School Board Accepts Land Donation

The McDonald County Board of Education approved accepting a donation from the McDonald County Schools Foundation of 14.75 acres of land adjacent to the district's administration building, located on Business Highway 71, just west of New Mac Electric in Anderson.

The land was donated to the Foundation by Dr. Scott Goldstein, president of the board of education.

The first facility to be located at the new site will the soccer field for McDonald County High School. In addition to agreeing to build the new field on the newly acquired land, the board unanimously agreed to name the facility the Loyce Shellnut Soccer field. Shellnut served as the longtime board secretary and was an advocate for the school district starting a soccer program.

Roger Stites, transportation director, told the board the district scored a 95.5 percent on the annual inspection completed recently by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The board noted the improvement from last year and said how much they appreciated Stites' effort to insure safe buses.

"My main concern is safety," Stites said. "I won't send out a bus that is not safe."

Stites also presented 30 bus routes for summer school that were accepted by the board.

The board approved a proposal from the health and wellness program to offer flu shots next school year. Tracy Allman, school nurse, said the McDonald County Health Department would provide the vaccine to the school and that Medicaid and covered insurance will be accepted. Students will have to have a authorized form signed by parents before getting a shot.

The board also accepted the health and wellness program review, along with the A Plus and 21st Century program evaluations.

In other business, the board:

• noted that the new Pineville safe room/gym will be ready for eighth graduations set for May 21 while the facility at Southwest City will not be;

• heard that a crane will installing precast panels at the high school the week of May 26;

• granted permission for the MCHS wrestling team to attend an overnight/out of state camp;

• approved services for occupational and physical therapy for summer school and the 2015/2016 school year;

• approved changes to the school handbook for grades K-8 and the high school;

• heard a report from representatives of Crowder College on programs the college offers the district; and

• approved bills in the amount of 1,323,759.78.