The Unified School District 410 Board of Education agreed Nov. 9 at its regular meeting to restore two coaching positions to assist with high school basketball.
At the meeting, activities director Robert Rempel advocated for additional staff support based on preliminary numbers of students who intend to play basketball. Last year, those positions had been cut as a budget-saving decision.
Superintendent Steve Noble said he had talked with the high school coaches, and based on his criteria for maximizing teachable moments and having adequate supervision, he would support hiring a third coach for each squad.
He estimated the two positions would cost about $4,000.
In particular, Noble said, he was concerned about not having a female coach for the girls? squads.
?Athletics plays an equal role to academics,? Noble said. ?I view coaches as teachers.?
Donna Fadenrecht of Swindoll, Janzen, Janzen, Hawk & Loyd LLC reviewed the audit report for the district. She said no additional matters related to the audit need to be addressed as the district is in the process of working on those identified previously, such as maintaining a formal inventory system.
Hillsboro Elementary School principal Evan Yoder reported Measures of Academic Progress assessments are complete, so he and teachers will be analyzing the data.
?From what I?ve seen, the kids did really well,? Yoder said, adding that MAP assessments provide longitudinal data for students in the district.
He also said HES is moving from a targeted Title 1 assisted school, in which under 40 percent qualify for reduced meals, to applying to be school-wide. The change would provide a comprehensive reform plan that allows for more flexible and coordinated assistance for all students and teachers.
?This I see as a tremendous benefit?a real boost to learning in the elementary school,? Yoder said.
Greg Brown, Hillsboro Middle School principal, said his building team also will be analyzing the MAP testing scores.
?(It appears that) our overall curriculum is doing what it?s supposed to,? Brown said.
According to Max Heinrichs, Hillsboro High School principal, issues are being resolved with the 1-1 computer program. Absenteeism has been high because of illness, he said, and policies will need to be reviewed because the status of the students is affected if they miss more than five days of school.
Transportation and maintenance director Keith Goossen presented a list of projects he had prioritized in order to determine what and when maintenance and improvement jobs need to be completed.
Noble said, ?Keith put a list together that we can live with.?
That list will go into the strategic plan to maintain excellent facilities, he added.
In other business, the board:
n approved the educational broadband service long-term de facto lease agreement with Kansas Broadband Internet Inc. reviewed at last month?s meeting.
n approved a number of board policy updates recommended by the Kansas Associa?tion of School Boards.
n approved the superintendent evaluation policy and instrument.
n met in executive session with Brown for personnel issues.
n approved resignation of Mary Duckworth from the position of cook for the middle and high schools.
n renewed authorization up to eight mills for the capital outlay resolution, effective July 2010 for up to five years.
n approved contracts for Doug Dick as head high school baseball coach and Donya Anderson as assistant track coach for middle and high schools.
n heard reports from board members Mark Rooker about the recent TEEN meeting and Deb Geis for the Marion County Special Education Cooperative meeting.
n heard information from Noble regarding the KASB Convention in Overland Park. No board member volunteered to attend. Noble said he did not plan to attend because of other district priorities but would be attending the Schools for Fair Funding meeting in Newton later that week.
At the time of the meeting, 34 districts had signed on with Schools for Fair funding, he said.
?It?s a delicate situation,? Noble said. ?I don?t know that there ever is a good time to fund education.?
If the group voted to sue the state, the board has to make the final decision whether to litigate, he said, adding that costs will not exceed $3 per child annually for USD 410.
n heard from Jerry Hinerman, district business manager, that he anticipates base cuts in state funding possibly totaling $350 per student, which could be potentially a $350,000 loss for the district.
n met in executive session for the superintendent?s evaluation.
