Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Carthage R-9 Board hires four teachers, hears update on district's COVID-19 tracing process


(From the Carthage R-9 School District)

The Carthage R-9 Board of Education met in regular session on Monday, September 21, 2020, 6:00 pm, at Columbian Elementary. Present were Board members Jeff Jones, Niki Cloud, Bill Lasley, Karen Wilkinson, Patrick Scott, and Ryan Collier. Lee Elliff Pound attended via Zoom. 

Jack Maysent and Hadley Zoromski, Columbian Elementary students, led the Pledge of Allegiance and Hadley Zoromski performed two piano solos. 

The Board approved the Consent Agenda for the purpose of approving the meeting agenda, minutes of previous meetings, payment of bills, financial reports, surplus property auction, change order request #1 for new Administration Building, revised Special Education Plan, Southwest Missouri Special Services Cooperative (Beacon) Agreement, City of Carthage/Municipal Pool Agreement, and Performing Arts Center Naming Agreement.






 

Mrs. Jane Goade, Parents as Teachers Supervisor, provided an evaluative report on Parent Education, Missouri School Improvement Program (MSIP) area G-11. Parents as Teacher provided 3,521 family visits and 1,250 screenings for children in 2019-2020. The Parent as Teachers program is used as a model by Parents as Teachers National Center (PATNC) and Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). PAT exceeded DESE requirements and received an additional $50,000 in additional state funding. 

Mrs. Shelley Wilson, Carthage High School counselor, provided an evaluative report on Guidance, Missouri School Improvement Program (MSIP) area I-6. The K-12 Counseling Department continues to administer a District Needs Assessment Program to assist developing curriculum and instruction. The district continues to implement the principles of No Excuses University. 

Jessica McDonald, District Counseling Specialist is streamlining policies and services surrounding suicide awareness and prevention. Carthage High School counselors provided a presentation on crisis response at the Missouri School Counselor Association Conference due to the positive feedback from a prior presentation. 








Mrs. Kandy Frazier, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction, provided an evaluative report on Resource Standards, Missouri School Improvement Program (MSIP) area R-1 – R-11. Teachers are 100 percent certified in their field of education and enrollments are consistent with both class-size standards and total enrollment requirements. 

Ms. Niki Cloud provided a Carthage R-9 School Foundation update. The 2020 Alumni Football game, scheduled in October, has been cancelled due to participant COVID-19 health and safety concerns. Alternatives for a spring fundraiser will be discussed. 

Dr. Baker updated the Board regarding the following items: 

• A presentation on Google Classroom, a learning management system, was provided to the Board of Education by Brynn Skaggs, Columbian Elementary teacher. 

• Additional information regarding the District assessment plan will be included in October’s Board of Education meeting. 

• Lori Harter, Columbian Elementary principal, discussed Columbian Elementary International Peace Day participation and their Community Unity project. International Peace Day will be celebrated September 30. Columbian Elementary students decorated insulated coffee sleeves that will be placed on coffee sold at Mother Road Coffee. 

• Dr. Baker discussed the district’s tracing process for determining student and staff COVID-19 close contact exposure. The Jasper County Health Department makes their determination regarding quarantine or isolation orders based upon information provided by the district. 

• The Carthage R-9 COVID-19 Dashboard is updated each Wednesday and Friday from information provided by the Jasper County Health Department. The dashboard will soon include information regarding the number of active cases. 

• The Summer Feeding Program, which offers free meals to students age 5 to 17, has been extended by the federal government. 

• Brent Blevins, Managing Director, Stifel Public Finance, will address the board in October seeking a Go-to-Market Resolution authorizing the refunding of general obligation bonds capitalizing on the opportunity to possibly reduce the district’s debt service requirements. 

• The Carthage R-9 Administration offices moved to 709 W. Centennial. The prior administration offices located at 710 Lyon will soon become the district’s Welcome Center. 

The Board met in closed session immediately following the regular meeting to discuss personnel and student matters in compliance with Section 610.021 (3) and (6) of the Revised Statutes of Missouri. 

In closed session the Board accepted the following personnel actions: 

Approved the employment of certified and support staff presented contingent upon receiving a clear criminal records check from the Missouri Highway Patrol and Federal Bureau of Investigation, and a clear check of the Adult Abuse/ Neglect Registry maintained by the Missouri Department of Social Services for all employees new to the district: 

Certified Staff (effective for the 2020-21 school) 

Leigh Anne Goodman Distance Online Learning/Visually Impaired (.50 fte) 
Jessica Lane Third Grade/Distance Online Learning (.50 fte) Columbian 
Christine Weeks Gifted Intermediate Center 
Rhonda Wyrsch Distance Online Learning (.50 fte) Steadley 

Substitute Teachers 

Cris Laytham 
Mary Schwab 
Joe Swearengen

Support Staff

Amanda Bachand Paraprofessional Intermediate Center 
Christopher Buzzard Maintenance 
Alexandria Krieg Instructional Assistant 6th Grade Center 
Jordan Flenniken Maintenance 
Juan Granados Translator Junior High 
Marie Jeanne Holden Paraprofessional Intermediate Center 
Rebecca Lankford Nurse Columbian 
Jessica Linder Paraprofessional Steadley 
Teresa O'Neal Food Service High School 
Linda Pruitt Food Service Intermediate Center 
Chase Randolph Custodian Intermediate Center 
Brooke Robinson Secretary District Office 
Charles Wendell Silvers Custodian Junior High 
K. Elise VanGilder Nurse Intermediate Center 
Amanda Witt Paraprofessional Intermediate Center 

Substitute Support Staff 

Dustin Hill Substitute Custodian 
Katherine Laytham Substitute Nurse

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