Board Approves Purchase of Step Up Curriculum Plan, Outside Media Coverage

PROTECTED CONTENT

If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.

Username

Password

Login

Lost your password?

Username and Password Help

Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.

Email

Submit

← Back

By Mark Requet

  The Shelby County R-IV School Board met in regular session on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, in the middle school library.

  Board Member Kendal Wood was absent from the meeting.

  Board President Aaron Kendrick called the regular meeting to order.

  Tax Rate Hearing

  South Shelby Superintendent, Dr. Billy Daleske, presented the Tax Rate Hearing. A motion was seconded and approved for the Tax Rate Fund 1 Incidental Fund $3.48, Fund 4 Capital Projects Fund $1.00 for a combined rate of $4.48.

  Superintendent Report

  Dr. Daleske presented the Superintendent’s Report. He spoke with Kerry Sayer about what the lagoon project needs, regarding state permits. Dr. Daleske said it made a lot more sense once it was explained to him. A presentation may be possible at a future board meeting regarding the project.

  He mentioned Jason Luebert and his crew finished putting the seal down on the high school gym floor. The outside scoreboard received some wind damage recently. If it turns out to be a big cost to fix, it will be turned in as an insurance claim. Dr. Daleske said they were experiencing some humidity in the elementary. IFS said a temperature sensor in one of the units and a control board was needing to be fixed.

  Dr. Daleske also went over the financial report and CSIP – Cross Reference Update.

  Principal’s Reports

  High School Principal Tim Maddex reported they will still have around 53 percent for free and reduced lunch and doesn’t see that number getting much higher, but they have been in contact with the parents that haven’t turned in their applications.

  Maddex said there was a good group of students going to MACTEC, which starts August 21. He said it’s great to see those kids interested in the type of careers and going into those fields.

  Middle School Principal Curt Bowen met with teachers and bus drivers recently. Bowen said the custodians have done an excellent job and that the building looks really good.

  Elementary Principal Katie Stueve thanked the board for the meals on the first day back for teachers. She mentioned teachers have been in all summer getting ready this coming year. They had preschool roundup on Friday, August 2, for incoming students.

  New Business

  The board had received a Memorandum of Understanding proposal from NEMO Pressbox LLC, regarding the coverage of live audio-streamed games which will be broadcasted through their website. Dr. Daleske said it would be $6,000 for eight events and it would allow the kids to be selected to the All-Star Team or whatever they decide to call it. It would allow for one interview per month during the school year, which could be a student of the month, a teacher, or principal. Dr. Daleski said 12 schools had signed up for it. Dr. Daleski was questioning the cost and assumed that the cost was to provide them some stability and let them go to work and get started.

  The two packages were a premium package of $6,000 annually on September 1 for three years covering eight events, while the basic would be $2,000 annually for three years covering three events. Either party may terminate the agreement by providing at least 30 calendar days prior written notice of the annual invoice to the other party.

  Daleske’s recommendation to the board was to try and do something with them for one year, whether it be the $2,000 or $6,000, and see if it’s something they want to continue with after one year. He said he would rather do something than nothing, but that if there was another opportunity that they like better, where someone could cover South Shelby exclusively, which hasn’t come to fruition yet.

  Board President Aaron Kendrick stated, “What we’re really doing here, is we’re paying $6,000 a year to try and support your idea and see if it goes somewhere.” He added they were signing up for potential more than anything else.

  It was clarified during the discussion that it was just an audio broadcast on the website because they wouldn’t be able to link into the video, which is owned by Hudl.

  Board Member Darin Eleazarraraz asked about Moberly High School housing them and wondered if interviews would be conducted at Moberly High School. They discussed it and determined they believe they will travel to the schools to do the interviews. Moberly High School is volunteering to serve as the host school district, with 24 hour/day access to a classroom or office space with a networked computer, Wi-Fi availability, a land wired telephone, and access to a district printer.

  It was mentioned about KWWR also offering to cover games for $750 a game.

  Board Member Scott Gough asked, “Why do they have to have us participate instead of just letting them sell advertising like KRES radio did in the past?”

  Kendrick said they are selling advertising, but KWWR recently hired two new journalists and were looking to getting into broadcasting games. Kendrick said it was similar to NEMO Pressbox, in that “They would be buying into an idea.”

  Board Member Stewart Hatcher stated, “To fill the void, he would just go to the football game.” Stewart added, “I don’t care about helping them start their business, I only care about the kids and them getting their recognition.”

  Kendrick is hoping this investment is going to “Promote our students and our kids.”

  Gough was in favor of trying it for a year and seeing what feedback they receive from the community.

  Eleazarraraz felt like they needed to set their expectations a little lower than what they think they are going to be get back from NEMO Pressbox LLC.

  “We’re talking about eight games across five sports. Let’s not think we’re getting 50 percent of our games covered,” said Eleazarraraz. “We’re going to get one, maybe two tops from each sport, with the exception of a crossover from another school.”

  Hatcher said he could hear it now, “You couldn’t find anything better to spend $14,000 a year on football?” Hatcher was referring to publicizing football with the Hudl cost of $8,000, plus the proposal of NEMO Pressbox LLC for $6,000, and possibly the additional costs for KWWR.

  “I’m the guy that runs around and screams student-athlete, with student first,” said Hatcher. “And here I am about to vote on spending more money so somebody can listen to the radio. I don’t understand. I’m going to be a no. To me I can’t see where it justifies where we were getting something for free and we’re paying ‘x’ amount of dollars to get 13 percent of the same amount of coverage.”

  A motion was seconded and approved with a 5-1 vote, with Hatcher voting against, to accept the NEMO Pressbox Memorandum of Understanding as presented for the 2024-2025 school year.

  Dr. Daleske presented the Step-Up Curriculum. He said Step Up Curriculum provides teachers a toolkit and a gap to fill what the state expects from them as an educator and what they come out of college with. He added it provides them a template, a scope sequence that ties them to what the state standards are.

  “It’s a curriculum that we build with what we’re already using, and they come in and help us build this through professional development,” said Dr. Daleske. “Through that process, we find out if what were currently doing is actually reaching what we need it to reach.”

  Daleski said some books and resources are provided with Step Up Curriculum.

  The first year was a cost of $13,400 plus hard copy ELA books purchase, while the second-year cost would be $8,500 plus hard copy MATT books.

  “This is one of those things that we’ve always said, you need something to teach kids, we’re going to provide it,” said Gough.

  A motion was seconded and approved to add Step Up Curriculum for the 2024-2025 school year as presented.

Closed Session

  A motion was seconded and approved to accept a letter of Resignation from Middle School Assistant Football Coach Andy Roth for the 2024-2025 School Year.

  A motion was seconded and approved to hire Alex Blackford for the Middle School Assistant Football Coach for the 2024-2025 School Year.

  A motion was seconded and approved to hire Maranda Ziebarth for the High School Secretary for the 2024-2025 School Year.

  A motion was seconded and approved to hire Katelynn Sizemore Dowell for the Elementary Para Professional for the 2024-2025 School Year.

  Dr. Daleske reviewed the 2024-2025 Facility Needs and Improvement Plan with the board while walking around the South Shelby Campus.

Other News

  The board:

  • approved the agenda as presented.

  • approved the consent agenda items.

  • approved the bills as presented.