Mexico 59 Board of Education Update

This monthly update will be sent prior to noon the day after the board meeting.

The Board of Education opened by expressing thoughts and sympathies to the Fecht and Schafer families upon the loss of Kris Fecht, our beloved co-worker who passed last week. Kris was a dedicated employee to the district for many years and will be dearly missed.

Kris' obituary can be viewed on the Arnold Funeral Home site. Memorial donations be made to the Kris Fecht Memorial Scholarship. Memorials may be sent in care of Arnold Funeral Home, 425 S. Jefferson, Mexico, MO 65265. Make checks payable to Kris Fecht Memorial Scholarship

Certified Staff - Alisa Garner

MMS Special Education Teacher & District Special Olympics Coach

Three years with the district

Nominating colleague shared, "Alisa Garner’s dedication and commitment to providing a supportive and nurturing learning environment for students with special needs is truly exceptional. She goes above and beyond to ensure that each student receives the individualized attention and assistance they need to succeed academically and emotionally. Her passion for helping students reach their full potential is evident in everything she does, and her positive impact on both students and their families is immeasurable.

Support Staff - Anna Willer

MELC Nurse

First year with the district

Nominating colleague shared, "This is her first year with our district and she is rocking it. She is always going above and beyond for all of our littles. She makes sure they are taken care of, even if it is magic crackers! We are so appreciative of Nurse Anna and thankful she is part of our team at McMillian!"

• Approval of Board minutes from 12/17/24
• Bills Paid
• Treasurer's Report
• Skyward Service Agreement. Skyward is a software specializing in K-12 management of financial, student, and human resource information. Skyward will serve as our all-in-one accounting, payroll, and HR software, replacing SISFin, TimeClock Plus, and PowerSchool.
• OWN Agreement. This agreement is to relocate the water main under the proposed tennis courts.

Dr. Lentz (5:25) discussed community engagement, facilities, weather & required hours, and the finances/budget.

Ms. Lower (13:39) discussed the January 3 PD day highlights, federal programs, reading success plans (RSPs), Panorama, building improvement plans, math curriculum, and winter assessments.

The report can be viewed in its entirety here.

Building-level Reports

MELC

EF

HAW

MMS

MHS

MEC

HCC

Communications Report

Board-candidate Filing Update: Filing ended on December 31, 2024. The following candidates will be placed on the April 8, 2025 election ballot.

• Joshua Price
• Erik Richardson
• Jon Calhoun
• Scott Nichols
• Julia Lindsay

The board moved to approve the 2023-24 financial audit.

The 2025-26 school year calendar was approved. This will be sent via email to staff this morning, and a parent message will go out at 4:00 PM today. The website will be updated and a social media post made on the district Facebook page.

The board approved tuition rates. The Mexico School District Board recognizes that there are situations where nonresident students and residents who are not otherwise entitled to free education may be allowed by law to attend the Mexico School District or district programs on a tuition basis.

In these situations, the Board will set tuition in an amount that, minimally, recoups the costs of the program and meets any applicable legal requirements. The superintendent will make recommendations to the Board annually to set tuition rates for the following year. The Board will set all applicable tuition rates no later than February 1.

Approval of Personnel, including extra duties contracts:

• Four new individuals were hired
• Three individuals are transferring positions
• Several extra duties

The board meeting adjourned at 5:59 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.