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School study hour program is revised

Hancock, Good resign

Sports reporter

Marion High School principal Ken Arnhold and Marion Middle School principal Tod Gordon expressed their concerns Monday to the Marion-Florence USD 408 Board of Education regarding Saturday school.

Coming to school on the weekend originally evolved as a form of disciplinary action. However, recently more than 90 percent of the students coming to class for three hours on Saturday were not there because of a fight or disrespecting a teacher.

Instead the majority of students were those who did not complete their mandatory study hours after receiving a failing grade.

Arnhold instituted a program that calls for any student receiving an F in a class for two weeks, to complete three hours of study time with that teacher either before or after school.

"It backfired on me, to be honest with you," Arnhold told the board.

That's because many students weren't completing their time on purpose, which then led to Saturday school. There they spent time reading, and only being supervised instead of studying with a teacher. Arnhold felt this was defeating the whole purpose of getting extra study time.

Gordon said the same thing was happening at the middle school.

So, the two principals brought a new plan to the board. The new idea will reduce the number of study hours per F, allowing for the student to have sufficient time to complete the study hours.

One F will result in one hour of study time, two F's two hours, and three or more three hours.

The student will have a week to make arrangements with the teacher to complete the hours before of after school. Before, a student with only one F, was required to find three hours per week for extra study time. That proved difficult sometimes, and some students would rather have come in on Saturday.

Now, if the student has just one hour Arnhold and Gordon hope they will be able to the time task rather than opt for Saturday school.

If the student still refuses to complete the hour, it will turn into a disciplinary action, and they will have to go to the four-hour Saturday school.

"The quality of learning in that one hour with the teacher is greater than four in Saturday school," Arnhold said.

The board voted 7-0 in favor of the new plan.

In other news:

— Marion High School coaches Rex Ostmeyer, Daryl Enos, and Chad Adkins shared with the board the achievements of their respective winter athletes.

Erin Carr, girls' basketball, Travis and Jason Hett and Calvin Jeffrey, boys' basketball, Cody and Dillion Wildin, Adam Regnier, John Barr III, and Charlie Holub, wrestling, were honored for their post-season awards.

— Lesli Beery, director/educator of Parents' as Teachers of Marion County, gave a presentation to the board.

She told members there currently are 31 families from Marion participating in the program, with seven currently on a waiting list.

The program serves approximately 130 families throughout the county this past year.

— Marion Middle School math teacher and student assessment coordinator Missy Stubenhofer gave an update to the board on state assessment testing.

This year the program has moved online, and has made for a much smoother experience than in the past.

— Superintendent Lee Leiker shared an update with the board on the district's current building project.

Demolition of the pool began Tuesday, and construction of the new pool/gymnasium building should start the first week of April.

He also commended city, county, and school workers for their efforts in helping with the preliminary steps in the process to help cut costs.

They banded together to build the construction fence around the pool, instead of hiring someone out of town.

Some Marion REC baseball/softball board members have volunteered to help move the awning from the pool to the baseball/softball complex.

Also, Marion County Public Works Director Jim Herzet said the county would provide machines to help with removal of the pool if needed.

"It's been a great community effort," Leiker said.

— The board unanimously approved Tabor College's request for use of a bus to transport athletes to track events.

Leiker will set the terms of compensation for a driver, fuel, and wear and tear of the bus.

— The board extended the contracts of Arnhold and Gordon until the 2008-09 school year.

— The board accepted the resignation of MMS eighth grade Spanish teacher JoAnn Good and Marion Elementary School vocal music teacher Anita Hancock. MMS co-volleyball coach Michelle Adkins' request for resignation was granted by the board. Adkins however, will remain as MES first grade teacher.

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