Centre school education board seeks community input with goal-setting session
Staff writer
At a special meeting Nov. 9 to discuss district goals, Centre school board members heard from two Friends University graduate students, Marci Shearon and Cat Palmer, who are working on degrees in organizational development.
They stressed the importance of community involvement in setting goals and establishing timelines.
The board accepted their offer to provide free services as facilitators for the goal-setting process.
Superintendent Jerri Kemble asked board members to submit names of community members who will be invited to participate in a goal-setting session. Site council members also will be invited. No date has been set.
In the regular meeting that followed, the board accepted the donation of a memorial bench for James Weber from the 2009 senior class.
It will be placed at the front of the high school. Weber, a classmate, died in a vehicle accident in July.
The board approved transportation and drivers for an after-prom party the night of April 17 at Allstar Sports, Wichita. Janet Matz and Angie Seifert presented the request. Two busses will be needed to transport 38 students, their dates, parents, and servers.
Bud Peterson volunteered to represent Centre as a voting delegate at the Kansas Association of School Boards annual convention in Wichita in December. All other board members are alternates.
Karen Nickel was hired as assistant junior class sponsor for the 2009-10 school year.
The board increased the contract for elementary school custodian Brian Mell to 40 hours a week. He has been working under a 30-hour contract since beginning the job this fall.
Kemble reported on the progress elementary school teachers are making in helping students who are struggling academically. The teachers themselves focus on those students while para-educators help the others.
The board commended the elementary school teachers for their aggressiveness in helping all students succeed.
In order to attract more parents to parent-teacher conferences, the teachers served a free meal and accessed high school students to provide free care for children. Kemble said the teachers were pleased with the turnout of 150 people.
High school principal Nadine Smith reported Goessel USD administrators and board members toured Centre’s ag department Nov. 6.
She also reported that 77 percent of middle school students, 40 percent of junior high students, and 35 percent of high school students were represented at recent parent-teacher conferences.
In a special session Nov. 11, several board members attended the Veterans Day program at Centre Elementary School and spent the remainder of the day touring classrooms at both school sites. They met in executive session at 3:30 p.m. to discuss personnel.
The next regular board meeting is 7 p.m. Dec. 14.
Last modified Nov. 18, 2009