The Prairie Central Board of Education has approved the Fiscal Year 20 audit and annual financial report as prepared by Floyd and Associates.
Superintendent Paula Crane reported to the board Thursday night that the audit was “totally clean” as it always is. She credited the district office crew with having their ducks in a row.
“Everything is accounted for,” explained Crane.
The auditors look at the district programs and activity accounts. Crane noted the district’s equalized assessed value has risen the past couple of years and the fund balances are all accurate.
Also at the regular October meeting, the board heard an update from transportation director Charisse Price. There are more than 31,000 gallons left on the fuel contract and several buses have experienced sensor issues with diesel exhaust fluid, or DEF. Price said there aren’t too many spare buses and a few vans are used, one of which is a 1998 van used for food transport.
“We really probably need to look at upgrading some of that stuff,” said board president Mark Slagel.
A new substitute bus is needed in case anything else goes down. The transportation committee will meet to see what the district wants to purchase.
In her superintendent’s report, Crane explained the need for an additional first grade classroom at Primary West due to the number of students coming back to in-person learning and some students who have recently moved into the district. There is a long-term substitute at PC Elementary in third grade, which will need to be a full year position because of overcrowding. A long-term substitute is needed at the high school to create additional math and ELA sections in order to keep kids socially distanced.
County superintendents have discussed plans for student attendance at the Livingston Area Career Center, or LACC. If a district gets closed down, the question remains about whether or not to send students.
“It’s going to have to be a discussion we have based on the circumstances,” Crane said.
In another matter, board member Tim McGreal suggested keeping the district’s five year plan fresh in everyone’s mind by putting it on the agenda every other month.
“One of the main things we should be looking at is where the district is going to be five years down the road,” he noted.
Board member Lori Schahrer suggested maybe providing the information once a quarter while John Wilken would like the board to be reminded of the list and that the district is still on track. Crane would like to see each board member prioritize what they feel is most important. Slagel recommended having a document prepared to send out to the board every month in the board packet.
Tonya Dieken updated the group on a recent Advisory Council meeting which covered a new Fountas and Pinnell curriculum, English Foundations Course, a change in language for determining factors for students to take pre-algebra and lowering the GPA prerequisite for attending LACC classes.
Following an executive session, the board:
-Accepted the resignations of Susan Fehr as third grade teacher leader and Becky Hansen as sixth grade teacher leader.
-Accepted the resignation with intent to retire from maintenance director Mike Scott and food services director Joni BesGrove, effective June 30.
-Appointed Allison Kaiser third grade teacher leader, Elizabeth Burger as bus driver, Montie Gerber as bus driver, Jeff Meyers as JH and HS baseball auxiliary coach and Melanie Teubel as JH paraprofessional.
-Granted a medical leave of absence to an employee.
