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River Valley board elects officers, approves handbooks and staffing ahead of summer
Summary
At an irregular River Valley School District board meeting, trustees elected Fred Yauslin president and John Bettinger vice president, approved several handbooks and the RVEA master agreement, accepted donations, and hired a certified special educator.
Fred Yauslin was elected president of the Rupert Valley Board of Education and John Bettinger was chosen vice president during the board’s irregular meeting on May 20, where trustees also approved routine and programmatic items ahead of the summer break.
The board closed nominations and cast unanimous ballots to fill officers for the coming year; Sarah was confirmed to remain clerk and Adam was appointed treasurer. The board appointed Running Lowing & Lacy as legal counsel, named People’s Community Bank as the district depository and designated the Independent Star News as the official newspaper.
Administrators presented a slate of approvals. The board voted to authorize 2026–27 teacher contract renewals by roll call (seven yes, two absent). The River Valley Education Association (RVEA) 2026–27 master agreement was approved as presented. The board also approved the district’s before‑and‑after school program handbook and the 2026–27 bus handbook; a notable bus policy change requires that all students be assigned seats to improve safety, a step recommended by bus drivers and the transportation provider. The gifted‑and‑talented handbook was approved with language broadening the responsible role to 'appropriate staff' rather than a single coordinator.
On personnel, the board accepted the recommendation to hire Andrew Waters as a certified special educator at the high school; Waters summarized prior experience at the Wilson Center and North Crawford and will also help with summer programming.
The board approved the district’s summer course catalog, which includes enrichment for elementary grades, STEM/CTE camps for middle grades, and credit recovery opportunities for grades 9–12. Committee reports also noted an expansion of a reading‑support position from 0.5 to 1.0 FTE and approval of the district library services plan and an early literacy remediation plan required by state law.
Trustees accepted multiple donations: $500 from Asset Mechanical; $5,000 from the Music Boosters (with a noted Lions Club match) to purchase elementary risers; a donated cement floor valued at $750 from Allied Ready Mix for the 'Happy Hen House' project; $38,098 from the Athletic Booster Club for a new scoreboard; and $150 for the weekend backpack food program. Each donation was accepted by motion and vote.
The meeting concluded with a motion and roll call to enter closed session to consider two expulsion hearings and student requests to opt out of state testing, citing the statutory exemptions noted on the record.
The board’s next regular meeting date and committee scheduling changes were discussed publicly; members were asked to share committee preferences before the June meeting.
