Post by Editor on May 21, 2009 13:43:42 GMT -5
PRESS RELEASE
The Bureau Valley District #340 Board of Education met in regular session Monday, May 18, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. in the BEST Program cafeteria in Manlius.
In opening the meeting, President Roger Craine welcomed BV-South teachers Pat Corwin and Mary Stander who presented a slide show of their sixth grade students’ recent visit to the Challenger Space Center/Museum at Bloomington. The teachers explained that the students begin training for the trip the first day of school in their math and science classes, and the program coordinates directly with the curriculum standards. At the space center, the students learn the importance of group participation and each person performing their assignment as they build a space probe from their space station and seek and rendezvous with a comet. Student enthusiasm and excitement was apparent throughout the slideshow, and the teachers thanked the Board for their continued support of the program.
Originally the field trip was funded through a NASA grant but when the grant was terminated, the district continues to fund the trip for both North and South sixth grades each year.
President Craine and Superintendent Terry Gutshall recognized the following Bureau Valley staff who are retiring at the end of the school year: Neale Wallace, head custodian at BV-North, 24 years; Rebecca Madsen, BV-North fourth grade, 26 years; Patricia Novak, BV-North fifth grade, 37 years; Dwayne Wallace, BV-North, social studies/computers, 37 years; Brenda Throneburg, BV-South fourth grade, 22 years; and Charles Yelm, HS drivers ed/PE, 35 years. Supt. Gutshall noted the staff combined for over 180 years of serving education and thanked them for their dedication. On behalf of the district, each employee was presented with an engraved desk clock.
Recent committee meetings were Personnel on May 15, which will provide information in executive session later in the meeting, and Curriculum Committee on May 6 that reviewed proposed handbook changes pertaining to homework policy, planned/unadvised absences, district crisis plan, correspondence courses, high school English curriculum, replacement of 2 high school computer labs, and software for the RtI program, which assesses and charts student progress in reading and math. The initial cost of the program for the district is $54,000, with a $3-5000 annual cost for assessment. All three principals visited other schools that incorporated the Autoskills program with RtI and were impressed with the progress of the students.
Transportation Committee chairman Keith Bolin said they did not meet, but he was recommending pursuing information on eventually housing/sheltering all buses throughout the district. Building & Grounds chairman Don DeWaele recommended securing estimates for each building parking lot and determining to what extent repairs are needed.
Supt. Terry Gutshall reported building budget requests have been reviewed with the Principals, textbook loan program books in the amount of $24,803 have been received; and sports physicals for Bureau Valley students grades 7-12 are being provided May 27 at the high school. He also said the Bureau County Task Force will be using the vacant Wyanet high school and Sheffield building for response training in the next two weeks.
In board action, the following were approved:
- payment of bills and payroll;
- minutes of April meeting;
-final amended 2008-09 calendar reflecting an ending date of June 2;
-adopted a resolution approving an amendment to the district’s Section 125/Flex Plan set forth by the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009;
-authorized the Superintendent to employ parttime summer help;
-approved a maternity leave request for Wendy Michlig;
-employed Brooke Rosenow as a BEST individual aide for the 2009-10 school year;
-accepted a 4-year retirement notice for Gerald Nixon, HS industrial arts teacher and a 2-year retirement notice for Diane Ori, HS home ec teacher.
-approved K-12 handbook revisions after discussion to clarify wording on planned/unadvised absences.
No action was taken after an executive session was entered into to discuss personnel.
The next regular meeting of the Bureau Valley District #340 Board of Education will be Monday, June 15, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. in the BEST Program cafeteria in Manlius.
The Bureau Valley District #340 Board of Education met in regular session Monday, May 18, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. in the BEST Program cafeteria in Manlius.
In opening the meeting, President Roger Craine welcomed BV-South teachers Pat Corwin and Mary Stander who presented a slide show of their sixth grade students’ recent visit to the Challenger Space Center/Museum at Bloomington. The teachers explained that the students begin training for the trip the first day of school in their math and science classes, and the program coordinates directly with the curriculum standards. At the space center, the students learn the importance of group participation and each person performing their assignment as they build a space probe from their space station and seek and rendezvous with a comet. Student enthusiasm and excitement was apparent throughout the slideshow, and the teachers thanked the Board for their continued support of the program.
Originally the field trip was funded through a NASA grant but when the grant was terminated, the district continues to fund the trip for both North and South sixth grades each year.
President Craine and Superintendent Terry Gutshall recognized the following Bureau Valley staff who are retiring at the end of the school year: Neale Wallace, head custodian at BV-North, 24 years; Rebecca Madsen, BV-North fourth grade, 26 years; Patricia Novak, BV-North fifth grade, 37 years; Dwayne Wallace, BV-North, social studies/computers, 37 years; Brenda Throneburg, BV-South fourth grade, 22 years; and Charles Yelm, HS drivers ed/PE, 35 years. Supt. Gutshall noted the staff combined for over 180 years of serving education and thanked them for their dedication. On behalf of the district, each employee was presented with an engraved desk clock.
Recent committee meetings were Personnel on May 15, which will provide information in executive session later in the meeting, and Curriculum Committee on May 6 that reviewed proposed handbook changes pertaining to homework policy, planned/unadvised absences, district crisis plan, correspondence courses, high school English curriculum, replacement of 2 high school computer labs, and software for the RtI program, which assesses and charts student progress in reading and math. The initial cost of the program for the district is $54,000, with a $3-5000 annual cost for assessment. All three principals visited other schools that incorporated the Autoskills program with RtI and were impressed with the progress of the students.
Transportation Committee chairman Keith Bolin said they did not meet, but he was recommending pursuing information on eventually housing/sheltering all buses throughout the district. Building & Grounds chairman Don DeWaele recommended securing estimates for each building parking lot and determining to what extent repairs are needed.
Supt. Terry Gutshall reported building budget requests have been reviewed with the Principals, textbook loan program books in the amount of $24,803 have been received; and sports physicals for Bureau Valley students grades 7-12 are being provided May 27 at the high school. He also said the Bureau County Task Force will be using the vacant Wyanet high school and Sheffield building for response training in the next two weeks.
In board action, the following were approved:
- payment of bills and payroll;
- minutes of April meeting;
-final amended 2008-09 calendar reflecting an ending date of June 2;
-adopted a resolution approving an amendment to the district’s Section 125/Flex Plan set forth by the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009;
-authorized the Superintendent to employ parttime summer help;
-approved a maternity leave request for Wendy Michlig;
-employed Brooke Rosenow as a BEST individual aide for the 2009-10 school year;
-accepted a 4-year retirement notice for Gerald Nixon, HS industrial arts teacher and a 2-year retirement notice for Diane Ori, HS home ec teacher.
-approved K-12 handbook revisions after discussion to clarify wording on planned/unadvised absences.
No action was taken after an executive session was entered into to discuss personnel.
The next regular meeting of the Bureau Valley District #340 Board of Education will be Monday, June 15, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. in the BEST Program cafeteria in Manlius.