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Sheldon R-8 talks floors and more
At the risk of sounding like a commercial for a local business, the agenda addressed by the Sheldon R-8 school board was about floors and more. The more included discussion about limits on money making projects by school groups, setting the tax hearing and a discussion about items in the July video provided by the Missouri School Board Association.
What the superintendent was hoping to show and the board was wanting to see was progress on the sanding and painting and re-coating of the gymnasium floor.
“When the floor company didn’t show up or call on July 5th, when they were supposed to start, I called them the next day,” said superintendent, Jason Irwin.
Irwin learned there would be an indefinite delay. The firm hired to do the work, Acme Floor Company of Lenexa, the one which re-did the gym floor at Northeast Vernon County, asked Irwin for his deadline.
“When I told them August 1st they said they’d have no trouble making that,” said Irwin. “But I can tell you and if you’d like to walk down after the meeting and see for yourselves, there’s been great progress on the floors in the elementary wings.”
Since the special board meeting at the end of June, all of the carpet in those areas has been removed and many of the floors have been sanded to remove adhesive and provide a smooth surface upon which sealer and several coats of wax will be applied. Most of the rooms in the elementary area have had their floors cleaned and polished.
An early summer Parent Teacher Organization work day had cleaned various areas and painted bathrooms. A second such day is tentatively set for the first of August to clean the gym and put things back in place.
Irwin thanked Syndi Edwards, middle school math teacher, and sixth-grade teacher, Emily Godsey, for scrubbing the kitchen and painting walls. He also mentioned the work of Coach Joel McDuffey and assistant principal Devon White for their assistance in the removal of carpeting.
Board member Gene Leininger had read in the newspaper about the discussions held by the Bronaugh R-7 school board on fund-raising by school groups.
“When you first asked this be put on the agenda, Gene, I thought this was not necessary because we do have policies in place but the more I thought about it, the more I think this is a good time for all of us to review them,” said Irwin.
Irwin said school policy has two features to it. First, the freshman and sophomore classes are limited to one fundraising event per school year.
“And that’s always the Harvest Dinner,” said Irwin.
The junior class has a limit of two such efforts while the senior class is not limited in number.
“But what keeps that from getting out of hand is Carolyn,” said Irwin, referring to the school’s principal. “Each event has to be approved and scheduled with the principal and she makes sure we don’t end up with too many at the same time or selling something students shouldn’t be involved with.”
The board set the tax levy public hearing for Friday, Aug. 25, at 7:30 a.m., at the school’s library.
The Sheldon R-8 board is a member of the Missouri School Board Association and takes time each month to watch the brief video presentations on federal and state legislation and policies as well as trends in education.
Several Sheldon board members shared appreciation for comments made by Melissa Randall, the MSBA executive director, to a statewide gathering.
“Let’s not fall into the trap of criticizing private schools and homeschoolers when opposing vouchers.”
She said the real issue with vouchers is accountability.
She thought it foolish to question parents opting to put their children in private schools or choosing to homeschool
“When it comes to spending public taxpayer dollars, if other institutions want to access those funds they ought to play by the same rules and that includes testing,” said Randall. “It’s not us versus them, rather, it’s all of us being held accountable for the education of our children.”