The Becker School Board met for the final time during the school year Monday to discuss Becker Innovates, tax levies, 2018-19 goals, revised policies and strategic planning.
Supt. Report
Dr. Stephen Malone, attending his final meeting as superintendent of Becker Schools, gave out a hearty congratualtions to the staff, administrators, and students for an excellent school year.
“I am proud of so many successful programs and initiatives throughout the school district,” Malone said.
Malone will be looking into the possibility of acting as interim superintendent for schools throughout the state as he enters semi-retirement.
Becker Innovates
Malone said the Becker Innovates celebration May 22 was a success. He noted it was fun to recognize the accomplishments of Becker’s Big Dog Challenge innovation teams.
“Congratulations and thank you to Liberty Paper for sponsoring this event,” he said.
Tax Levies
Malone said the resolutions for the Nov. 5 election will be on the July 1 school board agenda. As of this week, he says, the governor has not yet signed the bills from the special legislative session. Some of the bills, Malone says, could impact the districts’ tax levies.
2018-19 Goals
Malone handed out a spreadsheet depicting the 2018-19 strategic goals.
The first school board goal was for Grades 1-8, 10 and 11 to increase achievement by a positive Z Score in reading and math comparing the actual to expected growth as determined by testing in the Fall of 2018 for NWEA to the Spring of 2019 and Spring of 2018 to Spring of 2019 for MCA. The main goal is to implement a sustainable mental health delivery model in each school.
The original exit outcome was so students will demonstrate proficiency of core academic standards. The actual outcome is to maintain up-to-date school environments where students are physically and emotionally safe and secure.
Personnel Items
Malone recommended the approval of the following personnel items:
• Accepting a gift from Becker American Legion for $500 for robotics; Accepting a gift of $2,000 from Becker Lions Club to pay off outstanding lunch balances for free/reduced students; Accepting $450 gift from Becker Lions for inflatables for Bounce Around Night and American flags for Freedom Days parade; Accept $300 from Becker PTSA for inflatables, pizza and fruit for Bounce Around Night; Accept $300 from Liberty Paper for Big Dog Challenge celebration;
• Approving membership in the MSHSL for the 2019-20 school year;
• Approving the superintendent or director of business services to enter into a lease-purchase agreement with American Capital:
• Approving a long-term facilities maintenance revenue program application;
• Approving the resolution relating to the termination and non-renewal of a teaching contract for Ryan Szymanski.
First Readings
Malone recommended the first reading of the following policies:
• Adopting 701 policy of school district budget with updates and statutory changes since 2005;
• Adopting 702 policy (Accounting) requiring the school district to publish financial information on the website within one week of the final audit;
• Adopting 703 policy (Audit) reflecting the name change of Dept. of Education to Minnesota Department of Education (MDE.);
• Adopting 705 policy (Investments) adding statutory investment requirement for other post-employment benefit (OPEB) trust accounts [Becker does not have OPEB funds]. Also, clarifies that statutory requirement for competitive bids and quotes for investment instruments.
Strategic Planning
The school board assigned the top ideas from each of the stakeholder categories to the district exit outcomes last month. Malone recommended the school board review the data and discuss how to start developing goals next month.
