West Central School Board approves grant initiatives

Details

Published: Monday, 06 February 2017 21:27

FRANCESVILLE - The West Central School Board approved two grant initiatives at its February meeting for the purpose of improving teacher quality and student counseling programs.

The board also voted to retain Barton-Coe-Vilaman Architects for future roofing, reviewing needs for improving building entrances, and other architectural needs.

The board approved the Title II Grant, as presented. The grant is for $32,262 and will be used for improving teacher quality.

The board also approved the Lilly Grant Comprehensive Counseling Initiative Planning Grant, as presented. The grant for $30,000 will be used for planning and gathering information to apply for a $100,000 counseling grant. A needs assessment and consulting with Battle for Kids Organization will be conducted. A student experience survey will be conducted, site visits, and research will be conducted. The focus will be to strengthen social and emotional health, and college and career readiness, beginning in middle school.

In other business, the board approved the transfer of funds from the general fund, rainy day fund, capital projects, and debt services fund to close out the 2016 budget.

The board approved the first reading of the revisions of the "Procedure for Student Lunch/Meal Accounts" and "Collection and Forgiveness of Debt" policies. There will be a second reading at the March board meeting.

Personnel Items:

The board accepted the resignation of middle school track coach Monica Gainor; and the retirement of Dean Hill.

Employment was approved for Morgan Danford as middle school instructional assistant; Hillary Durie and Jeremy Glasford as assistant varsity track coaches; and Abigail Koepkey as a volunteer softball coach.

Approval was given for maternity leave requests for Kellis Gutwein and Anna DeRoo; and for personal leave requests for Cathy Risner and Arlene Metzger.

Conference requests were approved for:

Melvin Wireman to attend the Glazier Clinic, Feb. 3-5.

Rebecca Reed and Hillary Durie to attend IATCCC Track Clinic, Feb. 3-5

Chelsea Reed to attend Focus on Inclusion, Feb. 21-22

Stephanie Thilges to attend State FCCLA Leadership Conference, March 9-11

 A field trip request was approved for the FCCLA State Conference, March 9-11

The board honored Layla Carroll as "Student of the Month" for December at the elementary school level; Erykah Olson for January at the elementary school; Nathan Thompson for December at the middle school; and Amanda Saltsman for December at the high school.

Reports:

Superintendent Don Street informed the board of a book donation, In A Heartbeat by Cindy Heigl, to the school library. A Pulaski County native, her book tells the experience of sudden cardiac arrest and her personal story.

The tentative February ADM was reviewed and it appears that approximately 25 fewer students are enrolled at West Central as compared to September. The lower enrollment will have a financial impact on the general fund.

The December and yearly wind turbine production was reviewed.

Information about the appropriation chart of accounts was reviewed. The 2016 ending cash balances were reviewed. All funds have a solid financial balance; however, with the declining enrollment, the budget will continue to be monitored and reviewed.

Several proposed legislative bills were discussed that would have an impact on West Central Schools. HB 1009 - Education Fund, Operating Fund, and Debt Service Fund; and SB 309 - Wind Turbine Net Metering are two current bills under consideration by the state legislature that may have a financial impact on the school.

Elementary school principal Dan Zylstra informed the board that the fifth grade students will attend a Lafayette Symphony Orchestra concert. The orchestra is providing the free concert to local schools.

Mrs. Nielsen's class will visit Parkview Haven Retirement Home to read with the residents.

Students in the elementary school who met their January Accelerated Reader goal will received an ice cream treat with their lunch.

On Feb. 14, the National Honor Society will pass out flowers, cookies and fruit snacks for a Valentine's Day fundraiser.

ISTEP+ Part 1 will begin the week of Feb. 27. This is the paper/pencil portion of the ISTEP+ test. The online multiple choice portion will occur toward the end of April.

A trainer from Ready Math will visit the school to continue assisting teachers with their implementation of the new math program. Teachers have spent their professional development time in January improving their usage of the math series and investigating possible instructional materials for science adoption.

Middle/high school principal Pat Culp reported that in looking at data from 2016 for the West Central District Profile for the upcoming AdvancEd visit, a special mention goes to the students and teachers. The percentage of WCSC special educations students who passed the math part of ISTEP+ was higher than the state average.

Snowcoming will be Friday, Feb. 17 during the boys' basketball game vs. North White.

On Feb. 17, the after-prom committee will sponsor a fish/tenderloin dinner from 4 to 7 p.m., at the high school cafeteria. Pre-sale tickets are available.

FFA week is Feb. 20-24. As a part of the celebration, the FFA will sponsor spirit days.

Friday, Feb. 24 is the annual petting zoo day.

Middle/high school students will perform Straight From the Horse's Mouth at 6:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 25; and at 3:30 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 26.