January 10, 2024 Board Meeting Minutes

January 10, 2024 

Meeting Agenda

I. 4:00 Administration 

1. Pledge of Allegiance – Led by April Torgerson

2. Reverence – Offered by Curtis Whipple

3. Consent Agenda 

    a. Approval of Minutes 

    b. Accounts Payable 

    c. New Hires 

    d. Employee Separations 

Motion to approve consent agenda by Curtis Whipple, second by Jim Lamb. All in Favor

II. 4:05 Financial Review 

• Some discussion about the Zion bond. Chance of interest rates dropping and Japheth will notify us in the event that rates drop to a point where he can recommend refinancing.
• Interest has been very good to date.

III. 4:15 Citizen Comments 

• Diena Riddle – Comments about At-Risk Position. Questions about security at LES. Resolved by Principal Potter.

IV. 4:25 Information Items 

1. USBA VP Election Results – Curtis was elected as Vice-President of USBA. This will be a great asset to the district, and gives Wayne School District a substantial voice for rural Utah. 

2. Superintendent Report – 

- Funding for the elementary was not successful. 

- Safety glass for the new school has been reviewed and recommendations have been made by the architect VCBO for shatter resistant glass in breezeways. 

- Costs for the ballistic resistant glass was $140. School is on schedule to move into in the Fall of 2024. 

- Discussion around an email received from Governor Cox in support of School Districts creating a policy to ban cell phones in Utah schools. 

- Review of several bills that are either being supported or opposed by USSA, HB 29, HB 84… 

- School Funding surrounding NESS funding changes – from NESS to adding it to the Add-On to WPU, redistribute dollars to the WPU and eliminate the NESS funding. Could be good for the smaller districts keeping them hold-harmless. Several areas of concern, like digital teaching and learning, percentages will be changed, for the better or worse. A new formula is being considered.

3. Board Items 

Brylee – Discussed the happenings in the HS. State Cheer, Region Competitions are starting. Academics in the HS is improving. 

    a. USBA Conference Report 

Jim – Guest Speaker President Shane Reese addressed to all USBA. Breakout about Mental Health and Trauma in our lives. Peer Youth Courts. Issues to be reviewed in schools and stay out of courts.

Curtis – Reviewed the Mental Health sessions and impact on districts, Parent Involvement and the importance of taking care of our kids. Real Life stories from kids in Davis School District. Artificial Intelligence assisting teachers, increasing longevity to careers, use of foreign languages & English, freeing up time increasing more One-on-One with kids. Changing the perception of AI, controlling the use locally.

April – Artificial Intelligence class and how it can support our teachers. CON Academy – assisting teachers with use. Some are afraid some are excited. It’s coming, we need to get ready to adapt. Hot Legal Topics – understanding the materials that are coming into our schools. Vetting our materials.

4. Policy Review 

a. Policy CEB – Review from Hanksville, put on hold until after CSTAG training. Policy committee   will review and bring back to the board.

5. Preschool Work Release Position – Needs to be addressed with a policy to address implementation. Assist with CDA through a Pathway from Snow College. Policy Committee review. Currently have a grant to expand preschool, but there are issues around anyone under age 18. K-12 is different so this may be an option.

6. District Office 

a. Middle School Remodel Project – District Office discussion around concerns about doing this project. Review of plans for space that was originally engineered. Liz sent an email to Randy listing concerns. Looking at the remodel project and the Elementary school together, with the needs of the kids in mind. Should the two projects be discussed separately or as one project? Discussion around spending any reserves prior to securing funding for the Elementary School. Holding off on middle school remodel for district office until funding is secured. Concerns were raised around Truth in Taxation in order to maintain the rate. This would only apply to Property Tax. Community education surrounding Truth in Taxation, and how TNT works, is important. We still need to know the cost to build the Elementary school before decisions can be made. There is a shortfall in the state’s budget is around 800M which will make things problematic.

V. 5:25 Business Items 

1. First Reading 

a. Policy FDEBB – Policy changes arose out of the Food Service Audit prompting changes to this policy. Motion to approve First Reading with discussed changes by Jim, seconded by Shawn. All in Favor. Additional information requested about free and reduced pricing. 

2. Loa Elementary Facilities Projects 

    a. Heating – Discussion around Locations, Type of Heating, Installation

– Heat Pumps - Est. of $3500/Unit ($10,000 including Installation) 20 Units Short Term

– New Furnace - $1.2M-$1.4M (suggested estimate) 

– New Power Line Extension 

    b. Portable Building w/ Restrooms

– New/Used/Rented 

– New Power Line Extension 

– Foundation 

– Sceptic

    c. Paving Drop-Off 

– Asphalt 

– Concrete

Motion to table the LES Facilities Project by Curtis. Seconded by Shawn. All in Favor

Business Administrator the assignment to gather information/costs for discussed projects at LES made by Jim, Seconded by Shawn. All in Favor

VI. 5:30 Closed Session as permitted by Utah Code Annotated Section 52-4-205(1)(a) 

VII. 6:00 Adjournment (Closed Session Will Be Held Pursuant to Utah Code Annotated Section 52-4-4)