The Salida School District R-32-J Board of Education discussed a review of policies during a regular meeting Tuesday.
Among action items, the board unanimously approved several items. It accepted accreditation schools as recommended by the state of Colorado. Superintendent David Blackburn said they may challenge for distinction, and the only school that doesn’t currently meet the required qualifications for distinction is Horizons Exploratory Academy, which Blackburn said they have been working on.
The board approved the 2023-2024 strategic priorities but voted to table a resolution to transfer interest income from fund 10 to fund 43 at the end of the fiscal year. Blackburn said they were planning to transfer $125,000, but board President Joe Smith said he would rather see a percentage of the fund instead of a set amount.
The board approved on first reading to remove negotiated status from the following policies after reviewing the cooperative bargaining team’s August recommendations, including: BG-E-N Table of Contents for Negotiated Policy, GBEBA Staff Dress Code, GCBA-R Professional Growth Schedule Placement, GCBA-E-3 Administrator and Director Salary Schedule, GDBA-E-3 Administrator and Manager Salary Schedule, GCBA-E-1 Certified Salary Schedule Placement Worksheet, GBABA-E Other Paid Duties Compensation renamed to “Activities Support Duties Pay Structure” and GBD Vacations.
Revoked on first reading were the following policies: GDBD-E-N Support Staff Fringe Benefits, GDBD-E-2-N Half Time Benefits Agreement, GDBA-E-2-N Instructional Staff Certified Salary Schedule and GDBA E-4-N Special Service Provider Salary Schedule.
Approved on second reading was policy EJ – Service animals. Also approved on second reading were a series of specialty policy updates, including JK-StudentDiscipline, JKA-Use of Physical Intervention and Restraint, LBD-Relations with Charter Schools, JKD/JKE-Suspension/Expulsion of Students, AC-NonDiscrimination/Equal Opportunity, GBAA-Sexual Harassment, JBB-Sexual Harassment, IC/ICA-SchoolYear/SchoolCalendar/Instruction Time, IHBIB-Primary/Pre-primary Education, BDFC – Repeal Preschool Counsel, BC – School Board Member Conducts CBF – Superintendent’s Conduct and GBEB – Staff Conduct.
In his report to the board, Blackburn said Salida is ranked 18th of the 278 school districts in the state, with 96 percent of students moving from third to fourth grade meeting successful standards. He also said enrollment is up, but growth is on a slow and steady rate, at about 1 to 1.5 percent growth.
Salida High School activities director Marko Hahn talked about the increase in activities participation, pointing out that sports like girls’ volleyball have 47 athletes at the high school and 50 at the middle school this year.
Hahn said he’d like to bring in more programs, such as girls’ flag football in the fall, and possibly girls’ wrestling in the winter. He said both of these sports would be relatively inexpensive, as players would only need uniforms, since the infrastructure already exists. A sport such as softball, while another option, would be more of an investment as the school does not have a softball field, although the city does.
Jenn Schuchman said several people have asked about starting a lacrosse team, and Hahn said it is a spring sport and could have both boys’ and girls’ teams.
