Potomac School Board
POTOMAC - The Potomac Elementary School Board unanimously approved maintaining their 1900 policy series and Return-to-School Plan with certain amendments during their monthly board meeting Thursday, May 13. While the series contains policies intended to prevent the spread of COVID-19, masks are no longer required on school grounds. At the meeting, the board also changed membership and approved Montana School Board Association (MTSBA) policy updates on first reading.
Board members decided to keep the 1900 policy series until the end of the school year so they can have more time to decide if there are any aspects that could improve the school’s overall illness policy such as temperature screenings. Those that are continued could be implemented as separate policies.
The school also decided to maintain student cohorts in the lunchroom and classrooms to make contact tracing simple and to give parents time to vaccinate their children before groups begin mixing.
“The only point that was an issue was the masks. That’s gone,” said Trustee Courtney Hathaway. “It’s four weeks. We’ve gone this long with the 1900 policy. I think we could do another four.”
The Board also voted to maintain the Return-to-School Plan for similar reasons while removing outdated aspects like mask requirements, event capacities, allowing one classroom group in a designated playground area during morning recess, banning certain extracurricular activities and preventing non-staff adults from entering school buildings.
Board members also unanimously approved a first reading of MTSBA policy updates. These policies had to do with everything from uniform complaint procedure to school emergency and closure to sexual harassment grievance procedure. They will have further discussions about these policies during a second reading.
Trustee Gary Long and Vice Chair Kelsy Ployhar concluded their terms at the meeting. They both said that they appreciated their time on the board.
“It’s been a great ride you guys,” Long said. “It’s a worthy cause to volunteer here.”
“We’ve been through a lot, but I think as long as we always make sure that we keep the kids at the heart of everything, then we’ll make sure that we make good decisions,” Ployhar said.
Jayme Fairfield and Kyle Kelley filled the one and three year terms respectively after receiving more than 70% of the vote each.
After a presentation on expectations and responsibilities of being a board member, the Board nominated Hathaway as the new chair and Cliff Vann as the new vice chair. Vann will end his participation on the board in May 2022.
“I’m trying to get into a position that a year from now someone else is sitting in this seat,” Vann said. “I’m going to do this for another year. That’s when my term will be up and I don’t intend to run. And I would like very much to hand those reins off to someone who’s ready to go for it.
I think having kids here is a big deal. And I think [Hathaway has] demonstrated [she is] ready for the job.”
The Board also unanimously approved having Heather Marcella continue her position as business manager and clerk.
During his report, Principal John Rouse stated that in the next week the school would have a curriculum management audit done by an outside independent auditor in relation to a grant to check if the school is moving towards its goals in student achievement for subjects like reading, writing and math.
He also announced that District 46 Senator Shannon O’Brien would be visiting the school June 2 to spectate the school’s pre-kindergarten program and see the operations of childcare services in rural communities.
The eighth grade class provided one last update to the board about their Canyonlands National Park trip before they leave May 24. When they return they will show a slideshow presentation of their trip to board members.
In other business the Board unanimously approved:
• The clerk contract for 2021-2022.
• Their contract with the Missoula County Elections Office.
• Changing their health insurance provider to Southwestern Montana Insurance Center.
• Selecting Rouse as their representative for the Missoula County Transportation committee.
• Jona Bartlett as a pre-kindergarten teacher and “interventionalist” for 2021-2022.
• Ashley Mitchell as a substitute teacher.
• Sabbatical leave for fifth through eighth grade science and math teacher Kristina Davis.
• The sale of surplus property in the form of 40 Chromebooks, two charging station carts and 10 Wi-Fi access points.
The Board’s next meeting will take place at 7 p.m. Monday, June 14.
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