USD 408 tackles handbook changes, salary issues years ago
Staff writer
Handbook changes, travel requests, salary issues, and numerous other items were addressed by Marion-Florence USD 408 Board of Education Monday night. This was the final regularly scheduled meeting of the 2003-04 school year.
After hearing from Marion Middle School principal Tod Gordon and Marion High School principal Ken Arnhold, the board voted to approve MMS and MHS student handbooks for the 2004-05 school year.
"We have to tweak the dress code every year," Gordon noted.
Previously, the school did not allow students to wear "flip-flops," shoes which only have a toe-hold. However, just looking around the board room, Gordon noted many adults present — including one board member — were wearing flip-flops.
Gordon said the new handbook changes the wording requiring students to "wear shoes."
"We noticed that when girls dress up and wear dresses they wear flip-flops," he said.
One of the issues with footwear was the noise created when students walked the halls. In response, students were taking off the shoes. Gordon said the consensus was "a little noise" was better than students going barefoot.
Another change in the MMS handbook involves changing the mandatory stay from four hours to three hours for students who are not meeting grade requirements.
Arnhold said the MHS handbook also had been changed to a three-hour mandatory stay.
"Our goal is not to make it a punitive time, but a time to help students get their grades up," Arnhold said.
Another change in the MHS handbook involved "cleaning up the language" concerning classes students can take more than once like jazz band, forensics, and debate.
The board also heard from Marion Elementary School principal Stan Ploutz regarding its handbook.
Ploutz noted the new handbook addressed the use of cell phones since some students were carrying them.
He also showed the board two possible schedules for the new fifth/sixth grade departmentalized programs. The board took no action regarding the MES handbook, preferring to study the schedule issue in-depth.
Salary issues
With no discussion prior to the vote, the board formally ratified the negotiated agreement with teaching staff on a 5-2 vote. Board members Chris Sprowls and Rex Savage cast the dissenting votes.
Following a lengthy executive session regarding personnel, a motion to approve the support staff salary schedule as presented was defeated by a 2-4 vote.
Board members Roger Hannaford and Rex Savage voted in favor, while members Sarah Cope, Kathy Meierhoff, Chris Sprowls, and Gene Bowers voted "no." Member Keith Collett left the room during the vote due to a conflict of interest.
The board then adjourned for a 35-minute executive session to re-discuss the issue.
Upon returning, the board voted 6-0 to increase the support staff hourly salary as presented. Collett left the room during the vote.
The board then unanimously approved salaried positions as amended reducing the salary increase from 1.77 percent to 1.5 percent. The amount was adjusted due to a decrease in health insurance premiums, Tice said.
Healthy incentive program
After hearing from Janice Waner, school nurse, Phoebe Janzen, counselor, and Chad Adkins, physical education teacher, the board approved a healthy incentive program for USD 408 employees for a one-year period.
The three said they had attended a coordinated school health program sponsored by Kansas Department of Health and Environment and Kansas Department of Education.
"We wrote a grant for $1,000 for all three schools," Waner said.
The program provides incentives which will contribute to a healthy lifestyle and productive work environment including eating healthy, regular exercise, and obtaining regular checkups.
Staff receive points for meeting specific healthy lifestyle incentives. For example, 15 minutes of continuous exercise equals five points, while losing two to four pounds a month adds up to 25 points.
With their points, staff reach bronze, silver, gold, or platinum achievement levels and receive prizes for each particular level. The achievement levels also include using less than two sick days per year.
Janzen noted USD 408 spends an average of $15,000 per year on substitutes to cover for sick staff members. Approximately 221 days are missed each year due to illness.
"If the program could make a 20 percent difference in fewer sick days that could save the district $3,000," Jantzen said.
Adkins said the program would include graphs which "show how people do" as an added incentive.
Janzen said they wished to "start with staff" then extend the program to the community.
