More Teachers Are Hired To Serve Growing S/T Student Enrollment

By Naomi Hatch
   There is no question, the Snowflake School District is growing, Superintendent Monte Silk advised the governing board Aug. 19.
   In his report to the board, Silk provided enrollment figures for the district’s schools. Taylor Elementary School has 103 kindergarten students and Highland Primary School has 145. There are 375 students en-rolled at Taylor Elementary School, 261 at Taylor Intermediate School, 509 at Highland Primary School, 349 at Snowflake Intermediate School, 430 at Snowflake Junior High School and 724 at Snowflake High School.
   Silk noted that Taylor Elementary School Principal Dennis Evans called prior to the first day of school to say that they were looking at 25 to 26 children in each kindergarten class, a day later at 26 students in a class, and on the first day of school there were 27 students in two sections and 26 students in two sections.
   The superintendent went to Taylor Elementary School to observe Dorie Davis’ kindergarten class. He reported that she had a group of kids sitting around her as she taught, when he came into the class he had one student who hung on his leg and there were four or five climbing the loft.
   “Nineteen to 20 students is about maximum in kindergarten,” said Silk, so he told Evans to hire a half-time teacher. They will take five students from each class, making five classes of 20 to 21 students.
   “Dennis (Evans) had his go, so Alma’s (Yates, principal of Highland Primary School) is not going to be left behind in the dust,” said Silk, who noted that the situation at Highland Primary School, “wasn’t quite as severe, but he’s still getting them (more students).” The capacity for kindergarten classrooms as adopted by the board is 20.
   Highland Primary School also hired a half-time kindergarten teacher, because by Wednesday of the first week of school there were 24 students in each kindergarten class. The problem at Highland Primary School was finding a classroom, so Karen Austin, the reading teacher, moved from her room to a room a third the size that was used for storage to make room for another kindergarten classroom.
   Silk said that next year they will need one more first grade classroom at each school and likely a kin-dergarten classroom. They now have seven sections at Highland Primary School and five sections at Taylor Elementary School.
   With the hiring of two half-time teachers an aide is required, so Silk requested the addition of two three-hour kindergarten aides for each of the two new half-time teachers.
   The superintendent also reported that when Alice King retired as the Family & Consumer Science (FACS) teacher they did not budget for her position. With the change to the seven-period day, elective classes were decreased significantly because core classes became a priority. They had five fewer sections each week than previously with the eight-period block schedule. Just prior to the start of school, King said she was available, so they must get board approval for the position.
   Silk reported that when the new ELL (English Language Learner) statutes were passed last year it caused the district to add a new teacher to the district staff to hand the English Language Development pro-gram. This position is funded by a state grant, but must have board approval.
   The board approved the positions.
   In other action Aug. 19, the board:
   * Approved $28,500 as the base pay to attract qualified and certified health service professionals to the district. This required a new salary schedule that reflects a new base pay for nurse employees and the dis-trict nurse. The district has a health tech at each of five school sites and a certified nurse at Snowflake High School. Approval of this position will help provide critical services to all students when the Supervisor of Health Services is out of the district and a certified nurse is legally required to provide needed care to stu-dents.
   * Approved a new position of part-time van driver for the Northern Arizona Vocational Institute of Technology (NAVIT) program to drive four or five students to training at the St. Johns power plant.
   * Awarded a contract for vision services for several visually impaired students in the district to Cheryl Barnes, who provided the service in 2007-08. Approval of a contract was tabled at the July meeting to give staff members an opportunity to go out to bid. The only bid received was from Barnes.
   * Authorized signatories on district accounts, which must be done annually.
   * Held the first reading of policy revisions recommended by the Arizona School Boards Association. Silk explained that these are all statutory driven.
   * Held the second reading of the Sick Leave Bank (SLB) Policy. The change requires all members who accrue leave after using SLB days to pay back any accrued days earned during the year they use SLB days. All employees earn leave days monthly, and with this policy all employees will pay back accrued days after using SLB days.
   * Approved a request to order the textbook “The Arizona Story” to be used for the fourth grade social studies program. The textbook has been on display for 60 days.
   * Approved the NAVIT intergovernmental agreement in a 3-1 vote. Vice President Shea Flake voted against approving it because he did not agree with the NAVIT program being involved with discipline of students and teachers.
   In response to a question posed by board member Cameron Peterson, Silk noted that he had no problem with this, that he liked the input. He explained that school district officials have the final say and their policies will be followed.