The Board of Trustees held their regular meeting and Budget Meeting on August 15th. The meeting itself was a three-hour meeting with multiple important subjects to discuss and act upon.
Everyone present was impressed that two high school students expressed their concern that there would not be a bus route to pick them up. They were concerned that their education would be diminished if they could not attend Big Sandy Highschool. They asked the board to find a driver so they could attend school.
There was also public comment about attendance policy and the board was asked to make sure the policy abided by current law.
I also thanked them for allowing me to attend their training meeting and expressed my appreciation for the work they do. I learned at that training meeting the extensive responsibilities the Superintendent has that I was not aware of. It made me more appreciative of his role.
Booster Club reported that the new Pioneers signs are up on the old tennis court fence. They are still waiting for new mats for the end walls at the gym to arrive. They also mentioned the fall kickoff will take place August 29th at the Football field starting at 6:00 with the introduction of the fall teams, hamburger meal, and a Powder Puff Football game. Every game will be on the NFHS network. Pioneer gear will also be available for purchase again this year.
Last year Seniors have money left over. They would like to purchase the updated banners for the gym.
Although the pool lease between the city and the school district was discussed and a decision made there was some new wording needed for the lease agreement.
The Greenhouse update was given by Layne Taylor. The current placement of the Greenhouse is being considered on the south side of the tennis courts. The senior class to help build it.
Wagon Project was reported on by Shane Chauvet. The Sunday before school will be a work day to have a partial walkway created for school. They have had some groundwater issues, but it will be a great finished project. Seamless rain gutters to fix water issues in the wagon area were approved.
Bus routes and transportation issues were discussed. The bus routes have been approved but we need still need two bus drivers. You can be a bus driver at 18 years of age and with so many years of driving. One bus route has a bus driver willing to drive the Box Elder Route and pick up students. It was approved. Parents will receive only one round trip per family minus 6 miles, not two round trips parents contact the school for contracts.
Betty Brumwell, a Business Manager from Dutton with 42 years of experience brought into Big Sandy to advise the district and presented the budget. The General Fund was set. Watch for a more informational article concerning the school budget in the future.
Mentor/Mentee Contracts were awarded. Ryne Labuda with Tucker Taylor, Linda Finke with AmyTerry, Renee Leader with Sam Weaver, Bonnie Bauer with Sheri Moore, and Trinity Leeds with Calista Worral.
Traci Rodewald will be the concession manager this year.
Michael Wright was hired as a part-time one-on-one special education paraprofessional.
The school owns a lift which he can no longer use and will be sold. See the notice in this week's paper.
Meal costs were discussed. Adult prices will increase.
The substitute list was approved along with a new substitute of Susie Sant.
Principal Heather Wolrey presented graphs showing the GPA of both the high school and jr. high has gone up from the year before. She also showed a graph illustrating what teachers and staff will tell you that there is a dip in attendance around 3rd quarter, and this graph illustrates that Heather wrote, "I'm not sure the cause-- I'm guessing basketball tournaments have something to do with it. It is for the most part still above 90%. We are starting this year with the following enrollments: K-6- 113, 7-8 29, 9-12 55, For a Total enrollment of 197.
