Board OKs Testing Stipends For Principals
By Bill Vander Weele
The Wolf Point School board debated and then approved stipends for building principals to conduct testing. For the past several years, principals have received $5,000 to conduct testing. The process included entering data into the testing system.
Trustees originally tabled the issue during their June meeting. Since that time, superintendent David Perkins received legal advice about the matter. He was advised that the school district should pay the stipend at least for the current time.
Perkins told trustees that they could put the issue on an agenda later and discussed it for future years. He said the history of the agreement was that the board agreed to the payment in two different years and then it didn’t come to the board for two other years.
Trustee Roxanne Gourneau expressed her feeling that the need for a curriculum director wasn’t properly advertised during some of this time.
“It’s a tough pill. Before you came around, we were just handing out money,” Gourneau said to Perkins.
Board chair Bif Loucks said a precedent has been set, but trustees can discuss if they want to keep the process for future years.
The motion to approve the stipends passed by a 3-1 margin with trustee Michael Turcotte voting against. Gourneau abstained from voting.
Individuals hired during the meeting included Southside paraprofessional Sandra Sather-Westley and Northside paraprofessionals LeAndra Gustafson and Della Pipestem. Breakfast buddies hired were Laura Dennis, Ellen Sievers, Grant Legare and Beth Olsen. Substitute teachers approved were Hamyanie Campbell, Lauren Crawford, Jakilyn Harada, Jeff Harada, Jim Marmon, Linsday Nefzger, John Plestina, Darryl Ricker Sr. and Angela Swenson.
Activity bus drivers hired were George Blount, Shawn Boysun, Dejondra Gardipee, Greg Gourneau, Josh Mansfield, Scott Montgomery, Allen Richard, Vivian Schultz and Jeff Whitmus. Schultz was also hired as a route bus driver. Hired to coach junior high cross country were Ricker and Angela Sansaver.
Trustees approved updated job descriptions by a 5-0 margin. An early graduation request was also approved 5-0.
During reports from principals, it was noted that additional paraprofessionals are needed.
