WESTPHALIA  — Fatima Superintendent Chuck Woody told board members last week that the building project continues, with the razing of the Kever house on the southeast side of the campus.

“We filled a cistern we found on the property, and we have some rock to chip out, but we should have fittings and concrete soon,” said Woody.

In November, the board plans to vote to send the larger project out for bid. Woody said architectural firm Porter, Berendzen & Associates, P.C., of Ashland, will handle that.

Woody hopes to have bids in hand by late December and a special meeting in early January to open bids and award the project.

Jay Berendzen told the board there is a concern about snow drift in the alternate wrestling room bid. “If it can’t handle the weight, we may need to add reinforcements, which will increase the price,” he said.

Fatima was awarded a School Safety Grant to replace the doors at the back of the gym near the coaches’ offices. The grant will cover the approximate $20,000 price tag for the new doors with keyless entry.

Woody said that frees up funding for the building project, which means it may work out to fund improvements to the wrestling room.

At the same time, Woody has discussed long-term debt options with LJ Hart & Company, a finance company in Chesterfield.

“We want cash on hand to pay contractors this fiscal year,” said Woody, explaining the district would save $180,000 in long-term debt by refinancing. “We are generating enough revenue in debt service to do alternates.”

Fatima will make the first principal payment in April 2027.

“I think we’ll be able to pull everything off,” said Woody. “It’s going to depend on the engineers.”

In other business, Fatima will continue to use the law firm of Mickes O’Toole, although attorney Tom Mickes is retiring in December.

“We’ve always had a good relationship with Tom and the law firm,” said Woody. “There’s no need to change anything.”

• The Continuous School Improvement Plan (CSIP) Committee will reconvene next month. Woody said 70-80 action steps have already been completed. A survey will be sent to staff, parents, students, and community members.

“We need to use the data to update the plan properly,” said Woody.

• Small groups met at a recent Professional Development (PD) day to discuss improvements at Fatima. Woody noted that these discussions tie into the CSIP update.

“It’s all going where we’re trying to get,” he added.

• The board hired Casey Helton (Assistant Freshman Baseball Coach) and Teresa Parker (Special Education Aide).

• Board candidates may file for the April election from Dec. 5-26 at the central office.

• Missouri Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven announced she will be resigning from her position effective July 1, 2024. She has served in the role for more than seven years, from January 2015 to December 2017 and from January 2019 to the present.

“I have enjoyed working with Margie, and I think she’s been great for schools of all sizes across Missouri,” said Woody.

• Bills were approved in the amount of $268,860.06.

REPORTS

High School Principal Matt Verslues told the board the school plans to recognize softball while students are in an assembly at the end of the day on Friday, Oct. 25.

• Verslues received compliments on Fatima students during a recent visit to Nichols Career Center in Jefferson City.

• Red Ribbon Week will be held Oct. 23-27, and Verslues said Traction would send a speaker to address students in grades 9-12 at 2:15 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 25.

• A student recognition assembly will be held on Thursday, Oct. 24.

• Barnwarming is Friday, Oct. 25.

• Fatima will host Conference Choir on Nov. 3, with a performance at 2 p.m.

• Several students participated last week at the Special Olympics at South Callaway. They received a hero’s welcome upon their return to Fatima.

* Enrollment in grades 7-12 was reported at 478 students.

Elementary Principal Melissa Wright noted that during Red Ribbon Week, Fatima plans to have two assemblies this week. One will be the “Safety Kids” assembly, and one will be a group of students from Linn.

• Halloween parties will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 31. “We will have a costume parade throughout the school with K-2 students dressing up to show off their costumes,” said Wright, noting the event will begin at 9 a.m.

• Parent/Teacher Conferences were held the first week of October with an 87% parent participation rate, down from last year by 4%.

• Picture retake day will be on Wednesday, Nov. 8.

• Enrollment in grades K-6 was reported at 251 students, with attendance at 96.98%.

Special Education Director Kelly Wheelan noted that 128 current students are served by the district, with 100 Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and 28 504 plans, with 11 awaiting evaluation (10 IEP, 1 504).

• In PD news, Wheelan noted she received Special Education Directors Training featuring updates in special education.

• The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is conducting a staff and administration review.

• Wheelan reminded families in the district to re-validate their Medicaid status, noting that all families eligible for Medicaid need to do so themselves.

Wheelan will put information on Facebook so parents can contact the offices to ensure their addresses are updated. Those who don’t have an address in the system will be dropped from Medicaid, and up to an estimated 200,000 people will lose benefits as a result.