Board approves routine motions, reallocates $1.9M in Title funds and authorizes literacy screeners

The Morris School District board received committee reports and approved a package of routine motions covering minutes, policy first reads, personnel actions, contracts and business matters. Key items discussed included an amended reallocation of federal Title funds, purchases and facilities updates.

The finance report noted an amended ESEA reallocation that would reassign $1,900,000 among Title grant line items without changing the total allocation. "The number stays the same. The money just moves between the different title amounts," a finance committee representative said.

The board authorized funding for universal literacy screeners used to measure early reading skills, a purchase described as about $14,000 in total to support the district's adoption of state-aligned universal screeners starting in the 2025–26 school year. The committee discussed selecting the DIBELS screening tool and noted parental-notification requirements for screening results.

Facilities work reported out included a proposed turf installation at Harder Road that was blocked after state Department of Environmental Protection review raised issues about wetland buffers and an endangered-owl habitat. The district's architect proposed an alternative plan to install turf at the front of FMS that would accommodate most field sports other than football; business staff are exploring additional funding to proceed. Roof replacements, security vestibules at the high school, middle school and Woodland, boiler and elevator repairs at FMS and a substantial atrium renovation at the high school were also listed among planned summer projects. The district also reported taking delivery of a new 54-passenger, air-conditioned bus.

During the business portion the board moved and approved grouped motions across several sections of the agenda (minutes, policy, educational matters, human resources and business matters). Roll-call votes recorded broad approval for the grouped items; a small number of abstentions were recorded in the roll calls called on the floor.