STE. GENEVIEVE – The Board Briefs for the Dec. 20, 2022 Regular Meeting have been released.
Board Briefs from Dec. 20, 2022, Regular Meeting
This information includes highlights from the Ste. Genevieve County R-II Board of Education’s Nov. 15, 2022, Regular Meeting. This is an unofficial record. The official Board Minutes are posted on the district website and are located on BoardDocs, linked here. The video of the meeting can be found on the district’s Youtube Channel, SGDragonsTV.
MSBA MONTHLY REPORT
The MSBA December Report (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I67KbQRXv0s) features a look at the 2022 MSBA Annual Conference, highlighting a significant announcement regarding school safety and insights from the 2023 Teacher of the Year. In addition, former Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersee concluded the event with words of inspiration for all school leaders.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Board members and administrators listen to concerns and respond when appropriate by mail or telephone at a later date. The Board does not respond within the meeting to those who come to offer public comment. In order to speak during public participation, a Public Comment Form must be filled out and submitted to the Board President prior to the beginning of the meeting. See Policy BDDH-1: Public Participation at Board Meetings for guidelines and procedures.
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT
Annual School Board Election — April 4, 2023.
Three positions, each with a three-year term, will be open for the Ste. Genevieve County R-II Board of Education in the Tuesday, April 4, 2023 election. The expiring terms for Board members are Mr. James Kirchner, Mrs. Martha Resinger, and Mr. Eric Basler. Filing will end on Dec. 27 at 5 p.m.
Qualified applicants for the Board may file a declaration of candidacy during regular business hours in the
district office. According to board policy and state law, a candidate shall file their intent to become a
candidate in person and in writing. Filing will begin on Dec. 6, 2022 at 8 a.m. and will end on Dec. 27, 2022
at 5 p.m. In-between these dates and times, candidates may file during regular business hours, which are
Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Filing will not occur on Friday, Dec. 23 and Monday, Dec. 26,
2022 and on days the district office is closed due to inclement weather.
Documents necessary to file as a candidate for the Board may be secured, in person, at the superintendent’s office, which is located at 375 North Fifth Street in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. The names of the qualified candidates shall be placed on the ballot in order of filing as identified in SG R-ll Board Policy BBB-1: School Board Elections. You can visit our website at www.sgdragons.org or call 573-883-4500 ext. 2004 for additional information. See more information on filing here (https://go.boarddocs.com/mo/stegen/Board.nsf/files/CLVJAX4C13E7/$file/Press%20Release%20-%20BOE%20Election.pdf).
Kindergarten Registration.
Kindergarten Registration for the 2023-2024 school year will take place the following dates and times:
- Genevieve Elementary: Saturday, March 25, 2023, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Bloomsdale Elementary: Saturday, April 1, 2023, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Parents may contact the elementary offices beginning Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023, to schedule appointments.
Review of Standardized Test Scores and Annual Performance Report.
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Lance McClard reviewed the district’s standardized test scores (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nwz7OIdz4RK_cRWmDYOBo9I-yfiCuYmI/view). School districts’ MSIP 6 APRs for the first year have not been released yet by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Once released, districts will have status and growth scores that will be based on that first year of data. Progress scores will be delayed at least one year, but possibly two — so that we have a few years of data. As the years progress, this will provide a more accurate picture of how our students are performing. The data Dr. McClard then reviewed will be used in calculating the status and growth scores for our APR when it is released from the DESE.
ACT Data:
The number of students who took the ACT decreased when compared to the previous year; however, the composite super scores remained consistent overall. District and high school administrators discussed how the high school also offers the ACT WorkKeys, an alternative way to assess students who plan to enter a career tech field or other vocation following high school graduation. This test provides a type of industry standard for workforce readiness, and offers students a more meaningful assessment. This test means that students can strive to be more intentional in their fields of interest.
An overview of the MAP Performance Index Scores is below. On the whole, our scores were above, slightly above, and on par with state averages.
English Language Arts:
- Grades 3 through 8 all performed higher than the state average.
- The high school English End of Course exam score was on par with the state average.
