BRUCE SKOGLUND, LEFT – Has been hired as the new interim superintendent at Tarkio R-I. He will be working alongside Administrative Assistant HT Adams, middle, and Interim Superintendent Rob Dowis, right, to see that things run smoothly while the school searches for a permanent superintendent. (Photo By Megan McAdams)
The Tarkio R-I Board of Education held a special meeting on Thursday, October 13, 2016, in the Tarkio High School Superintendent’s Office. The meeting was called to order at 7:02 a.m. by Board President Steve Klute. Others in attendance were board members Rachel Graves, Corey Lesher, Chris Yates, Bruce Lang, and Lydia Hurst, board secretary Diane Hicks, Tarkio Elementary Principal Deborah Taylor, Tarkio High School Principal Carrie Livengood, Tarkio R-I Interim Superintendent Rob Dowis, Administrative Assistant HT Adams, Tarkio R-I Counselor Tracy Cooper, new Interim Superintendent Bruce Skoglund, and Tarkio Avalanche Editor Megan McAdams. Board member Jamie Barnett was absent.
The board voted to adopt the agenda. Mrs. Cooper gave a powerpoint presentation on the district’s test score report. Our scores are much lower than last year’s. Mrs. Cooper, as well as the others, discussed why that may be and things that can be done to bring up the scores next year.
A budget update was given. Mr. Dowis prsented the previous ASBR reports that were approved at the August 18, 2016, and September 22, 2016, board meetings. He reported that the current October ASBR balance is $2,771,792.97. Mr. Skoglund is working on the current budget and will be updating projected revenues at the October board meeting and expenditures at the November board meeting. Unless there is a change, the district will start the new year with the Fund 1 General Incidental Funds with an ending balance of $2,316,207.84 and Fund 4 Capital Projects Fund with an ending balance of $455,585.13 for a total of $2,771,792,97 that is on the current ASBR.
Principals Livengood and Taylor discussed looking into creating an alternative school for students in need. An alternative school is one where students can receive the one-on-one attention that they are needing in a more centralized learning environment to continue their education. Students who could be attending this alternative school could be gifted students, children with special needs, children who have fallen off the track educationally, or children who can not stay in their regular school due to disciplinary reasons. The board members discussed the fact that though Tarkio R-I currently has a few students who might benefit from attending an alternative school, creating one is an extremely expensive and massive undertaking that takes years of planning, and is something that Tarkio R-I more than likely could not undertake alone for just a few students.
The board voted to approve district obligations. They also voted on salaries of Interim Superintendent Rob Dowis and Administrative Assistant HT Adams. The board also voted to hire and voted on a salary for new Interim Superintendent Bruce Skoglund, a retired administrator, who will work alongside Interim Superintendent Rob Dowis and Administrative Assistant Adams until a new superintendent is found. Mr. Dowis and Mr. Skoglund can only work a certain number of hours due to their retirement so the two will be working on different days to help ensure things run smoothly.
The school has contracted with Missouri Association of Rural Educators to help search for superintendent applicants. The association does the legwork contacting administrators in schools across the state and in neighboring states and performs background checks. If they fit the guidelines, the board will interview them. Applications are being accepted through the end of October and interviewing will take place the week of November 7. Hopefully, the board will be able to offer a two-year contract to a new superintendent the week of November 14. If a suitable candidate is not found, the search will continue.
