Members of the Superior Board of Education met Monday evening after two public hearings: one to review the budget and the other to set the final tax request. Forty-five minutes was allowed for the budget hearing and 15 for the final tax request. Since there was no public comment or question, each lasted about five minutes.
During the regular session, tax asking of $5,584,692 was approved. That is down $170,906 from last year’s asking of $5,755,598. State aid rose from $353,634 last year to $841,329 this year, an increase of $487,695.
The district’s valuation is down 3.5 percent from last year. Thus one penny on the levy generates $48,357 for the district this year compared to $50,101,38 last year.
This year’s total levy is $1.1548 compared to $1.1485 last year. During the budget workshop earlier this month, members of the Board of Education recommended the bond levy be raised one penny. Without the additional penny, tax asking did not cover the bond payment. With the increase it is slightly more than the bond payment.
Supt. Kobza said, “We are sitting in good shape financially as the district moves forward.”
Members of the board of education unanimously approved both the budget and the tax asking.
During the public presentation portion of the meeting, the board acknowledged receiving a letter from Amelia Benjamin regarding virtual learners being suspended from activities: a policy implemented as part of the COVID-19 strategy. Basically in person students can participate in all school activities, virtual students take all classes on-line and are not part of school activities. However, there are designated times during the year they can once again become in person students.
Benjamin serves as a speech coach. She wrote, “Missing one of our only returning varsity performers as well as one of our only returning freshmen. In a low population activity like speech, this impact is felt not just by these virtual students but the entire team.”
Benjamin considers the action “more punitive than what a student might expect from suspension, as it is more long-term.”
As is normal for topics brought to the board during public participation, board members did not comment.
The board approved an 11-month contract with Logan Christiancy to serve as the district’s technology coordinator for $41,250 plus benefits. Supt. Kobza said, “Technology coordinators are hard to find.” Since Christiancy has been assisting, he has had fewer complaints from staff.
Supt. Kobza is convinced hiring an onsite technology coordinator will increase productivity and save the school money, which would be spent on contracts and service with off-site companies.
“Certifications are more important for technology specialist than high education,” Kobza continued. “In the technology world you get certified and six month later it expires.”
August expenditures from the general fund of $640,026.42 were approved. The expenditures included the funds to purchase seven Smart Boards. Each board costs between $2,800 and $2,900. For an instructor to have a Smart Board, they must use them frequently in a way that requires a “touch board.”
In addition, a salary of $50,000 was approved for the business manager. Kim Williams currently serves as business manager. Supt. Kobza said, “In schools of similar size, two to three people are hired to do what Kim does.”
Both Bob Cook, middle school and high school principal, and Doug Hoins, elementary principal reviewed enrollment numbers. There are two more students enrolled in the school system than they projected at the beginning.
There are 29 students participating in high school football, 25 in volleyball and six in cross-country. There are no girls and no junior high students running cross-country this fall. However, there are 12 seventh grade and six eight grade students playing football. There are also seven seventh grade and nine eighth grade students playing volleyball.
The elementary school has made many adjustments to help protect students from COVID-19. Student breakfast in a bag is served as students enter the school at 7:45 a.m. and then the students go directly to their classroom where all teachers do a morning temperature check.
Grade level teachers supervise their own classroom every day for recess and grade levels are assigned certain outdoor areas for recess to keep students from different levels from mixing with each other.
Elementary students are assigned the same seat at lunch every day and sit at lunch tables with only students from their classroom.
Temperature checks are taken again each afternoon.
Music classes are held in the tornado shelter so students spread out.
Supt. Kobza reported breakfast and lunch are free for all students this semester through the USDA Food program. Second semester will return to normal.
“The free breakfast and lunches are good for the school,” Kobza said. “We actually receive more money than when they were paid by students.”
In addition, Supt. Kobza said, “We are in phase four on reopening related to COVID-19.”
The South Heartland Health District is in the yellow danger zone.
“They tell us we will not be in the green zone until there is a vaccine,” he added.
Yellow is moderate risk, orange is high risk and red is very high risk for COVID-19 transmission.
Since school started there has been one positive COVID-19 student case. As a result, six other students were quarantined. “None of those six have tested positive,” Supt. Kobza said.
Curriculum work continues to be a major focus for the staff. Science and social studies personnel have completed writing the curricular changes and are in the testing phase. Language Arts has just started.
The curriculum work has generated considerable discussion about grades and how to measure and report learning.
“Changing to standards-reference based grading will be a big adjustment. At first parents will not like it because it is not like what they grew up with,” Supt. Kobza said. Staff memers ares reading a book entitled “Grading from the Inside Out.”
Peggy Meyer, as board member and a member of the curriculum coordination council, suggested that all board members read the book.
After considerable discussion about a new score board for the performance gymnasium, the board went into executive session to discuss terms for an offer to acquire, or negotiations and strategy during the acquisition of, specific parcels of real estate.
Student Council Report
Taran Zoltenko presented the student council report early in the board meeting.
Blake Kirchhoff is a national STAR FFA finalist (top 4) in agri-business. He will be competing for the top spot this month. Also, Blake Kirchhoff, Nicki Kirchhoff and Wyatt Schuster received their American Degrees. The National FFA Convention will be held virtually this year.
Poinsettias are growing in the greenhouse, and there is a new grow tower in the ag room.
FBLA will be holding their annual blood drive on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church.
Student Council is starting to plan homecoming week activities. The coronation is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 23, when the Wildcats play St. Cecilia at home.
Six student council members helped with the Walking School Bus yesterday.
One Act play production has started. They have chosen a murder mystery. There are 18 students participating, and they will be performing for the community sometime after the first week of December.
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