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Board of Education » Meeting Minutes April 28, 2026

Meeting Minutes April 28, 2026

Work Session

Date: Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Location: District Administrative Office Boardroom

 

  1. Call to Order
  2. Roll Call

The April 28, 2026 work session was called to order by School Board President Heather Simpson at 6:03 p.m.

 

Sittner aye; Steinke aye; Simpson aye; Batka aye; Tolle absent

All members present.

 

  1. Welcome Visitors
  2. Agenda Approval

Motion: Tara Steinke moved to approve the agenda as presented and John Batka seconded the motion.

                Sittner aye; Steinke aye; Simpson aye; Batka aye; Tolle absent

The vote was unanimous

 

  1. Discussion Items
    1. Betterment Options for new K-8 School

- Fransen & Pittman gave a greenhouse update

    1. Betterment Options for new K-8 School

 - Discussed betterment options and looked at playground surfacing options

 

  1. Adjournment

Motion: John Batka motioned and Tara Steinke seconded the motion to adjourn the   

April 28, 2026 work session at 6:5. p.m.                

 

Sittner aye; Steinke aye; Simpson aye; Batka aye; Tolle absent

The vote was unanimous

 

___________________________                                                        __________________________

Heather Simpson, President                                                                  John Batka, Secretary   

BOE                                                                                                                        BOE

 

Regular Meeting

Date: Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Location: District Administrative Office Boardroom

 

  1.       Pledge of Allegiance
  2.       Roll Call

The April 28, 2026 meeting was called to order by School Board Vice President Tara Steinke at 7:00 p.m.

 

Sittner aye; Steinke aye; Simpson aye; Batka aye; Tolle aye

The vote was unanimous.

  1.       Welcome Visitors    
  2.       Agenda Approval 

Motion: Tara Steinke moved to approve the agenda with the amendment of moving Action Item 8m to an Informational Item and Ryleigh Sittner seconded the motion.

 

Sittner aye; Steinke aye; Simpson aye; Batka aye; Tolle aye

The vote was unanimous.    

  1.       Recognition of Visitors Desiring to Address the Board 

None

  1.       Consent Agenda for this Meeting

Approval of meeting minutes; accounts payable in the amount of $4,246,331.95, bank reconciliations for pooled cash in the amount of $1,840,244.37, Food Service reconciliation of $193,317.90, accounting for Activity Funds, and Personnel Recommendations.

 

Motion: John Batka moved to approve the meeting minutes, accounts payable, bank reconciliation for pooled cash, food service bank reconciliation, activity funds, and personnel recommendations. Tom Tolle seconded the motion.

  

      Sittner aye; Steinke aye; Simpson aye; Batka aye; Tolle aye

      The vote was unanimous.     

  1.       Information Items
  1. Student Recognition
    1. High School Honor Choir/Honor Band 

Seven members of the Honor Band and Choir are in attendance along with Music Director, Jeremy Kaminski. This year they had 17 members participate in Patriot League Honor Choir, 8 in Patriot League Honor Band, 1 in Combined Honor League Jazz Band, 4 in Combined Honor League Choir, and 4 in Combined Honor League Band.

Their last performance of the year is May 13th when they will also be recognizing their 16 seniors.

  1.       Winter Sports Report 

Athletic Director, Kolin Harbecke provided a written report on Middle and High School Winter sports.

176 student-athletes joined a sports team this year and brought home key wins and awards including middle school girls basketball league champions, two middle school individual wrestling league champions, and high school wrestling Regional and State Champions.

  1.       Bond Update

Artaic Representative, Ryan Smelker and Adolfson & Peterson Representative, Megan Collins-Vidal provided an update.

Biggest spend month as various parts of the school are being worked on and the HVAC system is being purchased so it is ready to go as soon as they get to that point. The cost of getting the natural gas line also is more than was budgeted originally.

Asphalt has also been started to help minimize wear and tear in and out of the construction area. Elementary staff also came to tour the K-8 on their Professional Development Day. In May a Topping-Out ceremony will be held to celebrate the final steel beam being installed.

  1.       Girls Wrestling 

The middle school had enough participants for girls wrestling team this year and the high school girls participate in a co-op with Platte Valley High School.

Middle School coach, Bo Winters, has been in communication with at least two other high school teams in our area who have expressed interest in sending their girl wrestlers to Highland.

Current middle and high school girl wrestlers expressed their interest in being able to wear their school singlets, practice in their own space, and practice with other girls to help better themselves and their teammates.

  1.       Action Items 
  1.       Approval of Playground Surfacing 

Moving forward with pour in place tiles.

 

Motion: John Batka moved to approve the playground surfacing betterment. Tara Steinke seconded the motion.

Sittner aye; Steinke aye; Simpson aye; Batka aye; Tolle aye

The vote was unanimous 

  1.       Approval of MS Field Surfacing

Moving forward with a synthetic turf field with and average of a 12 year life.

 

Motion: John Batka moved to approve the Middle School field surfacing betterment. Tara Steinke seconded the motion.

