Facilities, district communication are discussed

     Two facets of the Monticello Community School District’s Strategic Operating Plan, facilities and communication, were discussed as the Monticello School Board held its monthly work session Wednesday, Jan. 11 in the administrative board room.

     The facilities part of the plan has to do with both current projects that need to be taken care of within the district, and long-term building options.

     All of this is in the very early, planning stages. On Wednesday, Superintendent Brian Jaeger handed out a sheet listing possible action steps for facility needs. Among them are to develop a five-year facility projects plan, prepare for the upcoming (Feb. 7) PPEL levy election, and creating a facility projects review committee.

     Regarding long-term building plans, the list included collecting feedback from the community, forming a committee to discuss facility options, collecting bond capacity information and more.

     On the communication side, Jaeger handed out a chart showing the various segments of the school district, including staff, students, parents, administration, community and the school board. The chart included arrows from one segment to the next, showing how they should be interacting with one another.

     Also at the work session, the board was introduced to the concept of the Transition Alliance Program (TAP). Curriculum director Gretchen Kriegel was on hand to explain the program with help from Brandy McOmber of Voc Rehab, the company that helps provide the service.

     TAP, a program that began in April 2016, serves youth with disabilities, providing them with training as they prepare to leave high school and either continue their education or enter the workforce.

     Calling it a “transitional piece,” Kriegel said, “It’s the piece that was missing for students.”

     Jaeger added: “This is an area of need for our district. It can provide help for kids to help them become college- and career-ready.”

     McOmber, who was on speaker phone, added that TAP is designed to help a district improve its number of graduates, the number who find employment, and the number who keep employment.

     Were the district to hire a TAP employee, the salary would be paid half by the district and half by Voc Rehab.

     Also discussed at the work session:

     • a review of the director of buildings and grounds, and director of transportation positions. B&G director Dennis Dirks and transportation director Mike Wink were on hand to report on how the arrangement is going, and both said that, with the help of Jim Plummer, it is working well.

     • a proposed return trip to St. Louis, Mo. for the Monticello High School baseball team. The St. Louis Cardinals offered both the Monticello and Wilton high school teams the chance to return to St. Louis and play a game following a Major League contest, since last year’s game was called off due to an impending storm.

     The teams are considering Saturday, July 1 or Sunday, July 2, when the Cardinals will play the Washington Nationals. As of now, the July 1 game is scheduled at 6 p.m., which would not be workable for a high school game afterward, but the Sunday schedule would be 1 p.m. for Cardinals-Nationals and 4:30 p.m. for Monticello-Wilton.

     The Cardinals are not requiring a minimum amount of ticket sales, as that requirement was fulfilled last year.

     As this was a work session, no action was taken by the board on either the TAP program or the St. Louis trip.