Sentinel Media records · public agendas and minutes, text only, refreshed nightly from each body's own site · not a newspaper
minutes meeting date 2026-04-21 · fetched 2026-09-16 · 17380 characters · official file · plain text
Snake River School Board of Trustees
Held at Snake River Community Library
924 West Highway 39, Blackfoot, ID 83221
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
1.
CALL MEETING TO ORDER
Chairman Lon Harrington called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Other board members present were Toni Ibarra, Carol
Hepworth (by cell phone), and Josh Sorensen (by cell phone). Larin Mortimer was absent. Also attending were Superintendent
Mark Kress and Board Clerk Terisa Coombs.
2.
PRAYER/PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Trustee Ibarra opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance.
3.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Trustee Ibarra moved and Trustee Hepworth seconded to approve the agenda as presented. All board members
voted aye. Motion passed 3-0.
4.
PUBLIC INPUT
There were no comments made during Public Input.
5. ACTION ITEMS
a. Consent Agenda
Minutes: Minutes of Regular Meeting of March 18, 2026
Retirements/Resignations/Terminations: Karrie Jayo, SROHS English Teacher (effective September 1, 2026);
Christina Ribe, Middle School Special Ed Teacher (effective May 29, 2026); Amber Mitchell, Moreland Special Ed
Parapro (effective March 19, 2026); Mary Corbridge, Middle School Special Ed Parapro (effective August 31, 2026);
and Krystyna Czepkowski, Moreland Custodian.
Budget Report, Reconciliation Report, LGIP Statements, Payroll, and Claims Payable for March 2026
First Quarter Investment Statements
A motion was made by Trustee Hepworth and seconded by Trustee Ibarra to approve the Consent Agenda as
presented. All board members voted aye. Motion passed 3-0.
Josh Sorensen joined the meeting by cell phone at 7:12 p.m.
b. Jr. High Waterline Replacement. Superintendent Kress reviewed three bids for the Junior High water line replacement
project to address lead and water quality concerns. The bidding process was conducted on April 21, 2026. Harris
Plumbing submitted the lowest bid at about $290,000, while two Boise-area companies bid approximately $460,000 and
$470,000. HMH and Superintendent Kress recommended approving Harris Plumbing pending a final review of the bid
details. The project is funded through a $400,000 federal grant. Officials said the Harris Plumbing bid would allow the
project to stay within budget and still leave funds available for unexpected repairs or additional work discovered during
construction.
Trustee Ibarra moved and Trustee Hepworth seconded to approve the bid from Harris Plumbing pending
approval from HMH Engineering in the estimated amount of $290,000 contingent upon the bid meeting specified
requirements. All board members voted aye. Motion passed 4-0.
c. Jr. High Roof Bids
The board reviewed bids for repairs to the junior high roof and recommended accepting the lowest bid from Robison
Roofing. The project will focus on replacing the deteriorated roof area on the north side of the building, primarily above the
cafeteria and north of the gymnasium, where long-term wear and moisture issues have caused significant damage over the
past 15 years. Part of the approved work will also improve drainage by raising portions of the roof to create more slope and
help prevent moisture buildup and snow-related damage.
A motion was made by Trustee Hepworth and seconded by Trustee Ibarra accept the bid from Robison Roofing
in the amount of $450,047.00 for repairs on the Jr. High roof including materials and services. All board
members voted aye. Motion passed 4-0.
Snake River Board of Trustees Minutes
April 21, 2026 (2)
d. District Office Parking Lot Bids
A bid opening for the paving asphalt project for the district office parking lot was held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 16,
2026. (please see bid sheet). Bids were received from Gale Lim Construction and Mickelsen Construction. Superintendent
Kress and Paul Groesbeck have reviewed the bids to make sure they meet specifications and have recommended that the
board accept the bid from Mickelsen Construction for $110,465.00.
Trustee Ibarra moved and Trustee Hepworth seconded to accept the bid from Mickelsen Construction in the
amount of $110,465.00 for paving of asphalt at the Snake River District Office. All board members voted aye.
Motion passed 4-0.
e. 4-H Credit Equivalency
The 4-H program is now formally recognized for high school credit through Animal Science and Know Your
Government courses offered in partnership with the University of Idaho. To qualify, students must complete a
minimum of 60 hours of coursework and project-based learning. Over the course of their high school careers, students
may earn up to four credits through participation in the program. Implementation of this opportunity is contingent upon
board approval.
