The Board met Wednesday, January 18, at 6 pm for their regularly scheduled monthly meeting. Here is a recap of the meeting highlights. You can view the complete agenda and supporting documents at: https://www.mywebschooltools.com/schools/Lawson/BoardMeeting/public.php.
Celebrations: Our January student "Board Spotlight" was on 8th Grade Middle School Student Cooper Bellemore for being named 1st Chair Trombone in the NW District Jazz Band.
We also celebrated 2 staff members. HS/MS Speech Drama/Broadcasting teacher Mr. Matthew Sanchez was spotlighted as an Excelsior Springs Town and County Newspaper “Teacher of The Year.” Finalist. Head Varsity Football Coach Mr. Caleb Crawford was spotlighted as the Excelsior Springs Town and County Newspaper “Coach of The Year.” The Board of Education congratulates all three of our January spotlight recipients for their accomplishments and for representing the Lawson community with class.
Items for Discussion:
Strategic Plan Revision: Mr. Stephenson presented revisions to the District Vision and Mission Statements, Priorities, and Beliefs to the Board for consideration. The revisions were approved and the updated Strategic Plan is now ready to be shared with the school community. Be on the lookout for more information to be shared soon.
2023-2024 Academic Calendar: The Board approved the 2023-2024 Academic Calendar as presented. The 1st day of school for the 2023-2024 school year will be Tuesday, August 22, with the last day of school being Friday, May 17, 2024. Click to access the complete 2023-2024 Academic Calendar
2023 Summer Pay Rates: The Board approved a pay increase for the Summer School teachers and summer student workers. This was the first increase in pay for Summer School teachers and student workers since the spring of 2020. The increases were as follows: $1 per hour increase for summer school teachers, a $2 per hour increase for summer school nurses aids and secretaries, a $2 per hour increase for summer college workers, and a $1.70 per hour increase for summer high school workers. These changes bring all summer pay rates at or above the Missouri minimum wage.
Mower Bids: The Board reviewed and approved the bid provided by Magnum Power to purchase a new EXMARK zero-turn mower to be added to the current groundskeeping equipment fleet.
District Lakeview Property (Lots 18-23): The Board approved declaring Lots 18-23 as surplus property and intends to sell the property. The Board will take up action on the pricing and listing of the property during their February meeting.
Items for information:
Communications Director Update: District Communications Director Mrs. Christiana Cross provided an update on the usage of our new website and school app analytics. She also reported that the District is continuing to make updates to the system that will benefit the school community in gaining greater access to information.
Superintendent Update: Superintendent Mr. Michael Stephenson provided an update to the Board on several items. He reported that the district is working on scheduling a community meeting in February to provide an opportunity to share the details of the recently approved Strategic Plan and provide an opportunity for Q&A with the community to gain input and feedback to aid in continuing to gain community trust and provide greater transparency.
Closed Session Items
Retirement Announcement: During the January BOE Executive Session, the Board received and approved the official retirement resignation submitted by Mrs. Susan Edwards, MS Counselor. Mrs. Edwards has been a Lawson Cardinal for 15 of her 30 years in education. Throughout her tenure as a Lawson Cardinal, she has focused on students and assisting them to be the best they can be. She has had a tremendous impact on her fellow staff and many students in the district. She will be greatly missed, and we wish her nothing but the best. The Middle School counselor position is currently open, and the district is accepting applications. Additional information related to the position can be found by accessing the following link: https://lawsoncardinals.tedk12.com/hire/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=3173.
Middle School Principal Recommendation: The Board approved the hire of Mr. Travis Zahl for the position of Lawson Middle School Principal. Mr. Zahl currently serves as the Lawson Middle School Assistant Principal and District Athletic Director. The District will begin searching for a Middle School Principal/AD immediately, with an anticipated hiring date of February 15, 2023.
Feel free to contact Mr. Stephenson if you have questions or concerns regarding any information provided in this recap or other district matters. He can be reached by email at stephensonm@lawsoncardinals.org or by phone at (816)-580-7277.