DeleteIn recognition of Board Appreciation Month, Superintendent Tom Vernon thanked board members for their service at the start of Monday night’s USD 428 Board of Education meeting. Each member received an apple pie and a verbal pat on the back.  
“We want the whole community to know how much we appreciate your efforts,” Vernon said.  “This is an unpaid position, you’re all volunteers, you work very hard, you take a lot of guff sometimes, and we appreciate it.  Thank you very much.”

Testing the waters
Board members had several questions for Popp concerning assessments for students in grades three through 12.  The State Board of Education in December opted to bow out of the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium and decided to use the Center for Educational Testing and Evaluation to build the future assessment for the State of Kansas.  This means that the state will take longer to create the type of test stidemts would have taken from SBAC, but it will strive to test at the same level.  
“Next year’s assessment will be close to the same as the one students will take this year, and the one to be developed for the year after that will be better yet,” Popp said.  “We won’t have a baseline year for another two years.”
This prompted board member Dwight Young to ask, “What’s the point?”
Popp didn’t have a  quick answer.  While the new assessment is being built for grades three through eight, the Kansas State Department of Education is in talks with the U.S. Department of Education to allow high school students to choose an assessment test, like the ACT, SAT or ASFAB to take, he said. These tests would have greater relevance for students, depending on their college or career goals.  

Dance team gearing up
for bowl performance
On Dec. 31  the Great Bend High School Dance Line performed at the AutoZone Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tenn.  Dance Line sponsor Lita Allen asked the board to consider approving a repeat performance, thanks to an invitation by WorldStrides, the organization that arranged their first bowl game performance.  
“We would like to start fundraising as soon as possible for a trip to Memphis, Miami or San Antonio,” Allen said.  “The trip last year was very rewarding for the students.”  The previous experience pushed the team to rise to a different level of performance, she said.  “It’s a lot of work, but going to the college level and doing that sort of work is really a great opportunity.”
While the specific destination will not be determined until Allen has had a chance to gauge parental commitment, the cost of each destination is very similar, with only distance determining travel costs, she said.  Last year, the team spent six months fundraising $20,000, and this time, Allen wants to start earlier.  The team once again intends to raise all funds for the trip, which will be scheduled for the end of December.  The board approved her request, subject to a successful fundraising campaign.
Third grade typing in the future
Curriculum director John Popp said the USD 428 technology committee members will present a proposal in the spring for steps they hope to take towards providing needed technology to teach typing skills to students as early as the third grade.   They’ve looked at the array of available devices and have discussed pros and cons of each device.
“We need to teach kids keyboarding earlier,” he said.  “That’s where we’re going initially.”

Executive sessions
Board members and administration met in two executive sessions Monday night.  The first, for 20 minutes, to consult with an attorney, and the second 10 minute session, to protect the privacy rights of an identifiable student.  No action was taken following the session.  
BOE president Joyce Carter also called an executive session to discuss non elected personnel following an update on the Superintendent search process.  KASB representatives were present to present and discuss possible candidates the board may invite to interview for the position, and to go over a timeline of the processes required to fill the position.  

Other actions taken and points of discussion included:
* Approved the 2012-2013 audit.  The district received a clean audit, presented at the Dec. 2013 board meeting.  
* Approved the 2014-2015 fundraiser schedule, as presented  by the Parent Teacher organization.  Cookie dough, Red Wheel and holly sales were on the list of fundraisers.
* Received an update on the progress of the HVAC project at Riley Elementary School.  “Currently they are still designing the layout.”  The hope is to have a contract in place by spring break so by the time school is out in May, they can begin work, and by the time school starts, it will be functioning.
* Khris Thexton, Director of Finance, Operations, and Federal Programs, also reported that the GBMS Gym Construction project is nearly complete.  Front entryway has now been demolished. They are setting up the new steps, and the handicapped ramp is being poured this week, and looks much better.  Flooring for the weight room will be installed this week.  Compton construction is still trying to find an acceptable fix for downspouts and guttering,  By the end of January, both projects should be completed.  We have received an occupancy permit from the city and have begun having games and are receiving positive comments from the public.  Doug Bender stated he has heard many positive comments from the patrons about the new GBMS gym. The final inspection will take place at the end of February.  
* Thexton asked the district to consider contracting with Coca Cola for vending now that the contract with Pepsi has ended.  There is a sizeable difference in cost of cases for water, $8.64 with coke versus $19.15 with Pepsi.  This will save time and money for Great Bend Activities.  In addition, Coke will pay the district $2,000 each year in payment, while Pepsi provides a rebate after the district purchases 1,800 cases of product, $5 for Gatorade and $3 for all others.  The board voted in favor of a five year contract with Coca Cola.
* Elementary school principals Trish Reiser, Eisenhower, and Art Baker, Jefferson, were given the nod to apply for a Kansas Cosmosphere “We the People” Transportation Grant for sixth grade students.  The grants will pay for up to $500 in travel costs for the spring field trip to Hutchinson for students and sponsors.
* Announced the retirement of Lincoln Elementary School teacher Susan Young, grade two, effective at the end of the school year.
* Announced the resignation of Helping Hands Preschool school nurse Michelle Rondeau, effective Jan. 31.
* Announced the appointment of Beth Wissing, special education interrelated adaptive teacher.  
* Announced the resignation of Krissy Pumford, GBHS Family and Consumer Science teacher. The family will be moving out of state, and the resignation will be effective at the end of the school year.
* Mathew Hiss will replace Bob Hiss and Paul Snapp will replace Kim Mitchell on the USD 428 Education Foundation Board of Trustees this year.  Both Hiss and Mitchell’s terms have ended, and both chose not to seek another term, Vernon said.  Trustees will review mini grant applications that are due next Monday, and meet the first week of February to determine grant winners.  

The BOE will meet next at a luncheon meeting on Thursday, Jan. 30, at Riley Elementary School.  The next regular board meeting will be Monday, Feb. 10 at 5 p.m. at the district office.