The Moniteau County R-1 Board of Education has agreed to search for a specialist to help the special-education director with programs for special-needs students.
The board April 10 authorized the hiring of a full-time employee who is a board-certified behavioral analyst who would also act as a special-education process coordinator to assist Julie Bird, director of special programs.
"We probably have a handful of kids who have gone through the formal evaluation of behavior in their IEP (Individualized Education Program)," Bird said. "But it's been pretty costly for us to have outside resources come in and do that process for us.
"That person (to be hired by the district) would write the behavior plan and implement the plan to help train paraprofessionals and teachers in what needs to be done and make sure the plan is being implemented with fidelity in the classroom."
Bird said the district has about 15-20 special-education students who need assistance with behavior.
"This person would go into the classrooms and observe and give teachers ideas on how to manage behaviors and give them some strategies," Bird said. "And to make sure that whatever plan was agreed upon is being implemented. That would be the behavior side. The other side would be the special-education process coordinator that would help facilitate the process."
Duties on the special education side of the position would be to communicate with parents, writing reports on the testing and writing an IEP if that student qualifies. The percentage of California students with IEPs is "very close" to other school districts, said Superintendent Dwight Sanders.
"It's fluctuated some over the past several years, but we're kind of on the higher end now," Sanders said. "We're pretty close to the state average; we're slightly above it."
Sanders said it is common for districts the size of California to have at least one process coordinator per building.
The position will be on the teacher's salary schedule and look at years of experience and education level in terms of where they would be on that scale. The contract would be for 10.5 months and begin Aug. 1.
In other business, the board:
Reorganized the board and installed a new officer during its April 10 meeting. The new board officers are: Philip Burger, president; Joe Kirby, vice president; Susie Gorrell, secretary; and Craig Ash, treasurer. Derek VanLoo was reinstated to the board for another term; Jeremy Burger, a new board member, joined the board.
Approved bids for 14 copiers through Sumner One Image Technologies for $1,907.46 plus $25 per month for staples. The 60-month contract with Sumner will begin July 1 and run through June 30, 2024.
Was told by Rick Edwards, district activities director and middle school assistant principal, a meeting will be held April 29 for seventh- and eighth-grade girls interested in playing softball for the 2019-2020 school year. Edwards and his team are currently looking for an assistant softball coach.