MONTE VISTA-The Sargent Board of Education (BOE) began their monthly meeting Monday, Jan. 22 with a work session to discuss the potential prioritization of the Small Rural Schools grant funds, a one-time award of $152,000.

The board heard the priorities chosen by school staff and discussed the details of their previously selected projects and heard some concerns from staff. Later, during the regular meeting, the board heard good news from staff and students alike, including some detailed presentations from third grade students on Native Americans.

The Sargent BOE had previously discussed using part of the funds from the Small Rural Schools grant to install an electronic marquee sign on the south side of the campus, in front of the elementary school, which was discussed in more cost detail during board reports. During the work session, the BOE heard the results of a staff survey, presented by Elementary Principal Joni Hemmerling and Jr./Sr. High Principal Ronna Cochran, to review a ranking of priorities for the rest of the funds. The staff selected an extra leave day as their first priority, followed by new technology improvements (K-2 Chromebooks, updated classroom projectors and a gym projector/screen), armed staff member training and some new library furniture.  If approved, the leave day would raise their allotted days from eight to nine, and Cochran explained they had been cut by 25 percent from the previous school year. Board President Gina Mitchell explained eight days was selected because it represented two weeks of school on Sargent’s recently implemented four-day schedule and a comp day had also been cut. Hemmerling pointed out if every staff member took their extra leave day over the school year it would cost over $4,000.

While discussing staff member leave, two teachers discussed some of their concerns. The first staff member indicated she knew the board was taking information to assess the success of the four-day week and stated she and other teachers feel it is considerably harder on them, both in the classroom and outside of school hours, where teachers are putting in more after-school time to keep up with the limited class periods. Another teacher expressed the teachers and administration do not always feel heard or trusted by the board, and he was afraid the BOE would wrongfully assume staff was asking for extra leave time because they are lazy, based on the impression staff has received in the past. He also expressed the current board is not entirely at fault for that perception, which has existed over the last four to five years. He continued to state the BOE has historically not trusted teachers to do their jobs without micromanagement, and stated not all parents are expected to equally follow “the chain of command” in situations, although he did not provide examples, both of  which have also contributed to the feeling of mistrust. The board members stated they hoped to improve relations between teachers and the BOE, with board member Tyler Kyffin adding “We appreciate you bringing this to our attention. We can’t address these issues if we don’t know what is an issue.” The board discussed visiting classrooms more often to see teachers at work and see the progress being made firsthand. Cochran encouraged this idea, “It would give you confidence to see the level of rigor… and the great projects students are working on.”

Good news reports

During the board session, the good news reports were begun by third grade teacher Terri Baker, who explained the course of her social studies class. The students started by learning about maps, how to read them and how to use compasses, before learning about continents and their shift, which lead them to discussing the Bering Land Bridge and Native Americans.

Baker’s class embarked on an in-depth project, where students selected a Native American tribe to learn about. The project required the students to do research; they made lapbooks and models of the housing their tribe inhabited to supplement their written reports.

Three students presented to the BOE. Sylvia Daugherty showed the board her Inuit home model and explained how among several inventions, the Inuit were the source of the double paddle kayak. Durae Naranjo discussed the Sioux tribe and presented a replica dress a Sioux woman might wear, before discussing some of the personal history of Sitting Bull. Aubree Tideman discussed the Cherokee and made a Cherokee winter home model, “Because it’s winter.” Tideman told the board and meeting attendees about Sequoyah’s invention of the Cherokee alphabet.

Two students from the high school explained the many projects and upcoming events going on with the upperclassmen.  Several extracurricular clubs like FBLA are testing in preparation for regional competition. Sargent students also participated in the History Fair as well as the Valley Classic Wrestling Tournament and Winterfest basketball games. The students explained they have consolidated the Sadie Hawkins dance and the Winterfest dance.

During Kyffin’s board report, the BOE discussed the marquee in more detail, with estimated costs being approximately $20,000-$25,000 before installation, which is estimated to be an additional $4,000 although the board has not received formal estimates or completed their order yet. The PTO is willing to contribute about $9,000 toward the project and the board discussed other possibilities, like advertising on the marquee to help make up the costs. Hemmerling indicated local businesses had expressed opposition to the latter idea. Mitchell pointed out the importance of the sign in creating an impression of the school which might help recruit students in the long run. The board resolved to discuss the matter further at a work session in February after discussing the possibility of more fundraising with the PTO.