Superintendent Messenger

APRIL 2023 BOARD REPORT

The Canton R-V Board of Education met on April 18, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. in the Canton R-V Library Media Center Conference Room to hold the annual reorganization meeting of the Board of Education. The meeting was called to order by the current Board for the purpose of dissolving the current Board of Education, installing new members, and electing new officers. Jake Schaefer, Stacey Guilfoyle, and Larry Arnold were installed as new members for a term ending in April of 2026. The Board of Directors elected the following members as officers: Michelle Frazier – President, Susie Biggerstaff – Vice-President, Lacy Spurgeon – Secretary, and Larry Arnold – Treasurer. Immediately following the reorganization meeting, the Board adjourned and entered into the regular monthly business meeting.

The Board discussed the following items in the consent agenda: meeting minutes, transfers, amendments, building principal reports, attendance, lunch, and safety reports. Following the consent agenda, the Board authorized the payment of the monthly bills.

Superintendent Uhlmeyer presented the monthly financial report to the Board of Education. The balance in Funds 10-60 as of 03/31/2023 was $9,210,284.01. This was a $4,676,588.44 increase from the previous fiscal year.  The unrestricted fund balance in Fund 10 – Incidental was $3,065,124.25, which was an increase of $727,028.84 from the previous year.

During reports, the Board received a report from Nurse Courtney Brennan regarding Health Services. Superintendent Uhlmeyer also provided the directors with an update regarding current legislative topics and the progress on the Early Learning Center (ELC). The Board of Directors will be presented with finalized schematic plans for the ELC building by Klingner and Associates at the May 2023 meeting. The directors were also provided with a summary of several grant applications that have been submitted to various state agencies.

In current business, the Board authorized entering into a contract with OPAA! to provide food service operations at Canton R-V for a 5-year period. The Board also approved leasing the HappyTime Preschool building and furnishings from Brenna Phillips and Sarah Taylor to expand preschool offerings to resident children for the 2023-2024 school year. This lease agreement will be in effect until the completion of the Early Learning Center. This action by the Board of Education directly correlates to Priority Area 2 of the Canton R-V Continuous School Improvement Plan which states that “the District will ensure all pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students have access to high-quality learning experiences”.

Superintendent Uhlmeyer asked for the Board’s approval for a recommendation to increase the base salary for certified faculty members from $34,250 to $37,000. This recommendation was approved by the Board and will increase the total certified salaries by $78,917 (+3.66%) and total salaries and benefits by $91,505 (+3.09%) when comparing Fiscal Year 2023 to Fiscal Year 2024. Because of this increase to the base salary, all administrators will receive a $2,625 salary increase. This equals a 2.63% increase in salary for Superintendent Uhlmeyer and an average salary increase of 3.51% for the building principals. Superintendent Uhlmeyer also recommended a 4.0% increase to all classified staff hourly wage rates. This recommendation for classified staff was approved by the Board of Directors. Finally, the Board approved a Memorandum of Understanding between Canton R-V School District and John Wood Community College to allow Canton R-V students to attend dual credit courses at the JWCC Workforce Development Center.

In executive session, the Board discussed student welfare and personnel. The Board of Education approved the following:

·         Resignation from Danielle Moffitt for teaching duties

·         Resignation from Kailee Gaither for teaching and extracurricular duties

·         Resignation from Leanne Hausdorf from teaching duties

·         Hiring of Crystal Nelson as the PK-6th grade Art teacher

·         Hiring of Kar’mel Brewer as the PK-6th grade Music teacher

·         Hiring of Joni Fussellman as a pre-Kindergarten teacher

·         Hiring of Morgan Melton as a 1st grade teacher

·         Hiring of Katelyn Kirchner as a 2nd grade teacher

·         Hiring of Rachel Uhlmeyer as a 4th grade teacher

·         Hiring of Katrina DeCoster as a ELA teacher in the High School

·         Hiring of Darla Gaus as the Special Education Director

·         Hiring of Julie Lubbert, Angie Hultz, Kara Ruffcorn, Katie Elder, Erin Allison, Heather Feldkamp, Carla Eagan, Jerrid Cosby, Kathy Burchett, Kerri Blessing, Heather Hinton, Jensen Crenshaw, Clint Smith, Beth Anderson, Melissa Feldkamp, Luanne Pearl, and Sarah Mueller as summer school teachers.

