Ark Valley News - District inches toward bond issue

District inches toward bond issue
By Chris Strunk
Last Updated: August 11, 2022

The Valley Center school district took another step toward possibly expanding its facilities this week.

The school board on Aug. 8 established a committee to begin discussing the district's building and infrastructure needs as the district continues to grow.

School officials expect the district to expand by more than 100 students this school year, already exceeding a five-year projection made last year.

The committee is expected to meet for several months before recommending expansion projects to the school board. The end result could mean new or expanded facilities and a bond issue to pay for them.

"The idea is to put together people with a common vision of wanting to improve schools in Valley Center but have different perspectives on what's needed," said Bob Faires with Alloy Architects, a firm hired to facilitate the process.

The committee, which will begin meeting in late September or early October, is made up of people with connections to the school district, such as parents, employees or PTO members. It also will include board members Sean Miller, Mike McCormick and Dawn Stiglitz.

"We're looking for a lot of different perspectives with the same goal of trying to improve the schools," Faires said.

The district will brainstorm potential improvements and prioritize a list of recommendations.

The committee is expected to meet up to six times.

Other committee members are Allison Clubb, Bart Balthazor, Brad Barbour, Brian Shelton, Chelsea Jantz, Cody Newton, Superintendent Cory Gibson, Dan Gentry, Diane Casey, Erika Birk, Gavin Dewey, Kenny Carter, Larry Hall, Lindsey Hooper, Mark Evans, Melissa Seacat, Mike Bonner, Nick Grummert, Rachel McClaran, Rachael McGettigan, Seth and Kaci Denney and Susan Shite-Moscicki.

Also Aug. 8, the school board got a look at the proposed 2022-23 school district budget.

Spending is up, but the property tax mill levy is expected to remain flat at 58.5 mills. The budget takes advantage of an increase in property valuation and an increase in student enrollment.

School board member Richard Ranzau asked how much the district would receive from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to support food service in its 2022-23 budget.

Gibson said $647,380.

Alluding to a report by Fox News, Ranzau said the district should be aware that the federal government could be trying to use the funds to force policies that would allow transgender students to compete in girls' sports.

"I'm not going to support any budget that doesn't address this," Ranzau said.

Board president Ben Wilson asked Gibson to get more information on the issue.

In other business Aug. 8, the board:

•Recognized high school teacher Gavin Couvelha for being named Kansas Career and Technical Education teacher of the year.

•Heard a report on summer school and the extended school year.

•Heard a report on a state-required needs assessment review.

•Heard a report by principals on achievement action plans.

•Gave final approval to board policy updates.

•Approved a bid of $24,494 from Mike Johnson Sales for 560 cases of copy paper.

•Accepted a mental health intervention team state grant of $202,144 and a safe and secure schools grant of $54,580 from the state.

•Accepted gifts of 100 spiral notebooks from Clarke and Karen Bruhn, $2,000 from Walmart for school supplies at the elementary schools and $2,000 from All Saints Home Care for the high school golf program.

•Approved the disposal of a soundboard from the high school auditorium, 200 iPads and six smartboards and Wheatland library books.

•Added a speech language pathologist assistant to the pay scale for the special education cooperative.

•Approved a request for Cory Gibson to travel to the AASA National Conference on Education in San Antonio, Texas, in February.

•Approved a nursing services contract between Craig HomeCare and the special education cooperative.

•Approved guidelines for advertising on the high school athletic department's website and venue signs.

•Approved a memorandum of understanding with Aubrie Lehr to serve as a counselor supervisor in 2002-23.

•Approved the list of teacher mentors.

•Accepted supplemental contract resignations from Kim Williams (S.H.O.W. sponsor, July 19), Dillon Jackson (Environmental Club sponsor at the high school, July 19) and Emily Simon (Spanish Club sponsor at the high school, July 19).

•Approved supplemental contracts for Claire Schreiner (TSA sponsor at the middle school, $1,616, Aug. 8), Roya Eck (FCCLA sponsor at the high school, $1,616, Aug. 8), Erin Alexander (long-term science substitute mentor, $1,000, Aug. 8), Mariah Banning (volleyball assistant coach at the middle school, $3,233, Aug. 8), Kerry Kennedy (Spanish Club sponsor at the high school, $577, Aug. 8), Jacob Richardson (football assistant coach at the middle school, $3,233, Aug. 8) and Jeremy LeDuc (teaching additional minutes per day, $5,963.24, Aug. 11).

•Approved the hiring of Maureen Spaman (special education para at Wheatland, $12.84 per hour, Aug. 2), Angelisa Garnica (special education para at Wheatland, $16.12 per hour, Aug. 2), Ian Jamison (special education para at the high school, $12.87 per hour, Aug. 2), Grace Nielsen (special education para at Wheatland, $15.50 per hour, Aug. 2), Adrian Stockdale (pre-K aide at Abilene, $11.60 per hour, Aug. 8), Chelsea Eaglen (special education para at the high school, $12.62 per hour, Aug. 2), Brandi Rowan (special education para at Sedgwick, $13.82 per hour, Aug. 2), Callie Rector (instructional aide at West, $11.60 per hour, Aug. 8), Cory Zila (maintenance and grounds, $13.91 per hour, Aug. 1), Mindy Armfield (special education para at Sedgwick Elementary, $12.36 per hour, Aug. 2), Charles Hackney (maintenance and grounds, $19.65 per hour, Aug. 8), Dawn Pilcher (Title I aide at West, $15.55 per hour, Aug. 8), Lori Davis (building aide at West, $11.50 per hour, Aug. 8), Teresa Arnold (building aide at Wheatland, $14.99 per hour, Aug. 8), Carissa Lauderdale (building aide at Wheatland, $11.50 per hour, Aug. 8), Holly Lawrence (special education teacher at the high school, $56,958, Aug. 8) and Erin Bass (permanent substitute at the middle school, $210 per day, Aug. 8).

•Accepted resignations from TJ Blount (science teacher at the middle school, July 12), Elijah Parmeter (special education para at the middle school, Aug. 1), Ashlee Barrientos (special education teacher at the intermediate school, July 19), Jerry Owens (custodian, July 22), Marion Stacy (special education para at the middle school, July 19), Michelle Hermes (food service at the high school, July 28), Brianna Ohnemiller (special education para at the middle school, July 28) and Travis Lane (special education para at Burrton, July 29).

•Approved transfers for Christina Barajas (from ESOL aide at the middle school to nurse assistant at Abilene, $15.48 per hour, Aug. 8), Danielle Coulter (from IS para at West to IS para at the middle school, Aug. 8), Brook Roberts (from four hours per day to seven in food service at the middle school, Aug. 8), Anna Kasel (from social worker to mental health liaison, Aug. 1) and Haley Burgess (from permanent substitute to long-term science substitute at the middle school, $225 per day, Aug. 8).