The Tarkio R-I Board of Education held its regular monthly meeting Wednesday, August 20, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. in the central office of the Tarkio R-I School District. Board members present were Brooke Vette, Amy Hurst, Raymond Gebhards, Sam Hannah, Jamie Barnett, Josh Wright, and Corey Martin.

Board President Josh Wright called the tax rate hearing to order. Tarkio R-I Superintendent Mr. Bob Heddinger presented the board with an assessed valuation comparison from 2024 to 2025. The comparison showed that the assessed valuation (AV) for the district increased from $105,117,699 in 2024 to $108,605,078 in 2025. This represents a 2.65% year-over-year increase in AV for the district. Mr. Heddinger pointed out that when the 2025 adjusted AV and the tax levy of $3.8041 are applied to each other, the district will realize an overall increase of approximately $132,663 in operating funds when compared to 2024 funds. Mr. Heddinger then presented a resolution to the board to set the tax rate for 2025. It is resolved that the Tarkio R-I School District, in consideration of the educational opportunities and expenses for the students, the maintenance of and care of facilities, and operational needs of the school district will set the tax rate ceiling at $2.8041 for the operating fund (Fund #1) and $1.0000 for the capital fund (Fund #4) for a total levy of $3.8041, the approved state auditor’s rate, with no voluntary reduction for this fiscal year. After discussion, board president Josh Wright then read the resolution. A motion to approve the tax rate was made by Jamie Barnett and seconded by Amy Hurst. The resolution was adopted by a 7-0 vote.

The consent agenda was approved by a vote of 7-0 which included the following items:

• The minutes from the June 18, 2025, regular meeting and closed session meetings

• Transfer of funds to pay certified teachers

• The resignations of Mrs. Brittany Herbst and Mr. Luke Seiter

• The hiring of Mrs. Lea Sutter and Mr. Garrett Alsup as special education paraprofessionals

• Setting the tuition cost for the 2025-26 school year at $4,500 for the first child and an additional $250 for each child after

• Approving Mrs. Marisa Hedlund as the homeless coordinator, Mrs. Kari Taylor as the foster care point of contact and federal programs coordinator, and Mr. Heddinger as the Section 504 and Title IX coordinators – Policy and Regulation 1300

• Approving the Student Transportation Plan – Policy 5620

• Approving The Nepotism, Conflict of Interest, & Financial Disclosure  – Policy and Regulation 0342

• Approving Mr. Heddinger as the FMLA Compliance Officer  – Policy 4321

• Approving the State Special Education Compliance Plan for 2025-2026, the Seclusion and Restraint Plan for 2025-2026, the substitute list for 2025-26, and the district financial statement for 2024-2025 (published by September 1, 2025, at 7:00 p.m.).

The district financial reports were presented for the month and the board approved the bills for the month. A three-year utility report was provided. Mr. Heddinger did point out several bills that are related to the start of school and are not part of the normal monthly bills. Mr. Heddinger provided an update on the MOCAAT Investments. These investments have realized $210,743.33 in interest and $54,659.96 in accrued interest since July 1, 2024. The district currently has $6,655,762.41 invested in both fixed and liquid accounts.

There were no public comments during the public time of the meeting.

The TAC report for the month of July/August was presented.

Mr. Heddinger shared with the board a letter from DESE that indicated the district’s special education department met all requirements for the 2024-2025 school year. Mrs. Taylor and her staff were congratulated on this significant recognition. Mr. Heddinger also shared with the board the school buses passed their spring inspections with a 100% score.

Administration Reports

Tarkio Elementary Principal Mr. Dustin Barnes reported on the following elementary, facility and technology updates:

• Online registration was held in the elementary school on August 8. The district implemented the online registration option this year for some of the documents.

• The preliminary enrollment is 143  students in preschool through fifth grade.

• Work days for the staff were held on August 14, 15, 18, and 19.

• The back-to-school night was held on August 18.

• The first day of school was held on Wednesday, August 20, with a full day of classes.

• School picture day will be held September 4.

