The July 15, 2026 Shepherd School District Board meeting is structured as both a regular board meeting and a board work session. While the formal agenda contains only a few action items, those items involve decisions with operational importance for the district, particularly fire-related facility repairs, staffing, and scheduling of future board meetings.
The most significant business concerns repairs following a January 2026 fire. District leaders are seeking approval to move forward with electrical work needed before the new school year. The project totals approximately $34,100, with the district responsible for roughly $12,602 and the district's insurer agreeing to cover an estimated $21,498 for replacement wiring and installation. Completing the work during summer is important because electrical power and internet service will need to be shut down while repairs occur.
The board is also expected to consider hiring Alyssa Zabel as a high school paraprofessional pending fingerprint clearance, demonstrating continued staffing efforts before students return for the fall semester. Another proposed action would move the August board meeting to August 12, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. to accommodate scheduling needs.
The meeting concludes with a governance-focused work session conducted with the Montana School Boards Association (MTSBA) covering board relations. While no policy changes are identified in the available packet, the session is intended to strengthen board governance and working relationships.
Major Discussion and Action Items
Fire Damage Repair Project
The largest operational issue before the board is authorization to proceed with electrical repairs resulting from a January 2026 fire.
According to the packet, the repairs must occur during the summer because portions of the school's electrical and internet systems will need to be taken offline. Delaying the work until classes resume would likely create greater disruption for students and staff.
The proposal divides responsibility between the district and its insurer. The district would pay for installation of a new 600-amp disconnect and replacement conduit and related hardware, while insurance would reimburse the major cost of replacing damaged electrical feeder wire and its installation.
The attached contractor quote from Action Electric totals $34,100, including:
- Electrical feeder wire installation: $21,498
- New 600-amp disconnect: $5,713
- New conduit, fittings, and support boxes: $6,889
Insurance correspondence included in the packet indicates the insurer agrees to cover the estimated $21,498 wiring portion and requests final invoices after work is completed.
Hiring of High School Paraprofessional
The superintendent recommends hiring Alyssa Zabel as a high school paraprofessional.
The recommendation remains contingent upon satisfactory fingerprint results, reflecting standard employment requirements before new staff begin working in the district.
Although only one position appears on this agenda, the hiring is significant because paraprofessionals provide classroom assistance and student support that directly affects instructional services.
August Board Meeting Schedule Change
District administrators recommend moving the regularly scheduled August board meeting.
The proposal would reschedule the meeting to August 12, 2026, at 6:30 p.m.
If approved, community members, employees, and anyone planning to attend board meetings should update their calendars accordingly.
Board Relations Work Session
Following regular business, trustees will participate in a board work session facilitated by the Montana School Boards Association (MTSBA).
The available packet identifies the topic as Board Relations.
Rather than focusing on district operations or finances, this session is intended to improve governance practices, communication, and the effectiveness of the elected board as it carries out its oversight responsibilities.
Public Participation Procedures
The agenda includes detailed guidance explaining how public comment is handled.
Residents may address the board on matters within the board's jurisdiction that are not already on the agenda. However, Montana law prevents the board from taking immediate action on issues first raised during public comment because those items were not publicly noticed beforehand.
The board also reminds speakers that comments about individual students, employees, or contested legal matters will not be accepted in order to protect privacy rights.
Financial Matters
The principal financial matter involves post-fire electrical repairs.
The contractor's quote identifies $34,100 in total electrical work. The district's identified responsibility consists of:
- New 600-amp disconnect: $5,713
- New conduit, fittings, and support boxes: $6,889
Together these district-funded items total approximately $12,602.
The insurance carrier has agreed to cover approximately $21,498 for replacement feeder wire and installation, substantially reducing the district's direct financial obligation.
The contractor quote also documents that the repair includes replacement electrical conductors, conduit components, junction boxes, labor for installation, system testing, and associated electrical work necessary to restore permanent service after temporary repairs made following the fire.
No additional budgets, grants, tax matters, bond issues, transfers, or major purchasing actions are identified in the accessible packet.
Policies, Ordinances, Resolutions, and Governance
No new district policies, policy revisions, ordinances, or formal governance resolutions are included in the readable packet materials.
The primary governance-related activity is the MTSBA Board Relations work session, which focuses on trustee development rather than adoption of new board policy.
The agenda also reiterates the district's established procedures governing public participation during board meetings, including limitations on board action during public comment and protections for individual privacy.
The packet primarily supports discussion rather than extensive informational reporting.
The most substantive informational material explains:
- The status of repairs following the January 2026 fire.
- The allocation of repair costs between the district and its insurer.
