Anita Weston, Reporter
Rich Civic Times
RANDOLPH, Utah.
November 19, 2013. Miss Kennedy
took eight juniors to Utah State University to an academic Olympic
Decathlon. This activity includes most
of the schools in Northern Utah including the largest ones.
The students took four tests in language arts, math, social
studies, and science. These exams were
given in the morning and took four hours to complete. There was a banquet at noon and in the
afternoon they participated in a Star Wars activity. They were two points below the winners of the
Star Wars activity.
Miss Kennedy indicated that the Juniors represented the
school very well. She wanted to thank
the board for allowing these students to go.
Seven of the eight students were at the board meeting to thank the board
for the opportunity they had of being able to participate in this
activity.
Matt Squires, Squires CPA Firm, reported on the independent school
audit of the June 30 financial records of the Rich County School District. He noted that he had gone over the financial
statements in detail. They were
maintained according to generally accepted auditing standards as well as
governmental auditing standards. The
records clearly defined the management responsibilities and auditor’s
responsibilities which is a necessary division of financial activities.
The auditor’s opinion was a clean opinion or what is called
an unmodified opinion. Several extra
schedules and statements have been included in the report on the various fund
balances. There is also a report on
government auditing standards which display internal controls with no issues
found. The report shows the School District is in compliance with all
requirements. Squires had included a
letter to management with suggestions for possible ways to improve some of the
current practices.
He noted that Brandi Johnson has done an excellent job and
should be complimented. Judy, who is
over the school lunch program, was also thanked for her good work. The Rich School Board thanked Squires for the
professional and thorough job that he does.
The audit was accepted by the Board.
The School Board ratified the changes made last month to the
hiring policy.
The supervisor over student school transportation, requested
that the board approve the purchased of a new bus. She said the bus would be just like the one
purchased last year. Two seats have been
taken off each side so that the bus capacity will be 78 instead of 84
students. A luggage rack will be included,
it is lighted, and it has an electric door instead of an air door. It does contain cameras and has a two year
warranty.
The District has nine busses and all are being used. One bus in Laketown is used as a backup. The Bridgerland bus is the oldest bus in the
fleet and has almost 300,000 miles on it.
Because the Board had budgeted for a bus this year, they told Robin to
order the new bus.
Robin was asked how the different turnaround was working in
picking up students on the northern end of the Garden City route. The change was made from turning at the Swan
Creek Subdivision to the KOA. She said
it was working great and that the parents have been great to cooperate with
this change.
Because the District has a four-day school week, a report is
required each year by the State. It was
noted that there were a few more absences last year than in prior years. Board members requested the Superintendent
Lamborn to check if there was a flu epidemic
or something similar that could be used to justify absences. The Superintendent noted that currently there
are several cases of pink eye in the kindergarten and said he would keep track
of those types of absences.
A report of last year’s test scores earned by the students
was shared with the board members. The
students in Rich had higher scores than the state average in all
categories. There was an especially big
jump in the ninth grade math scores.
Superintendent Lamborn said this was due to the fact that in the past
those students who took accelerated math in the 8th grade did not
take the exam. Last year, however, all
freshmen took the test and those with the stronger background in math accounted
for the jump in that score.
The lunch supervisor, reported that there will be required changes made next year (2014-2015)
in the lunch program. The cost to adults
for school lunch will have to change.
Vending machines during the school day has a list of items that can and
cannot be included in the machine. Sack
lunches can’t include items that are normally found in vending machines such as
chips, packaged cakes, etc. Judy noted
that next year the school lunch program will have to be audited and that those
in charge need to be prepared for this activity.
Utah High School Athletic Association (UHSAA) refused Rich
School District proposal for the place and handling of basketball
tournaments. This refusal came from the
executive committee. Superintendent
Lamborn felt it would be worth the time and effort to present the proposal to
the Board of Trustees. It is hoped they will be more willing to listen and vote
differently.
Information was obtained from the Board Members for
attendance at the USBA Convention. At
the convention, certain individuals who have served on boards for long periods
of time will be honored. It was
determined that Ralph Johnson had been on the board for 12 years, Tammie Calder
has served for 16 years and Burdette Weston has been the on the board for 24
years. A motion was made to provide a
$200 gift certificate as a door prize at the Convention.
Bridgerland has been upgrading all of the programs. Two faculty members in technology were sent
to a school to become master teachers.
Because of the additional training that they have received, the students
going through their programs will receive recognition nationally—not just state
or regional. Agreements are being made
with some universities concerning associate degrees. This agreement will allow students to use
half of their credits from Bridgerland and obtain the other half from a
University to have an accredited associate degree. Bridgerland invited several legislators to
tour their facility and show them how money budgeted to the school this last
year had been used. Bridgerland is
attempting to try get the programs back to the standards they had prior to the
economic downturn when state funding cuts were made.
The December board meeting will be held in Laketown on
December 18. Lunch will be served at 11
a.m. and the meeting will begin at noon.
Legislators have been invited to this meeting.