The Board was also advised that the following teachers will be transitioning to a different teaching assignment for the 2023-2024 school year:

·         Heather Feldkamp will be moving to a 3rd grade teacher

·         Anita Taylor will be moving to the 5th/6th grade math teacher

MARCH 2023 BOARD REPORT

The Canton R-V Board of Education met on March 13, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. in the Canton R-V Library Media Center Conference Room to hold the regular monthly meeting of the Board of Education.

The Board discussed the following items in the consent agenda: meeting minutes, transfers, amendments, and safety reports. Following the consent agenda, the Board authorized the payment of the monthly bills.

Superintendent Uhlmeyer presented the monthly financial report to the Board of Education. The current balance in Funds 10-60 as of 02/28/2023 was $9,280,033.99. This was a $5,137,466.17 increase from the previous fiscal year.  The unrestricted balance in Fund 10 – Incidental was $3,153,689.55, which was a increase of $1,138,051.09 from the previous year.

During reports, the Board was informed that the Faculty and Staff Appreciation Dinner has been scheduled for May 19 and Summer School will be held from May 22-June 13. The Board was also updated on the current status of the Early Learning Center. Superintendent Uhlmeyer also presented information to the directors regarding the MSIP 6 Annual Performance Report data. This data will be used in conjunction with the Continuous School Improvement Plan to establish priorities to focus on throughout the remainder of the school year.

In current business, the Board authorized electronic fund transfers to be made to PSRS and PEERS. The directors adopted MCE Policy 2874 regarding administering opioid antagonists to individuals. The Board also approved new contract language for probationary and tenured teachers. Finally, the Board approved the following overnight trips: Science Olympiad, FBLA State Convention, FFA State Convention, and Senior Trip.

In executive session, the Board discussed student welfare and personnel. The Board accepted the following resignations:

Vicki Krueger - High School Science

Josh Thrower – High School English

Susi Job – High School Vocal and Instrumental Music

Hannah Murfin – 1st Grade

Heather Newton – 5th Grade

The Board approved the recommendations to hire and offer contracts to the following individuals for the 2023-2024 school year:

         Beau Turgeon – High School Special Education

         James Dent – High School Science

The Board reviewed teacher evaluations and approved the recommendations to offer contracts to the following probationary teachers: Dalton Armontrout, Derek Bracey, Jerrid Cosby, Jensen Crenshaw, Katie Elder, Kailee Gaither, Michele Gnuse, Jill McAfee, Katrina Schaefer, Joseph Stark, Kimbre Thrower, and Jami Tipton.

FEBRUARY 2023 BOARD REPORT

The Canton R-V Board of Education met on February 13, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. in the Canton R-V Media Center Conference Room for the regular monthly meeting of the Board of Education.

The Board discussed the following items in the consent agenda: meeting minutes, transfers, amendments, bills, and safety reports. Following the consent agenda, the Board authorized the payment of the monthly bills.

Superintendent Uhlmeyer presented the monthly financial report to the Board of Education. The balance in Funds 10-60 as of 01/31/2023 was $8,846,573.10. This was a $4,321,931.33 increase from the previous fiscal year. The majority of this increase was due to the proceeds from the April 2022 bond issue that were deposited in Fund 40 – Capital Projects earier this fiscal year. The unrestricted balance in Fund 10 – Incidental on 1/31/2023 was $2,812,440.03 which was an increase of $593,794.55 from the previous year.

During reports, the Board was informed that the Fiscal Year 2023 Financial Audit has been scheduled for July 13, 2023 with Wade Stables, P.C. of Hannibal, MO. The Board was also updated on current issues regarding legislation that is being debated during the legislative session in Jefferson City. Legislative topics discussed were open enrollment, Parents Bill of Rights, and personal property tax bills.