- The scheduling rationale for performing electrical work during summer when power and internet interruptions will have less impact on instruction.
- The planned governance training session with MTSBA focused on board relations.
No superintendent report, enrollment report, academic performance presentation, audit, or committee report appears in the readable materials.
Personnel, Appointments, and Organizational Matters
Personnel business is limited but important.
The superintendent recommends hiring:
- Alyssa Zabel as High School Paraprofessional, contingent upon successful fingerprint clearance.
No resignations, retirements, administrator contracts, board appointments, or recognitions are identified in the available packet.
Projects, Facilities, Infrastructure, and Operations
Facility recovery following the January 2026 fire represents the district's primary operational priority.
The repair project includes replacing damaged electrical feeder wire, installing a new 600-amp disconnect, replacing conduit infrastructure, installing fittings and support hardware, and testing the electrical system after installation.
Because the work requires interruptions to electrical service and internet connectivity, district leadership plans to complete construction during summer break before students return to classrooms.
Successful completion of the project should restore permanent electrical infrastructure while minimizing disruption to educational operations during the school year.
Residents have an opportunity to provide comments during the Hearing of the Public portion of the meeting.
The packet explains that:
- Public comments should concern matters within the board's jurisdiction.
- Speakers may comment on agenda items before board action.
- Matters raised during general public comment cannot receive immediate board action because they were not publicly noticed.
- Speakers are asked to complete a public comment form before addressing the board.
- Written communications may also be submitted to the board during the meeting.
No separate public hearings, bond hearings, zoning matters, or formal public input processes are identified.
Students and families are most directly affected by the planned electrical repairs because completing work during summer should reduce disruption once classes resume.
District employees may experience temporary facility work over the summer but should benefit from restored electrical infrastructure before the academic year begins.
Taxpayers have an interest in the repair financing because insurance coverage offsets a substantial share of the project's cost, reducing the district's direct financial responsibility.
The hiring of an additional high school paraprofessional supports classroom operations and student services as the district prepares for the upcoming school year.
Community members who regularly attend board meetings should note the proposed change to the August meeting date.
- What is the expected completion date for the electrical repair project?
- Will any additional fire-related repairs be presented later this year?
- Is the insurance reimbursement amount fixed or could it change after final invoices?
- Are there any anticipated cost overruns beyond the quoted $34,100?
- Will summer repair work affect athletic programs or other community activities?
- How will the district verify that all electrical systems are fully operational before school begins?
- Are additional staffing needs expected before the start of the school year?
- Why was August 12 selected as the proposed replacement meeting date?
- What topics will be emphasized during the MTSBA board relations work session?
- Are additional governance training sessions planned during the coming year?
Important Dates, Deadlines, and Next Steps
- January 2026: Fire occurred that created the need for electrical repairs.
- June 30, 2026: Action Electric prepared the repair quotation.
- July 15, 2026: Board reviews staffing recommendation, repair proposal, meeting schedule change, and conducts the board relations work session.
- Summer 2026: Planned window for electrical repairs because power and internet outages can be accommodated before school resumes.
- August 12, 2026 (6:30 p.m.): Proposed new date and time for the August board meeting if approved.
- October 6, 2026: Contractor quote remains valid through this date.
Key Takeaways
- The board's largest decision involves electrical repairs following the January 2026 fire.
- Total quoted repair cost is approximately $34,100.
- Insurance is expected to cover about $21,498 of the project.
- The district's identified responsibility is approximately $12,602.
- Repairs are planned during summer to avoid disrupting classes.
- A recommendation is before the board to hire Alyssa Zabel as a high school paraprofessional.
- Employment remains contingent upon fingerprint clearance.
- Trustees may move the August board meeting to August 12 at 6:30 p.m.
- The meeting includes a governance work session with MTSBA on board relations.
- Public comment procedures emphasize transparency while limiting immediate board action on items not listed on the agenda.
Official Sources
About the Public Body
- Name: Shepherd School District
- Organization type: school-district
- Government body: school-boards
- Location: Shepherd, montana
- County: Yellowstone
- Provider: simbli
Keywords
Shepherd School District, Shepherd Board of Trustees, July Board Meeting, work session, MTSBA, Board Relations, January 2026 fire, fire damage repair, Action Electric, electrical repairs, 600 amp disconnect, conduit replacement, insurance claim, MSGIA, feeder wire replacement, high school paraprofessional, Alyssa Zabel, fingerprint clearance, August board meeting, August 12 2026, public comment, school facilities, Yellowstone County, Shepherd Montana, district operations, electrical infrastructure, governance training
