NEW MADRID - Planning for summer school and for the 2008-09 school year are under way for the R-1 School District.
During the February Board of Education meeting, the board approved the process of making an application for an elementary and high school summer program.
According to Superintendent Bill Nance, the application process is required annually by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for all school districts prior to establishing a summer school.
He noted last year's summer school was the first time it was conducted for R-1 School District high school students and enabled them to make up credits required for graduation. "We had 40 to 50 attend," said Nance about the high school program. "We felt it was very successful and intend to have it again."
Also approval was given for the high school facilities to be used by a program co-sponsored by the school district and Lincoln University. The program, "Losing and Learning," is scheduled for July 7-18 and targets youngsters up through 8th grade.
The administrative staff for the coming school year was hired by the Board. Nance said there are no staff changes for the 2008-09 school year.
Also hired for the coming year were Whitney Chasteen, high school art; Brad Kolwyck, high school math; and Jenny Sexton, physical education and head volleyball coach for the Middle School.
A bid of $14,900 was accepted from Morton Buildings Inc. for a storage building to be constructed on the Lilbourn Elementary School campus. The old bus garage building, which was used for storage, was demolished to make way for the new addition planned at the school. The new 20-by-21-
foot building is expected to be delivered and erected sometime this spring, the superintendent said.
Other action by the board included: * The resignations of Riley Bock, high school English; Jessica Hilton, Lilbourn Elementary emotional disorders; and Joe Baldwin, Middle School physical education, were accepted. * The annual board work session for the school board is set for March 5. Board member Kay Rebstock was nominated to serve on the Missouri State Board Association Board of Directors. * Numerous board policy revisions were made. Nance described these as simply "housekeeping" to ensure the district's policies were in line with revisions recommended by the Missouri School Board Association. * The school district will make up two days missed due to the recent inclement weather. Students will have class on March 7 and March 14. Students have already made up one day of classes missed when they were in school on Feb. 18.