At risk/dropout prevention allowable growth approved

     A motion to approve modified allowable growth request for at risk/dropout prevention, in the amount of $338,019, was approved by the Monticello School Board at its regular meeting Monday, Dec. 19 in the Administrative Board Room.

     That figure represents 75 percent of the $450,693 that the district will budget in the next school year for at risk and dropout prevention programs. The other $112,673 will come from property taxes, which are levied for the program every year.

     While it does represent an increase in levied property tax for this purpose – this school year’s total was just short of $85,000, so it’s an increase of more than $27,000 – it also means three times that increase will be provided by the state.

     It will enable the district to add an education room associate to the middle school, and a full associate position to the elementary schools. So the district will have totals of 2.25 positions at the high school, 2.5 at the middle school and 1.5 at the elementaries.

     The new elementary position will be focused on providing instruction as part of the elementary level PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention Systems) program as well as attendance monitoring and intervention for chronically absent students.

     Middle school services provided by the program include social, emotional and academic goal-setting; supports for general education teachers serving at risk youth, and more. At the high school, instructional intervention through What I Need (WIN) Time, summer school, Students High Interest Program (SHIP), Lunch Study Table, and more are offered.

In other action, the board:

     • approved, as part of the consent agenda, the amendment of Jodi Heinrich’s nurse contract, making her full-time instead of .75. The nursing staff, special education staff and curriculum director Gretchen Kriegel have uncovered, over the past three months, about $200,000 of billable services that the district is not currently billing Medicaid for. The additional time will allow Heinrich to manage paperwork and billable services, out of the special education budget.

     The consent agenda is a regular part of each school board meeting, condensing several items into one motion. Board members are able to pull out consent agenda items for discussion if they so desire.

     • approved the resignation of Theresa Noonan as custodian at Carpenter.

     • approved the second reading of Board Policy 102.0E1, Annual Notice of Discrimination.

     • approved the first reading of Board Policy 504.3, Student Directory Information.

     • approved a foreign exchange student for the 2017-18 school year, a female student from Norway.

     • approved an amended Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) resolution of election.

     • approved, as part of the consent agenda, review of board policies covering student library circulation records, notice of use of student directory information, objection to release of student directory information, and student surveys.

     • announced that the next work session will be Wednesday, Jan. 11; and the next regular board meeting will be Monday, Jan. 23, both at 6 p.m.