THE LOCAL NEWS OF THE MADISON VALLEY, RUBY VALLEY AND SURROUNDING AREAS

Alder School Board meets for March

Insulation product found, packets and online instruction for students
“We’re trying to keep up to date and do what is proposed to keep our schools running and funding at the level at which we were anticipating,” Birkeland said.

The Alder School Board met on Monday, March 16 to discuss insulation and off-site instruction due to state-wide school closures in regard to the coronavirus.

Building insulation is moving forward utilizing the building reserve fund. The outside of the school will be wrapped with a product called Dryvit, which will add two inches of insulation. The Board found individuals in Montana who are certified to install Dryvit and will be putting it up to bid and in the paper to announce.

A permissive levy for transportation, tuition and building reserve was approved. This notification will be submitted to the paper by March 31.

Off-site instruction will take place after school closure due to the coronavirus. “The teachers are putting together packets that they are putting out for families to pick up and they’ll bring them back when they’re completed,” Superintendent Pam Birkeland said.

Teachers will continue work at the school and can be contacted by phone. Paper and online resources will be used to continue education for students. The school can provide a device for families in need.

Classified staff, the custodian and cook, will remain working regular hours, focusing on deep cleaning activities
that are usually saved for the summer. “The adults are sort of carrying on as normal and the children are home,” Birkeland said.

An emergency Board meeting was held to declare a state of unforeseen emergency. This serves as a budget precaution in case the state government does not waive the hours students are missing due to school closures.

A motion was approved to allow administrators and staff to determine the proficiency of students in grade levels. This is also funding-focused, as the number of students physically in the school determines how much funding is received.
If a student can be declared proficient, funding can still be calculated and not decreased due to empty seats.

“We’re trying to keep up to date and do what is proposed to keep our schools running and funding at the level at which we were anticipating,” Birkeland said.

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