Personnel and board reorganizations topped the agendas of area school board meetings held this week at Grundy R-5, Laredo, Spickard, Princeton and Tri-County.
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Personnel and board reorganizations topped the agendas of area school board meetings held this week at Grundy R-5, Laredo, Spickard, Princeton and Tri-County.
Grundy R-5
Budget cuts have forced the elimination of the preschool program and several aide positions at Grundy R-5 School.
Superintendent Paul Huey said the board voted to eliminate the preschool program based on state projections affecting the district?s financial status. Included in the elimination of the program were the non-renewal of the preschool teacher?s contract of Shanna Johnson, as well as the contract for the aide, Shelly Cunningham. Other positions not offered were Bonnie Peck, library aide; Michelle Grisamore, elementary classroom aide; and Terry Rains, evening custodian.
Huey stressed that the elimination of the positions had nothing to do with the job performance and commended all of those listed above for their work in the district. He said he hoped that at some point, the board would be able to offer a preschool program in the future. In all, Huey said $152,470 was cut from the budget during the meeting.
?We had to make cuts,? Huey said, ? and unfortunately I think it?s not the end of it.?
Huey said the board considered cutting the ITV Program, but decided to keep the program this year.
In discussing salaries, a motion was made to not offer salary increases to administrators. Huey said that motion died for lack of a second and the board then voted to give administrators and non-certified staff a 4 percent raise. At last month?s meeting, certified staff received small increases on the salary schedule with career ladder funds being absorbed into the schedule.
With the exception of those already mentioned, the board voted to hire all non-certified staff.
The results from the April 8 election were certified, with the oath of office given to Connie Followwill and Eric Gann. Officers were elected with Kim Oaks serving as president and Brian Peterson serving as vice president. Shelly Searcy was re-appointed board secretary and Marilyn Shipley was re-appointed as treasurer.
In other business, the board agreed to loan the Laredo R-7 School District a small bus to use on a field trip to Omaha, NE, and offered a contract to Alicia Rojas, who will be paid $35 per hour for speech therapy services. Attendance reports were given, with the elementary school recording a 94.85 percent attendance rate for March and the high school showing a 94.4 percent attendance rate to this point in the year.
Elementary Principal Lisa Fairley reported on the 2002-2003 criteria for releasing students who are in the Independent Reading Program.
It was agreed to get a gun from the Wild Turkey Federation to use in a raffle and board members agreed to have summer school for high school students, with two teachers needed for 10 days at six and one-half hours per day. The focus will be social studies and math, Huey said.
Huey also said the Technology Plan has been approved and sent to the state and the district has undergone an audit from the Office of Civil Rights.
Several dates for spring activities have been finalized, including prom, which will be held Saturday, May 3; baccalaureate, which is set for 7 p.m., Saturday, May 17 at the Christian church; and graduation, which will be held at 2 p.m., Sunday, May 18 in the new gym. Classes will be dismissed for the summer at 12:30 p.m., May 20.
The next regular board meeting is scheduled for May 19.
Laredo R-7
The Laredo R-7 Board of Education agreed to renew seven non-certified contracts during its meeting on Monday night.
According to information provided by Superintendent Shawn Schultz, the board also accepted his resignation, effective at the end of the school year. Schultz was recently hired as the new high school principal in the Grundy R-5 School District.
The board swore in newly-elected board member Matt Foster. In a reorganization of the board, Jim Marsh was elected president, Brad Tolson was chosen as vice president and Mona Shiflett was elected as treasurer.
The board was told that the school has been awarded $12,500 from the Hoover Foundation to be used for the new gym floor. It was decided to offer a summer school program and the 2003-2004 school calendar was approved, with the first day of classes being Aug. 19 and the last day being May 14.
The board reviewed bids for a furnace at the school and narrowed the list to two. The bidders will be asked to present their plans at a future board meeting.
There was a discussion of board training being offered through the Grand River ITV Network.
The board held an executive session for personnel and a student concern.
A special board meeting has been scheduled for Monday, April 28. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 12.
Spickard
The Spickard R-2 Board of Education accepted three teacher resignations during its meeting Monday night.
Principal Ruth Ann Shipps said the board accepted the resignations of Brenda Thorne, special education; Karen Ceradsky, Title I; and Carol Reger, music. Ms. Shipps also reported on the contract status of other employees.
John Vandever and Harry Brown were given the oath of office following the certification of election results. Officer elections included Todd Wilson, president; J.R.Roberts, vice president; John Vandever, treasurer; and Makaila Thompson, secretary.
A presentation on donated property was tabled until the regular meeting later in the month. An executive session was held on personnel with no announcement made.
The next meeting of the board will be at 7 p.m. on April 23.
Princeton
The Princeton Board of Education met on Monday night, offering contracts and approving bids for a roof and mowing.
Superintendent Alan Hamilton said that contracts were offered to certified and support staff for the 2003-2004 school year. Tenure was approved for Dave Richman, Deb Petrick and Bryan Williams.
Extended-duty contracts were given to high school principal George Scurlock, elementary principal Dulcie Price, special education director Tamie Miller, A-Plus/At-Risk Coordinator Cheryl Snapp, ag instructor Bryan Williams, assistant ag instructor Matt Ray, FCCLA teacher Nancy Gamet, elementary guidance counselor Veda Flowers and high school guidance counselor Deb Petrick. Extra duty assignments were also approved for all activities for the year, including athletics and extracurricular.
The board approved a contract with SRI Contractors of Unionville for $12,731 to repair the gym roof. Work is to begin immediately.
Also approved was a bid from Phillips Lawn Care of Princeton for $7,425 to mow the school grounds this summer.
Approval was given to a request from the senior class for an overnight trip in May to Osage Beach. Final bus routes were approved and the board reviewed several programs.
The next meeting of the board will be Monday, May 12.
Tri-County
Personnel issues were among the items discussed during a meeting on Friday of the Tri-County R-7 Board of Education, with board members also reorganizing after the April 8 election.
According to information provided by Tri-County Superinten-dent Ron Garber, the meeting was attended by several parents and students, who were supporting two teachers whose contracts were not renewed for the 2003-2004 school year. One of those instructors, Melissa Robinson, was later offered a contract for the next school year.
Also offered contracts were Hilary Skinner, Parents as Teachers/Preschool; Mandi Hemery, speech therapist; and Gene Walker, science. Resignations were accepted from Robyn Hayden, Janara Sims and Bruce Williams. All non-certified staff members were offered contracts, with the exception of Bill Hodges, who has served as custodian and bus driver. The non-certified staff will receive the same salaries as for the 2002-2003 school year, with the exception of cooks whose salaries will be adjusted to become equalized.
In other business, the board agreed to accept bids for copy machines and service contracts, approved policy updates and approved the sponsorship list, the elementary and secondary handbooks and the technology plan. The early-outs for the revised 2003-2004 school calendar were approved and it was announced that L. Dean Reno will conduct the 2002-2003 school audit.
The board reorganized with Richard Dustman again serving as president. Rodney Odom is serving as vice president, while Rena Perkins will be the treasurer and Stephanie Eckert will serve as legislative representative.
The board will hold its next regular meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13.