Muldrow Board of Education holds productive meeting

The Muldrow Board of Education convened at 6 p.m. on September 11, for their regular scheduled board meeting, addressing several important matters for the school year.

The meeting kicked off with Darin Huggins making a motion to approve various consent agenda items, including the minutes of the Aug. 14 regular board meeting, and the Aug. 24 special board meeting. The motion, seconded by Colby Wilson, was carried with unanimous support from board members Darin Phelps, Dowen Green, Chad Sutton, and Colby Wilson.

In a significant development, Jennifer Harlow’s resignation was accepted during the meeting, and the board moved on to approve the 2023-24 General Fund Encumbrances #215 to #267 in the amount of $108,000.21, along with Building Fund encumbrances #11 to #13, totaling $33,218.71. Furthermore, the board approved 2023-24 General Fund Payroll encumbrances #50,173 to #50,174, amounting to $58,460.77.

During the Superintendent’s Report, Clifta Fugett discussed the National School Board Convention, reviewed the September calendar, provided insights into current enrollment numbers, and discussed the USDA Grant.

Dowen Green then presented a motion to approve the Alternative Education Plan for 2023-24, with Chad Sutton seconding the motion. Once again, the motion carried with unanimous support from all board members.

The board proceeded to approve the employment of Kaitlyn Yates as a cook on a temporary contract for the school year.

The appointment of after school Gifted and Talented teachers for the elementary and middle schools for the 2023-24 school year was also discussed. Chad Sutton initiated a motion to employ Elizabeth Rosenberg for the elementary school and Whitney Sutton and Donna Wilson for the middle school.

Huggins made a motion to approve the Estimate of Needs and authorize the printing of the Publication Sheet for the 2023-24 school year. Sutton seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

Green made a motion to approve the district committees for the school year 2023-24. Chad Sutton initiated a motion to approve the General Fund/Activity Fund Budgets as presented for the same school year.

As part of community engagement efforts, Fugett conducted public hearings to gather input regarding the district’s request to administer the ACT in lieu of the statewide assessment, as well as the district’s ARP Funding and Safe Return Plan for the 2023-24 school year.

Sutton made a motion to approve the district’s ARP/ESSER III Spending Plan and Safe Return Plan for the 2023-24 school year, with Wilson seconding the motion. In the final part of the meeting, the board approved changes to various district policies, including CDAC, CN-R1, DEC-R7, DED-R2, DEFA-R1, EFA, EFA-P, EFA-R1, EHBDBA, EMC, FO-R5, FOD, FOD-R, FFACC, FFACDA, GI, and GKF, as listed in the agenda.

Wilson also initiated a motion to approve fund transfers from the Middle School Library Account to the Elementary School Library Account, with Green seconding the motion.

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.