| School
board meets
The school board held their regular November meeting Monday, Nov. 21 The results of the Idaho Reading Indicator and Idaho Standards and Achievement Test were presented to the board in handouts from the principals. Recommendations for extra-curricular hires were taken into an executive session right after the meeting started for discussion. During the session the board members asked that names of those recommended for hire be added to the agenda in the future. Joe Baerlocher had been recommended for JV Boys coach and Ed Holthaus for 7th grade boys. They were approved for hire with board member Brit Groom voting against. Also approved for hire was Darline Heath as a special education aide. Margo Bambacigno attended the meeting and voiced a concern about safety issues for students at Prairie High School. The board and administrators reassured her that the most important issue is the safety of the students. The special education manual was approved after some explanation of changes by Superintendent Stan Kress. Kress also reported on the building safety inspection. He reported there were no recommendations for improvement on the report. Kress reported that the November paychecks will include the 1% bonus from the state. The December paychecks will show the insurance holiday they were able to provide due to the success of the district’s insurance buy-back program. The Idaho School Board Association conference was discussed with board members reporting on the workshops they attended. The board will look at rotating the January, February and March board meetings amongst the buildings. This will be further discussed at the December meeting. John Nida will be the board representative on the insurance committee. In administrative reports Greg Deiss reported they have enrolled an additional student. The cookie dough sale netted $3000 that will be split with the Center For Discovery. Parent/Teacher conferences went well with approximately 95% attendance. Deiss also reported they received thirteen 17” monitors that were donated by St. Mary’s Hospital He reported the Veteran’s Day program went very well. The Elementary Concert will be Wednesday, Dec. 21. Rene’ Forsmann reported they enrolled a new 6th grader at the Middle School. She also reported that Christopher Hoene had his artwork in the ISBA calendar. See photo elsewhere in this week’s Chronicle. The Middle School concert will be Dec. 6 at 7:30 p.m. The Title I homework room wants to get students to stay late and use Title I funds to pay the teacher that will monitor this. Vision screenings and scoliosis screenings are coming up as is the Direct Writing test. A district-wide drug awareness meeting will be held during the Dec. 14 early out. Parent/Teacher conferences had 75% attendance which is high for the Middle School. 7th and 8th grade teachers contacted parents to get more of them to attend. Dave Snodgrass reported they are scheduled for a Professional Technical Administrative Educational audit. Audited would be enrollment, board policy and handbooks for the Professional Technical program. Snodgrass reported the ACLU has invited them to send in teacher guides, student handbooks, discussion guides, etc. Information is due to them whenever possible. He reported about 40% turnout for parent/teacher conferences. He also reported the Veteran’s Day program went very well. Don Pitcher and Steve Wilson spoke to the students and Jerry Richardson made a plaque that was presented to them. The board adjourned to a second executive session at 9 p.m. The next regular meeting will be Monday, Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. |
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