Hume R-8 discusses food service audit

Friday, December 16, 2016

gfranklin.nevadadailymail@gmail.com

The Hume R-8 school board discussed numerous issues Wednesday evening including a restriction on student lunch accounts, an amendment to the budget, and several policy changes.

Principal Scott Morrison said a recent food service audit, "turned out pretty well."

Morrison said the auditor told him the school may only provide a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, an apple, and a carton of milk to students with an outstanding lunch account balance of more than $45.

Morrison said this was, "not an option" despite the district's desire to provide a hot meal to every student.

Board member Josh Rogers said the sack lunch requirement did not make sense because the school had to have a cook there already to prepare the normal meal.

"If they're paying their bill, they're paying their bill. If they're not, they're not," Morrison said.

As of press time, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education had not responded to a telephoned request for more information on this topic.

In other business,

* The board voted unanimously to amend the budget to include the $70,500 purchase of the new school bus, and the $70,592 to pay off a loan from the Department of Natural Resources. Paying off the DNR loan saves the district more than $9,000 in interest. Melody Wikoff, secretary to the superintendent, said the amendment was required to prevent a deficit showing on the budget at year end.

"It looks bad on paper," Wikoff said.

The district used money held in reserve for both expenditures.

Other changes included an increase in the music program budget from $800 to $6,000.

Morrison said every instrument the school owns has now been repaired and is being used. Music teacher Annelise Dale has performed numerous repairs herself.

* Elementary average daily attendance is currently at 91 percent and high school average daily attendance is at 87 percent. Of the 62 high school students, eight are not meeting the 90 percent attendance goal.

Morrison said one student was out for surgery and another was home sick for a week.

Only three elementary students have less than 90 percent attendance.

* The board voted 4-1, with board member Josh Rogers the sole dissenting vote, to place Hume R-8 school district on the April 2017 ballot for annexation by Metropolitan Community College.

MCC is planning a vocation-centered campus in Bates County and in order to receive in-district tuition, school districts must be annexed into the college district by public vote.

* The board voted unanimously to pass policy No. 2315 -- Student attendance -- Excused Absences.

Information in the board packet from Missouri Consultants for Education, LLC, reads, " This polciy is a result of a legislative enactment providing excused absences for students participating in certain agricultural related activities. Adoption is mandatory."

The policy reads in part, "the District recognizes that the Future Farmers of American Organization, Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America, 4-H programs, and organized competitions held as part of the Missouri state fair involve important education and learning processed and are beneficial to District students. Due to the nature of these organizations, students will occasionally need to miss school time in order to fully participate and benefit from the programs sponsored by these organizations." The policy continues explaining students will be required to make up any work missed as a result of this policy.

* The board voted unanimously to pass policy No. 4750 -- administrative leave. Morrison said the policies outlines reasons the superintendent can put employees on administrative leave.

According to the policy included in the board packet, "The superintendent is authorized to place individual employees on paid administrative leave of absence whenever the superintendent determines that such leave is necessary due to the employee's misconduct or to investigate potential employee misconduct. Paid leave of absences will not affect an employee's sick leave or vacation leave."

Exceptions to the policy include probationary teachers, employees that have been referred to law enforcement due to their misconduct, or employees that under investigation for the general reasons the employee was placed on leave.

* The board voted unanimously to pass policy No. 5710 -- data governance.

The copy of the policy in the board packet reads in part, "It is the District's policy to the extent possible to ensure that data and information in all its forms, written, electronic, or printed is protected from accidental or intentional unauthorized modification, destruction, or disclosure. The protection included an appropriate level of security over the equipment, software, and practices used to process, store, and transmit data or information." The policy requires the superintendent to appoint a data security administrator who will then select other district employees to serve on a data governance committee.

The policy goes on to include specific practices that must be employed to ensure the security of protected information.

* Superintendent David Quick submitted a letter to the board announcing his intent to retire at the end of this school year. "I have been blessed to have had the opportunity to serve the Hume community as the superintendent of the school," Quick said in his letter to the board. "The time has come for me to retire and spend more time with my family. My retirement will become effective on June 30, 2017.

May God continue to bless this community with good educational leadership."

The board voted unanimously to accept Quick's retirement, and discussed hosting a reception for him at the end of the school year.

* The district has an opening for school bus driver. The driver that was covering sports trips has taken full time employment elsewhere. Morrison has been substituting on the route while Tena Strader drives the sports trips.

Morrison said Justin Wehar has begun the process to obtain his school bus license so that he can drive the bus on sports trips.

The district is still looking for a substitute to drive morning and afternoon routes.

"Bus drivers need subs too," Morrison said, adding that Wehar should be licensed in January.

* Morrison said the third round of teacher evaluations has been completed.

* The board voted unanimously to enter closed session for personnel matters.

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: