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Jan. 14th, 2025 Board Meeting Recap

OVERVIEW OF ITEMS AND ACTIONS FROM THE JAN. 14TH BOARD MEETING

​We are awaiting the recording of this meeting.  Once it is posted, you can access it at HERE if you want to watch any parts yourself.

Key Items and Comments about Them

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Item 4, Election of Officers for 2025.  The Trustees nominated Yvonne Wagstaff, who ran unopposed, for Board President.  She was approved 7-0.  Next, Melinda Gneiting was nominated for Vice President, and she also was unopposed.  She was approved 6-1 with Trustee Dickerson voting against. Trustee Katherine Dickerson was nominated and ran unopposed for Clerk.  She was approved 7-0.

 

Agenda Item 5, Leadership Presentation from Scarselli Elementary.  Susan McNeall and Molly Ravenscroft, administrators for SES, reported the school staff’s efforts to involve parents, families, and the community as volunteers and visitors; they highlighted programs to recognize students for positive action and for critical thinking enrichment activities; and they shared noteworthy improvement in attendance rates for 2023-2024 and the focus on improving learning and performing better on academic tests in the areas of reading, math, and English Language Learners.  

 

Consent Agenda Item 6B., Accounts Payable Special and Regular Run Vouchers. This report lists four legal costs for the month of December 2024, and it does not include any billing from Joey Gilbert Law Firm.  Here are the four legal expense charges for December 2024:

Gilmore Law, $1,615.00

Adams, Esq., $10,000.00

Silver State Law, $14,882.50

Ogletree Deakins (for client matters), $9,204.00

The total legal expenses for December 2024 is $35,701.50.

From past billings, we believe that the charges from Gilmore Law and Silver State Law relate to the Writ of Mandamus lawsuit; we are not sure what the other two charges relate to.

 

Item 7, Introduction and Special Recognition.  Mr. Alvarado invited Douglas’s Mighty Might Cheer Squad and their coach to share about district elementary students on the team who competed in a national competition in Florida.  The group took 5th place in its age group.

 

Item 8 (D.), Annual Organization.  The Board approved a school board meeting calendar for 2025-2026 that moves meeting days from the second Tuesday of each month to the third Thursday.  The board set different meeting days for the months of February, May, and June.  The final meeting schedule will be published on the district website and the school board calendar.

 

Item 9, Annual Calendar Approval.  District staff presented proposed calendars for the secondary and elementary schools in DCSD for 2025-2026.  Trustees asked questions and discussed the proposed calendars.  Mr. Burns moved to approve them but failed to get a second.  Mr. Zinke advocated to move the proposed professional development district forum dates from the first week of the second semester of 2026 to the second week in an effort to reduce absences for students.  The board directed Mr. Alvarado and his staff to survey staff members about this potential change, and it postponed the item until February’s meeting in order to gather more information.  This will be addressed at the February meeting.

 

Item 10, Legal Services Contract.  Mr. Alvarado introduced Ryan Russell, an attorney with Allison MacKenzie, Ltd., located in Carson City.  Mr. Alvarado explained that he and three trustees reviewed three law firms and decided to recommend Allison MacKenzie because of the firm's experience with education law.  Mr. Russell provided additional background and explained his experience, including that he is currently representing four school districts, including Carson City.  He committed to work within the district’s budget and to work with Mr. Alvarado to keep costs and billing in check.  He did say that if the district did get sued in the future, he would recommend outside counsel to take on litigation.  After some deliberation and questions, the board voted 7-0 to approve the proposed contract and secure legal services for the school district.

 

Item 13, Student Representative Report.  Ender Demsey provided his final report and highlighted activities and achievements mostly at Douglas High School and Whittell High School.  He said that the next representative will be a student from Whittell, and he has been working with her to take over the student representative role at the February meeting.  Mr. Alvarado presented Ender with a thank you card and announced that the district would provide him with a $500 scholarship.

 

Item 15, Superintendent Report.  Mr. Alvarado reviewed the enrollment report presented as a consent agenda item, and he reported that between December and January, the district decreased enrollment by 13 students.  He provided the reasons for the student withdrawals.  

 

Item 17, Public Comment Returned to 3-Minutes.  The board discussed increasing public comment from 1.5 minutes to 3 minutes.  Trustee Zinke asked if this would also apply to allowing the public to make comments on action items, and it seemed that the board agreed at this time that the President has the authority to allow comment on action items.  After additional discussion, Trustee Gneiting moved to increase all public comments to 3 minutes, Trustee Miller seconded, and the motion passed 6-1, with Trustee Jansen voting against.

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Meeting Recording

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