Here’s a quick look at Monday’s Great Bend USD 428 Board of Education meeting:• The board recognized the achievements of several GBHS seniors: eight who earned the Kansas Seal of Biliteracy; 17 National Honor Society students; Lindsey Newman’s qualifying for FFA national competition; and Patrick Heath’s qualifying for the National Speech and Debate Tournament.
• 2018-2019 Student and Teacher Handbooks, Athletics and Activities Handbooks were approved.
• GBMS’s next science curriculum was adopted.
• The board approved the purchase of computers as part of the regular rotation, and will allow staff to purchase used computers. Graduating seniors will be allowed to keep their Chromebooks that were issued by the school district.
• The District Education Center will switch to summer hours where it is closed at noon on Fridays from May 25 through July 27.
• Paper purchases were approved.
• Visix digital software was purchased.
• Assistant Superintendent John Popp reported on pilot programs, the Kansas Educational Systems Accreditation Outside Validation Team visit, 2018 Summer Professional Development, the 2018-2019 school calendar (Aug. 22 is the first day with students), teacher recruitment and retention, and more.
• Superintendent Khris Thexton reported on Education Foundation Grant recipients; contributions and grant application submissions; legislation; architect committee; interest-based bargaining of negotiated contracts; Back to School Celebration; Walking School Bus; grounds summer projects; and a special board meeting at 7:30 a.m. June 28 for expenditures, transfers, and closing balances for the 2017-2018 budget. Some of these were action items.
• Executive sessions were held to discuss the latest proposal for ratification of negotiated agreement pursuant and to discuss the evaluations of building principals.
• A consent agenda was approved that included the teachers’ contract for 2018-2019, appointments and resignations, a pay adjustment for classified employees, and administrative contracts.