FFA receives $40,000 grant

Dayton - The School Board were informed of a grant received by the FFA for the purchase of a truck and stock trailer; and heard a presentation from the counseling team on the disciplinary program at the work session on February 7.

FFA instructor and advisor Melanie Morgan stated the FFA received a $40,000 grant to purchase a truck and stock trailer. The board approved the purchase of a truck and stock trailer not to exceed $40,000 which would go into the general equipment pool, with priority use of the FFA department. She is working with the transportation supervisor to identified a vehicle that will fit the purpose and needs of the FFA program.

Counseling team Caitlin Patterson, K-12 counselor; Sasha Squires, Mental Health Counselor; and Kristie Korslund, Drug and Alcohol Prevention Counselor has built a program with options for group, individual and crisis counseling, and pointing out the growth it has had over the last few years, and the next steps for future progress. Since 2021, Patterson has continued to build a strong counseling program for students in K-12, keeping in compliance with State regulations and positive results for students. The counselors look for specific instances by reducing the stigma of mental health, using suicide screening, interventions, and more. The program includes options for group, individual, or crisis counseling which has been available during winter break and can connect by zoom.

Dean of Students Hannelee Farrell demonstrated how the pilot program called Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) is currently being used. She exhibited how the new system catalogs incidents, staff response and how it is recorded. Some incidents require action or follow up, and some just require documentation. This system provides different graphs and analytics of tracking how each student and situation is handled. This system has replaced the skyward system, except for specific incidents of that are required of OSPI: suspensions, expulsions, Harassment/Intimidation/Bullying (HIB).

The use of these two systems are still somewhat problematic for staff as to access to information from both without overloading the system with emails and information not specific to their job. Presently, the system separates the elementary and secondary results and students for staff and parents and does not combine the two. Farrell is working with a developer to remedy the situation.

Farrell said disrespect seems to be a top issue of which the counselors are working with students to make better choices. "What we are dealing with a lot of times is learned behaviors," said Farrell. "The bigger question is, if it is a learned behavior how do you tell that kiddo that there is a time and place. You can't say that here, but at home that is the way their family is talking."

Secondary Principal Guin Joyce stated the more teachers use the system the more patterns they can find and the more action can be taken. According to Dean Farrell the staff has bought into the program and are getting more comfortable using it, but she is also working to get the teachers to take the time to input the good deeds as well. However, the system does not automatically send parents a note letting them know their child is having a behavior or social problem. "It does not automatically go out because once a referral goes in, the staff must investigate the validity of the complaint which there is a process to follow," said Joyce.

She added that the notes entered into the system, does not automatically go out to the parents because once a referral goes in, the staff still needs to investigate and find out if it is a valid complaint and that there is an investigation process that happens first. They want to have all the facts so they can document the full story first. She stated that information that has been investigated is being put into skyward and that alerts the parents.

There is concern from the board that staff does not always enter information into the system in a timely manner or include minor incidents, postponing an alert to the parents which could prevent that student from getting needed help or services.

Joyce stated that the information they are inputting into MTSS can still be used as data, but if the parent requested that all their kids' data stayed on skyward, that is not going to happen. Parents would have to request information from MTSS.

In other business, the board decided that they will review all superintendent applications prior to the next board meeting, but then will hold an executive session to discuss the top tier applicants and recommendations.