Malta School Board Talks Fulbright, Bus Purchase, and Gym Floors

Wednesday, November 13th, the Malta School Board met with Chairman Angel DeVries, and board members Jessica Oyler, Katey Marquis, Kyle Kluck and Katie Brown present. Other staff present were Steve Bucks, Supt., Shawn Bleth, Principal, Jake Norby, AD, Evan Grabofsky, IT, J.F. Hewitt, Elementary Principal, Raymond Hough; Public attending were Darlene Kolczak (Co. Supt.), Ashley Pankratz and Carter Clausen.

The newly hired District Clerk was on board for the meeting. Her name is Heathyr Knowles, and a warm wish was extended with a welcome to Malta.

Following the pledge to the flag, Darlene Kolczak stated the update on the possible land transfer between Malta and Dodson School Districts.

The meeting opened with Oyler making a motion to approve the entire agenda, followed by a second from Marquis; motion passed.

The meeting opened and the group adjourned to the auditorium to check out the updates and changes.

Ashley Pankratz was a guest speaker and provided a 45 minute report of her recent internship in Finland. She and her children had lived there and attended school for five months. Pankratz shared the differences they experienced, the challenges, and of course the weather provided its own memories. She encouraged others to consider the program.

Principal Hewitt gave the first administrative report. He said, "The heating system project is continuing to move forward, it is up and running but still has some minor issues, which are being rectified."

He stated, "All boilers are now online. We experienced a leak in the hallway by the kindergarten rooms, which has been fixed. One classroom had an issue with the system, which was also rectified. The team was in over the two-day break and worked on balancing the system."

Hewitt added part of that needed to be put on hold due to the occupancy sensors, while still awaiting a solution for their installation. When the balancing the system was worked on, they found the pressure was too high for the individual rooms to receive water, and therefore they needed to install restrictors.

However, in doing so, there was water damage in one of the second-grade rooms. A detailed list of the damaged items is being created. The restrictors have also made noise in the system, which the team believes will disappear once the system is correctly balanced.

He was asked what his opinion was on having high school students come down to work with teachers. He replied, "The feedback I am hearing from the two that are coming down is very, very positive. They are getting a really good experience.

Norby provided the report as AD for the school. He recapped divisional volleyball tournament Malta hosted, the divisional volleyball tournament in Shelby, and the end of the volleyball season. He thanked the janitorial staff for their work over the weekend, and Bucks and Bleth for their assistance in getting the tournament completed.

High school cross country was held in Missoula, three runners attended from here and p.r.'d. Looking at next season, unless things change, there is only one member on the cross country team.

The Mustangs hosted the semi-final game on Nov. 16, with Florence-Carlton, three-time defending state champions. Generally speaking, he said Malta is one of the top contenders for a state championship. "I think they have proven that over the last two weeks in playoffs when they beat Three Forks and also Thompson Falls. The boys are playing well, Coach Ox is doing a great job. The semi-playoff game is on Saturday, here at one o'clock, it is the first one in 12 years; I encourage everyone to go and attend that, it's a great deal for our school; and a big deal for our community as well." Malta hosted the game 12 years ago.

Middle school basketball has started, Malta hosted a jamboree the weekend of Nov. 15.

The practice and season has also begun for middle school wrestling; the team won the meet at Miles City. It was very encouraging as Miles City has one of the best programs in the state. There are 41 boys out for wrestling and four girls.

Bleth complimented Norby on the great job he had done in running the volleyball tournament. "It went very smoothly, very professionally. The tourney runs as good as it does with the work that is put into it prior, and I think he did a great job. I appreciate that."

Bleth gave a report on attendance data he had put together. He explained for the board members the absences from 2023-2024 vs 2024-2045 and provided reasons why the measurement is different. His conclusion is that students are missing fewer days this year than they did last year.

He continued with a report on the old gym floor. It had been redone by High Performance Floors, the same company that does the high school gym; there is significant peeling in the floor. There could be several contributing factors – it had been done by custodians over the summer time, whether it was lack of prepping or incorrect application, no one is sure. The floor is in rough shape. The company that does the floors said they shouldn't be doing it any more by someone other than a professional. They did feel they could address most of the peeling that was on the floor when they come again. "That floor is on its last...what we got is what we got."

Work was to begin next week on the high school gym floor and they have been in contact with the insurance company regarding the damage from the water this summer about the best way to go forward to make sure it is repaired correctly.

DeVries asked, "The old gym floor, what did they say about the assessment, how long can we extend it?" Bleth replied that he had not asked that question. DeVries continues, "You said they want to try to extend the life..."

Bleth said the floor isn't getting worse, as long as a good finish is kept on it, and outside the normal wear and tear on it happens, and as long as repairs on it are done when the heaters leak water on it, we should be able to patch it up a little bit. DeVries said she was inquiring so that in time the school can look at replacing the floor. Bleth said they would probably have problems with the building before they run out of problems with the floor.

