Thank you to everyone who continues to support our schools and to those who joined us for this month’s board meeting. Below is a summary of what was discussed and decided.
Consent Agenda
We began by reviewing and approving the consent agenda, which included routine items such as prior meeting minutes and standard financial/business approvals. As with all action items, we opened the floor for public comment before voting, and no public comment was offered.
Student Support & Building Updates
Administrators shared updates from both buildings on student behavior and overall climate. This year started relatively high in terms of student needs, but has since settled as systems and expectations have taken hold. Staff are seeing improved consistency, and the information has been helpful in identifying which processes we want to maintain and strengthen to support learning environments.
Faculty Advisory Committee & Workflow Efficiencies
We heard a report from the Faculty Advisory Committee (FAC), including:
Ongoing efforts to improve efficiencies when we are short-staffed in one or both buildings.
Work with principals on clear processes for what happens when a classroom is without a teacher or when multiple staff are out.
A broader push to create district-level workflows for recurring tasks (state testing mailings, shared documents, timelines, etc.) so that responsibilities are clearly assigned and not duplicated or lost during staff turnover. An example shared was the Thanksgiving pie distribution: multiple well-intentioned forms and processes ended up creating extra work on the back end. This has become a helpful illustration of why districtwide workflows and shared documents will make life easier for everyone.
Building Climate, Conferences & Programs
Highlights from the buildings included:
Band program praise – Staff and administration shared positive feedback on the impact of the band teacher, particularly at the middle school.
Parent-Teacher Conferences – Well attended at both sites and viewed as a strong connection point with families.
Book Fair – Lakeside’s book fair was a success and helped generate additional library and classroom resources.
Cell Tower Information
We briefly revisited the ongoing cell tower topic. Additional written information was provided to the board, with the expectation that trustees will continue to review and “marinate” on it before deeper discussion at a future meeting. Board members and the public will have further opportunities to ask questions and give feedback as we move forward.
Superintendent Report
Superintendent Ator shared:
· Upcoming professional obligations and schedule items.
· Early discussion around winter break office plans and coverage.
· Continued work on written workflows so that when staff transition in and out of roles, important tasks don’t fall through the cracks.
MQEC Presentation & Action
We welcomed Doug Reisig, Executive Director of the Montana Quality Education Coalition (MQEC), who presented on:
MQEC’s role as a statewide advocate for equitable and adequate school funding.
How membership strengthens their voice in the legislature by representing a large share of Montana’s public-school students.
The current work around school funding studies and litigation posture.
The board discussed the $2,000 annual membership and how it fits with our current financial reality, especially given our upcoming budget correction conversations. After discussion, the board voted to table the MQEC membership decision until February.
Classified Contract Work
We received an update on classified staff contract work. A small group of classified staff and board representatives are working together to:
· Clarify and align an individual summary document for classified employees with the existing Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
· Ensure that employees clearly understand their job title, hours, and wages.
The intent is not to change the CBA, but to make sure information is accessible and consistent.
Budget Amendment & December Community Meeting
A major focus of the meeting was the previously identified budget error that led to an under-levy of approximately $600,000. This was caused by a data entry mistake affecting reserves in multiple funds, which ultimately resulted in taxes being levied lower than they should have been. This is not any new or additional spending.
To correct this, the board:
· Approved a proclamation calling for a public budget amendment hearing.
Set the hearing for:
📍 Somers Middle School Commons
📅 December 15
🕒 Time and full details will be communicated via district channels.
At that meeting, the board will consider three separate budget amendments (General Fund, Transportation, and Retirement) to restore reserves and correct the levy. The impact on taxpayers will generally reflect what should have been levied originally, not an additional new burden above that.
We will also use that meeting as an opportunity to:
· Clearly explain what happened.
· Share process changes we are putting in place to prevent this type of error in the future.
· Highlight the positive work happening in our schools.
Press Release
The board then reviewed a draft press release explaining the budget situation and the upcoming public hearing. After some edits and input from trustees, staff, and advisory members:
The board approved the press release as presented.
This press release will be shared publicly and will accompany other communications about the December 15 meeting.
New/Replacement Book Approval & Curriculum Purchases
The curriculum committee’s recommendations were brought forward and included:
· New and replacement books and instructional resources.
· Many purchases funded through Scholastic book fair credits, donations, or designated accounts, not the general fund.
The board approved the curriculum purchases as recommended.
Election Resolution & Calendar
We reviewed the updated school election calendar, which has moved many statutory deadlines earlier in the year. The board:
· Approved the resolution calling for the May school election.
· Noted that two trustee positions (currently held by Chelsea and Kendall) will be up for election.
· Confirmed that candidate filing will open in December and extend into early February.
Health Insurance Update
We also discussed the developing statewide “Bridge” health insurance program for school employees:
The state has provided significant funding to launch this pooled plan.
If the Bridged program reaches required participation, our current insurance pool will likely dissolve at the end of its cycle.
Preliminary rate sheets suggest relatively modest increases compared to what we’ve seen in past years.
There are still questions around provider networks, transitions, and we are waiting on full documentation specific to our district.
No formal action was taken; this item will return for further discussion and potential decision at a future meeting once we have complete information.
Public Comment & Adjournment
Throughout the evening, public comment was invited on each action item, and in every case, no community members chose to speak. General public comment at the end of the meeting was also offered with no additional remarks.
We then adjourned. A lot of work was done, and I want to thank our staff, trustees, and community members for their continued support and engagement as we navigate both normal business and some complex financial corrections.
If you have questions about any of the items above—especially the upcoming December 15 budget amendment hearing—please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Respectfully submitted,
Chance Barrett on behalf of Somers/Lakeside School District