Mt. Vernon R-5 school board sizes up progress

Enrollment slip in district offers room for concern
 
The Mt. Vernon school board reviewed progress in the ongoing school year at its Oct. 16, including enrollment figures.
Superintendent Christina West reported attendance for the first month of school held at 95 percent. She noted that the official membership count requested by the state at the end of September showed an overall drop of 45 students from a year ago. She saw several contributing factors. A large drop in the size of the senior class this year bumped the high school numbers down by about 20 students. While the third-to-fifth grade group was up by nearly 20 students, the sixth-to-eighth grade group dropped by 28.
West expected pre-kindergarten numbers to improve after more parents whose children qualified for full-day school finished filling out the paperwork needed for the state. She observed the district had seen a number of families move away. The Launch virtual school offering from the Springfield school district prompted a number of high school students to switch, but some had returned after finding the program was more difficult than they expected, in part because students were “not dealing with our teachers” anymore.
The total count of 1,488 reversed a two-year upward swing. It was still 71 more than the September county in the 2022-23 school year, and 58 more than 10 years ago.
“We can ride on last year’s numbers for a couple years,” West observed. “In a couple years, we’ll have to do something about it.”
Board action
West reported she had consolidated the positions of administrative assistant with the special education and central office secretary. She would like to train a staff member who would focus on district compliance with guidelines coming from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
At West’s request, the board agreed to open a full-time special education assistant to start in January. Currently Samantha Oshlschlager, student services and the superintendent’s secretary, is doing two jobs and had to come back in during the summer to help with the audit. West wanted the new post to be full-time for the second half of the year, and could drop back to part-time next year. The staffer could work in a conference room with all the special education files.
In personnel action, the board accepted Liz Elsey’s retirement at the end of the school year. Elsey will have completed 30 years in education, 21 of those in Mt. Vernon, including 12 as an English teacher before taking on the role of curriculum and federal programs director.
Activities director Kelley Beckner asked to be released from his contract at the end of the first semester, which the board approved. Resignations were accepted from Lesa Garringer and Colby Fielding, both custodians. Chris Geist was hired to replace Fielding at the high school.
Emily Weinzierl and Kristy Fox were approved to serve as band volunteers.
The board approved sending the high school softball team out of state this year to take on more competitive teams. Athletes will travel to Pittsburg, Kan.; Pea Ridge, Ark.; and Riverton, Kan.
Staff reports
Board members received a wide range of new policies to consider. Several involved artificial intelligence. West these would prove difficult to keep up with ongoing changes. “It’s here. We need to teach our students to use it responsibly,” she said.
Principal April Jones reviewed numbers in the Early Learning Center, where 108 children are enrolled, 28 for the full day. By the end of last year, that number had grown to 115. Four teachers are now in a master’s degree program, so that all will have a master’s by the end of the year. Supplemental curriculum additions would focus on writing and social/emotional growth.
Taleah Johnston, head of the Parents as Teachers program for the second year, reviewed how she had already conducted 94 visits to homes and seen 34 families, well on her way to 240 visits with 40 families. Last year she had 210 visits to 40 families when there were two staff members. Johnston observed 50 of the families she sees qualify as “high needs” due to low income or circumstances like a death in the family. She sees progress in more parent-child interactions, and parents who are excited to see what their children can do.
Johnston described joining the Crisis for Rural Intake Network and connecting new families with  First Steps. Her networking had included 4-H chapters, the Clark Community Mental Health Center, OACAC, the county health department, the Lactation Coalition, the Zion Asher Family Physicians, and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.
Liz Elsey, as director of academic services, walked the board through plans to focus on various anchors in the Comprehensive School Improvement Program over the rest of the school year. Elsey noted the Early Childhood Center uses a prescribed curriculum that has grown over time. The board approved additions.
Greg Powell, who has served as the food service director under Opaa for eight years, offered an upbeat assessment. He noted staff served 1,220 more breakfasts in the first two months of the school year, 567 more lunches, and about 30 percent fewer after-school snacks. He described several new initiatives, like Waffle Wednesday, a veggie bar at the middle school, and a coffee drink at the high school that, he assured board members, had no more caffeine in it than a can of soda.
Powell introduced Josh Biglieni, a rancher from the Stotts City area, who regularly contributed an animal to the MO Beef program. Biglieni observed people establish their eating habits while they are young. He viewed his efforts in part as growing an appetite for beef that would support local ranchers for coming decades, and as part of his tithing.
As for ongoing operations, a delegation of students told the board the new policy banning cellphones had not turned out to be especially disruptive. Construction on the nearby performing arts center warranted comment. Students said it had not affected driving, but the drilling “vibrates half the building.”
The next board meeting will be on Nov. 20 at the district administration building.