October 15, 2025 at 5:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

Discussion:  Supt. Shepard:  Starting balance very strong. Due to the government shutdown, other reservation schools are struggling to meet payroll and may need to borrow money in November.  We aren't worried as we are in good shape. We receive our Impact Aid monies in the spring, approximately $4 million after December, and we are managing funds very well. $11,000 in our current activity account.  Go to Bank of Hartington for activities.

Discussion:  21st Century presentation by Grant Director Kristine Flyinghawk: Getting into grant compliance & rebuilding is our goal. We have weekly schedules which includes working with community entities.  Wellness Center provides health and healthy cooking. Other community partners include: NICC, Society of Cares, Dakota Language Program, UNL Extension, BIA, HEART, Commods, Woyute Garden Project.  We have split the grades, 2 hr minimum session, following nutrition guidelines for 300 hrs a year for 2025-26 and 25 hrs for Summer School.  Nine staff members / current student enrollment: 17 students in K-2 and 18 students in 3–5 grades. Topics: Reading, Writing, Math, Science, Language Culture/History, Technology, Nature. We have Quarterly attendance incentives for students w/80% or above. Middle School and High School Afterschool Program homework support. One lesson included nature walks in the community, identifying medicine plants, art study. They also found edible plants on school grounds.

Discussion:  Early Childhood Director Tashina Denney gave an update on the programs. Currently, we can take up to 15 students. We have combined the 3 and 4-year-old classrooms. Ratio 1:10 with 1 para. Toddler Classroom has 4 students (ratio 1:4). Need 2 people because of diapering. They also rotate and help where needed.  Infant Classroom currently has 4 students, with one more coming. Grandparent getting custody of the grandchild—is a staff member. (Document from courthouse, can accept Power of Attorney paperwork.) Does school board member count? Tashina: the School Board needs to create a policy stating this.  Sidney: Does NDE talk about this or have this document we can adopt?  Tashina said we are a state school and have to follow NDE's guidelines. If we don't follow their guidelines, we lose their funding. Sidney asked how do we get NDE to understand that our situation is different. Mr. Shepard, they won't understand unless they're here.  Susan asked if the Early Childhood position is still posted. Mr. Shepard said yes and the para position.  Tashina shared that we are only allowed to take 8 Infants / 12 Toddlers / 30 in PreSchool, We are down to 6 staff. We have 3 spots open for community for Preschool. We use Creative Curriculum and assess using Teacher Strategies Goals. Students get assessed 3 times a year - nationwide data and she can present this data. We are working with Step Up to Quality and currently rated a 4 (average) we are working towards a 5 (above average.   Tahsina, Laci Georgie. Ths comes from NDE - they give 24hr notice and this is 2–3 times a year. NEPSAC will be revamping procedures on health and wellness. Haven't been updated in 7 years. Priority list — Preschool 3yr & 4yr old:  Community children should be a priority, before district staff children. Our Daycare is for Staff & Students only. (No outside funding coming in.)  The Board can change this. Waylon asked what the building would look like for a daycare. Tashina didn't know, but said to ask Carol. Ours is Funded through the District dollars. Supt. Shepard said that our daycare is a benefit for staff. Sid asked if there was a rating from NDE for their assessments?  Tashina said 1-7 is the rating.  (Laci 5/Shana:4) ITHERS. The Business Manager handles the billing for daycare.  NECRD training, staff should have 15 hrs for the year. We are at 18 hrs. Dawn Murphy helps with this.

Discussion:  Dena Wronko last presented in January of last year. We had 4 Special Education teachers last year and currently we have 3 SPED teachers.  The report is in attachments.  Sidney 60% met the goal — can you bring some of those actual data reports?  Dena said they are linked in our Priority Plan. Waylon:  number of minutes required and are we not identifying a lot of our students?  Are we working on a plan for this? 33% is pretty low for the total population. Dena: We're over-identified with the 33%, we now have to address this.  The number can change because students come and go.  Waylon: are we meeting the minutes?  Dena said yes, might not be the most efficient way, but covering.  Waylon: minutes/parent involvement — are we doing bare minimum to meet or are we going further to serve these students?  Would like to see us doing more to get parents involved and informed. Make sure we have plans in place. Dena: Each year we hold annual meetings before they expire and have to meet again.  If a parent doesn't show up for the meeting,  after 3 times, we hold meeting without the parent.  Waylon: asked for a report on student getting 1 on 1 assessment testing. How are the classes performing after testing low, then high one grade and back down again the following year. 

Discussion:  Required to have it on agenda before November 1st.  Dr. Krogman working on items. The goal is to have it done before Christmas break.

Discussion:  Supt. Shepard said Mike Pike has pulled out of the purchase.  Waylon,: we went on record, 30 days to move and Mike asked for an extension.  Claris was 2nd in line and has a land lease. SOC would like to rent and  Rural Affairs also reached out to rent it. 

Discussion:  Supt. Shepard shared the classified pay scale.  After the motion was made, Supt. Shepard inquired if we are applying it back to the para start date?  Will we change the other areas? Or is this something we enact for next school year? Will they receive Retro pay?  Sidney would like to table this part. President Waylon gave a directive for Sid, Greg, Carol, and Larry to meet before the next meeting to discuss.

Discussion:  Supt. Shepard said it's time to update our vehicles. Two vans and three vehicles will be traded in. He was given a directive to move forward with vehicle purchasing.

Discussion:  Supt. Shepard has received 4 Facility usage requests for Pow wows. Big gym or only MPR?  Need custodians on duty in case of emergencies and maintain security of the building.  Sid's request is for both gyms.  Larry said it's not out of line to ask for custodians on duty; actual cost for custodians is $33.00 an hour. Custodians will be paid for the whole duration of the powwow. Veterans Day and Sobriety Pow wow in Multi-Purpose Room and Sidney's New Years powwow in big gym. All will pay for 1 custodian. 

Discussion:  Auditors are here right now (Dana Cole) it's due November. 

Discussion:  Classified Staff evaluations.  Setting a standard for them and addressing being on time/leaving early; working their whole 8 hours and breaks.
Sidney the board is willing to help in any way with behaviors or whatever issue we have. They realize that the teachers, admin, staff struggle.  They want to be here to help.
Lizzie: A way the board can help is support our teachers.  Let parents know we have good teachers, and we have policies/procedures we have to follow. 

Discussion:  At 7:23pm lost the quorum, and continued to visit about facility usage and administrative reports until 8:38pm