ISD 197 School Board Recap: June 17, 2024

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Monday’s ISD 197 School Board meeting reviewed curriculum changes to the district’s social studies and mathematics programs, approved agreements with the unions for administrative assistants and paraprofessionals, and discussed board member stipends. Much of the meeting focused on the curriculum changes and what they entailed.

This was the board’s last meeting for the summer. There are no meetings in July; their regularly scheduled meetings will pick back up in August.

Curriculum Changes

Cari Jo Drewitz’s team unveiled a large multi-year program they’ve been working toward incorporating at all levels of education. While the contents of these changes vary by grade, they are all interconnected. Here’s a look at what some of these changes included:

• Mathematics: Peer tutor program, new pathways to pre-calculus and college credit courses, switch from MCA-3 to MCA-4.
• Social studies: New textbooks, integration of ethics studies, AP government opportunity.

The process for deciding these changes was heavily teacher-involved at all levels. There are other curriculum adjustments being made to meet changes at the legislative level, such as implementing personal finance principles.

Agreement Approvals

Tye Michaels presented two action items to the board, both agreements for two separate entities.

• Administrative assistants: Approval of a two-year work contract with a yearly 3-3.25% pay increase. The contract included medical insurance and a $1,000 prorated payment to employees scheduled to work the full two years under this contract.
• Paraprofessionals: Approval of a two-year work contract with a yearly 3% pay increase. The contract included medical insurance with prorated district contributions based on hours.
  • Michaels identified a typo in this document: there are approximately 100 employees, not 23.

There was little discussion on the agreements, and they were unanimously approved.

Stipend Discussion

Byron Schwab proposed an increase of 6% to the school board’s stipend, bringing the total from $5,100 to $5,400 per member. Tim Aune and Morgan Steele opposed this, stating they did not feel comfortable increasing the budget for themselves.

Jon Vaupel began discussions on whether there were funds for board members who needed help with things like transportation and child care. Randi Walz and Schwab agreed that the stipend was intended to be used to cover those potential costs, and the position itself was voluntary.

The board didn’t reach a consensus and no action was taken. It will come up again in August.

Other

• Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously and had items such as Two Rivers High School Dance Team field trip funds and district donations.
• Alternative Teacher Professional Pay System Annual Report: Drewitz briefly presented changes made to the new teacher mentor program and workshop schedule.

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