At Centre USD: Increase in kindergartners produces need for another teacher aide
By ROWENA PLETT
Staff writer
The number of students in kindergarten at Centre Elementary School is scheduled to be 23-25 for the 2005-06 school year.
This is a sizable increase from the 17 pre-enrolled in the spring.
Sharon Matz served as a teacher aide this past year, but because of the lower numbers expected, was scheduled to assist with the four-year-old at-risk program in the morning.
Because of the increased enrollment, the board approved employment of an additional teacher aide at the CES building for the 2005-06 school year.
In other personnel decisions, the board approved employment of Cody Schafer as assistant boys' basketball coach, Troy Peterson as bus driver, and Jimmy Hewitt as substitute custodian at Centre Elementary School. Hewitt has previous custodial experience and will be paid $10 per hour.
The board approved attendance of a foreign exchange student from Colombia. Diana Marroquin Pava is sponsored by CCI and will be living with Seth and Tammie Bishop.
The board also approved attendance of two out-of-district students: freshman Lance Shriver of Durham and junior Thomas Terreault of Herington.
In other action, the board:
— rescheduled the special board meeting to conduct the fiscal year 2006 budget hearing from Aug. 15 to Aug. 22, at 7:30 p.m. in the Centre High School library.
— adopted several revised policies.
— approved purchase and installation of awnings on doorways on the north and northwest side of the 5-12 building and vent hoods on the north gym from Wiebe Siding and Remodeling, Hillsboro, at a cost of $6,750.13.
Superintendent Bob Kiblinger said the awnings are needed to prevent rain from entering the building.
— appointed Paul Longhofer and Robert Vohs as special education due process hearing officers for Centre school district for 2005-06.
The superintendent presented a positive overview of the 2005 "adequate yearly progress" (AYP) report for the district from the Kansas State Department of Education. He noted that several classes attained the standard of excellence in several subjects and others almost reached it.
Kiblinger displayed one of several bus safety seats which are required to be installed in a vehicle transporting four-year-old at-risk students.
He reported a hole was excavated at the high school site for the underground water tank and Paul Backhus of Tampa had drilled a well at the site. The tank was expected to arrive Friday.
