Board of Education Meeting
—February 9th, 2021

The meeting was called to order and the Pledge of Allegiance recited. Board members were in attendance with Jake Shy absent.
Approval of Agenda: Under Action items, the Board added revision of Board Bylaws. And under Consent Agenda, added approval of regular meeting and an executive session from January.
BOE Recognition for service: Mr. McFalls gave a brief note of appreciation. The students performed music planned did not happen.
Curriculum Update Principal Joe Vergilio: Middle School math, continued from last meeting, a teacher demonstrated how the 2017 math curriculum corresponds with online exercises and tracking of exercises.
Construction update: Mike McFalls said the dishwasher and garbage disposal projects are complete.
Under Board Committee Reports, Terre Davis, who is on the Southern Colorado BOCES Board told attendees at the BOE that BOCES “is in disarray” and she asked that people tune into those meetings.
[Reporter’s Note: Southern Colorado BOCES (SCBOCES), handles special needs funds for 12 school districts. At the end of the year, Dr. Terre Davis resigned as president after seven years of holding that position but remains on the SCBOCES Board representing our school district.
In the February meeting, BOCES made an announcement that it had contracted the company, Abacus, to handle the entire financial end of BOCES. This is not the only outsourcing that has cropped up. They also have hired Sunbelt Staffing (a temp agency focused on medical, to meet the Speech and Language needs of three districts (CCSD-1 being one of those) through remote learning. Yes, remote learning for special needs. You read that correctly. This has forced the district go from a Speech & Language (SL) teacher to an Aide to work with students in the online program. There was no background information, recommendations or progress reports from other districts using the company presented, leading this reporter to wonder what is known about their success in this area. For the three districts, Sunbelt will receive $12,300.00 a MONTH, a hefty fee for an online/remote learning program serving a few students and still requiring an Aide in each school. Apart from the meeting, Board member Terre Davis, Superintendent McFalls, Business Manager Theresa Kennedy, and Board member, Doreen Newcomb went over the contract and came up with questions about this contract and planned to ask these at the SCBOCES meeting. Approval of the contracts were listed as consent agenda items which is incorrect for decisions involving finance. The VP acting as President, denied a request to remove the items from consent agenda and Dr. Terre and Mr. McFalls were denied the opportunity to ask ANY questions! As a result, the SCBOCES passed both contracts. Roberts Rules and even the BOCES bylaws seem to have gone out the window! Let’s hope this is not a precedence.]
Also under Board Committees. Preschool Advisory/CCKC: Doreen Newcomb and Stacy Terrill discussed progress on submitting a request for Level II and application for a 100K grant. Another grant for licensing and education for credentials to teach Preschool as well as for Junior and Senior students to get education credit working in the preschool field.
Stacy said a ‘Mock’ Winter Fest is being planned. Juniors are working on Prom. They are trying to do it outside. The theme is ‘Summer Nights under the Stars’ and the kids have a fundraiser they are doing, ‘Singing Valentines’. Also they are hoping to do homecoming during football/volleyball season which will be the third sports season this year.
Excellence in Education: Annette Vergilio said they have received $17,500 from the Spirit Campaign.
Approval/Action Items: The Board approved resignations with regret of Debra Gitar (1st grade), Roberta Eggleston (HS math), Rebecca Anderson (2nd grade). Elizabeth McFalls (1st grade) and Rene Johnson (4th grade) New hires were approved; substitutes Regina Foster, Rebecca Manzanera and Richard Hartman; P/T Custodial Aide (CARES) Sierra Wright who is assigned to the athletic department.
The Amended 2020-2021 Budget: Mike McFalls, Theresa Kennedy-Business Manager: First was the Approval of District Financial Report Monthly Overview. Theresa said the Audit went very well. An internal control letter was read showing areas that need to be wrapped up.
The BOE Approved a Capital purchase of a commercial refrigerator.
There was a First Read of Policies: FNG Exhibit, BG. (Not read during the meeting,) and approval on first read per BOE Policy BG: GBGL, GBGL-R (Sick Bank Policy, Operation.) The Board also approved a revision of the BOE bylaws: Word changes were read aloud. This is ongoing and will be reviewed again in March.
The School Security Personnel Resolution: will be brought up again after meeting with the current SRO and Sheriff Byerly talking about adding additional security.
The Superintendent’s Evaluation Summary: with recommendation to extend his contract for one year was read aloud, then seconded and approved. The summary ended with, “We feel that Mr. McFall’s is becoming more familiar with Colorado School Law and that his job performance has improved and is considered well done, overall, in light of trying times.”
Principal’s Report by Joe Vergilio included an update on state testing, which will include a more detailed report in March. The grade school will be going over data driven data. The state pushed their deadlines back and the Colorado Department of Ed (CDE) changed the requirements, but the school has gotten an extension to July for compliance. GEM audit: CDE was impressed with the gifted and talented programing at the school, listing improvement needed for equal access, family engagement, and identification of high impact strategies. First and fifth grade were recently screened for the Gifted/Talented (GT) program for the year.

Athletic Department: The county is at level yellow, and the school will be planning to allow visitors at events.
Superintendent’s Report with Mike McFalls: Projected staffing needs: They are still waiting for the State budget to be announced. (Figures range from 750K to 190K. Last meeting, Mr. McFalls said that latter figure is doubtful and budgeting is being worked on based on the lower figure.) The district did get the Title I grant for 13K.
Staff have selected a calendar for next year; that will come before the BOE for approval next meeting. Vacancies for next year, include the resignations listed above plus a possible kindergarten
extra and possible 4th grade replacement. A half-time tech is still needed, (would like to make this FT) and a secondary reading assistant with funding available for that position.
504 plans were briefly discussed: These are similar to an IEP but cover a different set of students. Students diagnosed with ADHD, for example, do not qualify for IEP, but may qualify for a 504 plan.
McFalls said it is a time-consuming federal program.
McFalls said he is in the process of application of Variance for the four-day school week which must be applied for annually.
The State extended the C-19 restrictions for schools. The restrictions will remain in place since the school is under the state mandate rather than county.
Staff vaccinations are scheduled for February 26th.
Clay Shooting (a new sports program started pre-Covid but not implemented) has officially started.
Money has been raised and a permit
attained for the football lights. Lights should arrive in March.
Meeting adjourned.
The next BOE meeting will be March 9th, 4:30 p.m. in the school library.