The Haxtun-Fleming Herald - What can we reason but from what we know? -Alexander Pope

Meal prices, graduation requirements, hiring a first-grade teacher … all action items at the final board meeting of the Frenchman Board of Education before school begins in the fall. The local Fleming school board does not typically meet in July, making the next regularly scheduled meeting in late August when students will, hopefully, return to school with some normalcy.

“We will be following the recommendations from the Centers of Disease Control and working closely with the Northeast Colorado Health Department as we start the school year in August,” Superintendent Steve McCracken said of resuming school this fall. “We will carefully watch the changing conditions of the pandemic and will approach our school year with the least restrictions possible. We are looking forward to having students and staff back in the building.”

McCracken gave his report to board members at the start of the June 23 meeting, in which he said the outdoor graduation ceremony was a success. Fleming Schools opted to postpone graduation ceremonies until mid-June when COVID-19 restrictions lifted, some, to allow for an outdoor ceremony with social distancing.

McCracken paid special thanks to senior class sponsors Kim Nolde and Harry and Lynette Harms for their work with the class this past year.

To kick off action items, board members were tasked with approving the 2020-21 budget and in doing so, also approved a resolution to spend a portion of the Beginning Fund Balance and the Appropriation in the amount of $4,628,960.

“With the decreased revenues due to the pandemic, the budget process was certainly a challenge this year,” McCracken said. “This year’s budget reflects decreased expenses, in addition, the Federal stimulus money was helpful, however, the use of those dollars are very specific to the pandemic and the effects the pandemic has had and will have on our District.”

McCracken said the District was able to hire back all employees for the coming year, despite a significant decrease in revenues.

Board members later voted to hire a new first grade teacher to replace Kortney Firme, who accepted the Principal position at Fleming for the coming year. The Board hired Danielle Wernsman to fill the vacancy.

The Board also voted to approve the 2020-21 handbook and new graduation requirements for the coming year. McCracken said there were not significant changes to the handbook. However, there have been some notable differences in graduation requirements for current Fleming students.

“We adopted the new graduation guidelines from the Colorado Department of Education,” the Superintendent said. “Beginning with the class of 2021, students must show what they know or can do in order to graduate from Fleming. Students must demonstrate college or career readiness in English and math based on their performance on at least one of the following measurers: Accuplacers, SAT, ACT, ACT Workkeys, ASVAB, Concurrent Enrollment, District Capstone or an Industry Certification.”

Additionally, McCracken said board members decreased the requirements for social studies credits from four to three.

Meal prices, for the coming year, will increase by 10 cents following a vote to do so from the Board. The new prices are as follows: Breakfast, $1.50 for students and $2.30 for adults; lunch kindergarten through sixth grade, $2.60, lunch for students seventh through 12th grade, $2.85, and lunch for adults, $3.50.

In other business:

• Fleming community member and parent Ryan Schmidt addressed board members at the start of the meeting with concerns about the quality of teaching staff and hiring practices within the District;

• Board members approved overnight and out-of-state travel for football camp in Chadron, Neb. and boys’ basketball camp in Bridgeport, Neb.;

• Board members and administration discussed enrollment numbers for the coming year in addition to class size and enrollment limits. “We are anticipating a total enrollment of 205 students for 2020-2021,” McCracken said. “We had 204 students last year. We are not anticipating that our enrollment numbers will be affected by the pandemic a whole lot. We will teach all our students regardless of their location, either in our building or at home.”