Requests
— The board approved a trip for Marion High School FFA members to attend the annual leadership retreat July 18-23 in Dillon, Colo. Four students and FFA sponsor Mark Meyer told members about the event and activities before the board granted approval. The district approved the trip, will pay for transportation, and two sponsors to attend.
— The board voted 6-1 with member Gene Bowers casting the "no" vote to allow the MHS band to raise money to attend an April 2005 band trip in Branson, Mo. However, the board specified the band could not sign any contracts regarding the trip until more information is obtained. Due to work obligations, band director Mike McConnell was unable to address the board regarding specifics of the trip. The matter will be addressed again at a later meeting.
— The board voted to allow open lunch for juniors and seniors Monday-Thursday and extended lunch Friday during the 2004-05 school year. Stuco officers told the board only students in "good standing" were eligible to participate. Principal Arnhold said the lunch options had proved to be "good incentives."
"We have less juniors and seniors with failing grades," Arnhold said. "We look at it as a privilege and a choice. And a lot of our kids go ahead and eat lunch at the cafeteria anyway."
In non-related actions, the board approved an agreement providing federal funding for the school food service program and approved signing a letter of commitment for federal money provided by the Carl D. Perkins vocational and technical education fund. The program provides grant money for vocational equipment.
— After hearing from Linda Ogden, director of Marion County Communities in Schools, the board approved a $1,465 funding request as USD 408's share for the 2004-05 school year.
Ogden said CIS had obtained $744,614 in cash grant money between fall 1999 and spring 2004. She and superintendent Gerald Henderson noted CIS grant money had been beneficial to USD 408.
In other matters, the board:
— Congratulated the cast, crew and director of "The Wizard of Oz" during Celebration of Excellence for receiving six nominations and three Jester Awards from Music Theatre of Wichita.
The board also congratulated state track qualifiers and coaches for their accomplishments.
— Approved the agri-science/applied technology education curriculum.
Board vice-president Bowers asked to see curriculum "while it was still in the rough draft" stage to allow the board to have more input. One of the board's main duties, he noted was to be in charge of curriculum. "Curriculum is our baby," Bowers said.
Curriculum director Missy Stubenhofer said the board could have input at any time. She noted if the board saw "holes" they make their concerns known.
Bowers asked FFA sponsor and agri-science instructor Meyer if the curriculum covered specific topics like proper handling of animal waste, fertilizer application, and stewardship of the land ethics.
"We have a sick reservoir out here. Has anybody seen it lately?" Bowers questioned, referring to the algae outbreak at Marion Reservoir.
— Heard comments from Henderson regarding a letter received from "Schools for Quality Education" asking USD 408 to join them in a legal effort changing the school finance formula and weighting.
"Succinctly, I feel it's a waste of time and money. These efforts are divisive and don't bring anything to education," he said
Henderson said he did not have a "lot of confidence" in the Kansas Legislature regarding school finance, but felt once the Supreme Court reviewed the decision made by Judge Terry Bullock "the formula will likely be re-written."
The board took no action and did not participate.
— Approved participation in the Kansas Association of School Boards (KASB) Worker's Compensation Insurance program. Business manager Tice said every participating district's assessment had increased, but KASB still offered workers' comp "at a lower price than we can get from other channels."
— Approved disposing of a 1992 Suburban.
— Agreed to sell two 1998 Ford Windstars with high mileage and purchase two used 2001 Grand Caravans.
Tice said the decision had been delayed until it was known whether the district would have "sufficient budget authority" to replace the vehicles.
The board approved the purchase of the vans by a 4-3 vote. Board members voting no were Bowers, Collett, and Roger Hannaford.
— Following a 60-minute executive session, the board voted to accept the resignation of Joe Mish, driver/district maintenance, and approved offering a custodial/bus driving contract to Calvin Sedeek.
A contract was offered to Jeana Shauv to teach an open position at MES.
The board also approved supplemental contracts as recommended.
