Alva Review-Courier -

At the May 23 regular meeting of the Freedom Board of Education, B.J. Baker was appointed to Seat 3. He read his oath of office, as required by new board members. His term will last until the February 2028 election.

Members present were Kyle Rhodes, Phillip Kirkpatrick, and Robert Babcock. Others present were Minutes Clerk/District Supervisor Bryant Weber.

New Ag Teacher Hired

The board approved hiring Britni Stewart as the FY2024 agricultural education teacher. According to a Northwestern Oklahoma State University (NWOSU) release, Stewart is a native of Chandler and graduated cum laude this May with a bachelor's in ag education.

While attending NWOSU, Stewart was named one of 12 Outstanding Seniors for 2022 and worked on campus in the Counseling and Career Services Office and as a resident assistant. She was also vice president of the Northwestern Aggie Club and put in many hours' work for the Woods County Livestock Show and Northwest Area Livestock Show.

In other personnel news, Brook Meyer was hired as adjunct instructor for anatomy and physiology at Northwest Technology Center for FY2024.

Lists of adjunct classes and extra duty contracts were approved (call the school for more information), and the following staff were approved to use the signature stamp for official signatures (with permission before use): Shane Morris, Robert Babcock, Kyle Rhodes, Freida Burgess and Bryant Weber.

Other Board Business

The board approved continuing to accept approved concurrent enrollment post-secondary credits as credits towards high school graduation. Dual enrollment credits, including math and science from Northwest Technology Center, were also approved.

Also approved was the contract with the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education for secondary career and technology education programs for FY2024.

Milk bids were approved for FY2024. The board also approved 2023-2024 insurance through OSIG at a cost of $57,927.

Complicated Consent Agenda

The consent agenda was approved. This consisted of routine matters like the minutes of the May 9 special meeting; the treasurer's report; encumbrances for the general, building, and child nutrition funds; and signing warrants for the general, building and child nutrition funds (both for FY2023 and for FY2024). Less routine items included in the single-vote consent agenda included:

• payroll dates for FY2024;

• lease purchases for HVAC and roof for FY2024;

• moving all activity funds to FY2023;

• designating Woods County Treasurer Rachel Spellman-Hughes as the FY2024 district treasurer;

• continuing to contract with OSAG for worker's compensation insurance;

• routine statutory waiver to allow the alternative education program to serve fewer than 10 students;

• student and staff handbooks and the crisis management handbook for FY2024;

• class schedule for FY2024;

• continue calculating school days by the hour method and maintain a minimum of 1,080 hours per school year and the state minimum of 165 instructional days;

• Accepting dual enrollment credits from Northwest Technology Center and concurrent enrollment college courses toward high school graduation requirements;

• Fifteen (15) activity absences for FY2024 school year;

• Contract with Renaissance STAR Assessments for RSA screener;

• the following designations for the FY ’24 school year:

a. Frieda Burgess as receiving agent, purchasing agent, authorized representative, and fund custodian for all local, state, and federal programs, including but not limited to E-Rate, child nutrition; general, building, sinking, activity, bond funds, alternate minutes clerk, encumbrance clerk, student information, and signer for all activity funds payments.

b. Bryant Weber as minutes clerk, receiving agent, purchasing agent, authorized representative and fund custodian for all local, state, and federal programs, including but not limited to ERate, child nutrition; general, building, sinking, activity, bond funds, alternate encumbrance clerk, student information, and signer for all activity funds payments.

c. Cheyanne Pierce as student information and receiving agent and signer for activity funds payments.

d. Christy Gregory as district funds custodian and receiving agent.

• Policies FFBA were also approved.