Matt Sullivan will rejoin Superior school board

Monday evening the Superior Board of Education reorganized. All officers retained their positions: Peggy Meyer – president; Luke Meyers – vice president; Brad Biftoff – secretary. However, the surprise was when they voted unanimously to appoint Matt Sullivan. Sullivan has served at least two full terms and did not file for re-election last spring. The deadline passed and no one filed for the position. Thus the board fills the vacancy by appointment. His term ended at the end of December and a his new four-year term starts in January.

The following were appointed to committees with the first names serving as chairman: safety – Meyers, Bargen and Krista Tatro; accreditation – Tatro, Biltoft, Meyer; building and grounds – Bargen, Biltoft, Meyers; Negotiations – Meyer, Meyers and Tatro; curriculum – Meyer and Tatro; American civics – Biltoft, Sullivan and Bargen; long range planning and goal setting – Bargen and Meyer; budget and finance – Meyers, Meyer and Biltoft.

December general fund expenditures of $650,832.84 were approved.

Morgan Kroeger was appointed board treasurer. Both John Whetzal and Kroeger were authorized to sign checks.

The school’s audit was received Friday, two days before federal funds would be withheld because the audit was not complete. Supt Whetzal said, “The audit firm has been shorthanded and we were one of 12 schools to receive our audit late.”

There were no new problems found by auditors. Each year the district gets dinged for not having enough personnel involved with the keeping of school funds. Supt. Whetzal said, “That will always be a problem because we are a small school.”

A new school-wide phone system was installed over Christmas break. Staff reported it is up and working. That is is a great improvement over the previous system. They had only accidentally hung up on a few patrons while learning to transfer calls.

Parents calling to report a child is sick are now able to leave a message. Introduction to the service was sent out over social media. Generally, the school received five to 10 such calls each day. Now they are calls which do not require staff members to pick up and answer.

The depositories of school funds remains unchanged and KSB School Law will remain the school law firm designation.

A two year contract to retain John Whetzal as superintendent of schools was unanimously approved. His salary will be $152,000 plus a variety of fringe benefits.

The certified resignation of Nicole Bohling was accepted. She had taught fourth grade for the past four year. Meyers said, “My daughter had her for a teacher. We will miss her. She is an excellent teacher.”

In Bohling’s letter of resignation, she said, “Another opportunity has come up for me which includes being able to be home more and raise my own children some day… I am sad to leave behind such a wonderful school. I am excited for the new opportunities that lie ahead.”

Several policies were addressed. It was decided to leave out a proposed policy addressing weapons for security officers, since the school does not have a security officer.

Policy 3033 addresses loaning textbooks to home schooled students. However, the school owns very few textbooks, so the policy was removed.

Policy 3037 was also removed. It addressed petty cash and the school no longer has a petty cash fund.

Policy 3039 and 3041 were reviewed. They address crisis team and routinely have to be reviewed every three years. No changes were made.

Jodi Fierstien, elementary principal, said,”We have not had lots of students move in and out this year. That’s a good thing.” The beginning fall enrollment for pre-school through fifth grade was 207. Enrollment was 206 for the same grades January 7.

Late in December, the elementary students gathered for a second quarter celebration assembly where students were recognized for both behavioral and academic success. It as followed by competitive games. This year it was followed by secondary students helping elementary students create and decorate gingerbread houses. Fierstein said, “We are looking for more ways to integrate the older and young students.”

FBLA members organized the gingerbread house activity. Every elementary student was able to make at least one gingerbread house.

Sixteen elementary students met the middle of the year benchmark goal and not longer need additional reading interventions. Fifty-four students received reading intervention first semester.

Audry Parks, guidance counselor and part-time secondary principal, reported 41 students successfully completed 77 college courses first semester through Wayne State and Central Community College. This semester, 10 students are taking composition. Three students are taking public speaking, four are taking Introduction to Psychology. Two are taking Developmental Psychology. Four at taking Introduction to Sociology. Two students are taking nursing assistant with Meagan McMeen, school nurse.

Supt. Whetzal reported that Thomas Mathis has received a congressional nomination from Adrian Smith for admittance to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.

“It is an incredible honor, even if it does not come to fruition,” Supt. Whetzal said. “It is one of the more exciting things of this school year.”

Supt. Whetzal expects the “After School Initiative” will begin. Students missing assignments or failing a class will be required to attend after school sessions, even if they are out for an athletic sport.

Whetzal expects the number of missing assignments will quickly diminish.

Board members went into executive session after a 45 minute business meeting to discuss personnel and student matters.

The board moved the February meeting to the second Tuesday evening of the month as Superior plays Smith Center the second Monday when the board would normally meet.