October Board Meeting Ratifies Many Employee Changes

On October 12, 2022 at Hayfork High School, the Board of Trustees started off temporarily with the ratification of public employees: Jonathan Daniel, CAASPP coordinator; Lexi Smith, ASPIRE assistant; Shawnee Carini, ASPIRE assistant; Kathy Schraeder, Certified Substitute; Emily Allen, EL Instructional Assistant; and Sapphire Vang, a Hmong Community Liaison. The resignation of Alicia Hickman, Resource Specialist, was also ratified.

Hayfork High Principal Anmarie Swanstrom reported that Hayfork High School has been conducting a needs assessment among all staff and students that will help administration and staff to make improvements and further strengthen services provided to students. Staff meetings will move forward and will focus on more professional development such as on Universal Design for Learning. A student survey was also recently conducted for students to fill out and provide feedback, such as classes they would like to have for electives. Reflecting on the homecoming week activities, Swanstrom added, “Homecoming reminded me of the importance of being positive when working with the community and students."

Swanstrom also reported out on the last teaching staff in-service day, which focused on training the staff with new phone systems, trauma bags, and other new safety protocols. A policy will be adopted in addition to the training.

Board President Kenneth Wiley expressed his own gratitude for the in-service day and the work completed so far by the safety committee, stating that he was “impressed and thankful for the administration” to be able to talk about school safety.

In other board member comments, Board Trustee Cindy Winter expressed her own gratitude as well and stated that the “Hyampom community thanks the Board members, district staff, and everyone that was involved” in helping Hyampom receive their school back.

In comments from the staff, Sunday Stanley, teacher at Hayfork Elementary, announced that the Parent Club has ordered Ram Wear which will be arriving around November 14. The elementary’s school mascot was approved for the basketball season and the uniform will be arriving soon.

Joanne Tucker, teacher at Hayfork High, announced ASB also has ongoing T-shirt and sweatpant sales all year, which can be personalized. She also shared that Poetry Out Loud has started and a total of 11 students working to analyze and memorize poems for a January competition. ASB discussed the sports plaques that have been brought out of storage and will be working to get those put up in the library. The media class is putting up lots of new content and officially sold their first web advertisement to Dr. John W. Kizziar.

In financial news, it was reported that the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) was evaluated and approved by Trinity County Office of Education.

The board approved Expanded Learning Opportunities Program Plan Guide, which is meant to “support the whole child, and students' Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)” according to the plan’s language. The district re-visits this plan at least every three years. The plan ranges from professional development topics with staff to afterschool enrichment programs like homework support that the district offers in K-8. The full details of the plan can be found in the board meeting packet on mvusd.us.

The total enrollment count at the time of the board meeting was disclosed, starting with 238 students at Hayfork Elementary, 86 students at Hayfork High, and 4 students at Valley High School.

The next board meeting is scheduled for November 9 at 5:15 at the Hayfork High School Library.

Read September's board meeting article here.