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Additional items discussed at school board meeting

I am a Hot Springs County School Board Trustee and am writing a response to the article written about our last board meeting. I would like to thank the Independent Record for its coverage of our local meetings. The paper is a good resource for keeping our community members informed. Thank you for the article congratulating our math and science teachers.

There were however other important agenda items not mentioned. I thought I would take a moment to write down some key points that were missed.

The meeting lasted for more than 7 hours. The public comment that was reported was a very small portion. The parent who was accusing the board of wrongdoing toward parents and students is a homeschool parent. That public comment was not the only one made that night.

We went into executive session with parents who requested to be put on the agenda. We took time to hear their concerns. These matters cannot be discussed in open session to protect the privacy of students and staff. Every citizen has their right to privacy.

The superintendent reported on ways to improve teacher retention and some action pieces already put in place. The business manager gave a slide presentation on how school coding of the finances looks and works. The board reviewed policies of its duties, responsibilities, and code of conduct. We also reviewed teacher contracts and approved them for the next school year. Every board member serves on other committees connected with the district. Every month we attend those meetings and report back to the rest of the board.

If you would like more details on any of these points the meeting is recorded and posted on YouTube. I would also be happy to answer any questions, please feel free to call or email me.

There is a work session meeting Tuesday March 28 with the auditor to help answer the questions about the audit that are circulating the community. This meeting will be posted on the district YouTube channel.

I would like to thank my fellow board members for their commitment to the students of our district. It is an honor to serve with you.

Thank you.

Jennifer Axtell

School Board Trustee

Editors note: For clarification, although the meeting was 7 hours long, the posted video recording of the meeting is 2:48:08 long. As stated in this letter, this is apparently due to the time spent in executive session.

 

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