VIENNA — Maries R-1 Superintendent Teresa Messersmith at the July 25 school board meeting shared some of the important dates for parents and teachers to know before the 2023-24 school year begins.

The back-to-school fair is from 4 to 7 p.m. today (Wednesday).

Open house will be on Aug. 17. Sixth grade will be first at 5 p.m. Other grades will join them at 6 p.m.

New teachers will start coming to work on Aug. 11. Other teachers will join them starting Aug. 14. Teachers will have a day off Friday, Aug. 18 before school begins the following Monday, Aug. 21.

Teachers will have professional development opportunities before school begins. The district will offer training for the new reading resource I-Ready and for K-12 math vertical alignment. Teachers will also go through restraint training.

At the meeting, the board approved the district’s professional development plan for the year. The vote also included the board allocating a state-mandated one percent of the district’s budget to professional development.

Messersmith also provided updates on some of the district’s summer facility projects.

Maintenance updated the sink and cabinet in the art room and the wall and sink in the kindergarten restroom. The district is also adding storage space on the balcony of the elementary school gym. The cafeteria has a new coat of paint that matches the hallways.

The parking lot received freshly painted lines. Messersmith said next year the board could want to consider getting the parking lot sealed to keep it maintained.

Repairs to the elevator are complete. Integrated Facility Services will repair a boiler leak as soon as the parts arrive.

McNew Electric is working on rewiring at the elementary school. Messersmith said the company began work on July 21, the day after the board accepted their bid.

“They’re here going and ripping things out,” she said. “They’re going full-force.”

The projected end date for the project is Aug. 20, the day before school begins.

Before school starts, the district will get inspections for all the buses it owns.

Messersmith also updated the board about the district’s finances. She reported no unexpected expenses for the month.

“It’s always nice to say that,” she said.

Formula Classroom Trust money totaled $97,179.27 for the month. Prop C revenue totaled $80,419.13. Messersmith said that figure was much more than usual and about $20,000 more than last year. Transportation revenue totaled $20,167.

Food and Nutrition was $8,581.86. Messersmith said the figure was about $25,000 less than the district received this time last year. She suspects Food and Nutrition revenue will decrease back to what it was before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The district’s electricity bill was $6,125.83, which Messersmith said was about normal. The district did not buy any propane during the month.

Auditors will visit the district on Aug. 10 and Aug. 11.

The district’s tax rate hearing will be at 5:45 p.m. on Aug. 22, which immediately precedes the August board meeting.