Math:
- Grades 3 through 8 all performed higher than the state average.
- The Algebra End of Course exam score was slightly lower than the state average.
Science:
- Grades 5 and 8 both performed higher than the state average.
- The high school Biology End of Course exam score was slightly higher than the state average.
Social Studies:
- The high school Government End of Course exam score was slightly higher than the state average.
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) shared that the Annual Performance Report will be out soon. As a reminder, this APR will be based on this one year of data.
When asked by Board members about comparisons from this year to last year to pre-pandemic, Dr. Taylor shared that in the past, SG R-II traditionally performed very well on state standardized tests, often scoring high above the state average. However, with disruptions in learning due to school closures, virtual learning, and then blended learning, our district saw lower-than-typical scores from the 2021-2022 data.
“It will continue to be a challenge to address our students being out of school for that length of time, but our staff and students can do it,” Dr. Taylor said. “We have already made progress, and continuing to raise our scores is just going to take some time.”
District and building administrators also discussed how the NWEA tests are providing our educators with real-time data, as those tests are given to students three times a year. The NWEA test correlates to the Missouri Learning Standards.
Backpacks for Friday Program.
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Lance McClard presented an overview of the Backpacks for Friday program for the 2022-2023 school year, an initiative that provides basic food staples to 50 needy families. The District partners with the Southeast Missouri Food Bank to organize the program, which is funded through donations from community organizations, local businesses and residents. These donations are a vital contribution, as these partnerships assist us in the fight against hunger here in our community. This year, the district maintained 55 backpacks at $350 apiece, which equates to $19,250 in donations needed annually to maintain the program. One backpack provides 36 weeks of healthy, nutritious food.
“As we know, education is not all about taking tests — it includes being ready and having your needs met, and I think the Backpacks for Friday program is part of this,” Dr. McClard said.
Dr. McClard shared a special thanks to: the counselors, Mrs. Jesika Greminger, Mrs. Amy Rowland and Mrs. Audra Kingery, who help to determine the number of backpacks needed at their buildings and who help coordinate the program; the students in the STARS program, as well as Mr. Jon Robinson, Mrs. Debbie Baker, and Mrs. Joann Grein, who help organize and transport the monthly shipments; and our Maintenance Department who help to coordinate delivery. This year, 21 backpacks were placed at Bloomsdale Elementary, which has an enrollment of 301 students, and 34 backpacks were placed at Ste. Genevieve Elementary, which has an enrollment of 526 students.
Ste. Genevieve County R-II would like to share a heartfelt thank you to the following donors: Adopt-A-Family, American Legion Post 150, Mrs. Denise Bader, Basler Funeral Home, Ms. Elaine Belovich, Beta Rho, Bloomsdale Bank, Bloomsdale Excavating, CE Contracting, Inc., Citizens Electric, Mrs. Michelle Dallas, Don Heil Oil Company, Mr. & Mrs. Tom & Kathy Donze, Mrs. Kathy Eisenbeis, Equipment Pro Inc, Ernest Weiler LLC, Flieg’s Equipment Inc., Mrs. Jessica Harlow, Holcim, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Keim, Kozy Kitchen/Dew Drop Inn, L.J. Hart & Company, L’Hoist North America, Mr. & Mrs. Bobby & Rebecca Latempt, Lions Club of Ste. Genevieve, Ms. Donna Marler, Mississippi Lime, Missouri Association of FFA, MRV Bank, Plaza Tire Service, River Hills Thunderin’ Longbeards, Rotary Club of Ste. Genevieve, Mr. and Mrs. Rick Rudloff & Carol Steiger, SGE PTO, Mr. Richard & Mrs. Teresa Slough, Ste. Genevieve County Memorial Hospital – Medical Staff, Ste. Genevieve NEA, Ste. Genevieve Vision Care, Ms. Dona Trautman, VFW Post 2210 Ste. Genevieve, the Weingarten Jaycees, the GFWC Woman’s Club of Ste. Genevieve, and the Zell Area Jaycees.
