The Goessel school board granted tenure for three teachers at its March 8 meeting.
Those teachers were Donna O?Neill, high school science; Claire Overstake, junior high math and science; and Susan Saunders, high school math.
Overstake and Saunders had been tenured before coming to Goessel; this is the second year for both of them at Goessel. This is O?Neill?s third year at Goessel.
Overstake was invited to the meeting to give a teacher presentation to the board. She explained a computerized educational tool that she uses with her students.
?We are using Study Island as an assessment tool,? she said. ?Study Island is really an awesome program? based on Kansas assessments.
?Our science books don?t really cover the 30 different things we have to know,? she said. ?Seventh-grade science has 30 different standards that we have to know…. They?re working very hard.?
Overstake said she can make assignments according to student abilities and can customize the tests.
Superintendent John Fast said that Study Island sends a report to him and to junior/senior high school principal Marc Grout.
?It?s a great program,? Fast said, ?very practical.?
On another matter, the board listened to Bob Sjogren?s audit report. Sjogren. represents Knudsen and Monroe Co. LLC explained state aid and how that is shown in the school?s bookwork.
?I know it?s confusing,? he said, ?but it?s the way it has to be processed.?
He reviewed deposits, investments, cash balances, bonds, and the pension plan. He also explained the timing of property-tax collection in relation to when it is disbursed to schools.
?Considering some of the cuts that have taken place, you?re still in good shape,? Sjogren said. ?There?s really nothing negative in this report.?
In other business, the board:
? voted to extend administrative contracts for Fast and Grout through the 2011-12 school year. It was noted that the Kansas Association of School Boards recommends a maximum of two years for administrative contracts.
? heard from Grout that six high school students and 18 junior high students had participated in the state Kansas Music Educator?s Association event in Wichita in February.
? approved an out-of-state high school band/choir trip to Dallas, Texas, on April 9 and 10 to compete in the American Classic Festival.
In addition, the students plan to visit the site of John F. Kennedy?s assassination, a theater production, Six Flags and the Oklahoma City memorial.
Seven sponsors plan to accompany the students on the trip.
? heard about recent FFA, science and basketball accomplishments from Grout.
? discussed sports uniform rotation and approved the purchase of 15 home and away shirt/shorts sets and 15 shooting shirts for high school girls? basketball at a cost of $3,879. Grout pointed out that the cost had actually gone down since uniforms were purchased five years ago.
? discussed the need for new football helmets. Grout said football helmets have to be inspected and reconditioned at the end of the football season. He said that usually four helmets need to be replaced every year. But this year 14 helmets had been rejected.
?We have to replace them,? he said, adding that there is a need for equipment for small junior high football players.
The board voted to approve the purchase of the requested football helmets and other equipment at a total cost of $4,475.
? heard Fast report that the recent reading night at the elementary school had been a success. The event had featured ?Clifford, the Big Red Dog.?
? listened to the Marion County Special Education Cooperative report from board member Dan Miller. He said that communication about acquisition of the MCSEC building continues with the city of Marion.
? listened to Kevin Wray of Wray Roofing describe issues with the insurance company in regard to the school roofs that were damaged in the July 2009 hail storm.
Wray?s attorney, Jim Gillmore, also attended the meeting. They noted that the roofs are blistered and fractured and need to be replaced. The insurance company agreed to pay only $104,000 of the $500,000 cost to replace the roofs.
? listened to Larry and Chad Fuqua, who spoke about insurance. They had been invited to the meeting due to issues with the present insurance company.
? heard from Fast that the 2010-11 calendar would be similar to this year?s calendar. ?So far, the shortened school year seems to be going all right,? he said, adding that some small schools are trying a four-day school week because of budget cuts.
Fast said it seemed less disruptive to keep five days a week. He noted that the number of school days this year and next year would be shorter than in the past, but the number of student contact hours would remain at 1,116 hours.
The current calendar and the 2010-11 calendar have 175 teacher contract days and 168 student contact days.
? approved the school calendar for the 2010-2011 school year. Enrollment is scheduled for Aug. 11 and 12, with the first day of classes on Aug. 26.
School will be dismissed Nov. 24 for Thanksgiving vacation. Dec. 22 will be the first day of Christmas vacation, and classes will resume Jan. 4.
