The unexpected addition of a course for one student, causing an “overload assignment” for a Falls High math teacher, caused some contention at the District 361 School Board meeting Monday night.
“We had a student that was pushing towards academic excellence,” Superintendent Jeff Peura explained. The student had exhausted math class options taught at Falls High School and through the Post Secondary Enrollment Options program. The student asked to take advanced placement calculus and test on the material for college credit in the spring.
“We didn’t have the math classes to provide him a senior experience that would keep him moving forward as he heads to college next year,” Peura said. “We worked with the instructor to put together a program that would allow the student to have success at a gifted level.”
Board member Stuart Nordquist asked why the .2 full-time equivalent teaching position was not advertised to avoid the additional pay an “overload” scenario entails through contract.
“That was an oversight on my part,” Peura said.
The one-student instruction will cost the district $4,163 in additional salary.
Nordquist noted that creating such a class, and allowing teachers to overload without exhausting other options, set a dangerous precedent.
“One kid, college course, wasn’t necessary at the beginning of the year, didn’t come before the board — it almost looks like private tutoring at public expense. And, if it was necessary, you took the most expensive route which we should have advertised, found out if there was somebody in the community that wanted to come in the two hours a week.”
“And if you do it for one, you have to do it for all,” board member Will Kostiuk added.
“We can’t do it for all, not at this expense,” Nordquist agreed.
Gordy Dault, board member, asked if the additional teaching assignment required the school board’s approval. Peura said that it was a matter of interpreting the master agreement between the district and the teachers union.
“We felt we had the formula and working with the teachers union this has been done in the past, so we’re consistent that we’ve not created something outside the master agreement,” Peura said.
The superintendent said he would, in the future, be sure to bring such matters before the school board as time allowed.
WEE drop-off zone
Jeff Veeder, transportation director, proposed a solution to the West End Elementary traffic concerns previously voiced by board member Will Kostiuk.
Earlier, Kostiuk said the Eleventh Street drop-off location at WEE was unsafe and caused the International Falls Police Department concern for students. Moving traffic behind the building would ease the additional through traffic, especially those traveling to work the same time school begins each day around 8 a.m.
Veeder’s proposal would have parents drop students on the south (back) entrance to the school. The north (front) entrance would be changed to FOB access for staff and faculty. Buses would drop and load students at the stop sign on the northwest corner of WEE adjoining Eleventh Street.
In addition, security cameras would be installed for additional security, as the school office and monitoring is near the north entrance. The time to add such measures, as well as provide adequate notification to parents, would have the program begin following winter break in January.
Veeder said social habits, including the number of parent drop-offs, have changed in the past years and necessitated the change to traffic patterns.
School pictures
Board chair Michelle Hebner read a brief statement regarding school pictures.
“We recognize there has been an issue with the recent school pictures and we are working with the photographer to remedy the situation,” Hebner said. She explained that Capture Your Moment Photography will provide free retakes of unacceptable pictures on Nov. 23.
Rebecca Evans spoke regarding school pictures during the open forum. She said that another local photographer took her son’s senior picture. “If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have a picture to remember when my son graduated,” she said.
She asked the board to provide parents a choice of photographers in the future, so parents could select who would take their child’s picture. Evans then had a brief verbal disagreement with Peura as she described what she saw as an unsatisfactory meeting with him.
