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The Tri-County School Board reorganized with newly elected board members Jim Cesar, Jim Knutson, and Bernadette Stainbrook on April 29th at their regular board meeting. The full board includes Mark Bacon, Cindy Baumgartner, Wayne Cummings, Wes Meddaugh, Jim Cesar, Jim Knutson, Randy Thurley, Jim Miller, and Bernadette (Birdie) Stainbrook.
The board also elected new officers, including Cindy Baumgartner, President, Randy Thurley, Vice President, Mark Bacon, Clerk, and Wayne Cummings, Treasurer. Jody Congdon, District Administrator Secretary, was appointed as deputy clerk.
Brittney Lau, EC-5th Grade Principal, provided the board with information surrounding truancy practices at the elementary school. The attendance line is checked daily, and that information is submitted on Skyward along with a spreadsheet managed in the office. Attendance is reported by 9 a.m., which is followed by an automated phone call to the family if there was no contact made yet.
If the school does not hear anything from the call, someone from the office will try to make contact with the family if they are entering day two of their absence. “Sometimes families are busy taking their child to the doctor or if they have a sick kid and forget to call on day one,” explained Lau.
The elementary office has also put together an absence “watch list” for tracking students with multiple absences. According to State Statutes, the first letter goes home after 10 absences. These are absences that have not been excused for reasons such as doctor or dental appointments, family trips or funerals. The school also takes into consideration illnesses that can last longer than a day or two.
A second letter goes out after 15 days, with the same considerations taken. If the school does not see improvement, they also reach out for a parent meeting. After these meetings, they do mostly see the absences improving. At 20 days the school can consider county or case worker involvement, depending on the child’s situation.
During the 2021-22 school year there were nine second letters sent home, five parent meetings, three of those students had more than 15 days absent, and one student recording over 20 absences. In the 2022-23 school year there were 15 second letters sent home, and six parent meetings. Six students were absent for over 15 days.
Lau went on to update the board on their first 4K Registration Day event that recently took place, with 10 families attending. This was a great opportunity for teachers to meet their students on a more personal level than on open house day. Families received one-on-one time and were given the chance to see what to expect ahead of next year. The school hopes to bring back this event to give more families the opportunity to attend. Nicholas Marti, 6-12 Principal, shared a calendar of upcoming events that the school is preparing for as the end of the school year approaches. Scholarship night will take place on Wednesday, May 15 at 6:30 p.m.; the 9-12 Awards & Recognition Ceremony on Tuesday, May 21 at 10:45 a.m.; and the 6-8 Awards & Recognition Ceremony on Friday, May 31at 1 p.m.
Tri-County seniors will also have a full schedule for graduation day on Friday, May 24. The senior brunch starts their day off, and then students will take their final walk around the school during the March of Penguins. Graduation practice takes place at 11:30 a.m., with the ceremony starting that evening at 7 p.m. Marti also reported that AP testing will take place May 6-17. This year marks the highest number of AP exams given to Tri-County students. There are 36 students taking a total of 56 exams among seven content areas throughout the next two weeks.
The board also elected new officers, including Cindy Baumgartner, President, Randy Thurley, Vice President, Mark Bacon, Clerk, and Wayne Cummings, Treasurer. Jody Congdon, District Administrator Secretary, was appointed as deputy clerk.
Brittney Lau, EC-5th Grade Principal, provided the board with information surrounding truancy practices at the elementary school. The attendance line is checked daily, and that information is submitted on Skyward along with a spreadsheet managed in the office. Attendance is reported by 9 a.m., which is followed by an automated phone call to the family if there was no contact made yet.
If the school does not hear anything from the call, someone from the office will try to make contact with the family if they are entering day two of their absence. “Sometimes families are busy taking their child to the doctor or if they have a sick kid and forget to call on day one,” explained Lau.
The elementary office has also put together an absence “watch list” for tracking students with multiple absences. According to State Statutes, the first letter goes home after 10 absences. These are absences that have not been excused for reasons such as doctor or dental appointments, family trips or funerals. The school also takes into consideration illnesses that can last longer than a day or two.
A second letter goes out after 15 days, with the same considerations taken. If the school does not see improvement, they also reach out for a parent meeting. After these meetings, they do mostly see the absences improving. At 20 days the school can consider county or case worker involvement, depending on the child’s situation.
During the 2021-22 school year there were nine second letters sent home, five parent meetings, three of those students had more than 15 days absent, and one student recording over 20 absences. In the 2022-23 school year there were 15 second letters sent home, and six parent meetings. Six students were absent for over 15 days.
Lau went on to update the board on their first 4K Registration Day event that recently took place, with 10 families attending. This was a great opportunity for teachers to meet their students on a more personal level than on open house day. Families received one-on-one time and were given the chance to see what to expect ahead of next year. The school hopes to bring back this event to give more families the opportunity to attend. Nicholas Marti, 6-12 Principal, shared a calendar of upcoming events that the school is preparing for as the end of the school year approaches. Scholarship night will take place on Wednesday, May 15 at 6:30 p.m.; the 9-12 Awards & Recognition Ceremony on Tuesday, May 21 at 10:45 a.m.; and the 6-8 Awards & Recognition Ceremony on Friday, May 31at 1 p.m.
Tri-County seniors will also have a full schedule for graduation day on Friday, May 24. The senior brunch starts their day off, and then students will take their final walk around the school during the March of Penguins. Graduation practice takes place at 11:30 a.m., with the ceremony starting that evening at 7 p.m. Marti also reported that AP testing will take place May 6-17. This year marks the highest number of AP exams given to Tri-County students. There are 36 students taking a total of 56 exams among seven content areas throughout the next two weeks.