Montague Area Public Schools Board Recap — December 8, 2025

The Montague Area Public Schools Board of Education met for its regular meeting on Monday, December 8, in the Montague High School CAT Lab, moving efficiently through routine business while hearing building updates, a detailed mid-year financial report, and several policy items. The meeting also highlighted the many concerts, competitions, and holiday activities underway across the district as students and staff head into the final stretch before winter break.

Administrative Business

• Call to Order & Mission: The Dec. 8, 2025 regular meeting convened in the Montague High School CAT Lab with the district mission and the Pledge of Allegiance.
• Roll Call: Board members were present; a few administrator absences (illness/events) were noted later as principals covered multiple buildings.
• Agenda & Consent Agenda: Both were approved unanimously, including:
  • Minutes from the November 11 regular and closed meetings.
  • Expenditures totaling roughly $660,000 across General Fund, Food Service, Capital Projects, Technology & Safety, Activity Fund, and Sinking Fund.

Public Comment

• Parent Communication & Student Support:
  District student parents spoke about discipline and eligibility issues involving their son.
  • They emphasized they support consequences when their son misbehaves but want timely communication so they can address behavior before it leads to loss of sports eligibility.
  • They described him as deeply involved in athletics and shared concerns about his mental health, asking for “a little more compassion” and consistent follow-up from school staff.
• No additional public comments were offered.

Reports & Building Highlights

High School

Highlights shared on behalf of MACC Principal Jennifer Stoneman:

• Winter Sports in Full Swing: Basketball, wrestling, competitive cheer, bowling, powerlifting and other activities are underway.
• New Hispanic Heritage Club: Students have launched a club that will organize fundraisers, guest speakers, and field trips.
• FFA Recognition: Two students are state star finalists.
• Fine Arts & Events:
  • Band/choir concert this Sunday.
  • A wrestling meet in Hesperia that students enjoyed last year will return.
  • Community Day on Dec. 19 with a half-day schedule, breakfast treats, a festive assembly, and rotating activity stations (ornament-making, origami, “12 Days of Lifting,” etc.).

Elementary Buildings (RRO / MACC)

Reported by MACC Principal Jennifer Stoneman:

• Concerts & Programs:
  • Fourth-grade Halloween concert with music and movement.
  • Fifth-grade Veterans Day concert featuring a slideshow of family members currently serving or who have served in the military.
  • First-grade holiday concert set for Dec. 18.
• PTO & Family Events:
  • PTO is running Santa’s Secret Shop this week.
  • Grinch Night is scheduled for Thursday.
  • A VIP Day on Halloween brought in many special guests; staff stepped in to support students without a VIP.
  • A Santa Trail is planned for next week.
• Staff Appreciation: PTO recently provided pies and treats for all staff, which administrators publicly thanked.

Middle School

• Fine Arts & Activities:
  • 6–12 choir concert this Sunday.
  • Board members Joel and Emily were thanked for attending a recent community lunch; kitchen staff appreciated their follow-up emails and kudos.
• Robotics:
  • The middle school robotics team finished in the top 25 at a recent competition.
  • This was their most complex robot to date, including a color-sensing mechanism that students problem-solved around during the event.
• Winter Sports & Spirit:
  • Next week is the conference basketball tournament, wrapping up the first winter season.
  • Competitive cheer is in full swing and continues into January.
  • HOPE Squad has organized a holiday spirit week and a winter sports/robotics pep assembly.
• Scheduling & Feedback:
  • Sixth-graders are completing their final related-arts rotation (band/choir/other). Families will soon choose band or choir for the remainder of the year.
  • Administration plans to survey students and parents after schedules are finalized to refine the model going forward.

Assessment & Data Notes

• Winter screening and NWEA windows are opening:
  • Middle school is currently conducting water/screener assessments, with NWEA to follow after break.
  • Elementary buildings are beginning double screening and will move into NWEA after the holidays as well.
• Once winter data are collected, a districtwide picture will be shared with the board.

Financial Update & Budget Amendment

Business Manager Stacey Brown provided a comprehensive financial snapshot before the board acted on Budget Amendment #1.

Key takeaways:

• 2024–25 Year-End:
  • Fund balance ended around $3.5 million (≈18%), adding about $777,000 despite a previously “balanced” budget plan.
• 2025–26 Fund Balance Outlook:
  • Original June estimate: fund balance dropping to $1.2 million (≈6%) by June 2026.
  • Updated projection with Amendment #1: $2.1 million (≈10.2%) — better than expected, but still involving significant deficit spending.
• Enrollment & Revenue:
  • Blended count: 1,267 students with a $10,050 foundation allowance (up $442 per pupil).
  • Enrollment is 40 students higher than budgeted but still 22 students lower than last fall, continuing the long-term declining trend.
  • Overall revenue is up about $560,000, aided by the extra students and expected Electric Forest revenue.
• State Funding “Shell Game”:
  • Brown noted that while per-pupil funding is at a historic high, the state has reduced or reshuffled key categoricals, including the 147a(1) and 147a(4) retirement-related funds and other enrollment-based grants.
  • When combined, the district is actually receiving roughly $500,000 less in key state aid streams than last year despite the higher per-pupil number.
• Major Expenditure Notes:
  • Instruction: Slight increase reflecting staffing, health insurance elections, and some new classroom furniture.
  • Pupil/Staff Support & Administration: Decreases tied largely to lower retirement rate charges and health-care adjustments.
  • Operations & Maintenance: Up as the district addresses building repairs and anticipated utilities.
  • Transportation: Up about $140,000, including Electric Forest-related costs; no bus purchase is included this year.
  • Technology & Central Services: Up due to an E-Rate-supported project (≈$135,000) to upgrade stadium fiber and wireless access points districtwide; E-Rate is expected to cover about $108,000, leaving a $27,000 local match.
  • Athletics: Up ≈$32,000, reflecting coaching levels and completion of the delayed soccer scoreboards.
• Other Funds & Sinking Fund:
  • Food Service has been brought back within the state’s allowed fund-balance range after several large purchases (e.g., generators, band-related equipment) landed after the prior year.
  • The sinking fund currently holds roughly $650,000 and is in year 7 of 10. Recent projects include middle school gym work and fire suppression upgrades at the elementary, middle, and high school. After tax revenue and current projects, the fund is expected to be around $450,000.
  • Future sinking-fund priorities will likely include roof replacements and modernizing the elementary elevator, to be discussed at a facilities committee meeting.

