RE-1 Board Meets, Eads Elementary Named "Distinguished School"
April 4, 2004
Kiowa County School District RE-1 Board of Education met in regular session March 25 with board members Marty Miller, Bill Woelk, Ralph Berry, Marlynn Eikenberg, John Weirich and Larry Watts present. Board member Debi Hadley was absent.
Montee Tinnes was present to discuss a proposal brought to him by parents of wrestlers, who are interested in re-starting the wrestling cooperative program between Eads and Wiley. Tinnes said he thought the idea might help increase participation in the program, but suggested that simply recruiting potential Wiley wrestlers as walk-on athletes would be simpler than reactivating the co-op program. Potential "selling" points included offering varsity positions on the wrestling team, which currently go unfilled. Tinnes stated that during the past season, the wresting team of six consistently brought home four medals from tournaments, but fell behind in team scores due to the small number of wrestlers. Woelk stated that concerns of Wiley parents would need to be taken in to account, be he thought the proposal was a good idea.
Superintendent Glenn Smith informed the board that Sheriff Forrest Frazee has a deputy certified to offer a driver’s education program. Smith said he is interested in the program, but would need to have more information from Frazee. Smith also reported that Eads Elementary has been identified as a "Distinguished School," one of only two in the state. Schools do not apply for the award, which is determined by performance assessments by the state. The school will receive a $10,000 award.
The board accepted resignations of staff members Caroline Crumpton and Bryan Kinnaman. Hadley’s resignation as a board member was also accepted.
The session was closed to the public at 7:31 so the board could discuss "Personnel Assignments and Responsibilities." The session reopened at 8:14.
The board approved a one year contract extension for Principal Christy Graham. Board members Miller, Woelk, Eikenberg, Weirich and Watts voted in favor; Berry voted against.
Graham reported that the Accountability Improvement subcommittees had met, and had one more round of meetings scheduled before making final recommendations for the Board’s June meeting. Under review are handbooks, lunch policy, attendance, and valedictorian/salutatorian requirements.
Smith distributed sample copies of grade level expectation packets. Packets will be distributed at the start of the school year to parents of each student. Students will be assessed on each expectation item, which will enable the district to track the progress of each child as they progress through the system and assist parents in helping their child learn.
Smith reported that all but a few windows have been replaced, and work had started on the hallway which connects the main high school building with the gymnasium. He also informed the board that they must select a brick color for the hallway after the meeting.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Watts stated to Smith that the board should have been notified earlier that a board member was planning to resign. Smith said he honored Hadley’s wishes that he not discuss the issue until she made her decision. Copies of Hadley’s letter of resignation were presented to board members just prior to the start of the meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 8:32. The next regular meeting will be held April 29.