Unified School District 410 Board of Education approved the calendar for 2008-09 school year at Monday’s regular meeting.
The vote was 6-1, with board member Dale Klassen casting the dissenting vote.
Classes for students will begin Aug. 13 and end May 22. Spring break, designated for third week in March, corresponds with other districts in the county. The calendar is based on 192 contract days.
The board made its decision after considering five options.
“I’m tired of talking about (the calendar),” said board president Rod Koons prior to the vote.
Contract days and Memorial Day being earlier next year were among factors that affected the flexibility of calendar.
The board also approved two out-of-state trip proposals that involve Hillsboro High School students competing at national conventions.
Monica Liehy, adviser for the HHS chapter of FCCLA, requested “any assistance possible” for April Young and herself to attend the 2008 National Leadership Meeting in Orlando, Fla., in July.
Young placed first in her STAR (Students Taking Action for Recognition) event on financial planning at the state level earlier this month.
Creigh Bell and Micky Harvey, advisers for HHS Technology Student Association, spoke on behalf of five students who qualified at the state level to attend the national convention June 28-July 2, also in Orlando.
Expenses for students and sponsors include registration, air travel and hotel.
After an extended discussion, the board voted to pay for registration and travel expenses for the three sponsors and to split $500—the remaining funds in the budget for student trips—equally among the six students.
In other business, the board:
heard reports about preliminary scores from the recent state assessments by principals Evan Yoder, Hillsboro Elementary School, and Greg Brown, Hillsboro Middle School.
“The emphasis is on ‘preliminary,’” Brown said about the statistics.
Initial scores indicate most students are meeting or extending the target. “The state wants every child in the (‘Meets Standard’) category,” Yoder said.
heard reports from Keith Goossen, director of transportation and maintenance regarding busing, vehicle replacement plans and possible projects for summer, including installing fencing at HES, roof and gutter repairs at HHS, and putting in a rest room for the nurse station at HES.
n heard an update from Superintendent Doug Huxman about progress on redistricting board representation from six to three districts.
gave input to board member Mark Rooker, who represents the district on the TEEN board.
Because of declining enrollment, questions have been raised about reducing Internet services. The board recommended looking at different options for delivering those services.
gave input to board member Debbie Geis, who serves on the board of Marion County Special Education Cooperative, regarding ongoing discussion about facilities at Florence.
met in executive sessions to discuss personnel matters and employer/employee negotiations.
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