At a meeting of the Trenton R-9 Board of Education on April 11, Superintendent Daniel Gott told the Board about a school safety grant for which he applied.
Gott reported that, with the district’s attendance, it could be awarded up to $150,000. The state is offering the grant to all public schools.
Gott said the grant would cover the cost of a fence around the playground at Rissler Elementary School and bullet-resistant glass for all major entrances, side doors, and windows on all campuses. It would also cover the cost of new keyless entry and door safety on all campuses.
Gott commented that the cost of all of those items would be right at $150,000.
He reported there are 26 locations to enter at the Trenton Middle School/Trenton High School campus and approximately 20 at Rissler. He noted some doors would become emergency exits only.
Trenton R-9 should know by the end of the month if it will receive the grant.
Gott reported the district received a feminine hygiene grant for $1,570.95. The grant involved the district getting feminine hygiene products for students. He commented he thought the grant had the easiest application he had ever completed.
Daniel Gott reported himself, Rissler Principal Susan Gott, and District Office Manager Michelle Hixson met with De Frink-Hedglin about the district’s federal program. Daniel Gott said the district is working on the best way to spend its Title funds for students.
He stated the meeting was informative, and he learned a “tremendous amount” from the meeting. He learned ways to use funds he did not know the district could.
Daniel Gott announced summer school enrollment has started, and he encouraged families to enroll students.
Susan Gott explained building-wide iReady reading diagnostic data. She said the data included two of three diagnostics. It shows 71 students scored mid or at grade level, 86 scored early on grade level, 161 were one grade level below normal, 18 were two grade levels below, and nine students were three grade levels below.
Susan Gott said Rissler set a goal of five percent improvement, and the school is on track for that.
THS Assistant Principal John Cowling presented the At-Risk Evaluation Report. The report indicated 976 students are enrolled in the program. The program includes in-school suspension, parent portal agreements, the THS/TMS Academic Lab, the Success Center, and Bulldog Bridge.
THS student Aubree Dalrymple was recognized for her artwork being chosen to be on display in the district board room for the next year. Dalrymple’s work won first place in Mixed Media for the Regional High School Exhibition at the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art of Saint Joseph. It was also named Best of Show.
The Trenton R-9 Board of Education approved the district’s Career Ladder Plan on April 11th.
The district will assign qualified, participating teachers to one of three stages and award teachers supplemental pay annually. That amount should not exceed $1,500 for Stage 1, $3,000 for Stage 2, or $5,000 for Stage 3. The supplemental pay will be in addition to the normal salary for the teacher.
Eligibility for Stage 1 includes completing two years of teaching experience in Missouri public schools, completing the required beginning teacher assistance program and participating in two years of mentoring, and performing at an acceptable level or above on all criteria on the most recent final evaluation instrument of the performance-based teacher evaluation process. It also includes serving on no less than a regular-length full-time contract, appropriate certification in the subject area for each teacher, and developing a Career Development Plan that includes responsibilities or volunteer efforts the educator will assume to receive the Career Ladder supplemental pay. The educator will complete one or more responsibilities or volunteer efforts by May 19th. A minimum of 50 clock hours should be completed.
Eligibility for Stage 2 includes completing three years of teaching experience in Missouri public schools and a minimum of 75 clock hours. Eligibility for Stage 3 includes completing five years of teaching experience in Missouri public schools and a minimum of 100 clock hours. The rest of the eligibility requirements are the same.
Career Development Plans must be completed and submitted by September 20th at 3 o’clock. Plans will be sent to staff members through the district email, and the plan will require attachments with a copy of their teaching certification and the last summative evaluation.
Trenton R-9 educators who are denied participation in the Career Ladder Program due to a determination from the performance-based evaluation process or a determination they have not met the requirements for participation will have the option to appeal the determination.
Superintendent Daniel Gott reported a committee went through the state’s plan to create the district’s plan. The committee members were Michael Hostetter representing the administration, Amy Overstreet for Rissler Elementary School, Traci Hurley for Trenton Middle School, Tyler Busick for Trenton High School, and Dorothy Taul representing the board of education.
The board approved a nurse pay scale. The scale sets the base pay for a licensed practical nurse at $27,000 and for a registered nurse at $36,500 for year 1. The pay increases by $400 per year.
