Board Meeting Report

The Wentzville School District Board of Education held its regular meeting on Wednesday, August 18, 2021. It was live-streamed via the District YouTube channel and can be viewed by visiting the WSD on YouTube. The agenda and available supporting documents can be viewed online under Public Access to BoardDocs.

Scout Schawb from Liberty High School was recognized as a member of the class of 2021. Dr. Ben Hebisen, Director of Alternative and Adaptive Learning shared remarks praising Schwab’s work through the District’s Alternative Program.

Logan Wering and Aidan Taitt were recognized for their completion of the MoAMP program. The MoAMP program has partnered with Pearce Hall to provide free grant funded specialized trainings to individuals that are recent grads or have graduated from the Wentzville School District. It is open to any former graduate and members of their family.

The Board of Education approved Dr. Kelly Mantz as the principal of the new Middle School, effective July 1, 2022. Dr. Mantz has been the Principal of Wentzville Middle School for the past nine years. Prior to becoming the Principal of WMS, she served as an Assistant Principal at Holt High School for seven years. During this time, Dr. Mantz has served on the iObservation Teacher Evaluation Committee, the District WNEA Negotiating team, and the District Curriculum Committee. Prior to joining the Wentzville School District, she was a teacher in both the Rockwood and Mehlville School Districts. Dr. Mantz received her Master’s Degree, her Educational Specialist Degree, and her Doctorate Degree in Educational Administration from Lindenwood University.

The Board of Education also approved the resignation of Derrick Docket, Chief Communications Officer, effective September 30, 2021. Mr. Docket has accepted a position outside of the District.

Superintendent Dr. Curtis Cain shared information regarding the updated Guidance for the return to school. Masks are optional in the WSD but are required on school buses per federal mandate. Information from the St. Charles County Department of Public Health, Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were presented along with information about contact tracing, quarantine and plans to support students during extended absences. The WSD will continue to monitor conditions throughout the District and may require the need for changes at any given time.

Derrick Docket, Chief Communications Officer, presented a review of the Communications and Community Relations department. He shared that the WSD social media pages have experienced steady growth and shared information regarding District communications, outreach efforts, and the recent communications survey.

Sherri Bertrand, Director of Assessment, presented an update regarding recent testing data and shared that the WSD outperformed several national and state averages in the 2020-2021 school year. ACT scores and graduation rates have also been consistent with previous averages.

The Board of Education voted to let the students suggest names for the new Middle School in accordance with Policy 7230. The new middle school is scheduled to open for the 2022-2023 school year. More information regarding submitting names will be forthcoming in the coming weeks.