School board meets
The school board held their regular August meeting Monday, August 19 with newly appointed board member Tara Klapprich in attendance.
Klapprich was appointed last month to fill the post formerly held by Della Gehring, who resigned.
Approved at the meeting were the Bus Routes (see elsewhere in this week’s Chronicle), the district and school handbooks, the Elementary and Junior/Senior High School schedules, and the Child Internet Protection Act (CIPA) regulations.
Regarding the CIPA regulations superintendent Rene’ Forsmann said they can control what the students can access on the school computers but there’s not much they can do about a student with a smartphone that has it’s own data plan.
Approved for hire was a new bus driver, Gary Milliman. He will be driving Sharon Johnson’s former route.
The board also approved going out for bid on the bus fuel. It has been 3 years since the last time they did so.
Scott Perrin was in attendance and commented on the Common Core Standards Idaho and the country are implementing and he’s concerned about the district and community losing their identity as everyone toes the line to the same programs. He goes into more depth than his 3-minute time limit allowed in a letter to the editor on page 2.
In the facilities update Forsmann noted the only summer project not done yet is adding 9 control units to the existing ventilators in the high school. It will probably be another few weeks before they are done.
She reported the new sound systems at the gyms are really nice and they also have a portable system that they used in some of the training sessions. Pat Alfrey voiced a concern about having the controls locked up so that they don’t have someone get in and mess up the controls. Forsmann said the Elementary School system is locked up and the high school one will be. 
Other projects completed are seal coating of the junior/senior high parking lot and entrance road; replacing kitchen flooring and adding dishwasher tables; floors were refinished in all three gyms; painted the jr./sr. high school; repaired sidewalk on east end of PJHS; added new sinks and faucets to boys and girls restrooms at PJHS; replaced elementary sidewalk to the library; repaired roof at Elementary were the two wings come together; moved playground equipment from old Kindergarten building to the PES annex and added pea gravel, also added some fencing.
Gus Hoene asked about extending the roof over the redone steps at the Elementary on the sidewalk to the library. Forsmann said they felt the expense was more than the traffic there warranted. She will get an estimate though to show the board what the cost would be. Hoene was concerned about the weather on the new steps.
Future projects include looking at the room furniture and upgrading, inside painting at PES and the ramp to the gym from the cafeteria at the high school.
In administrative reports Forsmann noted they have added wireless access points at the Elementary with money from the Khan Academy Grant. 
She also reported they had 6 students attend summer school which was taught by Julie Schumacher. 
Swimming lessons were held at Grangeville July 15-26 with the Center for Discovery providing transportation.
As superintendent she reported that she attended annual superintendent meetings and administrator workshops in Boise July 29-Aug. 1.
She and others from the district had several trainings so far in August, mostly dealing with Common Core.
The fall region Idaho School Board Association meeting will be Oct. 17 at Lapwai.
Carrie Nygaard reported registration went very well as did the parent/student-athlete meeting that evening.
Beka Bruner was presented her IHSAA Interscholastic Star award and a banner that will hang in the gym on August 7. She was the 1A division winner and was one of 5 division winners out of 44 total applicants statewide.
She reported they will have an open house on Sept. 5 and are inviting parents and students with the main topic to be the Common Core requirements and the expectations for the students and staff. GEAR Up and the Booster Club are sponsoring a dinner that evening at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria with the meeting to follow at 6:30 there.
She attended principal meetings in Boise at the end of July.
She commended Laurie Karel for getting the band together and holding practice for the Idaho County Fair Parade. Band director John Eynon had other commitments and was unable to do so.
Also she wanted to report that Donald Curry put in an application back in April for a new welder through a grant program. Nygaard said they were successful and the new welder is to arrive Wednesday for the new Ag program at the high school. 
Nygaard also wanted to allay public fears about the woodworking program. Although Curry is more ag oriented they will still be offering the woodworking classes. Curry has been working a lot with Jerry Richardson to get up to speed in that area.
The board meeting adjourned at 7:50 p.m. The next regular meeting will be Monday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m.

Bus Routes for 2013-14
Following are the school bus routes for Prairie.
Ferdinand Route (David Shears), Bus #06-6, 6:50 a.m.—Jared Schwartz, Mike Duclos, Scott Oliver, Toby Schwartz, Mike Hanson, John Frei, Pam Falzon, Ferdinand South, Ferdinand Church, Mariel Arnzen, Michael Temes, Ken Ross, John Paul Frei, Joe VonBargen.
Butte Route (Gary Milliman), Bus #02-7, 7 a.m.—Pat McWilliams, Brendan Arnzen, Doug Lustig, Bob Lustig, Teel Bruner, Melvin Sonnen, Dan Phillips, Vic Lustig, Craig Duclos, Darrel Uhlorn, Nolan Rehder, Bill Remacle.
Greencreek Route (Jerry Schumacher), Bus #09-0—Brandon Riener, Wes Riener, Aaron Hinkelman, Tom Sonnen, Matt Schumacher, Steve Sonnen, Sara Elwess, Allen Sonnen, Tony Schumacher, Adam Forsmann, Gerald Trautman, Greencreek Town, Matt Elven, Doug Schumacher, Phil Schmidt, Renee’ Duman, Kris Shears, Jacob Forsmann, Mark Anderson, Scot Schlader, Greg Danly.
Cottonwood East Route (Becky Madden), Bus #08-8, 7 a.m.—Leianne Everett, Brad Higgins, Ed Wemhoff, Justin Wilson, Doug Johnson, Dan VonBargen, Ken Seubert, Brett Uhlenkott, Tad Tidwell, Mike Uhlenkott, Ryan Uhlenkott, Dustin Uhlenkott, Cottonwood Sales Yard, Mike Kaschmitter, Dennis Rowland, Jeff Ratcliff, Terry Cochran, Old Elementary School.
Keuterville Route (Rick Johnson), Bus #01-1, 6:45 a.m—Kevin Geis, Joe Ross, Bob Enneking, Ryan Mader, Gerry Gehring, Roger Uptmor, Jack Secrest, Mike Walsh, Heath Klapprich, Peggy Sprute, Prairie High School, Dustin Behler, Jack Duman, Hangout.
Moughmer Points Route (Rod Eckert), Bus #14-4, 6:45 a.m.—Dave Enneking, Ron Lightfield, Brian Gehring, Thomas Crenshaw, Scott Jungert, Mike Kehler, Stephen Goeckner, Kenny Geis, Cody Lorentz, Glenn Poxleitner, Roy Uhlenkott, Prairie High School, Barney Chambers, Daniel McIntire, Scott Ross, Butch Spencer, Hangout.

Cottonwood, Idaho 83522
 

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