School board introduces incoming superintendent

Friday, March 10, 2006

Incoming superintendent Craig Noah, who will take over after the current superintendent, Dr. Ted Davis, retires July 1, observed the Nevada R-5 school board in action at their regular monthly meeting Wednesday. Noah was in town for a reception in his honor earlier in the day as well.

The district is facing a 20 percent increase in health insurance costs from Blue Cross/Blue Shield so the board gave approval for Marian Erwin to seek proposals from other companies. Davis said that the board has achieved savings from the insurance company in the past just by seeking bids from other sources.

"For the 2005-'06 school year Blue Cross/Blue Shield had unofficially proposed a 10 percent increase and we asked our broker to obtain competitive bids," Davis said. "The bids were such that Blue Cross/Blue Shield made a proposal representing a 7-percent decrease in the premium."

The board also heard a report on the proposed change to the way the school district handles the Title 1 program, from a targeted program to a school-wide program. After the report the board voted to approve the change, but it will take up to a year to get approval from the government and prepare to make the changes.

"In prior years our district has had a targeted Title 1 program, which limited supplies, instruction, and professional development and the spending of any Title 1 funds to students qualifying under Title 1 criteria," Davis said. "A school-wide Title 1 program is available for school districts having more than 40-percent free and reduced eligible students. A school-wide program allows school districts to utilize their funds to benefit all students served in that school building."

"We believe there are many benefits to the school-wide approach and that even though many functions in our Title 1 program will remain the same, paperwork will be reduced, there will be less duplication of services and we will do a better job for all students."

The major drawback to the proposed change is that the districts paraprofessionals have to meet certain guidelines, either have 60 college hours or pass a federal exam showing proficiency in the core areas of instruction.

"There are 12 of the districts paraprofessionals who meet the requirements right now," Gerry Johnson, Special Services director, said. "We have 28 paraprofessionals and many of the others are close to meeting the standards."

The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 requires each school district that participates in a program under the National School Lunch Act to establish a local wellness policy for each school in the district by the beginning of the 2006-'07 school year.

The guidelines require that a wellness committee be established and consist of one parent, one student, one nurse, one food service representative, one board member, one school administrator, and other community members as appropriate.

Assistant superintendent Christi Peterson will chair the committee and board members Jan Benbrook and Joy Hawks will serve, along with other members to be appointed later.

The board appointed Jan Benbrook and Scott Kennedy along with incoming superintendent Noah to the R5 Public Foundation, a 501(C)3 not-for-profit group that benefits the R5 district.

In other business the board:

* Heard a legislative up date from the Missouri Association of Rural Education.

* Received recognition from Barney Fisher, Missouri House of Representative, for the contribution board members make to their community.

* Set the date to reorganize the board to coincide with the regular April board meeting.

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