Gott reported the district did not have a pay schedule for nurses in the past. He said the nurse’s pay was already figured into what was presented last month for non-certified staff changes, and it will not add anything to the $55,000 total for non-certified staff members.
The board approved changes to board policies. Most of the changes were recommended by the Missouri School Boards Association because of items passed by the legislature.
Gott reported some of the changes involved the public being added to a school board agenda and public participation at board meetings.
Others involved changes to Missouri Course Access and Virtual School Program courses and how they are provided. Gott said a student can enroll in Trenton R-9 and immediately enroll in MOCAP. Programs with a host school are like moving to a different district, and only the host school can reject a student. If a MOCAP student living in the Trenton R-9 district is kicked out of the host school’s program, he or she would be enrolled in Trenton R-9.
There were changes to a policy regarding the eligibility to enroll for non-resident students. The policy now includes children whose parent owns property in the district or is a named beneficiary of a trust that owns such property, provides proof of ownership for at least the last four years, provides proof the parent or the trust has annually paid at least $2,000 in school taxes to the school district, resides in the same county with the district, and provides 30 days written notice to the district of the intent to enroll a child. The parent can send up to four children to the district under the provision.
Other policy changes involved community engagement. Gott reported the district will have to create a Community Engagement Plan and complete it before July 1st.
Gott recommended the wording be changed on two policies. He said one wording change was to make the personal leave policy more clear. The policy now says requests will not be approved for the day preceding or following scheduled school calendar days off, including the first and last days of school. Juneteenth was added to the 12-month employee holidays.
The other change recommended by Gott regarded employment contracts for non-certified staff members. It says those professional staff employees will not be able to advance in pay after completing two years in a professional role without attaining proper certification. They will be offered a contract upon completion of certification.
The board approved Comprehensive School Improvement Plan amendments. One involved the district having 90% of the students attending 90% of the time. The other amendment involved 100% of students being college and career ready by their respective graduation dates. Student information system data will be used to track both. The goal is to have both achieved by 2025.
Director of Academics Doctor Jill Watkins reported the CSIP amendments were identified as gaps as part of last month’s presentation on Trenton R-9’s Annual Performance Report. The updated CSIP is to be put on the school district’s website on April 12th.
Toward the start of the meeting, the board-certified the April 4th election results and dissolved the board. Board Secretary Michelle Hixson administered the oath of office to Brandon Gibler, Ronda Lickteig, and Andy Burress.
The board was reorganized, and officers were elected. The officers are President Brandon Gibler, Vice President Jeff Spencer, Treasurer Melissa King, and Secretary Michelle Hixson. Gibler was elected as the Missouri School Boards Association delegate, and Spencer was elected as the MSBA delegate alternate.
Outgoing Board Member Jason Hostetler was recognized for his service on the board, and Gott gave him a certificate and gift. Hostetler thanked the district and said it was a pleasure to serve with the other board members.
The Trenton R-9 Board of Education approved personnel matters in an executive session on April 11th.
Board Secretary Michelle Hixson reports resignations approved that will become effective at the end of this school year included Rissler Elementary School Title 1 Paraprofessional Rylee Berti, Rissler First Grade Teacher Katlyn Bagley, and Rissler Title 1 Teacher Sarah Jackson. Other resignations effective at the end of the school year are for Emily Wood as Trenton High School Assistant Girls Basketball Coach and Brenda Thorne as THS Student Council Sponsor. Speech Instructor Terri Figg’s resignation was approved, effective immediately.
Substitutes approved were Jamie Anderson and Karen Glenn.
New hires for next school year include Samantha French as an Early Childhood Special Education Teacher, Sammie French as THS Varsity Girls Basketball Assistant Coach, Phillip Ray as THS Assistant Band Director, and Lisa Hostetter for Trenton Middle School Fifth Grade Reading. Other new hires for next school year are Makaylah Lynn as Rissler Kindergarten Teacher, Christy Grissom as Rissler Counselor, Wade Proffitt as Rissler Assistant Principal, and Steve Richman for THS Varsity Head Girls Basketball Coach and TMS Head Girls Softball Coach.
The board approved Rissler Assistant Principal Wade Proffitt’s salary at $62,780.
All returning non-certified staff members were recommended for next school year. Returning non-Missouri State High School Activities Association extra-duty contracts for sponsors were approved for next school year.
Summer school staff were approved for this summer’s program.
