Menu
NEVC board: good reports from both campuses
Thursday's 7 a.m. meeting of the Northeast Vernon County School Board received information on a new scoreboard for the softball field, enrollment figures, facility enhancements and general news from the Walker and Schell City campuses.
Kendall Ogburn, Schell City Elementary School principal, told the board that the school's first "intruder drill" and use of the Guardian Angel door security devices went well.
"But a few days later when Johnny Appleseed visited a classroom, the teacher asked, 'Does anyone know who this is and why he's here?'" said Ogburn. "Immediately a child answered, 'Is he an intruder?'"
Superintendent Charles Naas, showed the board a drawing of the design for a new scoreboard at the softball field.
"A few months ago I brought an offer from Coca-Cola to help with the purchase of new scoreboards in exchange for an exclusive contract to sell their products in our school for the next 10 years," Naas said. While you turned that down, thanks to a generous donor, we now have two new scoreboards in our gym. And thanks to an initial contact by that Coke representative, Farmer's State Bank has agreed to make a generous $2,500 donation toward a new scoreboard for the softball field. We still have to raise some more money but I'm looking to get that ordered and installed before next Spring."
Naas reviewed several facility enhancements that have been completed.
"The overhang covering the walkway has a number of holes in the tin awning and 25 new sheets of metal were installed for about $400," began Naas. "We also replaced the old wooden steps outside the nurse's office with some concrete ones for safety."
"I'm hoping to get some bids for putting in about 100 feet of sidewalk from the gym to the music room," said Naas. "It's something that's been needed for a while and this may be the time we can do it."
And then there was the subject of school busses.
"Durham bus company gave us title to the old damaged bus and I'm asking you to declare it surplus property," said Naas. "I did have one person point to something under the hood and said that was worth $3,000."
"You should have said, 'Sold!'," board member Bill Alexander said.
Naas described the district's two oldest school buses saying brakes had to be installed on one with a water pump replaced on the other.
"I'm still thinking about replacing a bus this year but the deal has to be right," said Naas.
The high school library has a new flat screen monitor on which communication arts and technology teacher, Shelli McGrath, displayed the progress she has made in revamping the school's website.
"While it will have separate portals for each campus as well as administration and staff, I plan to include a number of video clips from classes that I will change through the year," said McGrath.
The board learned elementary school enrollment stands at 125, the high school has 100 students even as the board kept tuition for out of district students at the level it has been for the past several years, $10,000.
In his report, Ogburn said the class rotation system in grades 3-6 was being well received by students and teachers alike. He described his first steps in creating a gifted and talented program for the elementary school.
"One of the things teachers are trying to emphasize is providing positive feedback to children," said Ogburn. "While we have a lot of great parents in our district, I have become aware of some students who receive a pretty steady diet of negative words and harsh criticism from the adults in their lives. Positive feedback builds self-esteem and makes it easier for students to talk to adults at school and elsewhere in their lives."
High school principal, Chris Hudson reported on their intruder drill and school lockdown.
"Some schools with the Guardian Angel door security system intentionally do not instruct students in its use but we do precisely the opposite and we had a good example of why this is the way to go," said Hudson. "During our intruder drill, a student was waiting in the counselor's office, alone, when we announced the lockdown. Because this person had paid attention, the student was able to secure the door and was kept safe."
"As my wife says, 'The body can't go where the mind's never been,'" said Naas. "Students hear the news and know about shootings and terrorism. By involving them, not only do we increase the safety of everyone in the school but also we make our students feel safer. Back when we installed the units we all said, 'I hope we never have to use them.' And that's still true but by having them, students get the message that we value each of them and that may be one of the best things that comes out of all this."
Hudson reported on the purchase of a number of Chromecast units for classroom use. The device is plugged into the HDMI port of the flatscreen unit in classrooms. Teachers can display materials from a computer, laptop or even their phone. Since each student already has a Chromebook laptop computer, projects and other school work can be displayed on the large classroom screen.
"At $35 per unit, it was a no-brainer to purchase units for each teacher that would use one," Hudson said.
Early in the meeting, McGrath demonstrated this to the board with her phone and the library's new flatscreen.
"Our students and teachers are working hard to keep up with technology, which is not only a tool but has become a subject in itself," said McGrath.