Newtown-Harris Board of Education announces results of meeting on January 11th

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The Newtown-Harris R-3 Board of Education January 11th approved the date for prom. The event will be April 28th.

Superintendent Doctor Matt Copeland surveyed staff and students on a variety of dates. He said the students pushed for this to streamline their overall prom plans, and it allowed them to save money on rentals and other costs. He appreciates the students taking an active role in the planning process.

Personalized care plans have been distributed to key staff members related to Will’s Law. Online Will’s Law video certification training is ongoing and will be completed by all necessary staff members soon. The training assists employees when working with students who may be prone to seizures or epilepsy.

Newtown-Harris is exploring additional options beyond the CyberSchool website platform. The district is reviewing the best path forward with the website.

Elementary teachers have started working on the district’s literacy plan. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released guidance December 15th to assist with implementation. Districts are waiting for continued guidance but are moving forward with literacy plans.

Copeland reported students who are reading more than one grade level below their cohort are required to have a Reading Success Plan. The plan provides research-based interventions and increases communication with parents about the status of their students.

Claim Care works with districts to recoup money related to individualized education plan services provided to students with disabilities. By agreeing to work with the company, Copeland said Newtown-Harris will recoup thousands of dollars that are reimbursable due to specialized care received by its students. The money has not yet been sought in the recent past. Claim Care handles the processing of the claims and works directly with service providers.

Copeland plans to transition the teacher evaluation model from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education model to the University of Missouri. He reported the model will allow for easier teacher evaluations and comes with a computer-based system that is easier to keep track of all teacher evaluation materials. The Network for Educator Effectiveness provides professional development opportunities for teachers as well as model instructional examples. The district will focus on key indicators of instructional best practice and train the administrative team on its implementation.

Copeland will meet with Grundy County R-5, Princeton, and North Mercer January 20th to determine technology needs and next steps for next year. The group will also discuss the improved cybersecurity protocols that are coming from the Missouri United School Insurance Council related to insurance coverage.

Jason Hoffman from the Missouri Capital Asset Advantage Treasury conducted a cash flow analysis of the district’s recent budgets. He determined the district is missing out on between $12,000 and $24,000 of interest income by not investing money into a financial management resource. He also determined the district could conservatively invest $500,000 into a liquid MOCAAT investment fund currently receiving about 4% interest.

Hoffman created a plan the that district would never have less than $200,000 in liquid funds at any given time. The invested money would be accessible with no fees or charges if the district needs to reallocate money or decides to decrease or stop investments. It was noted it was an opportunity to take advantage of higher-than-normal interest rates, so the district may benefit from passive interest income.

Community Building Solutions will conduct an onsite evaluation of the entire district January 26th to determine the status, next steps, and financial option for Newtown-Harris when looking at improvements to its physical infrastructure.

Copeland reported the Missouri Association of Rural Education appreciated the support from the board concerning its opposition to open enrollment. He noted there are open enrollment scenarios that hinder smaller schools and unnecessarily stress finances. The Missouri Association of Rural Education is watching legislation.

Copeland met with State Representative Danny Busick and other superintendents last week for a legislative update. Copeland said open enrollment appears to be gaining momentum in Jefferson City. The teacher minimum salary of $38,000 is a priority of the governor. Fully funding the transportation budget is also being discussed again, which he commented would benefit Newtown-Harris.

Busick highlighted a commitment of $100 million dedicated to road improvements in the state, and more than 90% of the money is earmarked for north of Interstate 70. Copeland noted the investment will indirectly improve the area by improving the roads that students use on a daily basis.

Three candidates filed for three available positions on the board: Lynn Shelton, Justin Oaks, and Dustin Lewis. Lewis will replace Jeanie Faulkner’s seat.

Copeland reported Homecoming was celebrated January 3rd with double-header wins against East Harrison. Johannes Oaks and Andrea Pendergraft were crowned king and queen.

A pipe and drain froze over the break, but the superintendent said there was no major damage.

Staff worked with the Truman State University Regional Professional Development Center January 9th on curriculum, priority standards, formative assessments, and summative assessments. Copeland reported changes directly impact students and their learning outcomes.

Copeland created a superintendent evaluation tool that he shared with staff to assess his performance during his first six months in the position. Results will be shared with the board of education as part of his overall evaluation.

He said that if there are any issues, suggestions, or concerns about Newtown-Harris, someone can contact him at the school at 660-794-2245 or by cell phone at 660-341-3844. He can also be contacted by email at [email protected].


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Jennifer Thies

https://www.kttn.com/

Jennifer’s interest in radio began at a young age. She started as a news reporter at KTTN in January 2017, but previously worked almost a year and a half as an on-air announcer and with news at the NPR affiliate KXCV/KRNW, which serves Northwest Missouri. Jennifer was born and raised in St. Joseph, Missouri. She received a Bachelor of Science in Mass Media: Broadcast Production with an Emphasis in Audio Production from Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville.