Jul 15

Written by: ngreditor
7/15/2008 4:41 PM 

Chair lift, policy changes discussed at School Board

Kenneth Purscell

The school hallways are quiet during the summer vacation, but the Newman Grove Board of Education met July 14 to prepare for the coming year.

The board discussed, but tabled to a later meeting, bids on replacing the lift in the elementary building. Access Elevator & Lifts, Inc., offered a bid of about $38 thousand to serve three of the four levels and a separate bid of about $53 thousand to reach all four.

“The more the committee talked,” said Superintendent Herb Pokorny, “the more we thought that we should just do everything right from the beginning.” If not all floors were served, then a class with a student needing the lift would stay in one classroom over several years.

“However,” said Pokorny, “we might have more than one class needing service. And we not only serve students, but parents and grandparents.”

The current lift is inoperable and cannot be repaired.

Consideration of the bids was tabled to the next meeting when more members of the building committee could be present. However, said board member Brian Wallin, “The consensus is that we have to do something.”

The board approved changes to the Work Study program that had been discussed at the previous meeting. Eligibility for the program is now defined more clearly and is consistent with the NSAA’s definition of a half time student.

Another change to the program clarifies that students taking part will not be eligible to be valedictorian. They may still be on the honor roll.

The board also approved a replacement to the student bullying policy. The new policy complies with recent changes in state law. School employees are now required to inform the administrator whenever bullying is reported.

The board took first steps to investigate a new bus route policy. Such a policy would allow the school to negotiate with an outlying family whether they would be best served by lengthening a bus route or by driving children themselves.

“We don’t have a lot of kids; we have a lot of miles,” said Supt. Pokorny. “This isn’t a scheme [to get people off bus routes], but sometimes it just works to make a route easier.”

Such a policy could be implemented temporarily, at the school’s need, but would be at the agreement of the family affected.

Newman Grove currently does not have such a policy in place.

The board approved a contract for Sarah Thoene of Norfolk as Pre-school teacher for 2008-09. Herb Pokorny also formally read the letter granting the district accreditation for the coming school year.

The board will hold a special meeting for pre-budget hearings on Monday, July 28, at 7pm at the high school media center.