Frenchman RE-3 board advances BEST grant match, approves 2026-27 calendar

The Frenchman RE-3 Board of Education advanced a long-term capital financing commitment when members approved the BEST grant match for 20 years at 18 percent of the district’s assessed valuation on a 4-1 vote, and also unanimously approved the 2026-27 school calendar. The motion passed with Jeff Brekel, Jeff Harms, Kamie Lambrecht and Sue Workman voting yes and Dave Etl voting no.

The small district that serves Fleming and surrounding rural areas in Logan County met Feb. 17 in the Fleming School/Community Library, hearing updates from staff members and taking action on routine finance and personnel matters. Board membership present and recorded in votes included Jeff Brekel, Dave Etl, Jeff Harms, Kamie Lambrecht and Sue Workman.

The board unanimously approved the consent agenda, which included the Jan. 20, 2026 meeting minutes, bills, payroll and the student activity fund. Under action items within the consent agenda, the board accepted resignations of Megan King as volleyball coach and Patty Kuhn as transportation coordinator.

During new business the board unanimously approved the 2026-27 school calendar and added three people to the district substitute list: Katherine Rushton, Debra VanDerWerken and Krisandra Taylor. Those personnel and calendar votes were recorded as unanimous.

Additional unanimous approvals included a band trip to London, a Colorado Department of Education invoice in the amount of $12,448.8 and confirmation that the superintendent is operating within Policy EL-7, Instructional Materials Selection and Adoption, and Policy EL-8, School Year Calendar. Staff updates were presented at the meeting; the meeting record does not include the substance of those updates.

The BEST grant match vote represents a binding board decision specifying term and percentage but the meeting record provided no assessed valuation figure or projected annual dollar amounts tied to the 18 percent match, and no rationale for Dave Etl’s dissent was recorded. The board’s action on the BEST match was presented in the meeting as approval of the match for the stated term and percentage.

Board members scheduled upcoming training and meetings: school board training March 3 at 6 p.m.; a work session March 24 at 5:30 p.m.; and the next regular board meeting March 24 at 6:30 p.m. When the board reconvenes on March 24 members have the opportunity to address outstanding fiscal details on the BEST match, the Colorado Department of Education invoice and the logistics and funding for the approved London band trip.