The Rock Port R-II School Board of Education held a tax rate hearing and regular meeting August 15, 2019.

President Jeremy Davis called the tax rate hearing to order at 7:00 p.m. Other members present were Afton Schomburg, Ken Miller, Harold Lawrence, Dan Lucas, and Clay Vogler. Member Rich Dewhirst was absent. Others in attendance were Superintendent Ethan Sickels, Elementary Principal Steve Waigand, and Board Secretary Debbie Young. High School Principal Donnie Parsons entered the meeting at 7:10 p.m.

The agenda was adopted and Mr. Sickels presented the 2019-2020 budget information. He indicated the tax levy for 2019-2020 is calculated to be $4.9202 which is unchanged from the prior year. He stated this includes $0.8218 for the debt service levy. Action was taken to adopt the 2019-2020 budget as presented. There was no public comment regarding the proposed tax rate. Action was taken to set the tax rate for 2019-2020 at $4.9202, and the tax rate hearing was adjourned.

President Davis called the regular meeting to order at 7:35 p.m. The agenda was adopted and the minutes of the regular meeting of July 18, 2019, were approved. Mr. Sickels reviewed the financial information for the month ending July 2019. The July final check register, August check register to date, and the activity account checks were approved. Mr. Sickels read a thank you note from Ross and Kaitlea Hastert.

Mr. Waigand reported elementary registration was held August 12 and 13. Preliminary indications are enrollment numbers will be nearly the same in grades K-6. New staff members met August 8. Those new to the elementary include Mrs. Rueckert (K-12 art) and Mrs. Duran (paraprofessional). All staff members are involved in meetings and professional development activities the week of August 12-16. School will begin with a half day on August 20. Open house and the Rotary Club back to school picnic will be held in the evening on August 22. The school has been cleaned and is ready to go – a special thank you to the custodial staff for their hard work. A preliminary copy of the daily schedule was included for review.

Mr. Parsons reviewed several upcoming dates and activities. New staff members include Michelle Hogue, High School Math; Jeremy Palmer, Vo-Ag; Jennifer Vogler, High School Special Ed; Jennifer Rueckert, Art; and Mary Hale, paraprofessional. He reported on the junior/senior high school registration which was held August 12 and 13. Preliminary numbers show 152 students enrolled in grades 7 through 12, and Mr. Parsons noted there was 96.8% participation in the registration days. He reported the participation numbers for fall activities and stated August 12 was the first day of practice. A preliminary copy of the daily schedule was included for review.

Mr. Sickels stated the monthly program evaluations are for budget and enrollment. He reported that the TABS committee has decided to change the meeting schedule to four times per school year, and the dates will be available for the board at next month’s meeting. Mr. Sickels presented the proposed board meeting date schedule for the 2019-2020 school year. He will post the dates to the school website to give advance notice to the public of meetings that are to be changed from the regular schedule. The new weight room rules/waiver and release form was presented for board members to review. He stated all weight room users will be required to complete the new waiver to access the weight room. Mr. Sickels reported the three county school districts have signed a memorandum of understanding with the Atchison County Sheriff’s office for the assignment of a shared school resource officer. Mr. Sickels expressed gratitude to everyone who assisted in the improvements to the student parking lot, and he updated the board on the progress at the stadium.

Under board reports Ken Miller reviewed his discussion with the district’s auditor.

The board then proceeded to address several items of new business. Action was taken to approve the 2018-2019 Annual Secretary of the Board Report, to approve the Launch Program Agreement, to approve the Special Education Local Compliance Plan, to approve the Rock Port R-II Reading Plan, and to approve the DESE District Contact Personnel List. Consideration was given to establishing the 2019-2020 tuition with action taken to set the 2019-2020 tuition at $6,200. Consideration was given to board policy and regulation updates with action taken to adopt policies 2871 and 4870. Consideration was given the purchase of a new scorer’s table for the south gymnasium with action taken to approve the quote from GV Pro in the amount of $11,827. Consideration was given to bids for concrete repairs at the stadium with action taken to accept the bid from Gary Davis in the amount of $4,000. Action was taken to approve a resolution adopting the Atchison County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, to approve the Upward Bound Transportation Contract with NWMSU, to employ Sammantha Giddinge as Assistant JH Boys Basketball Coach for 2019-2020, and to accept the resignation of Sandi Riley as an elementary paraprofessional effective immediately. Approval was given to advertise the opening for an elementary paraprofessional and fill the position with a qualified candidate as soon as possible. Following a brief discussion of future business items the meeting was adjourned.