In current business, the Board selected Klingner and Associates of Quincy, IL to provide professional design services for the planned Early Learning Center. Superintendent Uhlmeyer and representatives from NAVIGATE Building Solutions will begin contract negotiations with representatives from Klingner and Associates to finalize the agreement and establish pricing.

The Board of Directors approved the 2023-2024 school calendar. This calendar was developed with input from the Calendar Committee and contains 169 student days and 177 teacher contract days. The number of school days is slightly lower than previous years because 15 minutes of instructional time will be added to each school day. This will be done by moving the start time for classes from 8:30 a.m to 8:15 a.m. The total number of instructional hours would be 1,116.78 with the proposed calendar, which is above the required 1,044 hours by Missouri . This calendar also aligns closely to surrounding districts.

The Board members approved the insurance renewal rates for 2023. Medical, vision, and voluntary life insurance will receive a 0% increase and no benefit reductions for 2023. Board paid life insurance will increase $0.02/$1000 of coverage and dental insurance will receive a 7.9% increase in premium. Finally, the Board approved the re-adoption of the Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan

In executive session, the Board discussed student welfare and conducted the annual evaluation of the building principals. Mrs. Stephanie Eaton and Mr. Bill Dorethy were granted contract extensions through the 2024-2025 school year. 

JANUARY 2023 BOARD REPORT

The Canton R-V Board of Education met on January 9, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. in the Canton R-V Library Media Center Conference Room for the regular monthly meeting of the Board of Education.

The Board will discussed the following items in the consent agenda: meeting minutes, transfers, amendments, bills, and safety reports. Following the consent agenda, the Board authorized the payment of the monthly bills.

Superintendent Uhlmeyer presented the monthly financial report to the Board of Education. The current balance in Funds 10-60 as of 12/31/2022 is $7,493,125.53. This is a $4,356,651.12 increase from the previous fiscal year.  The unrestricted balance in Fund 10 – Incidental on December 31, 2022 was $1,568,849.98, which is a increase of $375,123.69 (31.42%) from the previous year.

During reports, the Board was informed that the following individuals have filed for the April 2023 election: Jake Schaefer, Larry Arnold, and Stacey Guilfoyle. New directors will be installed at the April 2023 meeting of the Board. There will not be an election required due to only having three candidates for three open positions. The Board was also be informed that the IRS Mileage Rate has increased from $0.625 to $0.655 per mile effective January 1, 2023. Mr. Uhlmeyer also reported that the District has been notified that the EBA Insurance Consortium would have a 0% increase in healthcare premiums this renewal period.

In current business, the Board approved a Task Order for NAVIGATE Building Solutions to act as an owner’s representative for the pre-construction and construction services related to the Early Learning Center. The Board was also be presented with and approved a Request for Qualifications to begin the process of selecting a Design Team for the Early Learning Center. The directors approved two amendments to the 2022-2023 calendar. School will now be in session on February 20 and March 3. As part of the motion, the Board approved giving all current employees an extra personal day. Finally, the Board of Education approved a resolution that expresses their opposition to legislation regarding open enrollment.

In executive session, the Board reviewed a notice of retirement for Mrs. Luanne Pearl. Mrs. Pearl has been a teacher in the Canton R-V School District since 1994 and the directors and administration are extremely grateful for her service. The Board of Education also approved a contract extension for Superintendent Uhlmeyer through June 30, 2025.

NOVEMBER 2022 BOARD REPORT

The Board of Education and administration would like to congratulate the Canton Lady Tiger softball team, coaches, and managers on their 1st place finish at the MSHSAA Final Four. This group of individuals represented our school district very well throughout their entire season and should be extremely proud of their accomplishments.

The Canton R-V Board of Education will met on November 14, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. in the Canton R-V Library Media Center Conference Room to hold the regular monthly meeting of the Board of Education.

The Board discussed the following items in the consent agenda: meeting minutes, transfers, amendments, bills, and safety reports. Following the consent agenda, the Board authorized the payment of the monthly bills.

