The regular monthly meeting of the Oneida School Board was held on Tuesday, November 21, 2023, with all members present. The Board honored Jennie McClain, a math teacher at Malad High School, and Terri Storms, the gifted-and- talented student coordinator for the Idaho Home Learning Academy, as the Oneida School District “Employees of the Month.” (See accompanying article.)

Proposals

Two Malad High School students, Addler Garrett and Winona Young, made a proposal to the Board that a dance club be organized at the high school. The students explained that dances such as the waltz and polka would be taught to the students and that the club would host a school dance once each month in the high school commons. The students would like to start the club next semester. Lexi Evans, MHS ag teacher, Ashlyn Jacobsen, MHS English teacher, and parents Kellianne and Travis Huckaby would serve as dance club advisers. The Board will take action on the proposal at its next meeting.

Foster Garrett, band and chorus teacher for Malad Middle and High Schools, brought to the Board’s attention the ongoing problem of conflicts in scheduling dates and space for programs and activities.  For example, he had scheduled the Veterans’ Day program a year earlier for the high school gym only to learn a couple of weeks prior to the program that a basketball game had been scheduled for the same date and time. Superintendent Jon Abrams said he would work with the District Athletic Director and the High School Principal to ensure that scheduling works better in the future.  Once the proposed auditorium is completed, most scheduling problems will likely disappear.

Reports

Brandi Warren, District Business Manager, presented the annual audit report for the fiscal year July 2022 – June 2023, which the auditors had approved. The School District has 5.3 months in operating funds on hand, which is more than the State requires. The school lunch program operates in the black, something Superintendent Abrams said he had never seen in any district for which he has worked, and he commended Jean Coburn, School Lunch Director, for her efforts.

Superintendent Abrams reported to the Board that the contract for the upper floor of U.S. Bank, which is occupied by the School District offices, can be locked in for 5 years. Considering the usual cost of rental space, the School District is getting a bargain even though the contract provides for the rental fee to increase $15 per month.

Mrs. Jeannie Reeder, Principal of Stone Elementary School, thanked Malad Elementary School for inviting the Stone School students to the Veterans’ Day program. She also thanked the library for providing activities for the students. The school celebrated “Friend-giving” when the students brought treats to share and told what they were grateful for. The Christmas program is on December 13 for parents. The new cook, Jennie Coburn, is doing very well.

Ms. Sarah McIntyre, Principal of Malad Elementary School, thanked music specialist Christine Smith, the 5th grade teachers, and the American Legion for the excellent Veterans’ Day program. She reported that the Preston Elks Lodge volunteered to help provide weekend meals for students and brought over many, many boxes of food. The 4th and 5th graders are going to Utah State University to a basketball game.

Mr. Robert Hannah, Principal of Malad Middle School, thanked Foster Garrett for organizing the Veterans’ Day program, which the Middle School students attended. Winter sports, including girls’ basketball and wrestling, are underway. The 6th grade is going on a science field trip to Idaho Falls, and the 7th grade is going on a field trip to the Eccles Theater in Logan. The Armor-Up program that rewards students for achievement is going well. School attendance and achievement always need to improve.

Mr. Michael Corbett, Principal of Malad High School, also thanked Foster Garrett for the Veterans’ Day program. He thanked the Showell family that presented a suicide awareness/prevention program during Red Ribbon Week. He reported that Idaho State University officials are impressed that Malad High students are registered for 216 dual credits. Attendance is about 90% but needs to be at 95% to meet full State funding requirements. The students not in school are the students who are failing classes.  Lexi Evans, MHS ag teacher, worked with Dr. Terri Sorensen to write a grant for a 5’ x 10’ plasma table. The teachers participated in a professional development program on suicide awareness and prevention. The new Spanish teacher, Andy Cobabe, has passed the Praxis for Spanish, and 30 students are taking the class.

