Mexico 59 Board of Education Update

(Approximate discussion times are listed beside headings.)

Congratulations to Ann Runge (certified) and Shana Benedict (support) for being selected as the December Employees of the Month! Show Me Credit Union is our partner for Employees of the Month and sponsors a 12-month $100 CD along with some Bulldog swag!

Ann Runge: Certified Staff Employee of the Month

Ann has worked with the district since 2008 and is currently the Alternative Education Teacher at Mexico Middle School. Her nominating colleague shared, "Ann is an absolute asset to MMS and the district. She really cares about the kids!!"

Shana Benedict: Support Staff Employee of the Month

Shana has worked with the district since 2020 and is currently a paraprofessional at Hawthorne Elementary. Her nominating colleague shared, "Shana is a great addition to the English-language learner classroom. She makes learning fun and the students love her! Her positive attitude is contagious and appreciated!"

The following donations have been made towards the Special Olympics and the Inclusion Revolution for the 2024-2025 school year:

• Miriam A. Edmonston Charitable Foundation, $5000

Audrain County Retired Teachers: Board President Jessica Ekern commended the Audrain County Retired Teachers on a great quarterly meeting. She also complimented the MHS Jazz Band on a great performance. The retired teachers hold the meeting annually at Central Office and invite the current board of education members along with the superintendents.

MHS Winter Concert: Member Chris Williams offered applause for the students and teachers who participated in the MHS winter concert last week.

The consent agenda was approved as submitted. Individual items can be viewed in section 5 of the online agenda.

• Minutes from November 19, 2024 Regular Session
• Bills to be paid
• Treasurer's Report
• OATS Transit Service Agreement
• Missouri Veterans Commission Emergency Aid Agreement Amendment
• Byrne & Jones Construction Contract
• Amendment to OWN Service Agreement
• Ability Network, Inc. Agreement

This month's Superintendents' Report from Troy (04:40) and Julie (34:45) can be viewed in its entirety here. The following topics are included:

• Community Engagement Visits
• Facilities
• Finance
• Budget Development
• APR Review
• Athletic Conference Update
• MMS Extracurricular Activities
• Elementary Math Curriculum Review
• Science of Writing Workshop
• Winter Assessments
• Culture Walks
• Teacher Observations
• After School Tutoring

• MELC
• EF
• HAW
• MMS
• MHS
• MEC
• HCC

Communications

• December Report

Board Candidate Filing (43:15)

• Board candidate filing is now open. We have 2 three-year-term positions open, currently held by Nicole Jahn and Scott Nichols.
• Attached is the Public Notice of Election. Please note, filing will end on December 31, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. Filing times on December 31, 2024 will be from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The board continued a discussion from the October and November board meetings regarding the Public Participation Policy. The current policy can be viewed here.

At the November meeting, the board discussed updates that could be included in a new policy. Based on those recommendations, a draft revised policy was created.

First read of the 2025-26 school calendar. The attached district calendar was a collaborative effort between admins, CTA, and central office.

Approval of MUSIC Liability Insurance Renewal. The 2025 renewal reflects a 32% increase in our rates. This increase follows two consecutive years of significant property losses for MUSIC due to weather-related incidents. Prior to last year, MUSIC had not raised its rates in 15 years. MUSIC offers comprehensive insurance coverage for our district, including property and equipment breakdown, general liability, bus liability, school board liability, workers' compensation, treasurer's bond, cyber liability, and pollution liability. Serving public schools, community colleges, and other eligible entities across Missouri, MUSIC currently provides insurance to over 475 public school districts, community colleges, and educational associations.

Approval of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Bid to SumnerOne.

Approval of MOU with Partners for Rural Impact (PRI). a recipient of AmeriCorps Volunteer Generation Fund (VGF) grant. The VGF grant funds Link Crew. The VGF grant will reimburse the district up to $2,500 per site for a volunteer liaison stipend at Mexico Middle School. The grant will also reimburse the district for the implementation of the volunteer program at Mexico Middle School. This agreement will be in place from 1/1/2025- 9/30/2025.

Approval of 2024D MSBA Policy Updates, primarily based on recent changes in Missouri law.

• expansion of the state auditor’s authority to audit school districts;
• new grounds for closing meetings or records under the Sunshine Law;
• setting minimum teacher salaries and allowing districts to pay higher salaries to attract and retain teachers in some schools and subject areas;
• expanding students' access to full-time virtual schooling;
• expanding the definition of homeschooling to distinguish home schools that accept tax-credit vouchers, and giving homeschooling parents an option to avoid unnecessary investigations for educational neglect;
• requiring schools to print the phone numbers for police and crisis hotlines on student ID cards;
• excusing student absences due to mental or behavioral health concerns and prohibiting students' grades from being lowered due to these absences;
• and redefining requirements for school districts to report educational neglect.

Approval of prior months' MSBA policy updates. During discussions with the Missouri School Boards' Association (MSBA), it was discovered that policies from previous months have yet to be approved by our district. The attached policies are regarded as "essential" by MSBA, as they address state and/or federal laws, statutes, and/or MSIP requirements. (Linked here in agenda item 9f)

• Sept-Oct 2024 updates
• June-July updates
• Feb 2024 updates
• Nov 2023 updates

Personnel was approved as submitted, including new employees, transfers, & extra duties.

The board meeting adjourned at 6:37 PM.

The best efforts are made to send this update prior to noon the day after the board meeting. These highlights are intended to offer information as a courtesy to stakeholders. This newsletter is not intended to replace board-approved minutes from the meeting. If there is something not mentioned for which you need more information, please email communications@mexico.k12.mo.us to be directed to the correct personnel. All board updates are posted to the district website.