Superintendent Uhlmeyer presented the monthly financial report to the Board of Education. The current balance in Funds 10-60 as of 10/31/2022 was $7,178,362.92. This was a $4,194,399.69 increase from the previous fiscal year.  The unrestricted balance in Fund 10 – Incidental was $1,339,494.94, which was an increase of $216,581.62 (19.29%) from the previous year.

A representative from Navigate Building Solutions was in attendance to present information to the directors regarding an Owner’s Representative model for future construction needs. The Board was encouraged to ask questions about the owner’s representative process in general.

During reports, the Board was presented information about the current library services from Mrs. Teresa McKenzie. The Board was also informed that the filing dates for the April 2023 election is December 6 – December 27, 2022. The following directors will have terms that expire in April of 2023: Chad Porter, Larry Arnold, and Stacey Guilfoyle.

In current business, the Board took action to increase lunch prices for adult meals and cover any discrepancies during the 2022-2023 school year with local funds. The Board also votes to  advertise for an owner’s representative for construction related needs. A Request for Qualifications will be posted and sent out to interested providers. The directors also approved a proposal from Martin Lock and Key, Doug Martin, for changing the locks on all interior and exterior doors throughout the District.

Finally, in executive session the Board made a motion to approve all early graduates who meet the local and state graduation requirements at the end of the semester. The Board also approved making the RootED advisor, Jill McAfee, a full-time employee beginning in January. Amy Baker was approved as a volunteer assistant cheer coach and Christy Phillips was extended an extra duty contract for Science Olympiad.

OCTOBER 2022 BOARD REPORT

The Canton R-V Board of Education met on October 10, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. in the Canton R-V LMC Conference Room to hold the regular monthly meeting of the Board of Education.

The Board of Education discussed the following items: meeting minutes, transfers, amendments, bills, and safety reports. Mr, Uhlmeyer reported that the school district will participate in the Great ShakeOut – Earthquake Drills on October 20, 2022.

The Directors authorized the payment on bills and heard the monthly financial report. The current balance in Funds 10-60 as of 9/30/2022 is $7,245,266.67. This is a $4,179,957.90 increase from the previous fiscal year.  The unrestricted balance in Fund 10 – Incidental is currently $1,446,993.84, which is an increase of $251,161.30 from the previous year.

During reports, Superintendent Uhlmeyer recognized the special education director, Darla Gaus, and special education faculty and staff on their accomplishment on the DESE Special Education Performance Report. The Canton R-V School District received 100% of all of the points possible in all areas. This is an amazing accomplishment by our special education faculty, staff, and administration because of the number of areas assessed.

The Board of Education were addressed by several students from the Art Tech and Design class. Mrs. Brittany Welker and Miss Kailee Gaither attended with their students from the course. The students described their experiences in the class and showed the directors several examples of products they plan to sell in order to support the Art Department.

Lewis County Sheriff, David Parrish, and School Resource Officier, Devon Willis presented a revised  Emergency Action Plan for Canton R-V School District. The plan describes the LCSO response to a school emergency and the roles of other responding agencies.

During current business, the Board of Education adopted the goals outlined in a recent revision of the Continuous School Improvement Plan (CSIP). Superintendent Uhlmeyer discussed how these goals will be used to develop action steps and strategies. Superintendent Uhlmeyer presented the directors with considerations for the Early Learning Center. Currently, there have been several conversations regarding the design of the building, construction materials, and cost of the project.

Finally, in executive session the Board hired Jennifer Darnell as a special education paraprofessional at Canton Elementary.

september 2022 Board report

The Canton R-V Board of Education met on September 12, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. in the Canton R-V LMC Conference Room for the regular monthly meeting of the Canton R-V Board of Education. The Board of Education discussed the following items on the consent agenda: meeting minutes, transfers, amendments, principal reports, attendance, lunch, and safety reports. Following the consent agenda, the Board authorized the payment of bills as presented.

