CANTON – Highlighting the December meeting of the Unified School District 419 Board of Education were visits by Sen. Jay Emler, R-Lindsborg, and Rep. Clark Shultz, R-Lindsborg.
The message from both legislators indicated that the economy is going to dominate the next legislative session. School funding constitutes the majority of the state’s budget and, given the state’s current economic crisis, it cannot be business as usual at the statehouse. Both men said they would hope to hold the line on the base state aid per pupil.
Superintendent Bill Seidl said he and the board recognized the challenges of maintaining the quality of education that is expected in the district. The district is developing a plan to look at ways to hold down expenses. Board members will be taking a close look at expenses and programs supported in the schools. In the past, some positions have been combined and some have been eliminated. According to Seidl, the district will try to fill open positions from within, always seeking highly qualified staff.
With the problems of declining enrollments, Seidl said USD 419 and area schools face many challenges.
“McPherson County needs to grow, and I want to be a part of it,” Seidl said. “We need to make it work for everybody.”
In other business:
•ESSDACK Retirement Plan- The board approved participation in the Educational Services and Staff Development Association of Central Kansas’s 403b retirement plan.
•Bus Driver Pay- Board members approved an increase in the bus driver activity pay to $9 per hour, retroactive to the beginning of the 2008-09 school year. The action will cost the district an additional $800 per year; drivers previously earned $7.75 per hour.
•Donations- Two gifts to the district were approved: a donation of $22.50 from Hospira and a $432.65 profit-sharing check from Cooperative Grain, Hillsboro
•Emergency Substitute -Carley Chapman was approved as an emergency substitute teacher for the 2008-09 school year. Chapman, from Central Christian College, is the assistant girls basketball coach and a para.
•Drivers’ Education Program- The superintendent reported to the board on the future of the drivers’ education program. Drastic cuts in state funding for the drivers’ education program and its pending elimination next year will have the board looking at several scenarios. The consensus of members present at the meeting was to keep the program in the district, but Seidl said it is something that the board will have to look at closely.
•Principals’ Reports- Canton-Galva Elementary School principal, Darren Ballantyne, reported that the PTO has raised more than $5,000 through three fund-raisers. He recognized PTO officers Treva Prieb, Trish Johnson and Johni Doughman for their efforts. He also talked about the participation of building administrators in a meeting to review the McPherson County Special Education Process Handbook. The activity provided an excellent source of information for building principals, he said. Canton-Galva Middle School principal, Jim Struber, encouraged board members to view the school’s Web site, which now includes two to three-minute videos of classroom activities. The PTO now has its own news area on the Web site. Most pages have photos that would be of interest to board members and to patrons. Struber announced that board members would receive the school’s newsletter via e-mail. Canton-Galva High School principal, Jack Koehn, described discussions about potential changes in the Heart of America league. The league currently has 12 participating schools. Members have received inquiries about membership from seven different schools. Most of those are 2-A and 3-A school, but league officials probably are not interested in adding the larger schools. League officials could move the league to include 16 member schools, but at this time they just plan to take a closer look at the larger picture.
•Superintendent’s Report Seidl reported that the Kansas Association of School Boards’ convention provided opportunities to talk to vendors about such items as luminous signs and a weight room facility. He described the Leadership for Tomorrow program and its potential as a benefit for students.
•Member Letter- Terie Tector submitted a letter to Seidl indicating that she does not plan to file for re-election for her board position. She has served one term. While she cited too many personal time commitments at the present, Tector indicated that she may be interested in serving the district at a later time.
•CCC Report- Tector reported that the English Language Arts SAC is reviewing and rewriting curriculum. The updates and revisions, along with requests for textbooks and supplemental materials, will be presented to the board at the March meeting.
•KASB Convention Report- Phil Larson and Tector reported on the KASB Convention they attended in early December. They described informative mini-clinics and praised the convention speakers.
•Executive Session Board members convened an executive session to discuss negotiations. No action was taken.
