On Monday, Allen School Board discussed a possible transportation bond, along with the school system transitioning to distance learning recently in light of several virus cases.

During administrative reports, Superintendent Jeff Hiatt addressed the board concerning the shutdown of Allen Schools until after the Thanksgiving break.

“Last week went from 19% on Monday to 36% on Friday of students gone due to testing positive with COVID, or being quarantined by the health department,” Hiatt said. “We also had 10 staff members out due to COVID or on quarantine. Our plan is to start again after Thanksgiving break. We are looking at how we can socially distance our kids better in the classrooms and how masks being worn might eliminate some of the quarantines. We will let everyone know of any changes we make.”

Hiatt said during distance learning time, employees will deep clean the school and revisit procedures to increase social distancing in the classrooms to try to prevent such a large amount of quarantines.

Other area schools, including Tupelo and Coalgate, have gone virtual as well due to virus cases and quarantine.

During action items, the board voted to ask the community to vote -- possibly in February --for a transportation bond to buy new buses, a new drivers education car and a new Suburban.

“We used to do transportation bonds in the past, and we let one expire, and now we’re behind,” Hiatt said.

Hiatt said the school system is currently leasing buses, and would like to purchase two new buses, along with the driver education car and Suburban.

“We’re paying for three leased buses,” Hiatt said. “We’d like to get out of the yearly payment where we’re just paying and the money is going away. We want to own it so we can use it over and over and over. Our newest bus is a 2015, and our oldest bus is a 2008. And our average is 2012, so we’ve got to do something.”

Hiatt said the driver ed car is a 2012 which has nearly 200,000 miles on it.

The bond, if passed, is projected to increase property tax by 1.5%, Hiatt said.

Action Items

The board also approved action items, which included Allen Schools joining a statewide lawsuit against JUUL Labs. The company manufactures e-cigarettes (vapes) which, Hiatt said, “are affecting our schools and kids.”

Also of note, Allen Schools will amend the GPA on all college level classes.

“Basically, we are trying to encourage all our juniors and seniors to take concurrent enrollment and start earning college credits,” Hiatt said. “In doing so, a B would equal an A in Allen High School. All students with a 4.0 or higher would still be valedictorian so everyone will benefit.”

Hiatt said the way it was before, students were apprehensive about concurrent enrollment.

“We have a lot of kids who are scared to go do it, because they want to be our valedictorian,” Hiatt said. “So, they’ll stay here in their senior year and take like one class and a bunch of blowoff electives so they can do valedictorian instead of going to East Central (University) and getting up to 12 hours of college credit for free through concurrent.”

Other action items included a resolution determining the maturities of, and setting a date, time and place for the sale of the sale of the $465,000 General Obligation Building Bonds of the School District. The matter is setting the school system’s annual sale of bonds, which it does each year.

The school system entered in to contract with MacDonald and Associates as financial consultants for future bonds.

Consent Agenda

The board approved the consent agenda, which included the fiscal year 20 20-20 21 purchase orders and encumbrances: General fund numbers 162 through 174 ($78,557.26); buildinl fund numbers 46 through 51 ($56,801.60); child nutrition Fund number 38 ($260.00); building bond fund number 5 ($445,200.00); sinking fund number 1

The agenda also included the treasurer’s report, the activity fund report, the 2021 calendar year board meeting dates and payroll dates, and a fundraiser for the elementary school, FFA and horticulture.