School district discusses band, improvements, buys computers
Staff writer
Unified School District 410 board of education met Monday evening at Hillsboro Elementary School art room to discuss elementary school space and teacher concerns.
Hillsboro Elementary School principal Evan Yoder said fifth grade teachers felt they needed more time for instruction, primarily because of expectations of the No Child Left Behind program.
Yoder and school administrators discussed possible changes to the band program.
"We need more time for instruction," said Yoder. He said band takes three hours and 45 minutes a week out of the classroom.
One option is to have band as an after-school club two or three days a week for fifth grade students.
The elementary school is sending out a survey to fourth grade parents about this option. Bus routes and other conflicts would have to be worked out, said Yoder.
He suggested changing the number of days fifth grade students participate in band from every day to two or three days a week.
Another option was eliminating band for fifth grade students altogether.
HMS principal Corey Burton said the middle school has begun a new program during lunch. Students draw for where they sit while eating, and are led in discussion questions during the meal. Students are allowed to sit wherever they want on Fridays.
Burton got the idea for the program from Hesston.
"They've really liked what they've seen as far as the atmosphere," he said.
The program was well-accepted, however some eighth grade students struggled with the change.
Activities director Max Heinrichs said the HHS spring drama is Thursday and Friday. He said spring sports practices had started.
He reminded board members of the district policy regarding transportation to practices.
The policy allows students 16 years and older to drive themselves to practice. Students under 16 years of age must have a note from a parent to ride with someone, or school transportation is provided.
HHS principal Dale Honeck asked for recommendations for a local speaker for the April 10 honors banquet.
He said HHS administrators and teachers will be changing the curriculum for the upcoming school year.
Currently, HHS offers a basic math course, Algebra I, geometry, and Algebra II. Honeck said there is a gap between the basic math class and Algebra I.
To close this gap, the district will offer Algebra 1.5 and Geometry 1.5. Both classes are one and one-half semesters long. By taking both classes it will satisfy the requirements for algebra and geometry and count as three math credits.
In other business:
— The board accepted the resignations of Tim Kilgore, HHS agriculture education instructor, and Tisha Bielefeld, Parents and Teachers educator.
— The board approved the purchase of computers. The district will purchase 22 laptop computers for the Teach to the Future classes and 34 desktop computers for the HHS business department. The total cost is $64,264.
This purchase will make 57 computers available for reassignment.
— The board will adopt the official 2006-07 school calendar in April. Changes include the addition of a TEEN Technology Day Nov. 3. To offset this, Presidents Day will be eliminated as a day off.
— Superintendent Gordon Mohn asked for the board's endorsement regarding the district's focus on closing the achievement gap. These endorsements are important in meeting the expectations for the No Child Left Behind program.
— The district is making plans to move Head Start from a classroom into the current art room. Art classes will be moved to the music room two days a week and in classrooms the other days. The vacated room will be used as a second grade classroom.
In addition to Head Start, the district proposes to have 15 more half-day slots available for children. Some will be for four-year-old at-risk children, Marion County Special Education Cooperative, and private-pay children.
In order to move the Head Start to the art room, the district will need to attach a bathroom, Mohn said.
He said future plans could include the construction of another art room or facilities for Head Start, a playground east of the art room, planting grass in the area northeast of the art room, closing parking north of the power pole on the east side of the building, creating two rows of parking on the football field directly off A Street, rerouting the bleachers, removing the bridge rail on the west side of the football field, and converting the HES music room to music and art by removing the seating area and creating a flat surface.
"I'd hesitate for this to be a long-term solution," said Yoder.
Board member Debbie Geis asked Mohn where the district was regarding all-day kindergarten.
"We don't have the facilities to do all-day kindergarten," said Mohn.
— Two architectural firms are scheduled to meet with the board at the April 10 meeting. Howard and Helmer will meet with the board at 6:30 p.m. PKHLS Architecture will meet at 8:30. The selected firm will look into district facility improvements.
— Geis, USD 410 representative on the MCSEC board of directors, brought a copy of the lease agreement offered to the cooperative by USD 408. The lease is for a term beginning Sept. 1 and ending July 31, 2007, and would include usage of the Florence facilities. The lease is for $50,000 and the cooperative will be responsible for custodial service including ground maintenance, utilities, routine maintenance, and liability insurance.
Previously, USD 408 provided the Florence facilities to MCSEC for the approximate cost of $3,000 annually, or the amount of property insurance for the facility.
The board agreed it was probably too late to find other arrangements for the upcoming year, but MCSEC should definitely look for other options in the future.
— Gifts totaling $356.60 were accepted.
— The Hillsboro Star-Journal was named the official district newspaper.
— The board went into executive session to discuss personnel.
The next regularly scheduled meeting is at 6:30 p.m. April 10 in the HHS technology center.