• Indian Pride Day will be held in the elementary Friday, August 22.

• Preliminary MAP data is out and they have been looking over that for errors. Once that becomes official, those numbers will be presented to the board, but preliminary index numbers are generally up over the past two years.

• New teacher training was held on August 11.

• Character Strong training was held on August 12 for all new teachers to the district.

• Teachers have been meeting with their in-district mentors during the back-to-school meetings as well as on August 11.

• The elementary had a full day of PBIS Training on August 19.

• Angela Dorsey, math consultant from RPDC, will be here early in September to work with the math teachers.

• New chromebooks were purchased and distributed to grades 3 and 8. Seventeen new iPads were also purchased for innovations and the kindergarten classrooms.

Tarkio High School Principal Mr. Terry Petersen submitted a junior high and high school report which included the following information:

• Preliminary junior high enrollment is 82 students. Preliminary high school enrollment is 93 students.

• Tarkio FFA members attended the Missouri State Fair. Keely Bredensteiner showed the class winning Simmental calf. Kamryn Brown showed the second in class Berkshire guilt and fifth in class Hereford gilt. Quin Staten showed the class winning spot gilt.

• Weightlifting, team camps and competitions have been completed and fall sports practices have begun.

• New teachers are getting acclimated and have had meetings with Mr. Petersen and mentors, and have attended a Northwest RPDC meeting.

• One of the main focuses of the year is to develop a greater sense of Indian pride among students and staff.

• PD days are set for September with math consultants, leadership team meetings and the 275 Conference PD Day on September 22.

• A new, personal electronic policy has been handed out to students which includes a bell-to-bell ban on those devices.

• MAP and EOC data will be forthcoming once it becomes official.

• The school registration and open house events were a success.

• Athletic jamborees and regular season games will be starting this week.

• The staff seem eager and ready for the new year!

Superintendent Heddinger gave the following report:

• Building and Grounds Update – The long list of summer projects have all been completed with the exception of two items: the fence at the football field and the gym HVAC unit. Both of these should be completed in the next week. A special thank you goes out to the entire custodial and maintenance staff for all their hard work this past summer getting the facilities in great condition and ready for the first day of school.

• Geothermal Update – The IRS has approved the rebate for the district. The school will receive $1,124,852.50, which includes $100,451.10 in interest. Congressman Sam Graves and his support staff helped expedite this refund.

• DESE Update – Missouri was selected by the Department of Education as the only state in the country to pilot an Innovation in Assessment Program. More on this in the future and the impact this will have on Tarkio R-I students and teachers.

• MOSIS and Core Data Submissions – The August Core Data submission has been submitted.

• Agenda items for the September board meeting – These items include approval of the special education program application review, board policy updates (if applicable), enrollment update, approval of the final budget for 2025-26, and program evaluations – testing data (if available).

Old Business

Mr. Barnes shared an update on the district CSIP. The CSIP committee met over the summer and Mr. Barnes provided the board with the revised CSIP plan. After some discussion, the Revised CSIP Plan was approved by the board 7-0.

Mr. Barnes shared the agenda, meetings, and discussion items.

Mr. Heddinger shared the summer activity payment list by sport/activity with the board. The total payment for this past summer was $23,400 with a total of 936 hours of camps, shootouts, weightlifting, and other activities covered by these numbers.

Mr. Heddinger shared with the board that he was not finished preparing the 2025-26 budget and will table this item for the September meeting.

New Business

Mr. Barnes shared some in-formation about TAC membership that was recently brought to his attention. No action was taken at this time.

Mr. Petersen went through the Personal Communication Device Policy with respect to how violations of the new policy will be handled with respect to discipline. This was an information item that required no action.

The board meeting entered closed session at 8:50 p.m. Following discussion, the board meeting returned to open session at 9:20 p.m. The meeting was adjourned at 9:21 p.m.

The Tarkio R-I Board of Education will hold the next two meetings at 7:00 p.m. on September 17 and October 15, 2025, in the superintendent’s office at Tarkio High School. The public is invited to attend the open sessions.