Mr. Uhlmeyer presented the monthly financial report to the Board of Directors. The current balance in Funds 10-60 as of 8/31/2022 is $7,318,291.34. This is a $4,069,297.13 increase from the previous year.  The majority of this increase is due to the $3,638,855.50 deposit into Fund 40 – Capital Improvements from the sell of the general obligation bonds from the April 2022 election. The unrestricted balance in Fund 10 – Incidental is currently $1,577,066.57, which is an increase of $264,859.25 from the previous year. 

During the citizen communication portion of the meeting, the Board met the new school resource officer, Sergeant Devon Willis, from the Lewis County Sheriff's Office. Sergeant Willis will be in the school building throughout the year as the full-time school resource officer.

Superintendent Uhlmeyer provided the Board with an update about Early Learning Center. In the coming weeks, GRP will begin meeting with district representatives and the public to discuss and finalize plans for the new addition.

In current business, the Board of Directors approved a motion to re-adopt Policy 1110: Assurance of Religious Expression. The directors also approved the adoption of multiple policies and regulation that resulted from changes to Missouri law during the previous legislative session. The overnight trip to the FFA National Convention was approved for October 26-29 and a distribution, not to exceed $300, was approved from the Roberson Dual Credit Scholarship fund. The Board also approved purchasing a used vehicle for transporting faculty, staff, and students, not to exceed $50,000.

In executive session, the Board discussed student welfare, the professional growth plan for Superintendent Uhlmeyer, and conducted a mid-year review of all administrators.

august 2022 Board report

The Canton R-V Board of Education met on August 22, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. in the Canton R-V LMC Conference Room to hold the annual tax rate hearing. Superintendent Uhlmeyer presented the current assessed valuations for Lewis and Clark Counties and the proposed property tax rates to be set by the Board. The proposed tax rate calculation for 2022-2023 was $3.8314 per $100 assessed valuation. There were no public comments regarding the tax rate proposals.

Immediately following the tax rate hearing, the Board of Education held the regular monthly meeting. The Board of Education discussed the following items on the consent agenda: meeting minutes, transfers, amendments, bills, and safety reports.

Mr. Uhlmeyer presented the monthly financial report to the Board of Directors. The current balance in Funds 10-60 as of 7/31/2022 is $7,250,791.51. This is a $4,114,690.63 increase from the previous year.  The majority of this increase is due to the $3,638,855.50 deposit into Fund 40 – Capital Improvements from the sell of the general obligation bonds from the April 2022 election. The unrestricted balance in Fund 10 – Incidental is currently $1,474,808.17, which is an increase of $248,446.30 from the previous year. The Board was also provided a detailed listing of the historical June 30th Unrestricted Fund Balance (FY11-FY22) for Funds 10-20. As of June 30, 2022, Canton R-V School District had an unrestricted fund balance of $1,264,183.86. This amount was 17.59% of the total expenditures in Funds 10-20 for FY22.

Superintendent Uhlmeyer provided the Board with an update about MSIP 6. Canton R-V has been selected for the 1st Cycle MSIP 6 review by DESE. As part of the review process, Canton R-V School District will be revising the Continuous School Improvement Plan and submitting it for approval by December of 2022. 

In current business, the Board of Directors approved a motion to set the tax rates of $3.2814 for Fund 10 and $0.5500 for Fund 30. The overall tax rate per $100 of assessed valuation will be $3.8314. The Board also approved a motion to set the annual tuition rate for non-resident students at $10,940.15 per pupil. There was a lengthy discussion regarding the School Resource Officer position and the Board made a motion to enter into an agreement with the Lewis County Sheriff's Office to provide a full-time SRO for the 2022-2023 school year. 

The Board of Directors approved the bus routes and local Special Education Compliance plan for the 2022-2023 school year. Motions were approved to enter into dual credit agreements with Moberly Area Community College and Culver-Stockton College for the 2022-2023 school year. The directors also approved a distribution from the Roberson Dual Credit Scholarship fund.

In executive session, the Board approved Doug Wilson as a volunteer boys' basketball coach and David Gaither as a volunteer junior high softball coach. The Board of Education also approved a Mutual Settlement Agreement and Release.