Alva Public Schools board approves hires, meal-price changes, athletics agreements and schedules special budget meeting

The Alva Public Schools Board of Education approved a slate of personnel hires, meal-price adjustments, athletics agreements and committee appointments and set a special meeting to finalize the district—s estimate of needs for fiscal year 2025-26.

The board voted to hire three paraprofessionals, approved a contract to share an athletic trainer with a nearby university, authorized a cooperative agreement with Freedom Public Schools for basketball and baseball, and approved out-of-state travel for FFA events and a middle-school football trip. The board also approved adjusted child nutrition prices and continued the district—s contracts to provide meals to Head Start.

Why it matters: The actions advance staffing and student supports ahead of a budget deadline at the county courthouse and change meal pricing to comply with federal nutrition requirements, affecting the district—s revenue and food-service operations.

Board action details - The board approved hiring three paraprofessionals (Madison Cole, Kyle Uhas and Caden Thorpe) for the 2025-26 school year. Motion made and seconded; roll call recorded members voting yes. The hires were listed under agenda item 5.1.

- The board scheduled a special meeting to complete and file the district—s estimate of needs with the county by Oct. 1, 2025. Board members discussed potential dates and settled on Friday the 12th at 5 p.m. to allow time to prepare the document and deliver to the county.

- The board approved a proposed contract with a university to provide a certified athletic trainer for the 2025-26 school year. The district noted a university program cost of $20,000; the trainer would be on campus several days per week and provide clinics and game coverage. The motion passed by voice/roll call.

- The board approved a cooperative athletics agreement with Freedom Public Schools for basketball and baseball for 2025-26. Freedom Public Schools will provide transportation for its students to participate in practices and games under the agreement. The board approved the item by vote.

- The board approved adjusted child-nutrition meal prices for 2025-26 after guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture indicated minimum pricing levels. The board raised adult and contract breakfast prices (adult breakfast cited at $3.00, contract breakfast figures discussed in the meeting). The motion passed by roll call.

- The board approved a contract with Big 5 Ed Start (listed in the agenda as the same contract in use the prior year) to prepare and provide breakfast and lunch for Head Start. Meals will be prepared at the high school and picked up by the Head Start provider.

- The board approved Dana Manning as an adjunct instructor for psychology and sociology for 2025-26 and approved committee memberships including the Gift and Talent committee and the Internal Activities committee.

- The board authorized the superintendent to review national criminal-history background checks for employees for fiscal year 2025-26.

- The board approved out-of-state travel requests: middle-school football to Pratt; Alva FFA to Indianapolis for the National FFA Convention; and Alva FFA to Lyons, Kansas, for a livestock judging contest. These items were discussed and approved under agenda item 5.11.

Financial and timeline context District finance staff reported temporary appropriations and investment balances as the board prepared for a planned bond issue to build a new elementary school and renovate existing facilities. "I expect appropriations to be in the neighborhood of 17 and a half million," said Mr. Brashears, a district staff member reporting the finance figures. The district reported temporary appropriations of $14,806,000 and building-fund appropriations of about $3,875,007.41; investments across funds totaled roughly $8,798,000 earning about 4.3%.

Next steps and implementation notes The board scheduled a special meeting to finalize and file the estimate of needs with the county clerk before the Oct. 1 deadline. Several approved items (trainer contract, cooperative agreements, travel approvals and price changes) will move to implementation by district staff and vendors; the district flagged procurement, contract execution and scheduling as immediate follow-ups.

Votes at a glance (Selected items approved during the meeting) - Consent agenda and surplus declaration: approved by roll call (members recorded voting yes during roll call). (Transcript evidence: agenda consent and roll call.) - Hires: three paraprofessionals approved (agenda 5.1). Vote: approved. (Transcript evidence: 3134.99-3142.45) - Athletic-trainer contract with university: approved (agenda 5.3). Vote: approved. (Transcript evidence: 3320.54-3416.99) - Cooperative athletics agreement with Freedom Public Schools (basketball/baseball): approved (agenda 5.4). Vote: approved. (Transcript evidence: 3448.76-3628.35) - Child-nutrition meal price adjustments: approved (agenda 5.5). Vote: approved. (Transcript evidence: 3640.45-3739.46) - Contract with Big 5 Ed Start for Head Start meals: approved (agenda 5.6). Vote: approved. (Transcript evidence: 3759.55-3808.26) - Approval of Dana Manning as adjunct instructor: approved (agenda 5.7). Vote: approved. (Transcript evidence: 3808.26-3843.11) - Gift and Talent committee appointments: approved (agenda 5.8). Vote: approved. (Transcript evidence: 3843.11-3886.55) - Internal Activities committee appointments: approved (agenda 5.9). Vote: approved. (Transcript evidence: 3886.55-3914.01) - Superintendent authority to review background checks: approved (agenda 5.10). Vote: approved. (Transcript evidence: 3938.27-3971.72) - Out-of-state travel approvals (FFA and football): approved (agenda 5.11). Vote: approved. (Transcript evidence: 3971.72-4059.92)

Ending The board completed the meeting by signing documents approved earlier in the session and adjourning. District staff will carry forward implementation tasks for contracts, hires, price changes and the bond-preparation work before the county filing deadline.