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minutes meeting date 2025-11-19 · fetched 2026-09-16 · 9787 characters · official file · plain text
Buhl Joint School District No. 412
Board of Trustees
Minutes of Regular Board Meeting
November 19, 2025 - 6:00 p.m.
The Board of Trustees of Buhl Joint School District No. 412, Twin Falls and Gooding Counties, State of Idaho, met in its properly posted monthly meeting in the Buhl High School Library, located at #1 Indian Territory, Buhl, Idaho, on November 19, 2025. The regular session was called to order by Board Vice Chair Paul Pettit at 6:00 p.m. In attendance were Vice Chair Paul Pettit, Trustees Jenny Hopkins, and Jennie Ridley. Board Chair Melissa Kippes and Trustee Carla Critchfield were absent. Superintendent Angie Oparnico, Clerk of the Board Dena Felix, Business Manager Krista Moyer, and Administrators Cyndi Cooper, Sandra Lobo, and Mauri Gowans were also present.
Opening Items - The meeting began with a roll call to ensure a quorum was present, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Board Vice Chair Paul Pettit announced that public comments on agenda items require submission of Form 4105F to the Board Clerk prior to the start of the meeting.
Approval of Agenda (discussion/action) - With no additions or deletions to the agenda, Trustee Jennie Ridley moved and Trustee Jenny Hopkins seconded a motion to approve the agenda as printed.
Motion passed unanimously.
Public Comment – Board Vice Chair Paul Pettit opened the floor to public comments. No public comments were received.
REGULAR MEETING
Student Spotlight (information) - Mr. Moretto and students gave an update on the growing screen printing/graphic design program. Students produce school and community apparel and decals, including a current project of 155 hoodies. The program has just over $11,000 and hopes to purchase an embroidery machine. The Board thanked the students, and a group photo was taken.
Buhl Education Association Report (information) - The agenda listed a report from the Education Association president, but no report was given at this meeting.
REPORTS (information)
Superintendent’s Report
Superintendent Oparnico reported:
District Goal:
Implement Professional Learning Communities (PLC) districtwide to increase student achievement.
* Teachers focused on aligning essential standards across grade levels.
* Worked in grade bands to ensure skills build appropriately and address misconceptions.
* Teacher feedback was very positive.
* Next steps: review alignment with curriculum and assessments in spring
Information:
* Grant
* District received $3,500 to support art program supplies
* Administration Hours
* Kayla: 30.75 hours - paperwork, supervision, emails, faculty meeting
* Angie: 48.25 hours - supervision, reporting, observations
* Scheduling Concerns
* Discussion on Monday vs Friday off, considering athletics scheduling and instructional time.
* Public opinion is split; another survey may be conducted.
* Board discussed extra support for students missing class for activities.
Upcoming Events:
* Thanksgiving break next week.
* Testing and ASVAB scheduled.
* Christmas concerts: December 9 & 16.
* Secondary finals: December 16–18.
* Monday, December 15 will be in-session due to early release. Reminders will be sent to parents.
District Reporting Requirements
* Audit Report: due November 10.
* Title I-A Comparability: due November 15.
* IDEA Final Budgets: due November 15.
* CSI Up Sustainability Report (BMS): submitted November 15.
* ISEE: due November 21.
* 2024/2025 Summary of Actual Expenditures: due November 29.
Professional Development & Training
* Harry Wong book study in progress - Popplewell
* Danielson framework training - Kayla & Angie
Enrollment and Attendance
* Enrollment continues to gradually increase, which is positive for funding.
Federal Programs – Sandra Lobo
* Dia De Los Muertos at BHS
* Child Count for special education funding
* Magic Valley Transition Team meeting
* Dynamic Learning Maps Training for alternate assessment
Maintenance – Doug Walker
* Projects include roofing repairs, HVAC replacements, and Bowers Field lighting improvements discussion.
* 7th Street gym boiler replaced; additional steam trap and vent work pending.
* Roof leak and related fire alarm issue at 7th Street gym repaired.
Financial Report - Krista Moyer
Financial Reports through October 31, 2025
State Funding & Revenue:
* State funding received in installments: 50% in August and 20% on Nov 15.
* Revenue projecting slightly above budget.
* Prior year ending fund balance was $500,000 higher than projected; current year started stronger.
* Salaries and benefits initially budgeted high, now adjusted.
* Projected year-end general fund balance: $1.6 million, similar to last year.