Anyone who would like more information about the Backpacks for Friday program or learn how to make a contribution, please contact:
Dr. Lance McClard
SG R-II Assistant Superintendent
573-883-4500 ext. 2006
Disaggregated Graduation Rate.
Deputy Superintendent Dr. Paul Taylor provided an overview of the 2022 disaggregated graduation rate. The graduation rate was 90.7% in 2022. The state’s graduation rate this past year was 89.7%.
For 2022, the disaggregated rates by gender were: 89.9% for females, and 91.5% for males. Dr. Taylor also pointed out that the state includes an asterisk for any disaggregated groups for which we have too few students to have statistical significance. That is why those numbers are not included in the state’s provided graphs. For white and multiracial students, we have a high enough number of students for those percentages to be statistically significant.
Principal Reports.
Building principals and students reported on a variety of teacher and student accomplishments (https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1cCbk78Oet7tW5_1ijdmb54V3X4HFuNg62bqyBW5eej8/edit?usp=sharing.
Safety Reports.
Safety drills from each building were reviewed.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Instructional Program Presentation — Title I.A.
Title I Schoolwide programs provide schools with the opportunity to upgrade the entire school program by allowing more flexibility to serve students. Title I is designed to provide all children significant opportunity to receive a fair, equitable, and high-quality education, and to close educational achievement gaps. Our team of instructional coaches including Mrs. Megan Kueker, Mrs. Lynette Pfaff, Mrs. Emily Basler and Mrs. Andrea Fritsch led the Board members in a few hands-on activities for both reading and math. This included lessons that elementary students practice every day, including number talks, where students share their mental strategies for reaching their answers, and counting and identifying phonemes, or district units of sounds. See more here (https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/17NvedNHQxqBqyLOyMknxwepvj1mu9CpJm3PA-sV3LFQ/edit?usp=sharing).
MUSIC – Property, Liability & Workers Compensation Insurance.
The Board approved the renewal assessment rate with Missouri United School Insurance Council (MUSIC) (https://go.boarddocs.com/mo/stegen/Board.nsf/files/CLVJPJ4E244C/$file/MUSIC%20Renewal%20Assessment%20and%20Invoice%20for%201-1-23%20to%2012-31-23.pdf) for $308,909. With an 8% membership credit and 2.2% surplus allocation credit, the net assessment rate is $277,400. This is the District’s 27th year with the Missouri United School Insurance Council (MUSIC), and we continue to receive outstanding rates and service.
NEW BUSINESS
Annual Audit.
The Board of Education approved the Annual Audit for the 2022-2023 school year (https://go.boarddocs.com/mo/stegen/Board.nsf/files/CM5T2Z75540A/$file/FY22%20DRAFT%20Financials%20-%20Ste.%20Genevieve.pdf), which was presented by Mr. Chris Suda with CliftonLarsenAllen LLP.
Board Resolution – Ste. Gen Co Board for the Developmentally Disabled – Application for Funds.
The Board adopted a resolution (https://go.boarddocs.com/mo/stegen/Board.nsf/files/CMASAS71AA75/$file/2022%2012-20%20Resolution%20-%20App%20Dev%20Disabled%20Funds.pdf) authorizing Special Education Teacher Kristi Cleghorn, Director of Student Services Jami Drury, and Superintendent Dr. Julie Flieg to complete an application for funds and, if the application is approved, to enter into a contractual agreement with the Ste. Genevieve County Board for the Developmentally Disabled.
Students with developmental disabilities require transition planning and services as a part of their individualized Education Plan (IEP) that will teach them life skills as they prepare to enter the workforce and to care for themselves after they graduate. Dragon Fuel Coffee Cafe provides students with developmental disabilities these transition services. Ms. Cleghorn and her team are striving to teach students skills they could then take with them upon graduation and utilize in businesses such as Common Grounds.
The cafe is expanding into a new location in the cafeteria that will allow for more opportunities for the students. The program is in need of items such as a washer and dryer, deep freezer, coffee machines and more for this new location to be utilized with stainless steel equipment donated a few years prior. The district is requesting funds totalling $35,000.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
The next Board of Education meeting will be a Regularly Scheduled Meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023, at 7 p.m.