School board members accept gifts for the district
The five Peabody-Burns USD 398 school board members in attendance at the Nov. 13 meeting had the enviable job of accepting two generous gifts to the district.
The first was from 1948 Peabody High School graduate Dr. John "Jack" DeForest, who donated a packet of research information and a book, "The Truth About Sacagawea" by Kenneth Thomasma. DeForest proofed the 1997 publication for Thomasma for historical content and correctness.
In addition, DeForest, of Alexandria, Va., also was involved in research that accompanied the minting of the gold Sacagawea dollar. Copies of his notes and research about Sacagawea are now the property of the Peabody-Burns library system.
DeForest included a check for $1,000 to be used by the library staff for books and research material for district students.
"We are grateful to Dr. DeForest for remembering our schools and students," said Peabody-Burns superintendent Tom Alstrom. "Alums who share their special talents and their success are a good example for our children."
A second gift to the district was a bequest from the estate of Eldena Depler, also a graduate of Peabody High School. Depler left $72,000 to the school's band program. Board members formally accepted the funds.
According to Alstrom, the money is unrestricted as long as it is used to maintain the instrumental music program.
"The current philosophy of the school board is to invest the money and use the interest," said Alstrom. "It will be invested the way we invest our scholarship funds."
Alstrom indicated the funds would not be invested with the Peabody Community Fund.
"It cannot become a part of the community fund unless specified by the donor," he said.
Depler died Jan. 17, 2006, at the age of 84. She was a member of the class of 1939. Alstrom said the district was contacted last spring by Depler's attorney at Sizemore, Burns, and Gilmore in Newton.
"All we knew was that we would receive a share of funds in a trust," he said. "We didn't know how much it would be or when the estate would be settled.
"Naturally we are pleased to be remembered with a gift like this," he added. "It is a sizable sum for an individual to give a school system and it is greatly appreciated.
"It will benefit a large number of music students which is apparently what Depler wanted."
In other business, the board:
— approved emergency substitute certificates for Samuel Brown and Paula Schroeder for the 2006-07 school year.
— approved the destruction of annual reports, budgets, and organizational reports from years prior to the tenure of the current superintendent (fall 1999).
— accepted the district audit report by Agler and Gaeddert of the 2005-06 school year. The auditors commended the board on a clean audit and fiscal management.
— tabled until the next meeting a decision on the purchase of new security systems for the elementary and junior-senior high school buildings. The board requested additional information on equipment and costs as well as input from faculty, staff, site council members, and area schools.
— heard a review by Alstrom of three additional boundary options for board member districts. Information and options were reviewed and discussed. A vote on the issue was delayed for additional information from Kansas Association of School Boards about other districts facing similar situations, from Marion County Clerk for estimated special election costs, and from Marion County Attorney for compliance deadlines.
— approved an overnight trip Feb. 24 for science teacher Ann Leppke and a group of students to attend CIRES-Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences regional science competition in Boulder, Colo.
— heard from Alstrom about general construction costs and the proposed floor plan for a new special education center. The information was sent to all school districts that are a part of Marion County Special Ed Cooperative.
— tabled for more information a decision on service cutoff for family meal accounts with outstanding balances. After discussion of billing, notification, and collection, board members requested for the next meeting policy information from area schools and a recommendation from Alstrom.
— heard a report from Alstrom about repairs and maintenance issues for the building roofs. Additional information will be presented at the next meeting.
— were reminded of the KASB convention in Wichita Dec. 1-3.
— agreed to research the origins of old sets of silverware engraved "PHS" and consider donating them to the historical society.
— entered an executive session for the purpose of discussing personnel. No action was taken on return to open session.
