Staff writer
Marion-Florence school board members had to go back to school Monday morning.
Visits to each school were part of an annual tour of buildings, where they saw classrooms, talked to students and children, and got a taste of what’s happening in each building.
Jeremiah Lange, Jan Helmer, and Tim Young found first grade teacher Katie Rahe giving a creative lesson on ratios. Her students each had a gingerbread man in front of them and had taken one bite.
Rahe asked each student what part of the cookie they had bitten. Each answer was marked on a graph on the whiteboard at the front of the classroom. When all the first bites were compiled, it turns out nearly all the gingerbread lost their heads before losing arms or legs.
Board members went first to the high school and middle school, then returned to the district office for discussion of other meeting agenda items. After putting the wraps on those, they set off for the elementary school.
One of the items discussed in the regular meeting was the district’s insurance.
Insurance agent Alex Case met with the school board Monday morning, telling them the total cost of next year’s policy will be $67,007, a $1,119 increase.
New elementary school playground equipment has arrived and the board handled the decision of what to do with the old equipment.
“I’m thinking there may be some churches that might be interested in it,” superintendent Lee Leiker said.
Leiker suggested advertising it on an online auction service such as Purple Wave.
“We would want to disassemble and get it off site,” Leiker said.
The board voted to approve the recommendation.
Leiker told board members a replacement for the district’s leased Bobcat loader can be purchased, but the distributor’s purchase agreement specifies a particular loan company located elsewhere.
Board members decided to purchase a replacement instead of lease, but will check with local banks on financing.