Elizabeth Bailey
The Decatur County Community Schools board of education continued its work to prepare for the 2009-2010 school year during its regular monthly meeting, Wednesday.
The board approved the retirement of Beverly Behrman of South Elementary and Rita Perkins of both North and South after next school year as well as accepting, albeit regretfully, the resignation of assistant superintendent Connie Nobbe as well as Sharon Stephens, the South Elementary cafeteria manager. The board thanked Nobbe for her service to the corporation, and she said it has been two good years.
“Decatur County is a great place,” she said.
The board also approved contracts for Jim Jameson as principal of South Decatur Jr/Sr High School, Shawn Price as assistant principal/athletic director at South, Carrie Hess as South part time counselor, Mia Thomas as a school psychologist and Linda Smith for special education extended school year for North Elementary.
In addition, it was approved for the South Decatur Jr/Sr High School band to take a field trip to Walt Disney World in Florida during spring break of next school year. Bids for bread and milk for next school year were also authorized.
Nita McNealy, retiring South Elementary principal, reported to the board on the meetings of the Grading Scale Committee, which gathered in February and March. The group discussed the grading scale for the first semester of first grade, in which students are given an E for excellent, an S for satisfactory, an N for needs improvement or a U for unsatisfactory. The committee felt the S category was too broad, encompassing any percentage between 75 and 93.9. McNealy noted there is a big difference in the skills at either end of that spectrum. Therefore, the group recommended that a fifth possibility be added to offer greater clarity to parents of first graders. The S- would include 75 to 85.9 while the S would be reserved for 86-93.9. This report was accepted by the board.
School improvement plans and handbook changes were also approved, as were the high school athletic handbooks, which had no great changes from last year. The board also approved the joint services and supply agreement with the Bartholomew Special Services Cooperative.
Dr. Dan Roach, superintendent, informed the board that the South Elementary roof work is underway. The servers will be moved from the Administration Building to North Decatur Jr/Sr High School sometime in July in preparation for the completion of broadband access to the high schools before school begins August 12.
Roach also updated the board on the bleachers at the high schools, of which the home side was condemned. In fact, the visitors side is also affected, he said. In addition, cost analysis to replace the cross braces shows a potential price of between $9,000 and $13,000 to keep the bleachers in service for one school year. The board hopes to find a two-year fix that will prove a better use of resources.
In her last report to the board, Nobbe presented the cirriculum index with the textbooks for 2009-2014, which was accepted by the board. She also delivered reports on the end of course testing, which establishes a baseline for student performance.
As the meeting came to a close, the board thanked departing staff for their service, including Nobbe, McNealy and South principal Bob Hacker.
McNealy said it has been great to work for the county schools. Including her time as a student, she noted, she has spent 55 years in the county schools.
“Decatur County is just the best place to be,” she said.
