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USD 286 board approves consent agenda, hears updates on Perkins application and student assessment progress
Summary
At its Jan. 13 meeting, the Unified School District #286 Board approved the agenda and consent items — including the resignation of a Jr./Sr. High art instructor — heard a superintendent update on the Perkins Consortium application timeline and principals’ reports on testing and enrollment, then entered a brief executive session and adjourned.
The Unified School District #286 Board of Education met on Jan. 13, 2025, in the district office. President Jaime Morris called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. Board members Becky Smilko and P.J. Buck moved and seconded approval of the meeting agenda; the motion passed 4-0. Michael Clark joined the meeting by phone; Rodney Dickens, Denise Signer and Jonathan Cude were absent.
The board approved the consent agenda, which included approval of December 2024 minutes and district and activity bills, and accepted the resignation of Deanna Smith, Jr./Sr. High art instructor. The consent agenda motion was made by P.J. Buck, seconded by Becky Smilko, and passed 4-0.
Superintendent Rusty Arnold updated the board on planned changes to the Perkins Consortium and said the next step is an application phase anticipated in mid-March. Arnold also reviewed last school year’s idle fund investments and said he would check on the process for renewing those investments. He reported on vacant positions for the upcoming school year; specific vacancies and timelines were not specified in the meeting minutes.
In principals’ reports, Tyler Buss, 6–12 assistant principal, said some students opted out of finals and that students will have the opportunity to take the ACT at Greenbush or West Elk. He reported that an FFA team will travel for a welding contest and that six students are enrolled in CNA classes. Buss said STAR test scores have shown improvement and expressed appreciation for Mrs. Scott’s work supporting that progress. John Gray, PreK–5 elementary principal, reported enrollment increased by three students and presented Lexia progress data for kindergarten through fourth grade (he said fifth-grade data were excluded because students split between PowerUp and Core5). Gray described the house-points system and noted Body Venture is scheduled for Jan. 15.
Later in the meeting Becky Smilko moved that the board go into executive session for seven minutes with the superintendent to discuss legal correspondence and to consult with an attorney under attorney–client privilege; P.J. Buck seconded and the motion passed 4-0. The board returned to open session at 6:55 p.m. Members expressed thoughts and prayers for board member Denise Signer. Smilko then moved to adjourn; Buck seconded and the motion to adjourn passed 4-0. The meeting ended at 6:57 p.m. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Feb. 10, 2025, at 6:30 p.m.
