School will be extended on two Fridays to makeup snow day

The school board met on their new scheduled date and time, the third Tuesday of every month, on Jan. 19 at 6:30 p.m. The board worked on several items during the meeting from staff recommendations to recovering a lost day due to a snow day in December.

The school district needs to make up the snow day from December. The district decided on extending the hours for two Fridays to make up the lost time. Letters were sent out notifying parents of the dates.

Superintendent Dustin Hunt shared that the administrative team has been discussing options of changing the start and end times for the school day.

Centering the discussion on needing daily collaboration at all levels. There are many variables that play into the discussion including minute requirements from the state, transportation, class schedules, and breakfast and lunch times. Hunt shared a handout with the board that had a sample time change. The pros to moving the start time back include that it allows collaboration for all staff (including special education teachers, specials teachers, and paraprofessionals), allows for vertical collaboration, and allows administrators to attend meetings.

Other changes that Hunt brought before the board was a minimal change in staff hours and transportation. He addressed the need to make sure it is communicated with the parents the available times of supervision that are available. Options will be available at the February meeting for further discussion and consideration for approval.

Other events of the evening had student trustee Cortney Yarrington sharing that the high school has started a Pennies for Patients fundraiser for cancer research. A MORP dance will be held in February. A dance-off between students and teachers is being planned for next week as a spirit stick competition.

Steve Radabaugh, the high school computer science teacher, explained what computer science encompasses and provided a vision of how the computer science course can increase opportunities next year. With Radabaugh’s help, Principal Scott Shoop would like to develop a model computer science curriculum.

The board also recognized The Greater Learning Foundation for being awarded the Governor’s Arts Award for 2015. Jacky Wright and Sue Blakey both attended to receive the recognition. Wright also reported they had 90 students attend the public performance on Jan. 14.