Worth County Hires Activities Director, Special Ed Teacher

The Worth County School Board met via Zoom Thursday due to inclement weather and acted on several items.

The board voted to offer Brittany Snyder a Special Ed teacher position and Cree Beverlin an Activities Director position. Superintendent Chris Healy reported that initial projections show a need for an additional elementary teacher in 2023-24. Due to large class sizes, the school plans to have two kindergarten and two first grade classes. The school has a K-12 PE teaching position and another 7-12 position that requires a teaching certificate open. Currently, it is posted as a Social Studies position, but it could be a combination of different certifications, depending on the applicants.

On the employment section of the school website, the school lists a Substitute Teacher (ongoing), Substitute Bus Driver, Cook, or Custodian (ongoing), and a Full Time Bus Route Driver listed.

The board approved the calendar for 2023-24. The first day will be August 22nd and the tentative last day will be May 16th, with 167 student days. 

The District Governance Program was rated Above Average. Strengths listed included the fact that most policies are being reviewed and/or updated. End of year balances increased by $160,000, meaning that the school can pay the bills prior to new local funds arriving without having to borrow money. The school is implementing a new Comprehensive School Improvement Plan for 2022-27. Board of Education members are participating in yearly training requirements. The Board of Education reviewed goals in August 2023. The board has focused on training, based on results from surveys administered in the spring.

Concerns listed include the fact that some district committees don’t meet regularly. The district will continue to look for ways to communicate to the public in forms other than social media.

Goals for the 2022-2027 Comprehensive School Improvement Plan include:

–Equip students for success;

–Develop and retain effective teachers;

–Provide high-quality career-technical education;

–Improve district climate and culture;

–Increase parent and community engagement;

–Develop district leadership capacity.

The district’s Professional Development was rated Above Average. Strengths listed included the mentoring program, the focus on social-emotional learning and mental health, the flexibility of schedules by teachers and administrators, and the ability to observe classes out of the district. Professional development is centered around the Comprehensive School Improvement Program and planned in the spring after teacher input is gathered.

Concerns listed include the fact that teachers miss classroom time because of professional development scheduling. The Professional Development Handbook is in need of revision, since it was last revised in 2016-17.

The school received bids from two sources, MFA Oil and Agriland, for fuel for the next school year. MFA Oil bid unleaded for 1,200 gallons at $2.7469 per gallon for a total cost of $3,296.28. Diesel for March 2023 to October 2023 was 3,000 gallons at $3.2884 per gallon for a total of $9,865.20 and for November 2023 to January 2024 for 3,000 gallons at $3.3123 per gallon for a total of $9,936.90.

Agriland bid unleaded for 1,200 gallons at $3.149 per gallon for a total of $3,778.80. For diesel, their bid was 6,000 gallons for $3.50 per gallon for a total of $21,000. 

The board voted to approve the agreement with MFA Oil through February 2024.

Elementary Principal Chuck Borey reported that the Kindness Club invited officers from the Worth County Sheriff’s Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol and presented them with a basket of goodies to thank them for their service to the community.

A math contest was held on January 26th after school. Miles Saville, Jace Mullock, Kaeslyn Briner, Kaydence Downing, Jarrett Gilland, Hudson Cameron, Heather Deardorff, Brock Healy, Jordan Dannar, and Owyn Wuillay participated.

Ms. Degase held a group connection with the Parents as Teachers program on January 27th.

The Elementary has a lost and found corner by the office. Instead of things laying across the brick wall, the school was given a clothes rack to hang things on.

Paul and Marti Meyers with the Grant City Lions Club came to the school and did vision screenings with the Kindergarteners and first graders.

On February 6th, school staff participated in Active Shooter training.

Heart Hero Month was kicked off at the school on February 13th and will run through March 8th. Students will work on different styles of jump roping and will participate in an obstacle course. They will also work on basketball skills. These activities will take place during PE time. Students that raise $25 or more will get to participate in Cosmic Bowling in the Multipurpose room.

For Valentine’s Day, loved ones sent flowers, candy, stuffed animals, and balloons to elementary students. Some students received cookies made by Worth County FCCLA students from loved ones.

Mrs. Campbell has joined the Missouri School Nurse Supervision and Support Program, which is free. The area rep came and visited the school and had a lot of positive comments about the friendliness of the staff and how well the school’s plans in place were. This program will help the school get three AED’s, emergency bleeding kits, an emergency bag, and other items for the school. The AED’s will go in the press box, the softball field, and the lower elementary.

The school is also in the process of becoming a Project Adam Heart Safe School. The school is forming a CPR/AED response team and establishing a program involving awareness, training, and effective emergency response in the event of a sudden cardiac arrest at school. Last fall, a student at Putnam County collapsed during basketball practice and had to be lifeflighted.

Teachers Brittany Schlapia and Allie Rush will receive LETRS Training for the 2023-23 school year, which will help teachers develop evidence-based foundational knowledge and systematic instruction based on phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, writing, and language that will positively affect long-term systematic change in literacy outcomes. Teachers Jamie Stalder and Harlee Meek received the training this year.

Superintendent Chris Healy, in his written memo to the board, reported that one big project for the summer involves removing the windows in the vo-ag building and covering it with metal on the exterior and insulation and wood on the interior. This will improve heating efficiency. The school will improve the lighting to desired levels. There will be new heating units for the metal and the wood shop, 75% of which will be paid for by a state grant. Other projects will be evaluated later.