A motion was made by Trustee Hepworth and seconded by Trustee Ibarra to approve granting high school credit
for the 4-H Animal Science and Know Your Government courses. All board members voted aye. Motion passed
4-0.
f. 2026-2027 District Calendar Revision
Superintendent Kress sent out a survey with two calendars to the teachers asking them to choose between two ending
dates. One calendar shows an ending date before Memorial Day and reducing Christmas vacation, and the other ending
after Memorial Day. On both calendars, the President’s Day holiday was removed, the first day of the school year was
moved from Tuesday to Monday, and a full week of Spring Break was built into the calendar. The survey results showed
56% in favor of ending school after Memorial Day and 44% ending school before Memorial Day.
Trustee Ibarra moved and Trustee Hepworth seconded to approve the calendar ending after Memorial Day for
the 2026-2027 school year as presented. All board members voted aye. Motion passed 4-0.
g. Summer Football Equipment Authorization
According to IHSAA rule, the board must send a letter to the IHSAA asking for written permission for the coaching
staff to use the school’s protective equipment for summer football camps. The request will have a statement of
recognition that IHSAA sponsored catastrophic insurance provides no coverage for the activity and any liabilities rest
solely with the school or camp. The Varsity/JV/Freshmen teams will participate in a summer football camp July 20-23,
2026.
Trustee Hepworth moved and Trustee Ibarra seconded to approve a request that the IHSAA give written
permission for the coaching staff to use the Snake River High School’s protective football equipment for the
football team summer camp on July 20-23, 2026. All board members voted aye. Motion passed 4-0.
6.
INFORMATION ITEMS
a. Superintendent Report
1. SRO/SROHS Expansions: SRO will be adding grades 9-12 and SROHS will be adding grades 6-8. Superintendent
Kress reported on the recent legislative session, noting that the district closely monitored proposed legislation affecting
schools, particularly online education programs. To help maintain stable enrollment and district funding, the district
expanded its Snake River Online program from grades K–8 to K–12 and Snake River Opportunities High School
program from grades 8–12 to grades 6–12. He said the changes are intended to preserve current enrollment levels
without creating additional financial impact on the district.
2. Bus Routing Software: Superintendent Kress updated the board on plans to upgrade the district’s bus routing software.
The transportation department has purchased web-based software called Bus Boss from Orbit. The proposed system
would include a parent phone app that allows families to track buses in real time and receive arrival updates. The
software would also improve rider tracking and assist substitute drivers by providing preloaded routes through onboard
tablets.
3. District and Building Reports: Superintendent Kress highlighted the district’s busy end-of-year activities, including
graduations, field trips, and student events. He also announced that the drama department’s production of The Lightning
Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical was selected as one of the top six plays in Idaho, earning an invitation to compete at
the state level in Boise. Superintendent Kress said the district may revise travel approval policies to allow more
flexibility for unexpected student opportunities.
Snake River Board of Trustees Minutes
April 21, 2026 (3)
4. Legislative Updates: Superintendent Kress provided a legislative and financial update, explaining that while K–12
education avoided major cuts this year, districts are still facing rising operational costs without additional state
funding.
b. Upcoming Events
1. Negotiations to begin April 29th at 5:30 p.m. at the District Office
2. Election Day is May 19th
3. Kindergarten Graduation is May 20th
4. Teacher Inservice for grades K-6 is May 21st
5. SREF Color Run will be May 23rd
6. SROHS Graduation is May 26th at 6:30 p.m. at Snake River High School
7. Last Day of School for Seniors/SRHS Graduation is May 27th
8. Last Day of School for students is May 28th
9. Last Day for Teachers is May 29th
8.
POLICY READINGS
a. Second Readings
Policy 4260—Records Available to the Public: This update brings this policy into alignment with HB 253. This bill
created separate requirements for responding to public records requests depending on whether they request is made by a
person or entity in Idaho or whether they come from outside the state. The process for responding to in-state public
records requests has not changed, but the response time for out-of-state requests is now permitted to be longer. The bill
also exempts out-of-state requests from restrictions on charging fees for more easily fulfilled requests and for certain
requests in the public interest. Fees for out-of-state requests still cannot exceed the cost of fulfilling the request. This is a
recommended update to a required policy.
Policy 4260F—District Record Request Form: To help districts and charter schools determine whether HB 253's new
in-state or out-of-state public records request requirements apply to a given request, we've added a section to this form
for the requester to attest and demonstrate that they meet the requirements to be considered an in-state request or to
indicate that the request is from out-of-state. It also modifies the portion where the employee fulfilling the request can
indicate the timeline on which the request will be met, providing different sections for the in-state and out-of-state
request timelines. This is a recommended update to a required policy.
Policy 7400P1—Miscellaneous Procurement Standards-Federal Award Requirements: The only substantive
update to this item is a brief statement that the board should avoid using overly-detailed product descriptions. This is a
required update to a required item.
