Trustees Discuss Teachers, Health Plan
Culbertson school officials apparently have found a solution if they can’t find any new fourth-grade teachers for the upcoming school year.
With two positions to fill, trustees approved the idea of reassigning Rhetta Wilson from elementary special education and Title I to one of the fourth-grade classrooms. The board also approved Rachel Glavin to serve as a fourth-grade teacher under an emergency authorization. She will be fully certified at the end of December.
Trustees were given the option of continuing or discontinuing the school district’s health and safety plan related to COVID restrictions.
“A lot of districts have continued it, but that doesn’t mean we have to,” Culbertson Superintendent of Schools Larry Crowder said.
Paul Finnicum, board chair, said one change that would have to be made is that now only the governor and not county health officials can enforce mask wearing.
Trustee Mark Colvin made the motion to suspend the plan. Trustee Luke Anderson seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Some edits will be made to the plan so it’s available if needed again.
Officials discuss possible options for spending Emergency and Secondary School Emergency Relief or ESSER III grant funds. The money came from the federal government to the state and then is distributed to schools.
“It all has to go back to things that are COVID related,” Crowder explained.
Culbertson is scheduled to receive $640,000 in ESSER III funds.
Some areas that school officials are considering for the funds include hiring additional teachers to reduce class size, purchasing additional technology hardware and software, purchasing tables, chairs and desks and purchasing a Kaivac machine to assist in sterilization.
Trustees will maintain the prices for adult breakfasts and lunches. The USDA has announced that all public school breakfasts and lunches nation-wide will be free of charge for students during the 20212022 school year.
Activity pass/gate prices will remain the same with ticket prices at $8 for adults, $5 for students and $2 for senior citizens. Culbertson senior citizens are admitted free of charge. Activity pass prices are $75 for adults, $25 for students and $150 for families.
Pay for athletic support personnel was increased from $15 to $20 per game.
Trustees approved a resolution regarding athletic participation. The resolutions includes: Eighthgrade students will be able to participate at the high school level in volleyball, basketball, track relays and cheerleading in accordance with Montana High School Association rules; Sixth-grade students will be able to participate at the junior high school level in basketball if junior high participation falls below 12 students; and fourth-grade students will able to participate at the elementary school level in basketball if the combined fifth/sixth grade participation falls below 12 students.
There has been a level 4 uniform complaint filed against the district. The Montana School Board Association is being consulted for assistance with the matter.
