Aug 28, 2008

The Ava R-I School Board met last Thursday evening and adopted many of the annual formalities and standard mandates needed for the school term now underway. During closed session, the board voted to hire Debbie Towell as the part-time elementary / part-time middle school secretary, a position vacated earlier this year by Sheila Rieken when she assumed third and fourth grade special education. Towell, who comes to Ava from the Skyline district, will work in the middle school during morning hours, and elementary in the afternoon. School board member Jeff Davis reported the facility naming committee held their first meeting Thursday, Aug. 14. Davis noted the first session was spent reviewing and discussing the naming policy previously adopted by the school board. Davis stated the committee found the present policy too broad in definition and void of helpful guidelines. Consequently, the nine member group decided each member would create a list of criteria, standards or qualifications deemed appropriate, and the group would review and discuss all of the proposed items during their next session August 28. The facility naming committee was established approximately five weeks ago to research options for setting a basic, fair policy for naming school buildings / facilities in honor or memory of a teacher, outstanding volunteer or financial donor. At this time, the main objective of the board is to establish a set of guidelines and create a policy that can be used as a profile for addressing present and future naming opportunities. The committee is chaired by school board member Jeff Davis, and is comprised of local business owners, residents, students and school staff. Policy changes recommended by Missouri School Board Association (MSBA) were adopted as presented Thursday evening, with the board accepting changes and legislative updates on the following issues –– professional staff fringe benefits; professional staff development opportunities; support staff fringe benefits; support staff leave of absence; program for gifted students; graduation requirements; and school admission policy which includes a comprehensive vision exam for students each year, and minimum age for school admission delineated as age 5 by August 1. It was explained by Dr. Andy Underwood the MSBA changes were an effort to clarify or correct an existing policy. Superintendent Underwood said enrollment numbers were up this year when compared to last year's enrollment of 1,439. Underwood noted 1,443 students are presently enrolled. Underwood reminded the board Fall Conference is Monday, Sept. 29, in Willow Springs. He also gave each member a copy of the Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP) for review. The board approved and adopted the Annual Secretary of the Board Report (ASBR) as presented. This report consists of school financials for the 2007-08 school year, and must be filed with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Edu¬cation (DESE) on or before August 15, 2008. The report provides an overall synopsis of transactions for the school term, giving summaries of fund balances and transfers, revenue streams (federal and state), long and short term debt totals, and expenditures. The student transportation rate for the school year was approved as $796, an increase of $54; and tuition increased from $6,282 in 2007-08 to $6,560 for 08-09. Other protocol issues listed on the agenda, and adopted by the board, were: Conflict of Interest Ordinance; School District Admin Claiming Service Agreement; and Missouri School Board Association (MSBA) Full Maintenance Policy Service. The MSBA Policy Service Agreement provides informational resources to the school through venues such as legal reviews on documents, policy reviews three times a year, and helps keep the administration informed of other important recommendations. The service costs $1710 each year. An analysis of Ava's ACT scores over the past five years was presented, and according to the report statement, "the information reflects the achievement level of graduates and the extent to which they are prepared for college-level work". Ava students who took the ACT registered the following: college English composition, 77 percent were prepared for college level; college algebra, 38 percent; college social science, 62 percent; college biology, 29 percent; and Ava students meeting all four areas of the testing, 21 percent. The preliminary MAP Data Average Yearly Progress (AYP) Reports revealed Ava Middle School and Ava High School failed to meet the AYP standards of the No Child Left Behind Initiative. However, the Ava Elementary did meet the proficiency standards, and as a district, Ava R-1 also achieved the proficiency standards. Dr. Nancy Lawler pointed out only 25 percent of the districts in the state met the average yearly progress standards, and Ava was one of those districts. Dr. Underwood said the administration had appealed the middle and high school scores as some of the student demographic information was incorrect, and school administrators hope that by making those corrections the school can remedy their status before the final report on scores is issued. Underwood said a ruling on the appeal would be rendered in October. Principal Teresa Nash reported freshman orientation and the high school open house were a success. Link Crew hosted a special day for freshmen students and the activities were well-attended. Nash reported 527 students currently enrolled in grades 9-12, with 144 freshmen, 128 sophomores, 123 juniors and 132 seniors. Principal Brad Plackemeier said middle school enrollment is currently at 442 students, with 109 fifth-graders; 107 sixth-graders; 103 seventh-graders; and 123 eighth-grade students. Plackemeier noted the middle school football team will open it's season Thursday, Sept. 4, at home against Willow Springs, and the volleyball team will start season play at home against Mountain Home, Ark., Sept. 9. Enrollment numbers in the elementary were given by Principal Diana Premer, as follows: kindergarten, 105; first-grade, 99; second-grade, 95; third-grade, 100; fourth-grade, 87, for a total student population of 486. Premer said elementary teachers are using a student data program to enter attendance and lunch count records this year. The new system eliminates the need for a student to deliver the info to the office, allowing teachers to start the day in a more timely fashion. The monthly progress report on the Ava R-I Community Shelter / Performing Arts Center building project provided positive news with the following breakdown on the status of the project, as of July 31: exterior wall, 90 percent complete; interior walls, 85 percent complete; steel, 80 percent; concrete slabs, 92 percent; plumbing, 35 percent; mechanical, 25 percent; electrical, 40 percent; roof slab, 45 percent; and water, gas, sewer and fire main service still in progress, drawings sent to contractor for pricing. The percentage of project completed, actual to date, was 65 percent, and the scope of work completed, 72 percent. Kent Stamper and Henry Weller were guests in attendance for the meeting. The next meeting date for the school board is Thursday, Sept. 18, 6:30 p.m.