Holyoke invited to S-CAP core group

    Through Holyoke School District’s efforts and involvement with the Student-Centered Accountability Program, the district is being added to the original core group, which included five school districts.
    Holyoke Elementary Principal Kyle Stumpf, who will assume the superintendent role July 1, announced the district’s status change at the May 15 meeting of the Board of Education.
    Stumpf was excited to share the news, noting that Holyoke will now have a voice at the table to help make decisions for kids in the future. As a result, Holyoke’s site review next year will be paid for, amounting to about a $3,000 savings.
    Original core districts in the S-CAP are Buena Vista, LaVeta, Monte Vista, Merino and Kit Carson.
    After site visits at the end of the 2018-19 school year, Stumpf said, they’re hopeful that the six districts will be able to facilitate for each other instead of paying someone $3,000 to come in to facilitate.
    June 13, Stumpf and five or six teachers representing both schools in Holyoke will be attending a session with representatives from the other five core S-CAP districts to edit materials they’re currently using in the program.
    A social-emotional assessment is also part of the S-CAP grant, and Holyoke and LaVeta will serve as test schools for that piece, said Stumpf.
    Assessments are being made in the two districts in the areas of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, retaining skills, goal behavior, personal responsibility, decision making and optimistic thinking.
    Stumpf explained that a baseline is being established so that next school year, the district will be able to provide counseling sessions.
    In professional development opportunities for 2018-19, Stumpf cited the visible learning focus for Northeast BOCES school districts.
    June 4-6, Holyoke teachers Melanie Wheeler and Cristine Mallari, as well as Stumpf, will be attending a three-day training in Otis, to then come back and be facilitators for the local district.
    Holyoke will be the host district for the visible learning training for N.E. BOCES schools approximately five times during the upcoming school year.
    
Personnel details approved
    New hires, resignations, re-assignments and a handful of extra-duty assignments were approved at last week’s school board meeting.
    Charlene Kleve was hired as a JR/SR high English teacher for 2018-19 and will be placed on the salary schedule at B.A., step 2. Her employment was approved on a 4-0 vote, with board member Trampas Hutches being absent and Jon Kleve abstaining from the vote for his sister-in-law’s contract.
    Charlene Kleve has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs and taught one year in Colorado Springs District 11 prior to having children.
    She has served as a frequent substitute in the Holyoke School District for the last two years, including two long-term substitute positions.
    Effective July 1, Sandra Rahe was re-assigned for a 12-month contract as director of facilities, operations and transportation for the district. Superintendent John McCleary explained that during this coming year, Kim Young will also work and assist Rahe in this role.
    McCleary thanked Rahe for the work she did as the district’s athletic director and added that she has the skills and abilities for the director of FOT position.
    Resignation letters were received from JR/SR high physical education teacher Zach Kubik, who has accepted a position in Wray, and from Billy Sonnemaker in the maintenance department, effective May 31.
    While Scott Dille’s resignation from the HS boys basketball coaching position was not addressed at the board meeting, it was confirmed by McCleary later that Dille had submitted his coaching resignation letter.
    “I was blessed with the opportunity to work with some of the finest kids around and will forever be grateful for that,” said Dille, acknowledging his decision to resign from his coaching position.
    A small handful of extra-duty assignments was approved for 2018-19, with openings still noted for all junior high coaching positions, as well as all high school football, boys basketball, track, baseball, boys golf and girls golf coaches.
    Stipends approved for the following coaching positions include $3,102 for head HS coaches and $1,861 for assistants: head coach Hannah Petersen and assistant Ashley Hoffner, HS volleyball; head John Baumgartner and assistant Ben Rahe, HS girls basketball; head Dusty McConnell, HS wrestling; head Sherman Kage and assistant Kendra Schlachter, HS girls softball.
    HS girls swimming coach stipends will be $1,825 for head Aly Brinkema and $1,241 for assistant Adria Colver.
    Schlachter was also named athletic trainer at $5,583 and strength coach at $3,102. Other extra-duty assignments include Jennifer Richardson, JR/SR high spiritleader, $745; Marcia Dalton, choir director, $932; Bret Miles, play director, $3,102; and Pat Wiebers, musical assistant, $932. Board member Wiebers abstained from the vote on her extra-duty assignment.
    
Preliminary budget reviewed
    In a brief review of the 2018-19 preliminary budget, McCleary cited a couple of notable expenditures.
    He said health insurance quotes came back with a 40 percent increase, but they’re now looking at a 10 percent increase. “If we can get to that, it will be a real victory,” he added.
    He also noted the district is looking at one new bus and possibly two or three used buses for next year.
    Additionally, he cited a large increase in the district’s legal fee line.
    McCleary said the budget hearing in June will be advertised in a legal notice in The Holyoke Enterprise.
    
Other business
    In other business May 15, the school board:
    — Heard a heartfelt statement from recent graduate Tyler Lamm, who expressed his appreciation for the fine education he received in the local school district.
    — Received a solid report on science curriculum development from teachers Ashley Clayton, Kareen San Jose and Carly Daniel.
    — Noted board meetings will begin at 8 p.m. during the summer, starting with the June 5 meeting. A work session that night could be scheduled to interview potential candidates for the board vacancy.
    — Approved renewal of Colorado School Districts Self Insurance Pool as the property insurance for the district for 2018-19.
    — Noted changes on the support staff salary schedule to incorporate increases for the bus drivers to reflect the state minimum wage increase Jan. 1. These changes were not made when the schedule was updated the previous month.