The West Nodaway R-I Board of Education met in open and two closed sessions on February 12 to handle the following school district business.

In closed session, the board approved the hiring of Valerie Cowden as elementary secretary for the 2020-21 school year at $13.97 per hour. Melissa Cook’s resignation as 2019-20 varsity basketball cheer coach was accepted. Paraprofessional Brenda Langston will retire at the end of the school year.

WN approved Alan Calfee as head varsity football coach for the 2020-21 North West Nodaway athletic co-op. Calfee will also need approval by the North Nodaway BOE.

Dr. Mitch Barnes, principal for grades six through 12, was hired for the 2020-21 school year at the current salary of $75,500. Elementary Principal Holly Brady and Superintendent Shannon Nolte are currently under contract for the 2020-21 school year at current salaries of $69,165 for Brady and $82,977 for Nolte.

All salaries are pending increase changes in March and April by the board.

The board voted to not extend Brady’s and Nolte’s contracts to the 2021-22 school year. Board members Troy Brady and Bernie Farmer voted yes for both extensions. Board members James Graham, Scott Conn, Sarah Thompson, Amanda Walker and Emma Barnett voted no on both contract extensions.

Connie Hall of Citizen Bank and Trust, Burlington Jct., presented two checks totalling $2,594.85. Later in the meeting, it was decided to use the curtains toward the purchase of new stage curtains. The rest of the money will be secured by amending the amount of Classroom Trust Fund revenue by $2,615 in fund two and moving it to fund four.

A fund transfer from fund one of $129,832 to fund two was approved. Fund two, which is funded by the state, is used to pay teachers salaries. It is necessary for the district to make up the difference of $10,134 per month from fund one. Nolte said
the transfer will also take care of the summer salaries paid in June.

The 2020-21 school calendar was approved. It adds 15 minutes to the school day, starting at 7:55 am and ending at 3:10 pm. Discussion was held on the need to change bus route schedules and breakfast times. The calendar needed to be approved before the 2020-21 contract changes are discussed and approved in March and April.

School will end Friday, May 14, 2021. Students will attend 1,110.85 hours for the year. Staff will have 174 contract days or 1,348.5 hours.

Approval was given for the use of 31 days from the emergency leave bank.

February 17, April 9 and 27 were approved for make-up days because of recent inclement weather. Student hours for 2019-20 school year will drop to 1098.6. The state requires 1,044 hours.