The board of education for the Jefferson school met on August 21 with the first item of business being a public hearing for the setting of the tax rate.

No citizens were present.

Later in the meeting, the board set the tax rate for the coming year at $6.393 per $100 of assessed valuation. This is up 11.5 cents from last year. The assessed valuation was reduced for the property within the district. These monies garnered will make up the majority of the revenue for the proposed budget of $860,000.

High School Principal Charley Burch gave the student activity numbers of both Jefferson and South Nodaway with the co-op athletic programs and 62 is the total enrollment. He spoke about dual credit curriculum and displayed the new website for the board to view.

Superintendent and Elementary Principal Tim Jermain reported on the following: the lower grades have 77 students enrolled; gave an update for the audit plan; the social worker position is still open; and shared a report on the school’s foundation. He also described the present bus routes, and there was much discussion about the routes.

Other business included:

• Approved the special education compliance plan made available by DESE.

• Authorized the early childhood transportation mileage contract at 5¢ per mile.

• Approved the 2019-20 budget which sees a carryover at year’s end of over $1 million.

The board went into closed session due to student welfare.