STE. GENEVIEVE – This information includes highlights from the Ste. Genevieve County R-II Board of Education’s Nov. 18, 2025, 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 November Board Report takes a look back at a jam-packed 2025 MSBA Annual Conference. From inspirational words from MSBA President Shelly Mantel and 2026 Missouri Teacher of the Year Kimberly Sixta, to valuable concurrent sessions, the conference was truly a chance to Learn! Grow! Lead!
The MSBA Board Report is a monthly five to seven-minute video program featuring the latest news from MSBA about public education in Missouri. The program is designed to be shown during local school board meetings.
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
Parent-Teacher Conferences.
Superintendent Dr. Paul Taylor presented the data on parents and guardians participation in Parent-Teacher Conferences this past October. Participation percentages are included by building below:
- Early Childhood Center: 96%
- Bloomsdale Elementary: 92.8%
- Genevieve Elementary: 97%
- Genevieve Middle School: 29.8%
- Genevieve High School: 33.7%
Annual School Board Election.
The annual Board of Education election will be held on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, to fill three three-year terms as directors of the Ste. Genevieve County R-II Board of Education. The expiring terms for Board members are Mr. Eric Basler, Mr. James Kirchner, and Mrs. Martha Resinger.
Qualified applicants for the Board may file a declaration of candidacy during regular business hours in the superintendent’s 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. 9, 2025, at 8 a.m. and will end on Dec. 30, 2025, at 5 p.m. ln 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: Dec. 25 (all day), Dec. 26 (all day), 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 MSBA Board Candidate Resources here.
Kindergarten Registration.
Kindergarten registration for the 2026-2027 school year will take place on the following dates and times.
- Genevieve Elementary – Saturday, March 14, 2026, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Bloomsdale Elementary – Saturday, March 21, 2026, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Parents may contact the elementary offices beginning Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, to schedule appointments.
Principal Reports.
Each building principal reported on a variety of teacher and student accomplishments.
Safety Reports.
There were no Safety Reports to review this month.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Prop SG Update. Superintendent Dr. Taylor provided an update on the ongoing Prop SG projects.
Wrestling: The Wrestling Building is taking shape quickly. The foundation and steel framing went up in short order, and the structure is already visible on site. A retaining wall—approximately 8 to 9 feet tall—has been completed, and the parking area will extend to the end of the new facility. Overall, the project is progressing smoothly.
Instructional Program Presentation — High School Music.
Band teacher John Mooney and choir teacher Michelle Jokerst provided an overview of their current programming, highlighting the skills students build through a wide range of music courses. They explained how Competency-Based Learning is incorporated throughout the curriculum to give students meaningful choices and encourage ownership of their progress and self-reflection. They also shared examples of student initiative and achievement, including participation and recognition at regional, district and state competitions.
NEW BUSINESS
Annual Audit.
Mr. Jeff Stroder of Beussink, Hey, Roe & Stroder, L.L.C. presented a draft copy of the audit report for the 2025 fiscal year. He explained that the report is currently in draft form because the federal government has not yet released the updated audit standards that were expected in June. Since auditors cannot issue a final report stating they conducted an audit under standards that do not yet exist, the firm completed a provisional audit. Once the federal standards are released, the audit will be updated and finalized. Mr. Stroder shared that in this provisional document, the district received an “unmodified opinion,” or a clean opinion. The draft report presented reflects all audit procedures completed to date and outlines the findings, financial statements, and required disclosures that will appear in the final report.
Amended Budget.
The Board of Education approved the November Amended Budget for the 2025-2026 school year. The November Amended Budget reflects updates to both expenditures and revenues. It also contains revised projections for the remainder of the 2025-2026 school year.
Dr. Taylor shared that the district’s approach to the budget continues to be aggressive with expenses and conservative with projections. He presented the amended budget and compared this version to the budget adopted in June, noting that the largest adjustments relate to assessed valuation along with salaries and benefits.
- Assessed Valuation: When the June budget is created, district administration must estimate the actual assessed valuation based on historical data. This allows the district to calculate an average that can be used for budget development. During the budget development process, we maintain a fiscally conservative approach, and apply that to our assessed valuation estimates. For this amendment, the actual assessed valuation is known, and this information is incorporated.
- Salaries and Benefits: Midyear offers a clearer picture of projected salaries and benefits. In June, the budget incorporates general assumptions about staff changes, but individual factors such as education, certifications and experience influence the final numbers. The amended budget provides a more accurate calculation, including the raise approved for all employees and the increase of approximately $,1200 annually per employee for insurance.
- Early Childhood Center: Adjustments also stem from a more precise estimate of revenues and updated coding associated with the operation of the new Early Childhood Center.
Dr. Taylor explained that numerous changes across revenues and expenditures resulted in an overall balance projection that reflects a larger deficit compared to the June budget. The amended budget shows an increase to state funding based on Missouri legislators emphasizing and ultimately including the missing $300 million left out of the governor’s budget. However, these funds must still be appropriated by the legislature, and pressure from the governor may impact the ultimate funding amount. Budget figures, while increased, still represent the uncertainty surrounding appropriations.
He also clarified that some revenues, such as insurance proceeds for roof replacements, were received last year and do not appear in this year’s totals. He emphasized that fund balances are not included in this overview. Because the district budgets aggressively on expenditures and conservatively on revenues, he does not anticipate the amended deficit figure representing the final year-end position. Updated projections later in the year are expected to align more closely with the district’s typical outcomes.
Dr. Taylor thanked Finance Coordinator and District Treasurer Crystal Roth and Payroll and Liabilities Coordinator Megan Donovan for their work updating the salaries and benefits information for the amended budget, and expressed appreciation for all District Office staff involved in the process.
“At this time, I am confident that we continue to maintain sufficient contingency within the operating budget, and I do not anticipate fully expending all appropriated funds,” he said.
Bid: Food Service Small Purchases.
The Board of Education approved continuing to utilize both Performance Food Group (PFG) and US Foods as vendors for Food Service small purchases for the 2025-2026 school year, alternating purchases based on pricing, product quality, and availability to ensure cost efficiency and consistency in service.
The district solicited small purchase bids for food service items, and two vendors submitted bids: Performance Food Group (PFG) and US Foods. Both vendors provided competitive, market-based pricing across a range of products. Because these are market value prices, costs may fluctuate throughout the school year based on market conditions and product availability.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
The next Board of Education meeting will be a Regular Session Meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 6:30 p.m. in the Early Childhood Center’s Multipurpose Room (1200 Maple Drive, Ste. Genevieve).