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USD 431 considers digital cameras
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HOISINGTON — The USD 431 Hoisington School Board met Monday night at its regular meeting, and discussed at length adding digital cameras, particularly for Lincoln School and the high school, which both have blind entrances.
Superintendent Bill Lowry  had two bids. The project would include two electrical locking doors for Lincoln and the high school. The prices ranged from $15,000 to around $31,000 which would include expandable server and district-wide coverage.
In addition, with the digital system, authorities could access all of the cameras remotely.
The district currently has an analog system.
Several of the board members expressed reservations about spending that amount of money. The board decided to table the issue and tour the schools during the school day.
In other business, the school board discussed substitute teacher pay. Lowry reported that the school is having some difficulty in getting substitutes.
The school uses around five substitutes per day at a minimum. The board approved increasing substitute teacher pay to $100 per day.
USD 431 will begin doing background checks and driving checks for classified employees such as aides and custodians, the board approved Monday.
The school district will freeze district-provided transportation at three miles outside of the boundary lines of the district. Lowry reported that the district runs three routes and they are maxed out as far as the amount of time the children spend on the bus.
Each of the building principals gave a report on the AYP assessment tests.  Approximately, 96 percent of third graders at Lincoln Elementary made AYP in reading and 93 percent made AYP in math. One hundred percent of fourth graders made AYP in math and 97.9 percent in science.
At the middle school, fifth graders  93.5 percent made AYP in reading, 95.7 in math,
At the sixth grade, 88.7 percent made AYP in reading, and 79.2 made AYP in math.
Seventh graders made AYP at 93.9 percent in reading and 84.4 percent in math.
Eighth graders made AYP at 93.3 percent in reading, and 84.4 in math.
At the high school,  11th graders made AYP at 84.8 in reading, and 73.3 in math.
Also in other business, the board discussed heating at the Hoisington Activity Center. Two of the six boilers are non-functional and non-repairable. The district received two bids.
All of the boilers will have to be replaced as new systems cannot be added on to the existing system. The board tabled discussion.
 Principal Pat Reinhardt reported that the middle school is about a year ahead of other middle schools in the implementation of some other middle schools in implementing the Common Core and MTSS.