School District In 'Stronger Position'

The Kimball School Board met for their final meeting of the year on Monday, Dec. 13.

The board received a “clean opinion” on their annual audit conducted by Trevor Schuessler from Rauner & Associates, P.C. The presentation by Schuessler showed no compliance issues, and the district is in a “much stronger position than two years ago.”

The audit also indicated that the board has three months of expenditures, so there is “plenty of surplus.” Schuessler said the financial position of the school district has improved.

The school board has a regular agenda for public comment, and on Monday night, Heather Entingh took advantage of the comment period. Entingh said she has two nieces who are enrolled in the Jr./Sr. High School and “since school started, these girls have suffered tremendously in math.” She continued, “We had a tutor tonight come over and help them, and they got it.”

Entingh said she posted statements on Facebook and “I had people reach out to me” on this issue.

Entingh is bothered that her girls and several other students suffer in math. She would like to see some accountability and some reflection about some of the issues within the classroom. Entingh was disappointed that other parents who promised to show up to the meeting did not show.

Principal Danielle Reader mentioned in her report the same issue of parents not engaged in the school. The monthly Longhorn CAFE meeting brought only two parents out for an early childhood center presentation.

The Jr./Sr. High enrollment is currently 156 students, while according to Reader's report this semester, there have been 1,648 referrals to Longhorn Time. Students are referred to Longhorn Time for missing assignments or failing grades.

On Thursday and Friday, Dec. 9 and 10, students were given the winter MAP tests in math and reading. On Wednesday, Dec. 15, students will be tested on math fluency in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

In Superintendent Trevor Anderson's report the current cash balance in the general fund is $2,439,909. The balance in 2020 was $1,534,497, and in 2019 the district was looking at $831,708 in cash balance.

The school continues to upgrade some items. Anderson said LED lights had been ordered, and those fixtures would be installed.

The in-town bus route will cease to exist after Friday, Dec. 17, so parents will need to make sure they have arrangements for their in-town students.

The board approved, pending test drive, the bid for two 48-passenger route busses from Bluebird. The district will trade in three buses.

Additional action was taken in regard to the approval of RFQ and IGA from Community Building Solutions. By this action, the board is “approving them to work on the project.” The project will focus on energy saving, including LED lights, window replacement, and AC/HVAC systems for both schools.

The first school board meeting for 2022 will be on Jan. 10 at the meeting room in the transit building.