ELLINWOOD — At its regular monthly meeting, the USD 355 school board made two appointments to the new Ellinwood Recreation Commission Board of Directors. They were Mel Waite for four years, and Rob Fisher for one year. The ERC will soon begin planning a budget, hiring a director, and making plans for 2014.
Patron Kelly Wondra was present to address the board. He expressed concerns about the some of the searches going on at the school, and that kids were getting suspended for having tools needed for their occupation.
“How many times has a farm kid been suspended for having tools of the trade?” he asked. He compared the tools of a farm kid to weight lifters who have protein shakes in their cars.
USD 355 Board President Steve Billinger said thanked Wondra for his remarks and said that the board would review the policy. “We want to apply common sense.
“It’s a touchy issue with school violence,” Billinger said. “We do not want knives on our grounds.”
In other business, the board discussed the compressed Athletic Banquet. In previous years, the school had held more one than one banquet. Overall, the feedback was positive. Superintendent Ben Jacobs said that it was a bit rushed. The board discussed encouraging coaches to have their own banquets at the end of their own sports season.
By consensus, the board approved an administrative retreat for its third year. The cost is approximately $1200 to pay for the retreat. Jacobs will present an agenda to the board that includes 14 hours of work.
Initially, Jacobs asked for $500 for transportation and food, but the board said that it was like any other professional development and that it should pay for all of the expenses.
Also, the board discussed the high school track. It has been in place since the late 1980s and is in need of repair.
To be continued on the next edition of The Great Bend Tribune’s Barton County page.