USD 273 BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING MONDAY NOV 10th

USD #273 Board of Education

November 10, 2014

By Terry Bailey

The Board of Education of the Unified School District two seventy three met last night at the Board Office on North Independence Street.

One of the major items on the agenda was a presentation by a representative from OPAA, an institutional food service provider for schools in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. Their company prepared over twenty-seven million meals for schools last year.

The purpose of the presentation was to educate Board members on the positive aspects of institutional food service providing meals for the students at USD two seventy three compared to the school district providing the service as it has done in the past. OPAA is able to provide numerous daily meal choices and is able to provide more food on the plate. The savings are realized because OPAA is mass purchasing food to prepare over twenty-seven million meals compared to individual districts buying far less quantities of food.

Beloit Jr. Sr. High principal Darrell Moore visited Chapman High School and Troy high school, both schools where the food service is provided by OPAA. He said the quality of the meals was good and the price was close to what students currently pay at Beloit.

The Board took the matter under advisement and Superintendent Travis will put together a RFP to see what kinds of bids the district might receive.

Student Council President R.J. Jackson addressed the Board and advised them of upcoming student activities at Beloit Jr. Sr. High. STUCO is sponsoring an Express Blood Drive. Currently fifteen students have signed up to donate. Student Council continues to deliver Meals on Wheels one week each month. The annual Thanksgiving Food Drive to collect food items for the Food Pantry will begin November seventeenth and run through November twenty-fourth. Spirited competition is expected between the high school, junior high school and elementary school student groups. Jackson said they have doubled their food goals from those of last year. Jackson requested the Board to allow the students one half day off from school on the last day before Christmas vacation if they meet these very challenging goals. The Board gave their approval for this early start to Christmas vacation if all three groups meet their goals.

An audit report was presented by a representative of the new accounting firm of Sindoll, Janzen, Hake and Lloyd. This is the firm’s first year as the USD 273 auditors. He spent considerable time discussing common problem areas that draw great scrutiny. Because of problems with the Enron type situations rules have changed and there is greater accountability.

Cassie Kopsa addressed the Board regarding Special Education issues. Areas of litigation these days seem to be focusing on violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Kopsa told the Board that currently a non-graded non-credits alternative curriculum is used in the LCCE/ALI classroom. The state is encouraging them to adopt a credited system that is aligned to the Common Core Standards. They are working on making these changes.

In his report, Elementary Principal Byron Marshall informed the Board that this year every student received their own pumpkin on October 17. This pumpkin for a kid program was made possible by the generosity of Jason Chancellor, Todd Clover, Lindy Lindblad, and Hoffer’s Produce.

Marshall reported that approximately ninety-four percent of the parents participated in Parent Teacher Conferences. This compares with 95% last year, 88% the previous year, and 91% the year before that.

Marshall also wanted to extend a big Thank You to Steve Rugg for bringing the Fire Truck to the preschool and giving the students a ride.

Beloit Jr. Sr. High Principal Darrell Moore reported to the Board about the student activities on October 22. The morning was spent with team building activities lead by Andrew Cherry who works for the Kansas State High School Activities Association. Moore reported that was time very well spent. The afternoon was spent in service activities around the town.

Mrs. Ediger took twenty students to Hays to audition for the Kansas Music Educators Association Honor Choir. Eight students were selected.

Mrs. Vetter had eight Jr. High students audition for the Jr. High Concert Band and seven were accepted. Six high school students auditioned for the Honor Jazz Band and five were selected.

Mr. Lampert, Mrs. Rupp, and Mrs. Jo Dean held ACT prep sessions for the math and language arts sections of the test. Twenty eight students participated in the Language Arts review and twenty in the Math review.

Mr. Callaway took six students to the National FFA convention in Louisville, Kentucky. Everyone reported this to be a very positive outing and very beneficial for those students who participated.

FFA Fruit, Meat and Cheese sales have exceeded eighteen thousand five hundred dollars.

Principal Moore wanted to thank the Guaranty Bank for donating the new sound system for the commons area. It is a great improvement over the old system.

The Board voted to raise the fee charged on returned checks. Currently there is an eight dollar fee. On January first two thousand fifteen this fee will increase to thirty dollars for returned checks.

A bid of fifty-six thousand four hundred ninety-six dollars from APCO was accepted for gym equipment for the new Elementary School addition.

December seventeenth was the date selected for the annual staff Christmas dinner. The activities will begin at six p.m.

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Beloit, KS 67420, USA