Charlo trustees vote against secondary insurance
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.
CHARLO — At a school board meeting on Tuesday, the Charlo School Board voted not to re-subscribe to their secondary insurance Northwestern Scholastic Insurers.
“I just think it’s a waste of money,” Charlo Trustee Duane Weible said.
The unanimous vote was prompted by Weible, who questioned the necessity of the insurance company and made the motion not to heed Charlo Superintendent Paul Jenkins’ suggestion to renew with the insurance company.
Several parents present stated the insurance company refused to pay their children’s medical bills when they submitted claims, and Charlo District Clerk Sara Vaughan said she had no knowledge of the insurance companies paying a single claim.
“If a student doesn’t have insurance a parent would be inclined to go with the school liability insurance,” Jenkins explained.
The school board also discussed the recently released MontCas results. Charlo schools made a 63 percent in math proficiency rates and an 83 percent in reading proficiency, enabling the schools to pass AYP (Annual Yearly Progress) standards.
Though pleased with the results, Jenkins said that there are always issues to improve upon and ways that teachers can prepare students for the increasingly higher AYP standards in the upcoming years.
Jenkins also presented the board with different ways to utilize the Impact Aid funds. He suggested that the board invest Impact Aid funds in projects other than building projects.
Listing the alternatives, Jenkins said technology and continued learning seminars for teachers were two options worth discussing.
“We clearly need to be providing them with incentive to be the best that they can be,” Charlo Trustee Dave DeGrandpre said, noting that financial incentives for the teachers could be applied to the idea.
When superintendent negotiations began, Jenkins requested to extend his contract through the 2011-12 school year, five more sick days and seven more personal days.
He didn’t request an increase in salary.
Weible questioned whether Jenkins had adequate time to improve upon issues listed on his evaluation in July.
And trustee DeGrandpre requested to view Jenkins’ contract before voting.
“It seems to me that you hired someone to do a job (and in) the first time period they are learning to do the job,” DeGrandpre said. “They are going to know the ropes and know the personalities … I think we are getting a pretty good deal.”
DeGrandpre also assured the board that Jenkins had his vote of confidence, but as a new board member, he wanted to see Jenkins’ contract before voting.
Parent Teacher Association members and Charlo Principals Steve Love and Clair Rasmussen noted that continuity is important for the students and for staff morale.
“My goal is to stay here and my (professional) history elsewhere seems to show that,” Jenkins said.
The board tabled the discussion until September’s school board meeting.
The school board also voted to advertise in the local papers for an architect to design the covered walkways outside the middle school.
The next Charlo School Board meeting will be held on Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. in the school library.
