JR/SR high AC convo heats up

    With most short-term options already exhausted, Holyoke School District is focused on long-term solutions with regard to air conditioning at Holyoke JR/SR High.
    Superintendent Kyle Stumpf gave an update at the Aug. 21 school board meeting, citing that a good share of the high school system hasn’t worked since April 15. “It’s been an ongoing issue since they fired up April 15,” said Stumpf.
    A technician from the company that installed the AC 20 years ago came out and spent a day on diagnostics, reporting that the motherboard was out.
    Another company came up with the same diagnosis but couldn’t find a motherboard. So, going back to the initial company, Stumpf said, “We’ve been at their mercy all summer.”
    Meanwhile, classes started without the benefit of air conditioning.
    A conversation with a company receptionist Aug. 17 led to the person who actually installed the system, who said he thought he could bypass the old motherboard. Stumpf reported that they thought they could get the system up and running for this fall in order to buy time to potentially obtain a Building Excellent Schools Today grant.
    Currently, main AC issues involve the auditorium, commons area, band room and new gym, noted Budget and Finance Director Ben Rahe.
    The district purchased an evaporative cooler for the band room which could be used in the new gym. All that has been purchased can be used even when the AC is fixed, according to Stumpf.
    One concern for the BEST grant route is that notification of grant recipients wouldn’t be made until next June. Could AC be installed by the start of school in August?
    Right now a rough cost estimate would be $200,000, said Stumpf. He added they they would like to look at more local options at this time.
    
Social-emotional training conducted in staff inservice
    Professional development opportunities the day before school started featured social-emotional training for staff members. All K-12 staff and paraprofessionals participated in the four-hour training.
    The trainers will be back Oct. 1 for a two-hour follow-up and will then spend time in classrooms observing and modeling.
    At last week’s board meeting, Stumpf also highlighted various related trainings that administrators and staff have participated in. He has been listed as the compliance officer for the district on the nondiscrimination/equal opportunity policy.
    Existing policies are being reviewed, and the administration and counselors will meet monthly to review, obtain training and generate direction for all social emotional learning work.
    The expectation is that the building principals, along with building counselors, will then spend one late-start Monday a month to review, train, share direction and obtain feedback on social emotional work throughout the entire school year.
    
Administrators report on beginning of school
    With four actual days of school complete at last week’s board meeting, the building principals and athletic director reported on the opening days.
    Holyoke Elementary Principal Andrea Kammer noted that there was a good turnout with about 80 percent at back-to-school night Aug. 15.
    With both kindergarten and second-grade at 36 students each, she said they’re keeping a close eye on those numbers. Those two grades were split into two sections this year, instead of three, due to the smaller number of students.
    Kammer referenced use of the social emotional and visible learning trainings at staff meetings prior to the start of school. Staff members embraced both trainings.
    Some of the social emotional training activities with kids were used by teachers on the first day. Teachers were also putting visible learning information up in their classrooms.
    JR/SR High Principal Shane Walkinshaw said it was good to have students back in the building, and he mentioned the great assembly that was held to kick off the year.
    Building security is one of his focus areas. He said he is requiring staff to wear badges and encouraging visitors to wear visitor passes when they come in the building. An additional resource officer, Deputy Wyatt Bishop, is being provided at the school part-time by Phillips County Sheriff’s Office, added Walkinshaw.
    Lockheed Martin representatives will be coming out for a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Day Thursday, Aug. 30. Walkinshaw said they’ll be at the JR/SR high in the morning and at the elementary school in the afternoon.
    Athletic Director John Baumgartner reported that 114 JR/SR high students have reported for fall sports, representing about 45 percent of the total students.
    A question arose regarding sixth graders participating in junior high sports. The subject surfaced when it looked like the football team numbers were going to be extremely low.
    Concern was expressed for safety for younger and potentially smaller kids, as well as the fact that there’s no eligibility requirements in place for sixth graders.
    Stumpf said they don’t want to do anything hastily, adding that the administrative staff planned to take a close look at the subject.
    
Salary policy revision considered
    A proposed revision to the instructional staff salary schedule was presented by Stumpf and will return to the next board meeting as an action item.
    The current policy states that new teachers to the district will be placed on the appropriate step commensurate with experience, not to exceed step 16.
    Stumpf recommends eliminating that statement so that new-hires will be placed at the step and increment appropriate to their experience and applicable college degree.
    He said there’s only one teacher in the district who is not on the step of their actual experience. It would cost $1,600 to catch up.
    From there, experienced teachers might be more attracted to positions in the district without this restriction limiting the years of experience they can be compensated for.
    
Other business
    In other business Aug. 21, the Re-1J school board:
    — Approved 13 nonresident student applications, along with transportation requests for seven of them. The seven requesting transportation are from the Wray school district and include Riley Klinzmann, Wyatt Klinzmann, JaRae Sholes, Alejandro Rojas, Juan Rojas, Jacquelyn Rojas and Esteban Rojas. The other approved nonresident students are Dallas Werner, Correy Koellner, Hudson Koellner, Jillian Hunter, Jalen Hunter and Jerren Hunter.
    — Heard from Phillips County Economic Development director Trisha Herman, who emphasized her desire to work in partnership with the district in whatever way PCED can be of help.
    — Noted two changes in the regular first and third Tuesday meeting schedule. The Nov. 20 meeting will be held Monday, Nov. 19, and the Feb. 19, 2019, meeting will be on Monday, Feb. 25.
    ­— Confirmed that they would like to find a date in September to hold a staff/family picnic. Stumpf shared that several staff members commented that they missed that back-to-school tradition that the board used to do each year.
    — Agreed they would like to host a new teacher reception just prior to an upcoming board meeting.