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Meeting has rough start

BEA Board discusses changes to agenda

By Chuck Hunt - Editor | Oct 15, 2023

The Blue Earth Area School Board had a bit of trouble getting through the opening items on the agenda during their regular monthly meeting last Monday, Oct. 9.

After calling the meeting to order and reciting the pledge of allegiance, things bogged down when they tried to approve the agenda.

School Board member Mark Franta said he would like to add three things to the agenda, and also said he had been denied getting them on the agenda before the meeting.

The reason they were not added may have been because the agenda needs to be posted no later than Friday before the meeting.

“Now you can make a motion, on each item you want added, separately, and if it is seconded, the board will vote to add it to tonight’s agenda or not,” board chairperson Sara Hauskins explained.

The first thing Franta wanted added to the agenda was discussion of keeping the video recordings of the board meetings on the School District’s website for more than just the 90 days they are now.

“Not everyone gets to the meetings who wants to,” Franta said. “And the written minutes are hard to tell what all went on at the meeting.”

In answer to Franta’s questions, board members said there was no law to even video record the meetings, it was just started during the COVID years.

School Board member Stacey Beyer said she felt that having the video of the meeting on the website for 90 days was sufficient.

“If people want to attend a meeting and address a topic they would be here,” Beyer said. “There have been many people attending our meetings in the past.”

Another board member, Jeff Eckles, agreed that 90 days is sufficient.

Board member Ted Armon added that sometimes opinions change from meeting to meeting.

“Just because you said something at a meeting three years ago does not mean you might not have changed your mind on it later,” he said. “I just feel keeping them (video recordings) longer, at a cost, is not beneficial.”

The motion to add it to the agenda then died for lack of a second.

Franta’s second motion had to do with adding to the agenda a discussion allowing Genesis Classical Academy students to participate in sports and activities at Blue Earth Area Schools.

Armon responded that the BEA Activities Committee, of which he is a member, has that item on their agenda for their next meeting later this week.

“After they discuss it, I will report on any proposals at the next board meeting and it can be discussed by the board then,” Armon said.

That motion then also died for lack of a second.

Franta’s third motion was to add discussion of the recent MCA scores to the agenda.

“I think we need to follow up on the MCA scores,” Franta said. “And find ways to get improvement, maybe take some different approaches.”

Armon pointed out that the board had already had a work session devoted to the MCA scores and what to do about them.

“Are you suggesting another work session, or a special meeting for this?” he questioned. Franta responded he wanted more discussion about the scores at Monday night’s meeting.

Armon and other board members felt it would be best served to have the superintendent in attendance at any discussion of the MCA scores. Superintendent Mandy Fletcher was not in attendance at last Monday’s meeting, as she was at a conference.

Once again Franta’s motion died for lack of a second, but it was suggested the item could possibly be added to next month’s agenda.

Following all of that discussion and motions about the agenda, Monday night’s board agenda was finally approved on a 6-1 vote, with Franta voting no.

The BEA School Board spent much of the rest of the fairly short, one-hour meeting, listening to reports from various staff and school board members.

Teacher and Q Comp coordinator Brenda Smith gave the board an update on the changes in the way Q Comp is operating this year.

She reported there are three main changes. One is that the plan has been reduced from three cycles (time periods) down to two. Another change is that the DLT (District Learning Team) no longer needs to oversee the Q Comp program, and the third change is one with the paperwork, reducing the forms which need to be filled out from three down to one.

The superintendent’s report was in a written version, as superintendent Mandy Fletcher was not present.

However, principal Dave Dressler read Fletcher’s report which included information on enrollment.

“Compared to last year, we are down two students, from 1,043 down to 1,041,” he read. “And, the number of students qualifying for Free and Reduced Lunch is up from 48.7 percent last year to 50.7 percent this year.”

Dressler explained that lunches for all students are free this year through state mandate, but the district still tracks the number of students who would qualify because other federal programs are tied to that number.

School Board member Beyer gave a report from the BEA School Foundation, noting that at their recent meeting they approved 10 requests for $20,300 in grants to various school projects.

She also reminded everyone that the Foundation’s annual Maroon and Gold Gala is coming up on Saturday, Nov. 18.

School Board member Armon reported the Negotiations Committee had reached a tentative agreement with the teachers union on a new contract. Details are being worked on, but the agreement should be ready to be presented at the next School Board meeting, in November.

The Board also heard reports from three principals and the director of Curriculum/Instruction.

In other business, the BEA Board:

• Accepted a donation from the B.E. Welcoming group for the purchase of translation devices.

• Approved a Minnesota State High School League grant to offset student activity fees.

• Approved a resolution to allow Southern Plains Education Cooperative to bill all member districts equally for expenses incurred with Student Support Personnel Aid.

• Approved various personnel matters, including accepting a resignation from paraprofessional Rhama Starrett, hiring of Katie Welsh as a paraprofessional, granting a leave of absence maternity leave for Sam Jahnke and a lane change from MA to MA+14 to Brittany Eckhardt.