R-X superintendent resigns, approves five-day school week

While the Twin Rivers R-X school district continues to face the COVID-19 pandemic and after making a decision about next year’s calendar, the school board will face another challenge before the start of the 2020-21 school year — a superintendent search.

Superintendent Jeremy Siebert put in his resignation to the board during a semi-virtual board meeting Tuesday night.

Siebert accepted the superintendent position at Charleston R-I schools last week and is scheduled to start in that position at the beginning of July.

He has held the position at R-X for the last six years, but has worked as an administrator for 13 of his 22 years in education.

Before coming to Twin Rivers, he worked as a principal at Kelly R-IV and Campbell R-II districts.

Siebert earned his Bachelor of Science in Education from Southeast Missouri State University in 1998 after transferring from Missouri Valley College where he played basketball. He received his Masters in 2001 from William Woods University (WWU) and a specialists in 2004 from WWU.

Siebert has been married to his wife Mika for almost 19 years; they have 3 children: Kaden (17), Conor (13), and Kennan (12).

“I am very much looking forward to being a Bluejay and becoming a part of the Charleston R-I School District and community,” Siebert said. "I've enjoyed my time with Twin Rivers and wish the district well."

He said he accepted a two-year contract fir $108,000 a year.

Board President Billy Watson also thanked members David Dugger and Roger Baxter for their contributions to the board. All three of their seats are up for election with Watson the only incumbent running.

The election has been pushed back from the original April 7 date to June 2 due to COVID-19.

“We appreciate both of you guys for serving our school,” Watson said. “This is an unprecedented time that we’re in and you’re the lucky ones to serve an oddball term. We appreciate all that you’ve done for our school district.”

2020-21 Calendar

The board took action on the 2020-21 academic calendar after two months of discussion and tabling of the business to unanimously approve a five-day calendar.

The question of the calendar first came up in October when the district requested the opinions of teachers and parents about the possibility of a four-day week. Both groups responded over 75% favorably to the idea.

Board members discussed it again in January and February with a presentation from Dr. Jon S. Turner with Missouri State University who has conducted statewide research into four-day weeks. At the end of the February discussion, they requested additional information to make a decision.

Due to the impact of the COVID-19, additional research wasn’t done, according to Siebert. The board still voted to approve a previously presented five-day calendar for the year.

Under this calendar, students will start Monday, Aug. 24. Thanksgiving break will be from Nov. 23-27 with Christmas break from Dec. 21 through Jan. 1.

Spring break would be Wednesday, March 11, through Monday, March 15, 2021. Students would have Friday, April 2, and Monday, April 5, 2021, off for Easter break. With the approved calendar, school will end May 11, 2021.

The bell schedule will add 15 minutes per day to address a later start date mandated by state law.

COVID-19

The school district is out of class due to the coronavirus pandemic until May 1. Siebert said as the end of April approaches, he expects area school districts will discuss what to do going forward.

“It’s only getting worse, it’s not getting better,” he said. “We only have about 10 school days left after we go back. Another extension would end our school year.”

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has excused all days missed due to the pandemic as well as cancelled state testing and suspended the Annual Performance Report for the year.

Meals are available for students through the Broseley Nutrition Center every weekday from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Siebert said the district has been sharing resources with the Center such as food that could go bad before students return.

“We just donated it all to them,” he said.

Taking the donations into account, the district will reimburse the Center $2.50 per student. The district is reimbursed from the state for these meals.

Retirement Incentive

Faculty members who wish to retire this year will receive a one-time $4,000 incentive. This is a one-time offer, Siebert said, with the goal of absorbing some positions in order to tighten the budget.

Siebert explained that the Campbell school district used this kind of incentive while he was there and was able to absorb one of the three or four positions that were vacated as a result of it.

If this results in one position being absorbed, the district would still save money, he said.

Anybody who accepts the offer would still receive payment for their unused paid time off.

The conversation came up as the district looks for ways to tighten the budget after the 2018-19 audit saw a $856,000 deficit in spending.