The McDonald County R-1 School District Board of Education, at its meeting June 14, approved kindergarten through eighth-grade and high school handbooks.
As they looked at the K-8 handbook, board member Chris Smith said, "There are a lot of things in there I see not being enforced. Dress code, electronics, tobacco use. Are these policies upholdable and enforceable or do we need to change this?"
Assistant superintendent Angie Brewer said she and the principals asked the same questions and came back with recommendations.
Superintendent Mark Stanton said of items in the handbook, "It's obviously an area we need to refocus on. If it's important enough to be in the handbook, enforce it, otherwise it shouldn't be in there."
Stanton also suggested maybe principals needed to feel more supported to enforce the handbook.
Smith said, in his eight-and-a-half years on the board, he does not think the board has ever overturned a discipline decision. He said he hopes principals know they are supported.
The board approved the K-8 handbook.
Brewer and Julie Holloway, the new high school principal, presented the high school handbook. Holloway said she compared six area high school handbooks in preparing the current high school handbook.
The board approved the high school handbook.
Director of technology Robin Leonard presented the board with a request to purchase 430 iPads for kindergarten through second grade and 50 MacBooks for the high school for a total of $210,909.
Stanton said, "This helps complete the first phase of our technology purchase. This will continue. We're not done by any means."
Smith said he wanted to make sure the iPads were not for kids to play with and that teachers could shut them down. Brewer said the teacher can shut them down if a child is misbehaving and also that the iPads are going to be used in a collaborative way with two students per computer.
Board member Jeff Cooper asked how long the computers will last. Leonard said he thinks they could outlast the life of the lease, at which point they will belong to the district.
The board approved the purchase of the computers.
Leonard also reported that the district received a low bid for copier network devices from Lakeland Office Systems on a five-year lease for $55,731.
The board approved the bid for copier network devices.
In other business, the board:
• Approved bids for brush hogging and trash services.
• Heard from Brewer on a professional development plan.
• Heard from assistant superintendent Joy Hardridge about federal programs.
• Approved Coke for the district beverage contract.
General News on 06/21/2018