By Melanie Stegner

news@pctribune.com

Minnewaska Area High School is now residence to a unique experience for students that have an Individualized Education Program (IEP). The Practical Assessment Exploration System or PAES lab was toured by MAS board members at last week’s meeting. 

PAES is a work development lab that creates a profile of job performance and workplace skills that generalize into a variety of employment options. It’s a functional skills curriculum and assessment tool that provides data to guide post high school outcomes and employment potential. 

The PAES lab at Minnewaska assesses students in five different job markets including computer/technology, construction/industrial, processing/production, consumer/services and business/marketing. Some of the skills students learn in the lab include visual perception, tool uses, how to operate a cash register, how to put together ingredients to make a dish and several more. “The goal is to give some of our students the skills needed for them to function after high school and create opportunities they might not have had otherwise,” stated Superintendent Rankin during the tour.

During the meeting recognition was also given to Jamie Dietzmann for her work at W.I.N. Academy and to the first group of elementary teachers that recently were launched into phase one of LETRS Training based on the Science of Reading.

The board accepted the official resignation of Vocal Music Instructor Gordy Moeller effective June 30 of this year. The pay equity report that is required for the state was approved along with the compliance of the American Indian Parent Advisory Committee requirement. 

The 2024-2025 school calendar was reviewed and approved with 169 student contact days and 182 teacher days. The first day of school will be September 3, 2024, and the final day for classes (pending no snow day add-ons) is May 29, 2025.

The agreement between the city of Starbuck and the school for the school resource officer at W.I.N. Academy was reviewed and approved. 

Sarah Suchy, Director of Teaching, Learning and Technology gave a presentation on the items she’s been overseeing. She has been working to setup curriculum for English, Physical Education, Health and the PAES lab. Social Studies and technology are next on the docket for her focus on the curriculum end of things. The Read Act has been in the works over the year because all staff who teach reading from elementary age through 12th grade levels need to be trained on new curriculum. “It’s time consuming because everyone has to get on board as quick as possible, but the training takes time,” she stated.

A resolution was passed giving administration the authority to discontinue and reduce educational programs and positions “to effectuate economies in the school district and reduce expenditures and make recommendations to the school board for the discontinuance and/or changes of programs, curtailment of programs, discontinuance of positions or curtailment of positions,” according to the resolution.

The board voted to call for bids for maintenance and game prep of the baseball field, softball field and track/football field. Because the next meeting of the board lands on President’s Day holiday, the next meeting of the school board will be on February 12 at 7 p.m. in the District Board Room.