HOISINGTON — The Hoisington School Board at its regular meeting, heard a presentation from Christina Lamoureaux and Amanda Brack about their trip to Washington D.C. to participate in the Character Education Partnership.  The seminar taught the two how to promote the school’s Core Values, chosen by the students, in the district.
The Core Values at Hoisington are Responsibility, Honesty, positive attitudes, grit and respect.
Lamoureaux intends to have art students from the high school teach elementary school children through an art project about empathy.
The CEP is about teaching soft skills needed for employment.
Brack said that they noted at the seminar how rare it was for a high school to be working on these issues. She said most of the schools there were elementary schools.
In other business, Gary Boxberger was appointed as the school’s representative to the open Hoisington Recreation Commission board.
Four board positions will be up for re-election in April, 2013. They are Kevin Stetler, Pat Kephart, Steven Little and Don Fisher. The deadline to file is noon on Jan. 22.
Superintendent Bill Lowry brought up having a Community Planning Committee where three people are appointed by each board member from the community to develop a plan for the school district for the future. The Kansas Association of School Boards will lead the meeting at a cost of $350. The board approved the measure.
Also in new business, the board heard a presentation on the Capital Outlay Resolution which would give the board a tool to use during budget planning to raise the mill levy up to eight mills for the Capital Outlay fund. “Eighty percent of schools use it,” said Lowry. “Capital Outlay is all local tax dollars.”
He explained it would be a safety net depending on what the legislature does with school funding over the next few years.
The resolution was tabled.
A report on the Food Service was given for the first quarter. In 2011, the operating loss was $37,010 and for 2012, $34,729. Lowry noted that there are fewer students and prices charged to students are higher. In addition, the federal reimbursement rate was higher.
During the superintendent’s report, Lowry said that the new boilers are installed at the Hoisington Activity Center. Six new boilers were purchased for the building.
The district is looking at new evaluation processes for the district’s employees. As a part of Kansas opting out of No Child Left Behind, school districts have to add that process.
Lowry will set up a legislative coffee for March 2.
During his report, Principal Alan Charles told the board that the teachers and principal look at any student struggling and do interventions to see what can be done to help.
After an executive session, the board accepted the resignation of Annette Merlau and hired Steve Houston to be the assistant custodial director.