School Board Meeting

Anita Weston, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

 

RANDOLPH, Utah.  February 26, 2014.  A request was made by parents to allow them to home school one of their children.  Permission was given. 

Judy Jackson, school lunch program, noted that federal regulations require a federal audit of the lunch program next year.  Adults who participate in the school lunch program will need to pay more for their lunch in order to meet the federal requirements.  Currently adults pay $2.65.  This needs to be raised to $3.00.  Breakfast currently is $1.55 and will need to go up to $1.85.  This needs to be put in place beginning April 1 of this year. 

It was noted that Judy Jackson has submitted her letter of resignation.  The Board members noted that Jackson has done a magnificent job over the years that she has been in charge of the school lunch program.  She has adapted to all of the changes and requirements that have been imposed over the years, has loved the students and interacted with them in a friendly and interested manner, and is a fantastic cook.  She will finish out her current contract.  She is also willing to help the new individual who will fill this position with the summer preparations that are needed.  She also noted that she would be happy to work with the new cook for the first couple of weeks in the fall if her help was desired.

Superintendent Dale Lamborn presented a working copy of the calendar for the 2014-2015 school year.  School will start August 18 and the school year will end prior to Memorial Day.  They will be able to pick up a day or two at Christmas time which would allow the schools to be off over UEA if the teachers would like that.  USU and some of the other universities don’t start until the 15^th of August.  Some like the public system to start at the same time as the Universities, but this would put the end of the school year into June.   Parent and teacher conferences are always held in the middle of the trimesters.  However, the middle of the second trimester is so soon after Christmas break that teachers have very little information to share at that time.  It was asked that the parent/teacher conferences for that trimester be moved a week or two later to allow students and teachers to get back into a routine prior to these conferences.   

The proposed calendars will be submitted to the public for input.  Approval of the calendar will be done at the next School Board Meeting. 

Miss Cornia presented information about the ACT testing that is the current test used by the District.  This is the only test that gives national comparisons and gives a tremendous amount of feedback to the school, teachers, and students.  It helps to get the students college and career ready.  This test is also mandated by the state for all 8^th grade and sophomore students.  It was administered last fall to those two grades. 

The test covers four areas—English, math, science, and reading.  The information that has been sent back to the school has been wonderful.  It  helps teachers see where additional information needs to be included in their teaching and also suggests career areas of strength for individual students.  Individual scores are also given to students so they can see where they scored and where they can improve in the future.  There is also a website available to teachers called Shmoop that gives suggestions for presentation and adding additional information into their teaching.  The ACT test is scheduled to be given on March 4. 

Scott Ferguson was given the Athletic Director of the Year Award.  This was given as a result of all of the service he has given to the Utah High School Athletic Association during the past several years.  He was congratulated by the School Board Members. 

Superintendent Lamborn reported to the Board of several bills that are currently being worked on by the Legislature dealing with school issues.  It appears that concurrent enrollment will be supported.  There are not many changes there.  Currently, however, the bill is stuck in the rules committee. 

The interim president of Snow College wants to get started in determining the number and kind of classes that should be made available for concurrent enrollment for high school students.  A meeting has been set up with him next week to work on this in case everything goes through. 

Currently there is $23 million to be spent in the STEM  (Science, Technology, and Mathematics) program.  These funds will be taken from education money and will probably pass as well. 

The speaker of the house has presented a bill that would make electronic devices available to all high school students in the state.  However, many school boards and superintendents are against this bill.  It is a fact that the device is only about 25 percent of the costs involved in getting a program going with the one device for each student program.  The special software upgrades that are required to get all of the devices to work, the software needed for the different classes, the extra testing and grading software, the training on the software for teachers as well as maintenance and extra technology support needs to also be funded to make this program viable. 

There are three positions up for election this coming fall.  If anyone is interested in running for these openings, they need to pay a $50 filing fee and register between March 14 and March 20. 

The next school board meeting will be held March 19.  It will begin at 4 p.m. instead of the usual 6 p.m. because that is the opening night of the school play.