Fox C‑6 board approves 2025–26 calendar without proposed late starts, signs multiple contracts and a university tuition MOU

The Fox C‑6 School District Board of Education voted on multiple agenda items during its Jan. 14, 2025 meeting, approving the district’s 2025–26 calendar after removing proposed weekly late‑start days and adopting several contracts and a tuition memorandum of understanding.

Calendar decision The board approved the Y26 (2025–26) district calendar but omitted the late‑start Wednesdays that district leaders had proposed to reserve weekly PLC time. The calendar item had been presented for a second reading at the meeting and was the subject of extended debate over whether building‑level PLC practice and secondary schedules (block vs. seven‑period) were ready to use additional weekly PLC time. After discussion the board approved the calendar without the late starts; the vote carried and the board directed the administration to continue block‑schedule committee work, survey teachers, and return with implementation details before any late‑start rollout.

Contracts, MOU and procurement decisions - Lindenwood University MOU (approved): The board approved a memorandum of understanding with Lindenwood University that offers staff discounted tuition rates for graduate coursework. The MOU was presented by Kelly Brock, assistant superintendent for human resources, and approved by motion with an affirmative vote.

- K Lo Finance LLC proposal (approved): The board approved a proposal from K Lo Finance LLC to develop a salary‑schedule spreadsheet tool for use in certified salary negotiations. The vendor’s product is a one‑time‑fee tool that will be used as an administrative planning model. During public comment, teacher and negotiation representative John Galore asked the board not to pay for a tool and said the teachers’ association already had built a spreadsheet that performs the needed calculations; he urged the board to accept the teachers’ spreadsheet instead of spending district money. Galore told the board, “The agreement here is that we do not want the district to spend any money on this. Okay?” Despite that public comment, the board approved the proposal.

- ATG Ram Industries LLC (SHS baseball field contract) (approved): The board approved a contract with ATG Ram Industries LLC for the Seckman High School (SHS) baseball field project. Board members noted the bid came in under budget and that insurance proceeds from prior athletic‑field claims helped cover related work.

- Reinhold Electric (approved): The board approved a contract with Reinhold Electric to provide electrical services for dust‑collection systems at Fox High and Seckman High. Administrators described the work as a substantial service upgrade requiring new services (two 800‑amp services) to power the equipment.

- Forward Asphalt (bid/tabled): A bid for Forward Asphalt (Fox campus paving) was tabled to the next meeting to allow contract language to be aligned with attorney recommendations.

Consent agenda and donations The board approved the consent agenda items (7.3 through 7.10) and accepted a donation of 20 cases of cookies from Walmart to Fox High School for a fundraiser.

Votes and procedure notes Many motions were approved by voice vote with recorded motions and seconders noted on the record. Where a specific mover or seconder was recorded in the transcript it is noted in the meeting minutes; otherwise the record shows a motion, a second and a voice affirmation. For example, the meeting agenda was approved earlier in the meeting on a motion by Smith, seconded by Frazier.

Why this matters: procurement decisions, the tuition MOU and the calendar shape the district’s budget, staff development time and negotiated salary conversations for the coming year. The K Lo Finance LLC decision, in particular, closed a debate about whether the district should pay for a negotiation tool when teacher representatives said an equivalent tool exists within the union.

Ending: The board asked administration to gather teacher survey data and schedule/implementation plans before bringing any late‑start proposal back for approval; the Forward Asphalt contract will return in February after attorney review and contract revisions.