by RandyMitchell

The Allen School Board held its monthly meeting Monday, November 11^th , and improvements to the schools’ campus were discussed.

Board Member Kelly Hurt, High School and Junior High Principal Chris Grimm, and Elementary School Principal Amy Mayhue were unable to attend.

The board fi rst approved the consent agenda, which included the fiscal year 2019-2020 purchase orders and encumbrances: general fund numbers 199 through 213 ($97,157.86); building fund number 21 ($2,000); and building bond fund numbers 12 through 21 ($454,507.75).

The agenda also included the treasurer’s report, the activity fund report, an amendment to the junior class fundraiser, new substitute pay rates, and the 2020 calendar year board meeting dates.

Administrative

Reports

An administrative report was delivered by Superintendent Jeff Hiatt.

Hiatt began by thanking board members who are U.S. veterans for their service -- Board President Jeff Maloy and Board Vice President Frayne Black.

“Today, over there (the Veterans Appreciation Assembly held Monday at Allen Schools), I was very proud of our kids,” Hiatt said. “Our FFA kids, I thought did a really good job, how they presented themselves.”

Hiatt addressed the board about Altha Edens, a Gulf War veteran, who attended and spoke at the assembly.

“I thought that was kind of neat, because I’ve never heard a female speak at Veteran’s Day,” Hiatt said. “She spoke about being a nurse, and about supporting the troops, and I thought that’s something our kids hadn’t heard, so that’s kind of neat.”

Hiatt mentioned another veteran, Wayne Bullard.

“Mr. Bullard spoke about -- he was serious, but made it funny --talking about, he was never in anything that was real serious, but, when you’re in that situation, any moment could be serious. So he had some neat stories,” Hiatt said.

Hiatt also told the board about another U.S. veteran, Edd Windle.

“His message hit home with me, I hope it hit home with the kids,” Hiatt said. “But what I took out of it, we should love our country, and be less about ‘me,’ and more about ‘we.’What aggravates me the most, not about here, but as society as a whole, is it’s all about ‘me,’ and selfishness is all around us. And I appreciate his message today.”

Hiatt spoke of improvements to the Allen Schools campus. He said, as superintendent, he not only wants to put resources in teachers’ hands so they can teach and do the best job they can, but also to make the campus something that everybody can be proud of.

“So it’s a process,” he said. “I come up here every weekend and walk (the campus), just looking for things.”

Hiatt said over the upcoming holiday breaks, he’d like to implement some of those campus improvements.

“We’re going to try to clean these ditches out around here,” Hiatt said. “This water, when it rains,

Mark your calendars for November 22 at 6:30 pm in the Allen new gym. Bullsplit will be bringing our mechanical bull Randall to entertain you. This is a fundraiser. We will be holding a bull riding competition with the Juniors, Seniors, and of

if you guys aren’t up here, the water just kind of piles up on us. The playground is like a lake.”

Action Items

The board approved

course our Teachers. After the competition we will allow everyone to come down and ride Randall for only $5.00

Bullsplit will donate half of that money to scholarships for our Seniors. Bring everyone you know. Lets fill the seats in the new gym and raise all

actions items, except a superintendent evaluation form. Maloy said he would like to customize their own forms, rather than rely on generic forms

the money we can for our Seniors.

Remember you can get on Randall however you like but there is only one way off.

If you would like to sponsor one of the bullriding teams contact Gary Raney.

provided. So that matter will be handed at a later time.

Action items also included new and revised board policies as provided by the OSSBA; adopting the activity fund handbook for the district; and consideration of opening a new activity fund account and fundraisers — conference tournament account.

Executive Session

After executive session, the board approved the hiring of Megan Disheroon as a high school paraprofessional.