campus on March 8th. The evaluation will be considered as the district explores its five-year physical plant plan.
Copeland reached out to the three schools Newtown-Harris has cooperative agreements with concerning transportation, 21st Century grants, athletics, technology, and bus service maintenance. The superintendents were assessing positions, changes, and costs heading into the new school year. More information is to come.
The district was still waiting to interview candidates for a technology cooperative. The cooperative was expected to have a hire soon.
The district missed the timing to purchase 10 Samsung Chromebooks at $95 per unit. Copeland had an opportunity to buy some at $75 per unit and bought 30.
Copeland discussed the legislation with State Representative Danny Busick and State Senator Rusty Black. The superintendent said it looks like open enrollment will pass.
He attends webinars with the Missouri Association for School Administrators lobbyists Mondays. They are watching the Parent Bill of Rights legislation as well as personal property tax reduction legislation and staff issues.