Carter Clausen presented the transportation report. Some of the information and updates he shared included the changing of buses on two routes, and Bus 3 has a read pinion noise, and hopefully it isn't the rear end, he was quite sure it was more than just being low on oil. The window has been installed on Bus 8. Candee's bus (#2) has a small transmission leak, a front pump seal on the transmission, it is limping through for a while and hopefully it can be replaced/upgraded soon. The Highway Patrol came by last Saturday and inspected and passed Bus 5 so it is back in service. Clausen stated this is the electrical nightmare bus, but it is operational.

Bus 5 did quit last Saturday on the way back from the junior high basketball trip, it has an exhaust sensor failure; it is scheduled for work next week. The 2019 Freight liner coolant leak link has finally been fixed, a rear seal has gone bad and has now been fixed.

Clausen did state that he was making a change from needing sub route drivers to needing route drivers in general.

He had received a quote from Eric Wilke on the camera system for the bus barn; Clausen stated, "He quoted me with an eight camera system, which I think is a little excessive, but that is what they come with. The system would be $3,450; so if you all want to proceed with that, it is Mr. Bucks court from there."

Clausen said he was "still waiting on the 2016 MCI that was purchased, it was in the shop and brakes were put on it, a light came on and those repairs are about $8-9,000 more trying to get that light off because they won't release it until it is 100% ready to go, so that is good for us...it is a waiting game."

His last item on his list was one of need. With the running of the Expeditions now due to smaller groups, the need for a 12-15 passenger bus. The licensing requirements for the drivers is less due to the number of passengers. Those trips are usually in the middle of the week when drivers aren't available. The issue is the funding source, they don't tall underneath the same thing as a motor coach or yellows. One bus that is parked can be used until it is needed for a route. "Price for a new one runs $60,000 to $65,000. There are used out there, they are a hot commodity," Clausen said. The option to lease was discussed since the school doesn't have the money in the budget to purchase one.

Marquis inquired if Clausen had checked with Triangle Telephone and Drew Slade about a system, and also with Spencer Electric about connections with a sales rep for the equipment.

Kolczak mentioned to check with other schools around the state, it the event one should close often there are a bus or van within the district that might be available.

Supt Bucks gave his report and showed a plaque with a golden gavel on it that the training the members had did last year.

He thanked Shayley Simanton and Milissa and Tom Flatt for their design work and painting in the board room. He said, "The plaques will go on the wall around the corner over here as soon as we can figures out a pattern to put them, but I am starting to think that might be too small. We have like 16 or 17 of them now, so we have quite a few, but I think it is time to get these up and brag about a little about our board."

The date of March 26, 2025 has been set for the middle school ski trip.

Math testing has started at the school this week; the speaker for "Born to Shine" had to cancel his presentation due to illness.

He said they had a lead on a sub for the Loring Colony, Mr. Hewitt has been working on it. The sub would be for the remainder of the year so there is still the need to find a teacher for the next year.

Bucks stated that Miss Indreland is working with sixth, seventh and eighth grade level on a program called "Why Try" and looking into a "Hope Squad." Bucks said he has a new Mastermind Course, starting in December, if anyone is interested.

Under agenda items, Bucks said they had received an app from Chrissy McEwen for a part-time kitchen help; Shyla Clausen for advisor of the National Honor Society; Cody Oxarart for middle school basketball coach and Andrea Lien will be a volunteer; Ryan LaBrie as an activities bus driver; and Michaela Score as a middle school para. Marquis made a motion to approve the list pending background checks, Oyler seconded the motion, and the motion passed upon vote.

Bucks said there had to be some shuffling around regarding four individual bus contracts due to size of buses and number of kids, etc.; upon review, Brown made a motion, seconded by Kluck to approve the bus contracts. The motion carried upon vote.

The next item was the school tool cat, Clausen stated that it would have to be declared obsolete before it could be sold and advertised for two weeks. Marquis made a motion to declare it obsolete, seconded by Kluck; motion carried.

Bucks addressed Item 4, the purchase of a new bus. He stated they were looking at a 59 passenger 2025 for $125,750 as opposed to the 2025 model 14 passenger for $98,000. The bus is a diesel and would be used for route now and later a smaller one will be ordered. Marquis inquired as to the issue of diesels having a tendency to freeze up in this part of the country with a Cummins engine. Clausen assured her it won't be a problem. Clausen stated that the original model the committee looked at was $137,000. Kluck made a motion to rescind the motion from last month to purchase the bus at a cost of $137,000 and to purchase the new bus for $125,750. Marquis seconded the motion and the motion carried.

The next agenda item was the lease of athletic paint equipment, it is a robotic tank to be used for painting the lines on the football field and on the track field. The payment is $1,700 down and $6,000 annually. Bleth stated the groundskeeper, Jason Ulrich, had been getting paid $3,900 for his time. In August paint was purchased for over $2,000. Ulrich has stated he will no longer be doing the project. The new machine comes with $1,000 worth of paint. This is a lease agreement, for three years.

Marquis moved to sign the contract for the lease, seconded by Oyler; motion carried.

DeVries stated the next board meeting will be Dec. 11th at 7 p.m. Oyler and Brown moved to adjourn, motion carried.