Students with outstanding scores to be recognized

By SUSAN MARSHALL

Staff writer

At the Peabody-Burns board of education meeting Nov. 10, members heard a report by Superintendent Rex Watson on the Standards of Excellence test results.

Following discussion of the classes and individuals who achieved outstanding scores, the board agreed to host an awards recognition night for district students.

Students will be recognized for their success at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Brown Gymnasium.

“Everyone is welcome to attend this event,” Watson said. “Community, grandparents, neighbors, everybody — we want to make a big deal out of the students’ academic achievements.”

Watson said the state issues individual certificates, which will be presented by building principals.

“We will have the kids lined up for photo opportunities as well,” Watson said. “Parents should bring their cameras.

“We are proud of the exemplary scores our students achieved,” he added.

A review of the district audit was presented to board members. Tom Thomas, a CPA with Agler and Gaeddert Chartered, the district’s accounting firm, made the presentation.

The audit was a review of district finances for the 2007-08 school year.

Thomas evaluated some minor control deficiencies, but reported that by state statute the district had a “clean audit opinion.”

In the absence of board member Rhonda Loucks, the remaining six members accepted the audit as presented.

In other business, the board:

• approved emergency substitute certificates for Clinton Hill and Christopher Young, and a revised custodial job offering for Jacob Lopez, all for the 2008-09 school year.
• watched a PowerPoint presentation about a trip to the national FFA convention from FFA members Derek Schmidt, Zack Goodwin, Justin Rempel, Lacey Laffery, and Heather Brooks.
• heard an update on plans for Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America members to attend cluster meetings in Dallas, Texas.
• heard a presentation from Business Professionals of America sponsor Patty Savage about local BPA students attending a fall delegate workshop in Lawrence. PBHS senior Seth Methvin, president of the local BPA chapter, also was voted state president at the conference.
• approved a trip May 6-10, 2009, for qualifying students to attend the national BPA convention in Dallas.
• approved an overnight trip for the band Jan. 23-25, 2009, to Manhattan for a KSU concert band clinic.
• approved Peabody-Burns site council members and operational guidelines and bylaws as presented.
• heard from Watson a presentation about the new district daycare program will be given Jan. 29, 2009, at the United School Administrators conference.
• reviewed certified personnel in five executive sessions that included the superintendent and building administrators. No action was taken on return to open session.
• discussed the acquisition of property in a 10-minute executive session. No action was taken on return to open meeting.