Policy 7400P2—Miscellaneous Procurement Standards-Procurement Methods Under a Federal Award: This
update includes a lot of new information about purchasing, including on micro-purchases, informal and formal
procurement methods, and competitive and noncompetitive proposals as alternative purchasing processes allowable in
some cases, this is a required update to a required item.
Policy 7400P4—Miscellaneous Procurement Standards-General Procurement Standards for a Federal Award:
These changes make it clear that some conflict of interest restrictions apply to board members as well as employees.
They also require subrecipients to have written standards of conduct that cover conflicts of interest. This is a required
update to a required item.
Policy 7403—Procurement of Goods and Services for School Meal Programs: References to several transportation-
related statutes were mistakenly added to this item in the last update. They have now been removed.
Policy 7405—Public Works Contracting and Procurement: This update changes threshold amounts for different
requirements when it comes to the licensure of public works contracts. Raising these thresholds brings them into
alignment with current Idaho Code. This is a recommended update to a recommended policy.
Policy 7430—Travel Allowances and Expenses: Edits to this policy add a paragraph noting the travel costs and
reimbursement practices that will apply in the absence of a board policy on the topic. It also adds a paragraph on air
travel by means other than commercial carriers. This is a required update to a required item.
Policy 7450—Federal Cash Management Policy: This item includes a handful of changes, including the addition of
requirements to pay contractors in a timely manner, to track all federal funds the district/charter school is responsible
for, and to maintain federal funds in insured accounts. This is a required update to a required item.
Policy 7450P2—Federal Cash Management Policy-Federal Program Income: This update adds a couple of new
paragraphs outlining requirements on when and how income from federally-funded programs must be spent. This is a
required update to a required item.
Policy 7455—Federal Debarment and Suspension: New language in this policy adds detail on federal information
resources to ensure a contractor is permitted to work on federally-funded projects. It also includes requirements to use these
resources. This is a recommended update to a recommended policy.
Snake River Board of Trustees Minutes
April 21, 2026 (4)
A motion was made by Trustee Ibarra and seconded by Trustee Hepworth to approve the second readings of
Policy 4260—Records Available to the Public; Policy 4260F—District Record Request Form; Policy 7400P1—
Miscellaneous Procurement Standards-Federal Award Requirements; Policy 7400P2—Miscellaneous Procurement
Standards-Procurement Methods Under a Federal Award; Policy 7400P4—Miscellaneous Procurement
Standards-General Procurement Standards for a Federal Award; Policy 7403—Procurement of Goods and
Services for School Meal Programs; Policy 7405—Public Works Contracting and Procurement; Policy 7430—
Travel Allowances and Expenses; Policy 7450—Federal Cash Management Policy; Policy 7450P2—Federal Cash
Management Policy-Federal Program Income; and Policy 7455—Federal Debarment and Suspension. All board
members present voted aye. Motion passed 3-0.
b. First Readings:
Policy 2435P—Dual Credit Programs: Superintendent Kress discussed how dual credit grades should be handled when
there is a discrepancy between college and high school grading systems. He explained that colleges like College of
Southern Idaho use semester grading while the district uses trimesters, which can result in different final grades. The
proposed approach would follow common practice by using the higher grade issued by the college institution on the
student transcript.
Policy 3085P1—Sexual Harassment, Discrimination, and Retaliation Policy—Title I Sexual Harassment Grievance
Procedure, Requirements, and Definitions: This update was prompted by changes regarding cross-examination at live
hearings about reports of sexual harassment. This policy previously called for decision-makers to refrain from relying on
testimony of a party to the reported incident or a witness if they are over 10 and do not submit to cross-examination. This
practice has been ruled unconstitutional and we strongly recommend removing it from policy. This update also contains
other edits for readability, correction of typos, and consistency. This is a required update to a required item.
A motion was made by Trustee Hepworth and seconded by Trustee Ibarra to approve the first reading of Policy
2435P—Dual Credit Programs and Policy 3085P1—Sexual Harassment, Discrimination, and Retaliation Policy—
Title I Sexual Harassment Grievance Procedure, Requirements, and Definitions. All board members present voted
aye. Motion passed 4-0.
9. CLOSING INFORMATION ITEMS
The next board meeting will be Wednesday, May 20, 2026 at Snake River School/Community Library at 7 p.m. with dinner
and a presentation beginning at 6:15 p.m.
11. ADJOURN
Trustee Ibarra moved to adjourn and Trustee Sorensen seconded.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:50 p.m.
ATTEST:
Terisa Coombs
Lon Harrington
Clerk
Chairman
May 20, 2026
Date
Text is extracted by machine from the official file linked on each page; the official file is the record. Sentinel Media, LLC.