 

Sittner aye; Steinke aye; Simpson aye; Batka aye; Tolle aye

The vote was unanimous 

  1.       Approval of K-8 Project, Amendment 08

No discussion.

 

Motion: John Batka moved to approve the Amendment 08 change request. Tom Tolle seconded the motion.

 

Sittner aye; Steinke aye; Simpson aye; Batka aye; Tolle aye

The vote was unanimous 

  1.       Approval of CTE, Amendment 02

No discussion.

 

Motion: Ryleigh Sittner moved to approve the CTE Amendment 02 change request. Tara Steinke seconded the motion.

 

Sittner aye; Steinke aye; Simpson aye; Batka aye; Tolle aye

The vote was unanimous 

  1.       Approval of Campus, Amendment 01

No discussion.

 

Motion: Tara Steinke moved to approve the Campus Amendment 01 change request. John Batka seconded the motion.

 

Sittner aye; Steinke aye; Simpson aye; Batka aye; Tolle aye

The vote was unanimous 

  1.       CEBT Health Insurance Renewal

There is a 5% increase in insurance rates from last year.

 

Motion: John Batka moved to approve the CEBT health renewal rates for the 2026-2027 school year. Tom Tolle seconded the motion.

 

Sittner aye; Steinke aye; Simpson aye; Batka aye; Tolle aye

The vote was unanimous 

  1.       2027-2028 School Calendar

No discussion.

 

Motion: Ryleigh Sittner moved to approve the 2027-2028 School Calendar. Tara Steinke seconded the motion.

 

Sittner aye; Steinke aye; Simpson aye; Batka aye; Tolle aye

The vote was unanimous 

  1.       Approval of Teacher Contract Recommendations

No discussion.

 

Motion: Tara Steinke moved to approve the reemployment of the listed teachers, with the exception of Chad Clarke, for the 2026-2027 school year. John Batka seconded the motion.

 

Sittner aye; Steinke aye; Simpson aye; Batka aye; Tolle aye

The vote was unanimous 

  1.       Approval of Licensed Non-Renewal Staff

No discussion.

 

Motion: John Batka moved to approve the non-renewal of the listed teachers for the 2026-2027 school  year. Tom Tolle seconded the motion.

 

Sittner aye; Steinke aye; Simpson aye; Batka aye; Tolle aye

The vote was unanimous 

  1.       Approval of Teachers in the Induction Program

No discussion.

 

Motion: Tara Steinke moved to approve the listed teachers as completing all requirements of the Weld Re-9 Teacher Induction program. Ryleigh Sittner seconded the motion.

 

Sittner aye; Steinke aye; Simpson aye; Batka aye; Tolle aye

The vote was unanimous 

  1.       Approval of Classified Salary Schedule for 2026-2027

No discussion.

 

Motion: Ryleigh Sittner moved to approve the Classified Salary Schedule for the 2026-2027 school year. John Batka seconded the motion.

 

Sittner aye; Steinke aye; Simpson aye; Batka aye; Tolle aye

The vote was unanimous 

  1.       Approval of Extra Duty Schedule 2026-2027 

Tabled for May meeting.

  1.       Superintendent Report   

Superintendent Andy Lavier highlighted February expenditures, including  payments to ABC Child Development Centers for 1 month of tuition for 3 year olds enrolled in UPK, Radio Resource for upgrades to the High School camera system, and WEX Fleet Universal for a bus fuel costs for the month.

Hiring for the next school year is pretty much complete for Classified and Licensed staff and principals and directors can focus on wrapping up evaluations next.

CFO, Alicia Hoops, has been working on the budget for next year and will be ready to provide a proposed budget next month.

  1.       EMA Team Member Report

Secretary, John Batka, thanked the high school staff for putting on meetings with students and parents to go over class selections for next year and their goals after graduation. After-prom was also a huge success and thanked the volunteers and everyone who donated items to those attending.

Maintenance Director, Davin Armstrong, inquired about the possibility of an athletic survey being sent out for parent and player feedback on how the seasons have gone.

Vice President, Tara Steinke, shared the Ag Advisory committee is excited for the greenhouses going in and 2 students from our welding course maked it in the top 10 of a Welding Competition put on by Buckeye Welding in Denver.

Parent, Jessica Brug, thanked the food service staff for the meals they put out for the students especially the Asian Bowl which he kids would love to have every week.

TMF Secretary, Sara VanWhy, thanked the school board and community for the district wide bonuses, Administrative Professional Day lunch, and breakfast for the entire Transportation and Maintenance Staff.

  1.       Adjournment

Motion: Tara Steinke moved and John Batak seconded the motion to adjourn the April 28, 2026 Board of Education meeting at 8:22 p.m.      

  

Sittner aye; Steinke aye; Simpson aye; Batka aye; Tolle aye

The vote was unanimous.

 

 

___________________________                                             __________________________

Heather Simpson, President                                                        John Batka, Secretary

BOE                                                                                              BOE