Staff writer
Budget talks dominated the discussion Monday at USD 398’s board of education meeting.
With no approved budget from the state legislature, the board was reluctant to make financial decisions because most of the money the district had left was in its local option budget. The school’s spending contingencies were down from previous years.
The faculty negotiations meeting was pushed back, with Monday as a possible date.
Handbook changes
Proposed changes to the 2015-16 school handbooks were submitted for review Monday.
The junior high school altered its retention policy to allow for a student flunking a core course to serve extra time during the day or school year in order to pass. Final retention decisions will be made by the principal.
Among the other changes was the implementation of a probationary week for students who are failing a class, during which a warning letter will be sent to students and coaches, before they are declared ineligible; the removal of salutatorian honors in the event of multiple valedictorians; and the removal of Saturday school, which the district no longer offers.
Summer maintenance
The board agreed to look for a new school mower and repair the carpet in the library. It also will consider trading in two Chevrolet Suburbans for minivans for the 2015-16 school year.
The board discussed moving its meetings to Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. but decided to consult new members before confirming a time and date.
The board voted to hire an assistant coach for the golf team that is combined with Marion. Marion’s Topher Rome will be head coach. The assistant position will be at 5%.
Supplemental contracts for 2015-16 were offered to: Nick Olrich, math; Susan Morgan, business and technology; Stacy Sawyer, assistant coach girls’ high school basketball; Marcus Coleman, girls’ middle school basketball coach; and Danae Pickens, fall/winter cheer coach.
Kathy Preheim changed positions from curriculum coordinator for elementary, middle, and high schools to administrative assistant for pre-kindergarten to fifth grade.
Salary increases of 0.3 percent for administrative staff and 0.5 percent for classified staff were approved.
In other business:
- The board approved a $500 grant from the Peabody Community Foundation to provide fruit for summer lunches.
- School lunches will move from $3.40 to $3.45 for the 2015-2016 school year.