School board recap from April meeting

The Churchill County School Board approved a contract for incoming superintendent Blake Cooper and adopted a tentative budget for the next fiscal year during its April 21 meeting, setting the district on track to enter 2027 with a balanced budget.

Trustees opened the meeting with standard procedures — call to order, roll call, verification of agenda posting, and the Pledge of Allegiance — before approving the agenda and moving into public comment, as required under Nevada’s Open Meeting Law.

The board recognized Churchill County High School’s state archery champions and heard a presentation marking the Month of the Military Child, highlighting the district’s connection to Naval Air Station Fallon.

Trustees then received written and verbal updates from district leadership, including enrollment data, human resources activity, and reports from school principals. Superintendent Derild Parsons also provided a general update on district operations.

Business Services, led by Comptroller Amanda Hammond, presented required quarterly reports, including budget-to-actual figures, workers’ compensation, student funds, board budget status, and travel expenditures.

The board reviewed upcoming events, including graduation ceremonies and academic award nights scheduled for May and early June.

Trustees approved the consent agenda in a single vote, covering personnel actions, vouchers, payroll, prior meeting minutes, and budget transfers. They also approved updated bylaws for the district’s Title VI Parent Advisory Committee.

Following a closed session for negotiations, trustees unanimously approved Cooper’s contract. The agreement includes a two-year term beginning July 1, 2026, with the board set to consider a one- or two-year extension before July 2027. The contract ties the superintendent’s annual step increase to those provided to bargaining units, meaning he would not receive a step increase in years when employees do not.

Cooper addressed the board after the vote, emphasizing his ties to the community and his commitment to leading the district with integrity.

Trustees also approved employment contracts for a human resource analyst and the director of student services.

In other business, the board accepted a proposal for employee insurance coverage for the 2026–27 fiscal year. The plan includes a 7.7% increase in health insurance premiums, along with smaller increases for dental and vision coverage.

One of the most significant items of the evening was the adoption of the district’s tentative budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027. District leaders said the budget is built on conservative assumptions and avoids reliance on one-time federal funds that have expired.

Hammond noted that the budget accounts for declining enrollment and other shifting factors while maintaining priority programs. Trustees repeatedly described the document as “solid” and based on realistic projections.

The district has taken steps in recent years to control costs, including managing staffing levels and prioritizing essential services. Even so, trustees raised concerns about long-term sustainability. One board member warned that fiscal year 2028 could be “tight” if spending discipline slips.

Much of the pressure comes from state funding formulas. Administrators pointed to reductions in funding for at-risk students due to changes in qualification criteria, as well as ongoing challenges in funding special education services. In one example, the district previously received significantly more funding for at-risk students before changes in state calculations reduced that support by hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Special education funding also remains a concern, as state formulas only fully fund services up to a certain percentage of students, leaving districts to absorb additional costs.

Despite these challenges, trustees noted that Churchill County is among the few districts in Nevada entering the next fiscal year with a balanced budget. The tentative budget was approved unanimously.

The board also conducted a first reading of several policies, including those related to budget development, personnel complaints, attendance, and student enrollment. Some policies are being recommended for deletion or renumbering as part of ongoing cleanup and alignment with current regulations.

Trustees discussed forming a facilities-naming committee and identified topics for a board subcommittee focused on assessment and accountability to pursue in the future.

The meeting concluded with additional public comment and a second closed session related to labor negotiations.