Mainly clear skies. Low 43F. WNW winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph..

Mainly clear skies. Low 43F. WNW winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.

Dutton/Brady school board members heard updates on summer projects during the May meeting and approved several staff resignations and hirings and contracts for the new school year.

Superintendent Erica Allen presented the initial locker room plans and stated she is working with contractors to determine the cost and scope of the project. Allen said excavation work began for the bus barn on May 10. She is waiting to hear back from two contractors who are working on bids for the upper metal structure. “As soon as we have determined who will complete the upper structure, we can move forward to coordinate cement work with Bob Scott of Choteau,” Allen said.

The prep work needed to pour the pad for a new flagpole has been completed. Board members hoped to hire a professional crew to compete the work this summer but couldn’t find a contractor for this small of a job until July. If it is determined the best solution is to pour the pad in-house, the runway for the triple jump will be done at the same time.

It was also noted the district has ordered new tile for the ice room, planned renovation, purchased a new ice machine and will install new countertops. The work will be done over the summer.

Under the superintendent report, Allen said 70 new Chromebooks have been ordered for use next year. The school information sign is working but still has issues with the words flickering. The district’s technology contractors have done as much as they can and have turned the remainder of the repairs over to the sign company repairmen who were slated to come in May.

Allen informed the board the transportation committee will meet during June in preparation for the county transportation meeting in July. There is a new kindergarten student next year that will require the district to expand the current Dutton route to the Diamond Back Highway.

Dutton/Brady school counselor Amber Stephens was approached by the Counseling Department chairperson at the University of Montana in April asking if she was willing to mentor an intern next year, Allen told the board. “After discussion, Stephens and the school administration felt this would be a good thing for the school district and Timothy Kempff came with strong recommendations,” Allen said. Kempff began working with Stephens the first week of May and will continue working in the school two days a week next year.

It was noted the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America career and technical student organization continues to hold fundraisers to earn money to attend the national convention. They held a casino night in April and sold more than 120 pizzas to be delivered in May. The FSC class also prepared the dinner before the school play.

Allen informed the board, due much in part to the extremely supportive school board and the outstanding staff, she was voted the North Central MASS Superintendent of the year. “This would not have been possible without the support and work from all stakeholders in our district and is direct reflection on the excellence we see in our building every day,” she said.

The district’s athletic director reported the district has ordered the new scoreboard for the school gymnasium that will include the newly required shot clocks. The district has received donations of $11,000 from four agencies to purchase the new scoreboard. The district was approached by Pepsi about a possible contribution for the scoreboard and since the financial commitment had been reached for the school gymnasium, consideration is being given to replace the scoreboard on the football field.

Elementary principal Jeremy Locke informed the board the final interim diagnostic for iReady and Acadience has been completed for this school year. “An update on the final testing date will be presented in June,” Locke said. “This information will allow the staff to prepare for the 2022-23 school year.”

Locke also noted the after-school program faced many challenges during the school year. He said there are few financial options to continue the program with the director not returning to oversee it next year.

It was noted during the meeting that the district’s special education room needed an update. Natasha Lettengarver, district special education teacher, helped direct the district in organizing and adding additional space with modern accommodations. “This space includes sensory areas to refocus and quiet reading space,” Locke said.

Locke also said the elementary teachers have finished their reading strategies training for the 2021-22 school year which has provided valuable insight to improve the intervention programs for kindergarten through sixth grade. The district has also received all the materials from the MTSS grant through the Office of Public Instruction and teachers are attending the OPI Summer Institute at MSU in June.

The district received a Town Pump grant for the reading roundup program connected with summer school and Dutton Public Library. This grant will bring $3,000 for student opportunities to keep reading books and connect throughout the summer.

Also at the May meeting, the board:

•Approved the negotiating team offer to certified staff of a two-year agreement, with a 5% increase on base salary the first year and no increase the second year. The district will give a $1,500 stipend for the first and second year to those who would not receive a raise on the new schedule. New teachers to our district will be allowed to bring 10 years of experience and new teachers will start on step 3. It was also agreed the district’s TTWD training (held on Friday of the district’s four-day week) will be limited to sessions that will reward OPI credit and teachers will be allowed to work from home on four pre-scheduled TTWD days.

•Accepted the resignation of: Tyson Anderson as head boys basketball coach after serving in this position for the past four years; Cal Sand as activities bus driver who will retire at the end of the year, having driven activity bus for many years; and Cristina Ramos and Benjie Curada as teachers at Pondera Colony.

•Hired: Brian Schoonover as assistant junior high volleyball coach due to a larger number of girls turning out for volleyball; Sherrill Nowlin as head coach; extra-curricular staff for the 2022-23 school year; and Esther Clark as business manager beginning July 1.

•Approved a one-year contract with Pepsi.

•Approved several contracts and dues for next school year and the contract with Power School District for the Speech and Drama Co-op.

•Mary Erickson was appointed the board chair and Orrie Gondeiro the vice chairman. Serving on the Titan football board are trustees Clint Ellsworth, Gondeiro and Erickson. The Transportation members are Ellsworth and Esther Clark.

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