Alva Public Schools board approves hires, $12,000 lunch donation and FY‑26 contracts; tables investment resolution

The Board of Education of Alva Independent School District No. 1 in Woods County, Oklahoma, approved a slate of personnel, finance and contract items at a regular meeting, accepted a $12,000 donation to clear outstanding student lunch charges, and tabled an FY‑26 investment resolution for further review.

Board action matters because the decisions affect staffing, student meal balances and the district’s vendor contracts and insurance coverage ahead of the new school year.

Board members voted to hire Kylie France to a 12‑month secretary position at the middle school after trustees discussed internal job movements that created the vacancy. The board also recorded two resignations: T.J. Glooth, head custodian at Washington, effective at the end of the month, and Rhonda Berson, a paraprofessional at Washington, who is leaving to help care for a grandchild.

Trustees accepted a $12,000 donation from First Presbyterian Church designated for the child nutrition account; district staff said the donation will be used to pay off outstanding student lunch balances so the district begins the year with no student debt carried forward. A district speaker said, "That should clear it out," when asked whether the gift would eliminate the outstanding balances.

The board approved a list of eight adjunct instructors for the 2025–26 school year to allow certain outside and career‑tech instructors to earn credit for students; the district highlighted that one adjunct, Brooke Meyer, is employed by the career‑tech center and needs district adjunct status so her anatomy and physiology course qualifies for student science credit.

Trustees also approved certified personnel to provide extended school‑year services (July 1–31, 2025) and adopted annual job assignments and administrative duties for FY‑26, both routine yearly actions to prepare for the coming school year.

On finance matters, the board reviewed purchase‑order encumbrances for FY‑25. District staff reported a $79,051.16 payment (PO No. 414) to the Woods County Treasurer tied to a tax protest from 2017 that required repayment after a court judgment. The board also approved an increased encumbrance (PO No. 415) of $15,000 to Next Tech Consultants to cover technology overages and support trouble‑ticket work from the prior six months. In the building fund, the board approved a $750 purchase order to JAE Systems to diagnose and repair a fire alarm panel in an art building, and a $24,000 purchase order to Rex Playground Equipment in the gifts fund for materials for an outdoor classroom donation.

Board members approved three activity‑fund documents (chart of accounts, subaccount expenditures and sources of revenue) that outline how student activity funds may raise and spend money.

The board reviewed a list of contracts for FY‑26 covering vendors the district uses for services: Chatterbox Speech Therapy (virtual speech/language services), Clearwater Enterprises (natural gas purchasing), Go Any Place (occupational therapy), Precision Testing Laboratories (asbestos testing), the district’s workers’ compensation plan with the school insurance cooperative, and an ongoing agreement with the Woods County Commissioners to share mitigation expenses tied to tax protests. District staff reported the school insurance premium for the coming year will be about $398,464 for comprehensive coverage and that workers’ compensation premium will be $40,781; they said the comprehensive premium represents a decrease from the prior year driven by a statewide drop in claims and changes in wind/hail deductibles. The board also heard that regional schools have experienced ransomware and other cyberattacks, which affected some districts’ operations and files.

Trustees decided to table an investment resolution for FY‑26 to the policy committee for more precise language about where interest earned on investments should be deposited. District staff said the policy committee will consider directing interest earned on restricted gift funds back into those gift funds so donations continue to accrue to the donor‑designated accounts.

The board heard an administrative report on summer maintenance and building projects, including painting, floor work and repairs to a gym exterior and washout caused by an unconnected downspout. The superintendent’s report also noted ongoing roof‑claim work with the district’s adjuster and two estimates under review; staff said the adjuster’s working estimate was about $3.2 million and discussions on depreciation and final settlement were continuing.

The board set its policy‑committee meeting for the next day to finalize language on investment interest and other policy items and indicated it would take action on the investment resolution at the next regular meeting.

Votes at a glance

- Approve consent agenda (minutes, routine finance and encumbrances, board policies, surplus items): approved; recorded yes votes included Pingleton, McDermott, Kane and Hartman (motion moved and seconded; tally yes: 4, no: 0).

- Hire Kylie France, 12‑month middle school secretary (non‑certified position) for 2025–26: approved; recorded yes votes included Singleton, McDermott and Kane (motion moved and seconded; tally yes: 4, no: 0).

- Accept $12,000 donation from First Presbyterian Church to clear child nutrition lunch balances: approved; recorded yes votes included Kane, Barton, McDermott and Pendleton (motion moved and seconded; tally yes: 4, no: 0).

- Approve eight adjunct instructors for 2025–26 (including Brooke Meyer for anatomy & physiology under career‑tech arrangement): approved; recorded yes votes included McDermott and Kane (motion moved and seconded; tally yes: 5, no: 0).

- Approve certified personnel for extended school‑year services (July 1–31, 2025): approved; recorded yes votes included McDermott, Singleton and Hartman (motion moved and seconded; tally yes: 4, no: 0).

- Approve FY‑26 job assignments and duties (fund custodians, purchasing agents, coordinators): approved; recorded yes votes included Kane, McDermott and Pingleton (motion moved and seconded; tally yes: 4, no: 0).

- Investment resolution for FY‑26 (direction on how to allocate interest earnings): tabled to policy committee; no final vote.

- Approve activity‑fund reports (chart of accounts, subaccount expenditures, revenue sources): approved; recorded yes votes included McDermott, Kane, Barton and Pingleton (motion moved and seconded; tally yes: 4, no: 0).

- Approve FY‑26 vendor contracts (Chatterbox Speech Therapy; Clearwater Enterprises; Go Any Place; Precision Testing Laboratories; workers’ compensation and comprehensive insurance with school insurance cooperative; agreement with Woods County Commissioners): approved; recorded yes votes included McDermott, Kane, Pingleton, Barton and Singleton across roll calls (motion moved and seconded; tally yes: 5, no: 0).

The meeting included routine administrative updates, and the board scheduled follow‑up policy review of the investment resolution before final adoption at the next regular meeting.