WESTPHALIA — During their Feb. 19 meeting, Fatima R-2 board members voted unanimously to extend the contracts of Special Education Director/Curriculum Director Janah Massman and Elementary School Principal Renee Ellingsworth-Albert for two years, and High School/Middle School Principal Somer Hinshaw for one year.

“This is just how we’ve always done it,” said President Suzanne Massman, regarding the one-year extension. “The first-year admin is usually just one year, so it’s nothing ... We don’t want you to think we’re not happy, because we are very happy with everything you have been doing this year. All of you ladies; we are very fortunate to have you.”

• Significant discussion took place regarding two potential handbook changes, raising athletic fees and modifying the preschool waiting list policy.

Superintendent John Kitchens cited rising costs as the reason for increasing fees. “Just looking to move it $5,” Kitchens explained. “It’s currently $20 with a max of $100 per family. We’d like to move that to $25 with a max of $125 per family.”

Kitchens also said he would like to change the general admission to sporting events from $4 to $5 per person. “We want to keep the students at $3 - keep that student participation up,” he said. The board did not disagree.

Kitchens also asked the board to consider changing the preschool waiting-list policy so full-time students received priority over part-time students, since the district currently offers pro-rated fees for children who only attend three or four days per week. The board agreed, with some members suggesting eliminating the pro-rated fees instead of modifying the waitlist policy, “If you want to send them part-time, send them part-time,” said member Jeff Winkelman. “They still cost you the same as full-time, because we’re full-time. Makes pretty good sense to me.”

• Summer school dates were set for June 1-24.

Hinshaw said the high school plans to pilot online summer classes for Health, Finance, and possibly Speech. The four-week classes would be taught by Fatima teachers, but would offer students the flexibility to complete classwork at their own pace within the allotted time. “We have about 20 students interested in Health online, and about 15 for Personal Finance,” she said.

“I think that might fly really well,” said S. Massman. “Because I think the issue is all these kids like to work. They want to work, but they also want to get some of these other classes out of the way.”

• Kitchens asked the board for permission to change the district’s credit cards to a company that offers cash back. He listed several cards, but the issue was tabled so he could do more research after Winkelman suggested another possibility.

• Hinshaw reported that each sport now has its own bank account. “This should clean up our recording and budgets, and allow for accountability across the board for each of our sports,” she said.

Hinshaw added that she and Kitchens would be meeting to develop preliminary budgets for each sport, based on the past few years of expenditures.

“Spring transportation is already becoming an issue with drop is covering a band trip next week for us and I do not have a driver for FFA on Monday,” she noted. “This is going to get harder as spring sports kick off.”

• In her report, Hinshaw noted the high school has 407 students with 96% attendance. “Freshmen are still winning with 97%,” she said. “All of them are 95% or above, which is unheard of, anywhere.”

She gave the board a copy of next year’s high school bell schedule, showing the warning bell at 7:55 a.m., first hour from 8:00 - 8:55 a.m., second hour 8:59 - 9:49, third hour 9:53 - 10:43, fourth hour 10:47 - 11:37, and fifth hour 11:41 a.m. - 12:57 p.m. with first lunch from 11:41 - 12:05 and second lunch from 12:33 - 12:57 p.m. Sixth hour will be 1:01 - 1:51 p.m., and seventh hour, from 1:55 - 2:45 p.m.

Hinshaw praised professional development led by new Assistant Principal Jayden Happel. “A lot of positive feedback with that,” she said. “It went really well, and all of the teachers are implementing some research-based engagement strategies and bringing back that data to our March staff meeting.”

She also said the Five to Fly program is still going strong, and encouraged staff to remind students if they see trash on the ground.

• J. Massman said she and Guidance Counselor Robin Schulte (grades 10-12) are exploring the Missouri Option Program. “It’s a program you can enroll in through DESE that gives alternative paths to graduation,” she explained. “Sometimes, we need those in my department. And sometimes outside of my department.”

J. Massman said the pre-ACT was scheduled for Feb. 24 for sophomores. “We have 28 juniors that are going to take it as well to try to get their math score for A-Plus that way,” she said.

She also emphasized the school’s need for substitute teachers and paraprofessionals. “That has been a shortage,” she explained. “It’s not just kids that get sick. Our staff gets sick too, and it’s a it’s been a real problem in my department this week, trying to match all that up.”

• Ellingsworth-Albert reported elementary school enrollment of 232, also with 96% attendance.

She said kindergarten registration was scheduled for Feb. 23-24. “As of today, we have 30 students already signed up,” she said.

• The board approved the resignation of Boys Assistant Soccer Coach Tina Sesti. They also approved the retirement of Ag Teacher Alicia Corson-Peters, effective June 30. They approved the hiring of Assistant Softball Coach Rich Kliethermes, Assistant Boys Soccer Coach Katie Hudspeth, Junior High Track and Field Coach Jacob Struemph, and Ag Teacher Lily Bennett.

Hinshaw said they had six applicants for Ag teacher and interviewed four. Three of the applicants, including Ms. Bennett, were straight out of Mizzou. “I’ll be honest, I believe she’s the best first-year Ag teacher in the state,” Hinshaw said of Bennett. “So, incredible.”

• Kitchens’ superintendent’s report centered largely around legislation and unfunded education mandates. “My point is that any institution can only adapt to changes so fast,” Kitchens said. “It takes three to five years for districts to catch up with new changes. So, when the state is pivoting every five or so years, it is not doing anybody any good, and these measurements are not accurate about what schools are doing.”

Kitchens said the school plans to hold banner-raisings for wrestling and baseball. He said staff members were able to find nice looking banners at a fraction of the cost of the previous banners, so the old banners will stay in the old gym and the new banners will go in the new gym. Kitchens said Coach Matt Baker was trying to figure out how to honor individual athletes who placed at state without overwhelming the gym with individual awards and banners. Board member DJ Schroeder said he attended a game at a school with a banner for the sport, which listed names and years of individual students who placed in that sport. Board members seemed receptive to the idea, but wanted to see a picture of it.

Kitchens said the calendar committee will have something to present at the next board meeting.

He also said health insurance premiums are going up significantly. “The issue is that the top plan that we’ve been paying for has gone up $59,” he explained. “I think it’s from $704, is what we’re currently paying, to $763. That plan has even changed a little bit, too. It’s not even the same plan. They’ve mismatched everything to make it kind of confusing.”

He will review possible options with teachers before bringing the preferred options to the board.