Alva Review-Courier -

Nearly the last act of the Freedom school board Friday evening was to accept Principal Michelle Shelite’s resignation. Shelite has been the school’s principal for the past five years. Her resignation will not be effective until the end of the school year. Board president Shane Morris read Shelite’s resignation letter aloud, in which the principal expressed her love of the school. The board expressed their appreciation of Shelite, one person saying, “You will be missed.”

Financial Audit Presented

As all the school boards in the area seem to be doing, Freedom’s board listened to the school financial audit presented by Chas. B. Carrol. Carroll will be scaling back his financial work; his team of a decade will continue the auditing work under the company name of S&B CPAs & Associates. Carroll will continue doing Freedom’s estimate of needs.

“After 52 years, I’m slowing down a little bit,” Carroll said. “This lets me have a chance to do something else. And S&B was the first firm to be put on the state auditor list,” he bragged.

The audit had one “finding” – that eight of 79 activity fund requisitions were turned in after the invoice date. This is the school’s biggest area of risk, the auditors emphasized. The sponsor is responsible for ensuring the funds are handled appropriately: funds raised must be recorded daily and turned in daily. After that the board must approve how the funds are spent, and then they must receive an itemized invoice.

“This is the highest risk area because it’s generally cash,” said one of the team members. Last year, he said, fundraisers brought in $93,000, and $90,000 was spent. “If funds disappear, the sponsor’s going to have to repay that. It’s not the school’s responsibility.”

A complete discussion of the audit can be seen at www. AlvaReviewCourier.com.

Personnel Matters

After an executive session to discuss personnel matters, the board returned and, after the usual statements required by law, voted to contract with Becky Castor for speech pathology services for FY2023-2024. Castor, Superintendent Frieda Burgess said, has “been with us several years, and since we have to have one, I recommend we hire her.”

The board also hired Kristy Shepherd as an elementary teacher for FY 2023-2024.

This June, staff members will travel to attend the Innovative School Conference. This is paid for with 515 money, said Burgess. Staff attending the conference will also have a board-approved $1,000 stipend, also paid for with 515 money.

Because of that same conference, the board rescheduled their June 20 meeting to June 8 at 7 p.m.

Other Board Business

The board also approved the weight room contract, which prohibits very small children from being in there at all, and requires an adult to accompany older children.

The board also approved the consent agenda, consisting of minutes of the last meeting; the treasurer’s and activity reports; and encumbrances and warrant-signings for general, building and child nutrition funds, along with three less-usual items: a policy related to alcohol- and drug-testing, the annual audit, and the annual OKTLE agreement.