Members of the West Plains R-7 School Board will meet at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the high school library with a closed session, followed by an open session at about 5:30. The meeting is being held a week earlier than usual to avoid holding it during the following week's Thanksgiving break.
A West Plains Elementary School student and staff spotlight will be the first item of business, followed by a consent agenda that includes approval of minutes from the previous meeting; the monthly finance report; an approval request for resignations, new employment and transfers; and approval of program evaluations and early graduates.
The regular agenda includes payment of bills. Previous business to be discussed is a Comprehensive Schools Improvement Plan (CSIP) update, and new business includes the declaration of items as surplus property and the declaration of PEERS positions as a critical shortage area. PEERS, or Public Education Employee Retirement Systems, are pension plans that provide lifetime retirement benefits to qualified members based on a formula set by Missouri state law, and work in partnership with member school districts. Under a legal provision known as Critical Shortage Employment, a PEERS-covered employer that has declared a critical shortage may hire a retired educational employee for up to 48 months with no cost to the teacher’s retirement benefits.
Updates and reports to the board will be presented by administrators of each of the district's buildings and the public relations and communications department. Board members will also hear a teaching and learning report; a facility, human resources, security and capital projects report; a federal programs and special services report; a superintendent's report; and a Missouri School Board Association conference recap.
A closed session will follow if needed to finish business from the earlier closed session, and the next meeting will be held Dec. 19 in the high school library.
