The McDonald County Board of Education approved a proposal from Greg Leach, high school principal, and Angie Brewer, assistant superintendent, that the district offer an "academic letter" to qualifying students beginning with the current school year.
Requirements to receive a letter include: students must have a 3.5 grade point average or higher for each of the previous two semesters with no D or F grades; at least one semester of grades must be earned at MCHS (only one semester of grades may be transferred); students must be enrolled full time; and, students must be enrolled in four core classes per semester.
Freshmen will not be eligible for a letter until the completion of their ninth grade year of high school. Senior early graduates will also not qualify.
The board also approved an agreement with "Project Lead The Way" presented by Brewer. Project Lead The Way is a comprehensive approach to science, technology, engineering and math education for students in kindergarten through high school.
The program will begin in the 2015-2016 school year.
A revised school calendar was adopted by the board due to days missed because of inclement weather. The last day of school will now be May 22 for students and May 26 for teachers. Summer school will begin May 27. April 3 will still be a holiday for Easter, but April 6 will be a make-up day.
A bid from Central States Bus Sales for the purchase of two 36-passenger buses and one 71-passenger bus was approved. The cost of the 36-passenger buses is $83,490 each and the cost of the 71-passenger bus is $79,420.
In other business, the board:
• approved the second of four extension renewal requests by OPAA! Food Management to provide food service for the 2015-2016 school year along with a contract for summer school this year;
• approved renewing the district lawn mowing contract with All-American Lawncare for an additional year;
• heard and approved program evaluations for special education and the gifted and talented program; and
• approved bills in the amount of $2,162,718.50.
Construction Update
Ann Miller, of Nabholz Construction, told the board that the FEMA safe room in Pineville should be completed the first week of May and the Southwest City project will be done in the middle of May.
Several change orders were approved including an estimate not to exceed $7,546 at both Pineville and Southwest City to add electricity to side goals in the new gyms in order to raise and lower the goals; fire rated glass with wire at Pineville for $23,501; painted stripes at Southwest City at a cost of $2,621; rated wall revisions at Southwest City for $2,916; and changes in water service lines at Southwest City with a savings of $2,804.
General News on 03/26/2015