Brown stressed that while the amended budget is improved, drawing $1.4 million from fund balance is not sustainable. Leadership will work this spring to better align ongoing revenues and expenditures, with a second budget amendment expected in May.

Superintendent’s Report

Superintendent Jeff Johnson touched on staffing, legislative developments, and facilities:

• New Hire:
  • Bethsaida Salas, previously a contracted PSG employee, was officially hired as an LRE aide at RRO under Montague’s payroll, bringing early childhood and LRE experience to the district.
• At-Risk (31aa) Funding & Legal Concerns:
  • Johnson reviewed new legislative language attached to 31aa at-risk funding requiring districts that participate to:
    • Waive certain legal privileges and
    • Agree to a broad “comprehensive investigation” in the event of a mass-casualty incident.
  • District attorneys are concerned about the implications for attorney-client privilege and district liability.
  • Court challenges are underway; a key hearing is scheduled for Dec. 19, and the state has extended opt-in/opt-out deadlines.
  • Henderson does not currently expect another special board meeting but wanted trustees aware of the stakes and timeline.
• Safe Routes to School / City Partnership:
  • Montague is partnering with the City of Montague on a Safe Routes to School grant focused on sidewalk and safety improvements for students who walk or bike.
  • The city has received a conditional commitment of future infrastructure funds.
  • Tentative timeline (if funding is finalized):
    • Late fall 2027: Project formally bid/awarded.
    • Spring 2028: Construction of sidewalk and safety improvements.
  • After construction, the district will coordinate encouragement programming (e.g., walking/biking challenges) to promote safe, active transportation.
• Seasonal Note: Johnson reminded the board that less than two weeks remain before winter break, with many concerts, spirit days, and holiday events across all buildings.

Policy & Governance Actions

Budget & Audit

• Budget Amendment #1 (2025–26):
  • Approved unanimously. Trustees noted the improved projected fund balance (≈10.2%) but agreed the district cannot sustain ongoing deficit spending at current levels.
• 2024–25 Single Audit (Federal Portion):
  • Approved unanimously.
  • Brown explained that the federal compliance supplement was released unusually late, delaying this portion of the audit.
  • The single audit produced no findings or adjustments; federal grants are in compliance and internal controls are functioning as intended.

Vendor Approval – DNS Creations

• The board approved DNS Creations, owned by NBC teacher Dawn Bechtel, as a vendor to provide graphic design/printing services (shirts, hoodies, etc.) to the district in an amount not to exceed $2,500 per year.
• Discussion highlights:
  • This approval is required under Policy 3110 Conflict of Interest when an employee’s business may receive more than $250 from district contracts.
  • Recent orders included t-shirts and hoodies for middle school volleyball and HOPE Squad, with pricing viewed as reasonable (e.g., $10 per t-shirt).
  • Orders run through building secretaries/activity accounts, and payments will continue to show on the monthly check register, offering transparency and monitoring of the $2,500 cap.
  • Trustees also asked about copyright and ensuring designs don’t conflict with trademarks; administrators indicated standard practices and vendor responsibility still apply.

NEOLA Policy Updates – Second Reading & Adoption

The board approved the second reading and adoption of multiple updated policies, including:

• 1422 / 3122 / 4122 – Nondiscrimination & Anti-Harassment
• 2210 – Curriculum Development (clarifying documentation and approved course structures)
• 2266 – Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex (Title IX) / updated terminology
• 2412 – Homebound Instruction Programs (alignment with the pupil accounting manual)
• 4162 – Controlled Substance and Alcohol Testing for Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers (return-to-duty clarifications)
• 7540.02 – Digital Content & Accessibility
• 7540.03 / 7540.04 (merged into 8300) – Information Technology & disaster recovery content moved into the broader operations plan
• 8300 – Continuity of Organizational Operations (COOP)
• 8305 – Information Security

There was a brief procedural pause to ensure Policy 8300 was explicitly included in the motion; the board amended and then approved the final policy package.

Policy 5517.01 – Bullying and Harassment (First Reading Only)

• Henderson presented a revised version of Policy 5517.01.
• The district is accepting some elements of NEOLA’s model but removing others, particularly:
  • Sections that would extend district responsibility broadly into off-campus/virtual environments and perceived characteristics, creating significant gray areas.
• The proposed policy continues to affirm:
  • The board’s commitment to physically and emotionally safe schools.
  • The district’s responsibility to address bullying — including cyberbullying — when it creates a hostile environment at school.
• No vote was taken; the policy will return in January for a second reading and potential adoption.

Montague Area Public Schools Board Recap — November 10, 2025

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