The Vian Board of Education met on August 12, marking a busy start to the school year with significant decisions impacting the district’s policies, budget and staffing.

The meeting was preceded by a start-of-year event where school staff gathered for a back-to-school breakfast, courtesy of Armstrong Bank, and a meeting led by Superintendent John Brockman.

Brockman welcomed all school staff back for another year, where he emphasized academic rigor and announced the transition of the curriculum director position to full-time to enhance educational standards.

During the superintendent’s report, Brockman spoke mainly on events surrounding the school year and new high school, and that state testing results were expected within the next few weeks. He said September’s meeting would likely include an update on the topic.

Financial matters, new textbooks

One of the key agenda items was the approval of payroll, encumbrances and warrants for various funds. The board authorized an increase of $141,437.73 in the 2024-25 General Funds and a $7,620.00 increase in the Building Fund. Additionally, the board reviewed and approved several fundraisers for the fall and spring semesters, including events by FCCLA, FCA and Vian High School cheer.

The board approved several financial allocations, including the purchase of new math textbooks across all grade levels (elementary through high school) at a cost of $86,367. The new textbooks were all printed by the same publisher and are part of the same series.

Brockman said the purchase of the new textbooks should help avoid gaps or overlaps, and help to align and coordinate the math curriculum. He said the expenditure includes both hard copy and electronic versions.

“The administration and staff selected this math series and curriculum,” Brockman said. “The cost was more than the school’s annual state allotment for textbooks, so General Funds supplemented the purchase.”

Other significant expenditures included computer equipment.

Brockman and Erica King gave the monthly financial report, stating the school’s cash position was strong compared to prior years. However, they did note that the anticipated amount of state funding to be received was still uncertain at this time of year.

Policy revisions, school handbook

Significant policy updates were approved, including a tightening of the cellphone policy which now prohibits student cellphone use throughout the entire school day, including lunch. The revised high school handbook reflected this change.

The board members discussed the possibility in the change during the July meeting but voted to table the line item pending a recommendation at the August meeting.

The board approved a modest increase in staff meal prices, while maintaining free meals for students. The board discussed providing free meals for staff as well, but students meals are funded by the federal meals program which do not make staff meals workable given the school’s budget.

A range of policy revisions was discussed, many of which were recommended by the school’s legal advisors. Key decisions included retaining existing policies on the Media Center and transgender and non-binary student records, while tabling changes related to library content and released-time courses for further review.

The board also adopted a new policy prohibiting political messages in classroom decorations and allowed comments on the school’s social media posts, with the administration authorized to remove inappropriate content.

Staffing changes, executive session

During the executive session, the board addressed personnel matters.

The resignation of paraprofessional Chrissy Carter was approved, and Kristen Harrison was hired to fill the position.

Additionally, Sherry Christina Herriman was approved to adjunct as a middle school geography teacher for the 2024-25 school year.

Open house held

The start to the school year continued with a successful open house the following day, showcasing the new high school building to the community. In the lobby of the new high school, posters about the building, including the election and financials were posted, with the most prominent being a “Thank You Vian” poster.

School board members Jeff Cotter, Bill Sanford and James Thornton were actively involved in guiding visitors and discussing the new facilities.

While the board said there were a few last minute odds and ends to be completed in the construction and movein process, and a few pieces of furniture that hadn’t yet been delivered, nothing held up classes.

The event also featured a prayer dedication led by FCA students, and highlighted the community’s support for the new building.

This news story is based on the unofficial minutes from the board meeting and could be in error if the minutes are changed prior to adoption.