Dr. Terri Sorensen, Administrator for the Idaho Home Learning Academy, reported that grades K-3 have completed IRI tests. IHLA is testing students for dyslexia, as required by the State, and 118 students have been identified as being dyslexic. Jill Daniels, IHLA Special Education Director, and her team are still working on the schools’ special education plan. In answer to a question about graduation programs, Dr. Sorensen announced that commencement ceremonies will be held in Idaho Falls, Coeur d’Alene, the Boise area, and Twin Falls this year.

Progress on New School

Mr. Abrams reported on the new elementary school building. Last week 29 trucks of concrete were poured. The walls on the kindergarten wing are going up, after which the roof on that part of the building will be put on. The laying of brick was delayed when the spacers that go between the bricks were not available, and a new spacer had to be found. It will take about 5 weeks to lay the brick once that part of the project begins. The weather will determine how fast the building progresses even though work begins usually before daybreak and continues until dark, sometimes even on Saturdays. The building is a little behind schedule, as has been known since the beginning of construction when there were delays due to previously unknown underground water leaks. Mr. Abrams said that optimistically the move to the new building will occur during the week of Thanksgiving in 2024. The architect and construction manager will be invited to report at January’s Board meeting. Funds for providing new desks and other classroom and school necessities for the interior of the school are on hand so that the school will be new inside and out. 

Action Items

The Board approved the first reading of the proposal to change the District Attendance Policy to a procedures statement. The new procedures would start as soon as the Board approves the changes to the procedures.

The petition to change the Idaho Home Learning Academy to a charter school operated under Oneida School District was approved. Dr. Terri Sorensen announced that the new IHLA Charter School Founding Board would begin working on policies in January and select a governing board in April. Hopefully, the governing board would be in place and begin training in July with IHLA opening as a charter school in August 2024. Superintendent Abrams will attend meetings of the IHLA governing board.

A contract with the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office to provide a School Resource Officer for the rest of the school year was approved.  Because the Sheriff’s Office is currently short-staffed, off-duty officers will serve as the SRO. 

The Board approved opening the bid process for a new school bus, which will cost between $120,000 and $130,000. The District replaces buses annually on a rotating schedule.

At the last legislative session, the State approved funds for improving security for Idaho schools. The School Board approved using Oneida School District’s funds to change the entrance/exit at Malad High School so that the building will be more secure and to re-key all of the buildings.

Several overnight trips for high school athletic teams were approved:  girls’ basketball to the Ririe Tournament on November 30-December 2; boys’ basketball to the Ririe Tournament on December 7-9; girls’ wrestling to Ririe on December 15-16; wrestling to Wendell on January 12-13; wrestling to Aberdeen on January 19-20; and baseball and softball to the Glenns Ferry Tournament on April 19-20.

The new District Curriculum Committee was approved. This Committee is required by the State to ensure that teachers, parents, and administrators are all involved in the curriculum process. The District Committee is comprised of Superintendent Abrams, Curriculum Director Valerie O’Bryan, Alaina Schrenk (parent), and Kara Baisden (IHLA parent).

Personnel

The following personnel were approved, pending their passing the State-mandated background check: Rachel Green as Malad High School assistant softball coach; Bo Smith as MHS volunteer girls’ wrestling coach; Ben Wray and James Rindlisbaker as MHS volunteer boys’ wrestling coaches; Joseph Miller as Malad Middle School 6th grade English teacher; Abby Woolley as MMS paraprofessional; Jennie Coburn as Stone School cook/custodian; Breanna Gauthier as Stone School part-time cook; Lynette Price as Malad Elementary School receptionist; Cynthia Scott as MES special education aide; and four teachers for IHLA. 

A letter of resignation from Malad Middle School English teacher Annie Brower  was accepted. She is leaving to accompany her husband, former Oneida County Prosecuting Attorney Cody Brower, to Soda Springs where he will be a magistrate judge.

Alternative authorization for 17 IHLA teachers to receive new teacher endorsements was approved.

The December meeting of the School Board will be on December 19 at 6:30 p.m. at the Malad Middle School Library.