Berthoud Weekly Surveyor | Covering all the angles in the Garden Spot

TSD honors BHS scholarship finalists

February 28, 2023 | Community News

By Brendan Henry and Will Cornelius

The Surveyor

The Thompson School District’s (TSD) Board of Education last regular meeting took place on Wednesday, Feb. 15. All members of the board were present except for Barbara Kruse.

After unanimously passing the agenda and approving minutes from the last meeting and study session, the board looked to Superintendent Marc Schaffer to give his report. Schaffer began by recognizing Daniel Hatton and Kaitlyn Tollefson, both students at Berthoud High School (BHS), as Boettcher Scholarship semifinalists. The Boettcher Scholarship is one of the most competitive and prestigious scholarships for students in Colorado said Schaffer. He said even being named a semifinalist was an exceptional honor.

Hatton, along with his brother Jesse Hatton, were also announced as Daniels Scholar finalists. Finally, Schaffer also highlighted two John Irwin School of Excellence award winners, Berthoud Elementary School and Big Thompson Elementary School.

Next, board members presented their reports, starting with Nancy Rumfelt’s discussion of the co-responder program. The program allows for intervention with troubled children without legal interference. Stu Boyd spoke about the Berthoud Faith Coalition that he is a member of. The Coalition is a collection of local churches that work together to identify ways to better serve the community. Boyd hopes to create a community partnership between the school board and the program.

The meeting then moved on to public comments, which lasted over an hour. Topics included the relationship between parents and teachers, compensation for school employees, worries regarding how gender identity is being discussed in schools, concerns about the effects of drugs being used for mental health, Title IX, COVID-19 vaccine mandates and the termination of an agreement to use ditch water to water Turner Middle School.

After public comments, the board moved on to action consent items. Boyd requested that the termination agreement for use of ditch water at Turner Middle School be discussed separately. The rest of the consent items were unanimously approved.

The board then moved on to discuss action items. Todd Piccone informed the board that the Citizen’s Bond Oversight Committee needed two new members. Vice-chair Dawn Kirk then drew two names at random out of a basket provided by Piccone. Christina Johnson and Zach Artis were randomly drawn as the two newest members of the oversight committee and will be invited to the next meeting. The board then unanimously approved the selections.

Boyd then asked for clarification regarding the termination of ditch water at Turner Middle School from Piccone. Boyd wanted to know why it was not more prudent to suspend, as opposed to terminate, the agreement. Piccone said that it was an infrastructure issue and that an updated agreement is needed regardless, making a suspension redundant. The board then unanimously approved the termination.

The meeting ended with updates about a youth shelter in the school district, the co-responder program, an update on TSD’s involvement with the Loveland Urban Renewal Authority, a plan for affordable housing for TSD employees and an update on negotiations regarding TSD staff compensation.

On March 1, the board held a study session at Cottonwood Plains Elementary. The next regular meeting will be held after Spring break on March 22.

 

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