Good things happen at school board meeting
Staff writer
There was a lot of good news and not much bad news at Monday night's Marion-Florence USD 408 Board of Education meeting.
Missy Stubenhofer, district curriculum coordinator, told the board she had just received preliminary data showing that Marion High School and Marion Middle School students had met the State Assessments' Standard of Excellence in reading.
Furthermore, fourth-graders at Marion Elementary School "just missed" hitting the SOE mark in math.
The figures are, as she said, preliminary, not finalized, but she saw no reason to believe they would change.
Elementary students' scores are rising, too, in reading, Stubenhofer said.
Also, the forensics team from the high school was recognized in a "Celebration of Excellence" for placing fifth at the state contest, the team's best-ever finish.
The board gave the team permission to do some fund-raising for a possible trip to New York City.
Representatives from MHS of SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) reported on a leadership conference they attended, and thanked the board for its sponsorship. They said they learned many games and other activities to involve people in the fight against alcohol and drug abuse.
FFA officers and some other leaders from the MHS chapter were given permission to attend a leadership retreat in Colorado.
After a 50-minute executive session for discussion of teacher-board negotiations and a 25-minute one for discussion of personnel matters, the board accepted the resignations of Jerry Smith and Adam White.
Smith teaches social studies and P.E. at the middle school and White is the vocal music teacher for grades 6-12.
The board offered a contract to Ginger Becker, to teach fourth-graders at MES. She will be given full credit for her teaching experience, Superintendent Gerald Henderson said.
The board also offered a contract to Amanda Pfannenstiel, a first-year teacher, to teach fifth grade.
Supplemental contracts were approved for various coaches and sponsors of teams, clubs, and groups.
The non-renewal of Anthony Zappone's contract was finalized. He was notified of the board's intent not to renew, after the April 14 board meeting.
Stubenhofer gave board members and the press copies of a rough draft of a business/computer curriculum guide for the district.
The board is expected to vote on the guide at its June 9 meeting. The guide covers elementary and middle school computer curricula, high school computer applications, desktop publishing, applied desktop publishing, accounting, advanced accounting, and personal finance.
Lois Smith chaired the committee of six that drafted the guide.
Henderson recommended that the district waive make-up of a snow day, and the board approved the waiver.
The board agreed to provide three Suburbans and three drivers for Prairie View, for transportation to and from camps. The district will be reimbursed.
A new reading series was approved for purchase for the elementary grades.