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CANTON – Highlighting the December meeting of the Unified School District 419 Board of Education were visits by Sen. Jay Emler, R-Lindsborg, and Rep. Clark Shultz, R-Lindsborg.
The message from both legislators indicated that the economy is going to dominate the next legislative session. School funding constitutes the majority of the state’s budget and, given the state’s current economic crisis, it cannot be business as usual at the statehouse. Both men said they would hope to hold the line on the base state aid per pupil.
Superintendent Bill Seidl said he and the board recognized the challenges of maintaining the quality of education that is expected in the district. The district is developing a plan to look at ways to hold down expenses. Board members will be taking a close look at expenses and programs supported in the schools. In the past, some positions have been combined and some have been eliminated. According to Seidl, the district will try to fill open positions from within, always seeking highly qualified staff.
With the problems of declining enrollments, Seidl said USD 419 and area schools face many challenges.
“McPherson County needs to grow, and I want to be a part of it,” Seidl said. “We need to make it work for everybody.”
In other business:
•ESSDACK Retirement Plan- The board approved participation in the Educational Services and Staff Development Association of Central Kansas’s 403b retirement plan.
•Bus Driver Pay- Board members approved an increase in the bus driver activity pay to $9 per hour, retroactive to the beginning of the 2008-09 school year. The action will cost the district an additional $800 per year; drivers previously earned $7.75 per hour.
•Donations- Two gifts to the district were approved: a donation of $22.50 from Hospira and a $432.65 profit-sharing check from Cooperative Grain, Hillsboro
•Emergency Substitute -Carley Chapman was approved as an emergency substitute teacher for the 2008-09 school year. Chapman, from Central Christian College, is the assistant girls basketball coach and a para.
•Drivers’ Education Program- The superintendent reported to the board on the future of the drivers’ education program. Drastic cuts in state funding for the drivers’ education program and its pending elimination next year will have the board looking at several scenarios. The consensus of members present at the meeting was to keep the program in the district, but Seidl said it is something that the board will have to look at closely.
•Principals’ Reports- Canton-Galva Elementary School principal, Darren Ballantyne, reported that the PTO has raised more than $5,000 through three fund-raisers. He recognized PTO officers Treva Prieb, Trish Johnson and Johni Doughman for their efforts. He also talked about the participation of building administrators in a meeting to review the McPherson County Special Education Process Handbook. The activity provided an excellent source of information for building principals, he said. Canton-Galva Middle School principal, Jim Struber, encouraged board members to view the school’s Web site, which now includes two to three-minute videos of classroom activities. The PTO now has its own news area on the Web site. Most pages have photos that would be of interest to board members and to patrons. Struber announced that board members would receive the school’s newsletter via e-mail. Canton-Galva High School principal, Jack Koehn, described discussions about potential changes in the Heart of America league. The league currently has 12 participating schools. Members have received inquiries about membership from seven different schools. Most of those are 2-A and 3-A school, but league officials probably are not interested in adding the larger schools. League officials could move the league to include 16 member schools, but at this time they just plan to take a closer look at the larger picture.
•Superintendent’s Report Seidl reported that the Kansas Association of School Boards’ convention provided opportunities to talk to vendors about such items as luminous signs and a weight room facility. He described the Leadership for Tomorrow program and its potential as a benefit for students.
•Member Letter- Terie Tector submitted a letter to Seidl indicating that she does not plan to file for re-election for her board position. She has served one term. While she cited too many personal time commitments at the present, Tector indicated that she may be interested in serving the district at a later time.
•CCC Report- Tector reported that the English Language Arts SAC is reviewing and rewriting curriculum. The updates and revisions, along with requests for textbooks and supplemental materials, will be presented to the board at the March meeting.
•KASB Convention Report- Phil Larson and Tector reported on the KASB Convention they attended in early December. They described informative mini-clinics and praised the convention speakers.
•Executive Session Board members convened an executive session to discuss negotiations. No action was taken.
