The Tarkio R-I Board of Education held its regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. in the central office of the Tarkio R-I School District. The meeting was called to order by board president Josh Wright. Following the Pledge of Allegiance, the agenda was approved as presented. The board members present were Brooke Vette, Amy Hurst, Raymond Gebhards, Jamie Barnett, and Sam Hannah.

The consent agenda was approved, which included the following items: The minutes from the April 16, 2025, regular and closed session meetings; transfer of funds to pay certified teachers; program evaluation for cocurricular/extra-curricular, extended learning time; and alternative delivery systems was presented along with an evaluation of the school’s At-Risk Program. Other items approved under the consent agenda included a contract with Tarkio Tech for 2025-26, the district’s agreement with ACES for 2025-26, a four-year agreement with the Tarkio Golf Course for the amount of $7,500 per year, and the 2025-26 Professional Development Plan.

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. The MOCAAT accounts have a combined $137,064.09 in interest earnings through April 30, 2025, on the reserve balances the district has invested with MOCAAT since July 1, 2024. Tarkio R-I Superintendent Mr. Bob Heddinger did point out some irregular expenses for this past month. These included Thrasher Foundation for scheduled repairs to sidewalk and steps outside the TAC for $7,327.79; Midwest Data Center running fiber optic to the south press box for $3,147.75, and Software Unlimited, the bookkeeping program, annual subscription fee for $6,450.00.

Mr. Heddinger shared a thank you card from the family of Jim Hannah. Mrs. Nikki Parshall provided the TAC report for the month of April. Mrs. Meghan Hughes, school nurse, provided a detailed health and wellness report covering the 2024-25 school year month by month. Mrs. Kari Taylor, Tarkio R-I School District Special Education Director, provided and presented a summary report of the Special Education Department for the 2024-25 school year. A Career Ladder summary report was presented to the board highlighting the number of hours in various categories that teachers worked outside their contractual requirements.

Administration Reports

Tarkio Elementary Principal/Assistant Superintendent Mr. Dustin Barnes submitted an elementary report. Overall enrollment for the building at the end of the year was 148 students. Overall attendance for the year was 95.72%. Summer school started Monday, May 19. Average attendance for the first week has been between 35-40 students. The Tarkio Nutrition Center is providing lunch and the Missouri Extension office is coming in and providing a Kids in the Kitchen program. He also reported on a number of events that took pace at the end of the school year, includiung MAP testing, elementary field day, step up day, the fourth grade class wax museum, and the end of the year awards assembly. School dismissed for summer break at 12:30 p.m. on May 15. The PD Committee met to reorganize for the upcoming year. Teachers are in the process of checking out. Curriculum camp is going on this week and next. Final work is being done on curricular expenditures for next year, technology order and furniture lists as well. June core data information is being entered.

Tarkio High School Principal Mr. Terry Petersen submitted a junior high and high school report which included the following information: Enrollment numbers were 88 in the middle school and 90 in the high school. MAP and EOC testing went off without a hitch. A number of junior high/high school teachers are involved in Curriculum Camp and other summer PD opportunities. Mr. Petersen addressed some potential handbook changes including home room schedules, gradewatch program, tech school attendance, academic eligibility, finals policy, cell phone policy changes, clarification of prom and activities, Indian expectations, PBIS trip and junior high Chromebook use and plan for next year. Summer weightlifting and practices are starting for junior high and high school students this week.

Superintendent Heddinger gave a report. The next MOSIS/Core Data submission is due by June 30. Everyone is already starting to complete their respective part to make this deadline. The preliminary budget for 2025-26 continues to take shape. During the June meeting, Mr. Heddinger will share the final preliminary budget for board approval to begin on July 1, 2025. Mr. Heddinger shared information concerning three of the more impactful legislative bills, two of which made it across the finish line. The first one was HB 711 – the Open Enrollment Bill. While this bill had a lot of momentum early in the legislative session it failed to make it to the floor for a final vote in the closing days of the session. HB 567 – the State Minimum Wage Bill did pass and will most likely be signed by Governor Kehoe. This bill will raise the minimum wage to $13.75 in August and again to $15.00 per hour on January 1, 2026. Schools used to be exempt from this statutory requirement but under this new bill schools will be required to meet the minimum salary. The final piece of legislation that passed and will be felt by all school districts was SB 68. This giant Omnibus Bill has 35 separate items included in it that will have significant impact on school districts. The most notable one of these items is the No Cell Phone Policy during school hours. Governor Kehoe has created a task force of 16 members and has given them the mission to come up with a new funding formula for the state to use to best support school districts. This group will hold their first meeting in June of 2025 with a projected completion of December 2026.

Mr. Heddinger shared the agenda items for the June meeting with the board. The items included: Amending the 2024-25 budget, approval of the 2025-26 preliminary budget, substitute pay, mileage reimbursement rate, lunch and ballgame prices, and several other items, including the Program Evaluation – District Goal & Objectives (CSIP Review).

Old Business

Mr. Barnes shared the items that the Tarkio Co-op Committee members compiled during their most recent meeting. This information will be shared with the administration and Fairfax Co-op Committee members.

The CSIP Committee will meet on June 23, 2025, to review and revise the school’s CSIP. DESE Area Supervisor Nancy Greeley will help facilitate this meeting and guide the discussion.

Mr. Heddinger asked the board to enact Article 14 of the 2022 contract with Veregy to begin the process of another building renovation project at the Elementary School Building. Mr. Heddinger reassured the board that this action in no way is an obligation to do a project, but does allow Veregy to begin putting numbers together based on the wishes of the district. A motion was made to approve the recommendation along with the cap increase. The motion passed 6-0.

New Business

Mr. Barnes and Mr. Petersen provided information on proposed 2025-26 Student and Athletic Handbook changes that will be formally presented for adoption during the June board meeting. One of the biggest adjustments will center around the new No Cell Phone Policy that will be coming because of SB 68 passing.

Mr. Heddinger presented the board with a summary of the Custodial, Maintenance, and Construction Project that will occur this summer. Mr. Heddinger pointed out that things will be busy this summer as several indoor and outdoor projects are scheduled to take place. The projects include repair, replace and adding sidewalks around the school property, tree removal, demolition of the north crow’s nest at the football field, renovations to the south press box, new fencing install in several locations, the installation of some new playground equipment at the preschool and the usual summer cleaning routines. The board approved the summer plans as presented.

Mr. Heddinger presented the board with four salary schedules for the 2025-26 school year. The board approved all four schedules. Highlights of these schedules are:

• Certified Salary Schedule with a base salary of $42,000. This equals a 5.61% increase for returning staff.

• Non-Certified Salary Schedule that has significantly increased the base salary across all columns. The average increase is somewhere between 10-20%. This has been long overdue for these folks.

• Extra Duty Salary Schedule with the percentages tied back to the base salary of $42,000.

• Administrative Salary Schedule with the increases tied to the 5.61% raise for the returning staff

Board members voted to enter closed session at 9:07 p.m. The meeting moved back into open session at 9:45 p.m.

Board members voted unanimously to accept the slate of spring and extra duty assignments for the 2025-26 school year.

The meeting adjourned at 9:47 p.m. The next two board meetings will be held June 18 and August 20, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. in the superintendent’s office.