R-5 board swears

By Ralph Pokorny

Nevada Daily Mail

The Nevada R-5 School District is expecting to have about 550 students enrolled in summer school this year, Tyson Beshore, R-5 assistant superintendent, told the R-5 School board during Wednesday's monthly meeting at Truman Elementary School.

"Summer school will start June 1 and run Tuesday through Friday the first week," Beshore told the board before they voted to approve the summer school schedule, adding that for the remaining three weeks classes will run Monday through Thursday.

Because of cuts in state funding, summer school will only be available for students needing to make-up work. Drivers education and other enrichment classes will not be offered.

Elementary and middle school students will have classes for two hours per day and the high school classes will meet for four hours per day so they can have the required 60 hours of instruction to receive one-half credit.

Beshore said the district will run buses to bring all students to school and will provide transportation home for elementary and middle school students.

"The high school students will be responsible for their own transportation home," he said.

In 2011 there may be no state funding for summer school, R-5 Superintendent Dr. David Stephens, told the board.

"I don't think we can zero out summer school. We will still need some remedial education," Stephens said.

If the state cuts all funding for summer school Stephens said the district will need to cover the entire cost.

Stephens told the board that there will be a 2 percent cut in state funding for the 2010 - 2011 school year that will be shared by all schools in the state, before the board voted to approve the preliminary budget for next year.

He said that the Lights on After School program will receive a 50 percent cut in funding and will be limited to students needing extra work.

He said that he has been talking to the YMCA director about putting together a program to provide similar activities for the students who will not be eligible for the extended school program. They are looking into a program for a minimal fee and will have financial aid available.

In other business the board;

* Voted 7-0 to certify the April 6 election results, and swore in Amanda Fisher and Joy Hawks.

* Voted 7-0 to elect Chris Ellis as the new board president and Joy Hawks as vice president.

* Voted 7-0 to approve a 7.7 percent or $85,496 increase in the R-5 districts insurance premium for the 2010 - 2011 school year.

* Voted 7-0 to approve the bids for the Truman Elementary addition, including: $8,675 for HVAC from Ast Heating and Air; $26,275 from Mason's Masonry for masonry work and $14,525 from Cash's Quality Electric for electrical work.

* Voted 7-0 to approve MSBA policy changes as recommended by Stephens.

* Voted to accept the resignations of Larry Davis, Bryan night custodian, and Kellan Foster, Middle School physical education.

* They also voted to hire Jeremy Jahn, middle school math; Kristin Pettibon, Middle School math and Dean Walker as transportation director.

* The board also approved the transfers of: Julie West to Middle School PTE; Karen Gordon to Middle School science; Cassie Irwin to psychological examiner; Neil Barnes to Middle School physical education; Paula Shafer to Middle School Title I; Tammy Holcomb to second grade and Kristy Padgett to reading recovery.

* The board also did not renew the contract with Nicholas Marti, special education teacher/paraprofessional due to the loss of ARRA funding for the program.