Monday night saw the Becker School Board conduct their first organizational meeting of the new year. On the first Monday in January (or as soon as practicable thereafter) each year, newly elected school board members’ terms of office begin, and school boards must meet to organize for the year. School boards typically combine the work of seating newly elected school board members and organizing for the year into a single meeting.

 

Aaron Jurek was named chairman, Jason Kindred as vice chairman, Mark Swanson as clerk and Lori Molus as treasurer.

 

Jurek was named to the following committees: administrative negotiations, calendar, classified negotiations and ECFE.

 

Kindred was named to certified and classified negotiations.

 

Molus was named to certified negotiations, curriculum advisory and individual contracts.

 

Bryan Olson was named to activities advisory, classified negotiations, community education, curriculum advisory and individual contracts.

 

Connie Robinson was named to administrative negotiations, free & reduced price meals, nutrition, technology and TRAK.

 

Swanson was named to activities advisory, certified negotiations and individual contracts.

 

School board members are registered for the MSBA Conference Thurs. & Fri., Jan. 11-12.

 

Malone said one of the school board goals this year is to improve school climate. The New Jersey Climate Survey (NJCS) was deployed to teachers last month.

 

The Center of Applied Research and Educational Improvement (CAREI), a department within the University of Minnesota has analyzed the data and prepared a report. Domain distribution data has been added to the report.

 

Malone said he is developing an action plan with the appropriate principal from each school site to improve school climate. Teachers will be asked to respond to select questions from the survey again at the end of the school year to measure progress.

 

The kickoff event for Watch D.O.G.S. at the Primary school last month included 194 dads and 200 students. Watch D.O.G.S. (Dads Of Great Students) is a family and community engagement educational initiative. There are two primary goals of the WATCH D.O.G.S. program. 

 

One is to provide positive male role models for the students, demonstrating by their presence that education is important.

 

And the other is to provide extra sets of eyes and ears to enhance school security and reduce bullying. 

 

Plans for the primary school addition are nearly completed, Malone said. The members of the school board meeting put in a call for bids. The school board is scheduled to accept a bid at their March 5 meeting.

 

Construction will begin March 26 and should be completed by mid-August. The approximate tax impact for the primary school addition for a $200,000 house in town is $15 per year, or $1.25 per month

 

Malone called for the adoption of a resolution calling for full federal funding of special education services. Malone also called for full state funding of special education services.

 

The board approved the consent agenda which included the Dec., 2017 minutes, the Dec., 2017 financial report, 2018 personnel changes, gifts received, the setting of an annual agenda, the designation of an auditor, the designation of an official depository, designation of an official newspaper, designation of official school board meeting dates for 2018, electronic funds transfers, the approval of equipment  and bus leases and the approval of the best work report for 2016-17.

 

The next Becker School Board meeting is Feb. 12 at 6:30 p.m.