STUDENTS OF THE MONTH … The February Montpelier Board of Education meeting began by honoring the students of the month, who are pictured as follows, left to right: Front: Kindergarten, Skylin Flower; 1st grade, Brielle Gibbs; 2nd grade, Georgia Beavers; 3rd grade, Nicole Head; and 4th grade, Kamryn Salazar. Back: 8th grade, Brayden Epling; 7th grade, Tayla Dohner; 6th grade, Kinley Bechtol; 5th grade, Sophia Frisby; and 5th grade, Elli Fitzcharles. Not pictured are 2nd grader Georgia Beavers and high school student Nevaeh Konoff.
By: Anna Wozniak
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
anna@thevillagereporter.com
The Montpelier Board of Education met on Tuesday, February 13, 2024 with members Dunne S. Gambler, Nate Rose, Jennifer Schlosser, Troy Roth, and Patti Rockey present alongside Superintendent Jamison Grime, CFO / Treasurer Carla Rice, and Elementary School Principal Lance Thorp and 7-12 Principal Su Thorp.
After the pledge of allegiance, the board recognized the students of the month, which are as follows: kindergartener Skylin Flower; 1st grade, Brielle Gibbs; 2nd grade, Georgia Beavers; 3rd grade, Nicole Head; 4th grade, Kamryn Salazar; 5th grade, Elli Fitzcharles; 5th grade, Sophia Frisby; 6th grade, Kinley Bechtol; 7th grade, Tayla Dohner; 8th grade, Brayden Epling; and high schooler Nevaeh Konoff.
Spelling Bee winner Weston Brown was then awarded the Spelling Bee Award in honor of Denver Bechtol, presented by Barbara Turner.
Use of the recreation center was then discussed, with it being shared that any equipment and anything on the turf is off limits to anyone who is not a Montpelier student. Community members wanting to use the track still must go through the proper channels for entry.
Principal Lance Thorp then shared how successful parent teacher conferences were this time around, and all of the work that has been put into each student’s progress. Parents are encouraged to monitor their children’s grades online.
The last professional development day was centered around Senate Bill 288 and child abuse prevention, with some work being done on stocking.
State testing plans are getting put into place, and Random Acts of Kindness week is being observed while the kids get ready for Valentine’s Day.
The end of the third quarter is March 8th, which will see Muffins with Mom in the morning and a 4th and 5th grade math competition.
Principal Su Thorp shared that six full days were missed in January due to the weather, and that winter sports are headed into the tournament season.
After much discussion, it was decided that the musical would be moved to March 8th, 9th, and 10th to avoid conflicts with the basketball tournament.
Principal Thorp then thanked everyone on the administrative team and staff for their support while she was out of the office tending to her ill husband the last week of January.
Grading scale and grading practices presentations were given to the high school staff, and training for these will remain ongoing.
The PBIS incentives have been working really well with the kids, and Principal Thorp shared that ACT and CPR training is on the 27th of February.
This is the last year juniors will be required to take the ACT, and a blood drive will be occurring on the 28th, with March 10th seeing the student sports awards.
It was decided that there would be a 2-hour early release for the solar eclipse, and a 1 hour early release for the May 16th track meet.
Almost $12,000 was earned from the district auction, and it was decided that this cushion could help provide free entry to sports events for Montpelier students grades 7-12 for next year.
The fourth quarter income tax was received at 4% less than last year, with current receipts at an estimated $50,000 less than originally forecasted in the budget.
The minutes from both the organizational and regular January 9th and special January 16th meeting minutes were approved as presented, as were the January financial reports.
Donations were then accepted from the Moose Lodge, The Johnsons, Doug Cangle, D&M Tire and Service Center, Titan Tire, the Rotary Club, Academic Boosters, and two anonymous donors.
The tax rates and levies were approved to be certified and sent to the auditor, and all employment recommendations were approved as presented, which included the contract for the MEA.
The superintendent’s recommendations were approved as presented, which included service contracts. A motion was tabled for administrative raises before the board voted to enter executive session at 6:35 p.m.