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NEVC board approves changes to the student handbook
Nevada Daily Mail
"Of the nine handbook changes I want to go over tonight, the first is the one that's raised the most response from students and parents," said Chris Hudson, principal of Northeast Vernon County High School in Walker as she addressed the school board, Thursday night.
The issue was how to determine the senior class valedictorian and salutatorian. Specifically, how many semesters does a student have to complete at NEVC high school to be eligible for such honors?
"Students and parents assumed a student must have attended eight semesters as a full-time student," Hudson said. "But the handbook didn't actually spell that out. So I'm asking you, the board, to decide just how many semesters a student must complete here to be eligible."
"To require eight semesters would be unfair to students who were homeschooled or in a parochial school," said board member, Gina Ensor. "Some of those students have been very smart."
"What kind of testing do we require before they enter our school?" asked board member, David Bruce.
"None," responded the principal. "We take the grade transcript they present at face value."
"But the student's real grade level will show up once classes are taken here," said Jeanne Hoagland, vice-chair of the board. "If the submitted grades had been inflated, it would become obvious by the student not earning good grades here and so would make him or herself ineligible for consideration."
David Bruce asked whether all courses are treated the same. He posed his own senior year experience of taking challenging courses while a friend had a schedule heavy on P.E. and shop classes.
"The handbook includes a section on what are called weighted classes," said Hudson. "Getting an 'A' in advanced classes in math, chemistry and physics, earns five grade points instead of four and can also earn college credit as well. So those taking the academically challenging courses can get rewarded."
After much discussion, the board unanimously approved requiring students to attend at least four semesters of high school as a full-time student.
The second matter eliciting board discussion had to do with the beverages, which students could bring from home and consume at lunch. Water is allowed in class all day while water and milk are available for lunch in the cafeteria. The board unanimously adopted a policy stating that high school students could bring drinks from home as long as it was not pop or an energy drink and these must be consumed only in the cafeteria.
"While it may not seem significant to you, student parking gets to be a real problem for us." said Hudson. "There are times we need to know who owns a particular car. At the start of the year, each student parking a car here is supposed to fill out a purple sheet and list the make, model and license number. But what happens is they use a different family car and that one's not listed and so we can't determine the owner."
Discussion on this issue ended with the board unanimously agreeing to have Hudson issue parking stickers at a cost of $1.00 for each car registered in the school office.
"No sticker, no parking," said Jeanne Hoagland.
The final handbook issue producing board reaction had to do with the school's athletic booster club.
In recent years, the athletic booster club has agreed to let the athletic banquet include recognition of academic achievement as well.
"Do you think we should change the group's name from athletic to Knights' Booster Club," asked Hudson.
Looking at board member, Connie Gerster, Jeanne Hoagland said, "I don't think we can do that Chris. Correct me Connie but isn't the athletic booster club a separate entity from the school with their own bank account and board?"
Gerster agreed. "While they are closely tied to the school, they're not under the school and so we can't change their name. I think it might be best if that was just taken out of the handbook."
This too received unanimous board approval.
Naas placed on the table and briefly demonstrated one of two recently purchased automated external defibrillators.
"I'm working on a way so when we have something going on in the gym or out on the ball field, we will have one of these on site." said Naas.
Pulling out a large map with colored pins marking the homes of students, Naas reviewed the new year's three bus routes.
Asked about the number of drivers and substitute drivers -- a perennial problem in the district -- Naas said, "If you approve the hiring of a third driver in the executive session, we'll have three regular drivers which will include the trip to Nevada's Vo-tech and four substitutes."
Earlier in the meeting, the board approved bids for purchases of milk, diesel and propane.
Before the board adjourned to a closed session, Naas demonstrated the use of the Guardian Angel door security system on the library's door, where the board holds its monthly meetings.