Auditor Change:
* District selected Quest CPAs, serving about 60% of Idaho school districts, at the same cost as previous auditor Mike Burr.
October Variances:
* Payroll higher due to substitute use.
* Therapy services and transportation costs increased due to more school days.
* Payment issued for 7th Street gym boiler project; additional steam trap and vent work pending.
* Roof leak and related fire alarm damage repaired.
Food Service Fund:
* Fund balance decreased, now negative due to audit adjustments and rising food costs.
* Administration will review; historically the fund has been positive.
Student Achievement Report -
Curriculum Director Mauri Gowans and Popplewell Elementary Principal Cyndi Cooper reported on the new Idaho Reading Indicator platform, highlighting its AI-supported scoring, audio recordings, benchmark scores, foundational skill assessments, and support for identifying reading difficulties
Consideration to Approve the Consent and Confirmation Agenda (discussion/action) -
* Waive the reading of the minutes of the previous board meeting as they were submitted to each board member.
* Approve the regular meeting minutes of October 15, 2025
* Approve the October financial statements
* Approve the October vouchers
* Approve the school building checking accounts for October
* Personnel Recommendations
* Approve new hires:
* Paula Rainey (High School SPED Para)
* Trinity Tvrdy - Girls Basketball Coach
* Keri Van Vleet (High School SPED Teacher) - pending Idaho certification
* Approval of resignations/retirements/terminations/leaves:
* Wesley Blevins (Custodian)
* Katelin Robirts (Food Service)
* Staysha Schmidt (High School Kitchen Manager)
* Mary Hill (Food Service Worker)
* Jessica Banda (Middle School ESL Para)
* Brian Floyd (Elementary SPED Teacher)
Trustee Jennie Ridley made a motion to approve the Consent and Confirmation Agenda as presented, the motion was seconded by Trustee Jenny Hopkins.
Motion carried unanimously.
DISCUSSION/ACTION
SUPERINTENDENT EVALUATION (discussion) - The superintendent presented a self-assessment for board review. Board members will complete individual evaluations; an executive session at the next meeting will compile a final evaluation to be shared with the superintendent.
ISBA FALL CONVENTION (discussion) - Superintendent Oparnico, Board Clerk Dena Felix, Business Manager Krista Moyer, and Trustee Jenny Hopkins attended the ISBA Annual Convention, which highlighted funding uncertainty, scenario-based budgeting, support for diverse student groups, and ongoing attention to governance and legislative developments.
ELECTION RESULTS (information) - Vice Chair Paul Pettit reported the results of the recent trustee election: Zone 1 - Elisa Atkinson, Zone 2 - Cody Gilland, and Zone 5 - Jenny Ridley. The board acknowledged and congratulated the elected trustees.
CONSIDERATION TO APPROVE THE FIRST READING OF THE FOLLOWING POLICIES (discussion/action) -
7403 Procurement of Goods and Services for School Meal Programs
8103 Vehicles Other than School Buses Used to Transport Students
8105 Extracurricular Transportation
8110 Safety Busing
8110F Safety Busing-Safety Busing Measuring and Scoring Instrument
8120 Bus Routes, Stops, and Non-Transportation Zones
8130 Transportation of Students with Disabilities
8140 Student Conduct on Buses
8170 District-Owned Vehicles
8180 Driver Training and Responsibility
8185 Use of Wireless Communication Devices by Bus Drivers
After reviewing the above policies, Trustee Jenny Hopkins moved and Trustee Jennie Ridley seconded a motion to approve the first reading of the policies listed in the agenda with the changes as discussed.
Motion carried unanimously.
CONSIDERATION TO APPROVE THE SECOND READING OF THE FOLLOWING POLICIES (discussion/action) -
7235F2 Personal Activity Report
7400 Miscellaneous Procurement Standards
After reviewing the above policies, Trustee Jenny Hopkins moved and Trustee Jennie Ridley seconded a motion to approve the second reading as listed in the agenda.
Motion carried unanimously.
Public Comment - Board Vice Chair Paul Pettit opened the floor to public comments. No public comments were received.
Upcoming Events (information) - The next regular meeting of the Board of Trustees will be held on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at the Buhl High School Library.
Adjourn (action) - There being no further business, Trustee Jennie Ridley moved and Trustee Paul Pettit seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:10 p.m.
Clerk of the Board Date
Regular Meeting Minutes
November 19, 2025
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