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Whitehall School Board accepts five-year 21st Century grant, approves hires and routine claims
Summary
At a routine Whitehall School District board meeting, trustees approved minutes and claims, hired two paraprofessionals, agreed to a Valley Bank logo card arrangement, and heard reports including a five-year 21st Century grant worth $220,530 annually and a Jefferson County health assessment noting elevated suicide ideation.
The Whitehall School District board on an unspecified date approved routine business, added two paraprofessionals to staff and accepted a five-year 21st Century grant that will provide $220,530 a year to expand K–12 after-school and summer programming.
In reports, the elementary presenter, Mr. Cohen, said elementary enrollment stands at 196 and that MAP testing is underway. “We started the year whole this year filling all of our positions,” Mr. Cohen said, and described a new Trojan advisory group that will bring student voices into weekly announcements and lunch meetings.
Mr. Slater summarized middle- and high-school developments, including restored staff continuity for grades 6–12, new dual-credit offerings and elective classes such as film and Native American studies. He said the district has seen gradual enrollment growth and that discipline issues so far have been limited.
Superintendent-level staff shared districtwide updates and community information. The superintendent discussed the Jefferson County Community Health Assessment, saying the county data showed high levels of suicide ideation — “it’s like 1 in 4 people have thought about it in the past year,” the superintendent said — and circulated the report to trustees. The superintendent also announced that the district received a K–12 21st Century grant for five years, with the award totaling $220,530 per year to continue and expand after-school and summer options.
On personnel and administrative actions, the board approved an updated substitute-teacher list, accepted the withdrawal of an occupational therapy aide applicant (Deb Stone), and approved hiring paraprofessionals Andrea Horton and Kelly Dodd. The superintendent explained the district participates in the Prickly Pear Special Education Co‑op, which reimburses the district for certain special‑education positions under the IDEA grant framework.
Trustees also authorized Valley Bank (successor to Rocky Mountain Bank) to offer Trojan‑logo debit/credit cards that would bring a modest monetary benefit to the district if community members opt in. The board approved elementary and high-school claims and accounts and then adjourned.
Votes at a glance • Approve minutes (two sets): motion moved by Committee member (S3) and seconded by the Chair; voice votes — passed. • Approve substitute list: passed on voice vote. • Hire paraprofessionals (Andrea Horton, Kelly Dodd): moved by Committee member; passed on voice vote. • Valley Bank Trojan logo on cards: approved on voice vote. • Elementary and high-school claims and accounts: approved on separate voice votes.
Next steps: Staff will implement the approved hires and banking-logo agreement as appropriate, continue outreach around the 21st Century grant-funded programs, and distribute the Jefferson County health assessment more broadly to the district and community partners.
