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Board discusses possible expansion of rural elementary site, staffing and facility trade-offs
Summary
Trustees reviewed options to expand a rural elementary from two to three classrooms, discussed hiring and custodial costs, potential double-ADM funding in a later biennium, and flagged facilities issues including toilets, water and meal-transportation logistics.
Board members and staff spent an extended portion of the meeting exploring whether to expand a small, rural elementary site and how such an expansion would affect staffing, facilities and finances. Staff outlined two principal options: move an existing teacher from another elementary or hire a new teacher, and expand support from one paraeducator to two. They said the district could increase average daily membership (ADM) and thus state revenue in a following biennium but cautioned the double-ADM benefit would not materialize immediately.
The discussion flagged several operational challenges: custodial needs (with the possibility of hiring a 0.5-time custodian), transportation and meal-delivery logistics, and the need for more behavior-support staffing — including a tier-3 behavior specialist. Board members raised facility concerns, including an $8,000 estimate mentioned by staff to replace toilets and ongoing water-pressure issues; one board member said it took "three flushes" to clear toilets in a recent test. Trustees agreed to gather community feedback — including a town-hall meeting and online options — before deciding and to present multiple draft plans for public input.
