Randy MitchellAllen School Board Held Its Regular Meeting Monday And Took Action On Many Agenda Items.Administrative Reports

Allen School Board held its regular meeting Monday and took action on many agenda items.

Administrative Reports

During administrative reports, Superintendent Jeff Hiatt addressed the board about the number of students in the schools and attendance, saying the attendance rate is 97% this year.

Hiatt said the number of students is about the same as it was at the end of last year, but, at 478, the number of students in Allen Schools is up by 14 over this time last year.

Hiatt broached the subject of COVID-19 and asked Junior High/High School Principal Chris Grimm to elaborate.

“COVID’s been minimal compared to what it was this time last year,” Grimm said. “We’ve had the normal stomach bug, just virus type stuff. Kids gone a day or two, then they’re back.”

Hiatt indicated the school system is getting back to normal.

Hiatt and the board spoke about inflation and how the cost of goods such as fuel, food, utility bills, etc., is affecting everyone, including the school system.

Hiatt said the schools’ new scoreboard has been ordered, a scoreboard which will have LED lighting.

“We’re getting the panels (to add to existing scoreboards), and the scorers table, and the entry table and all that has been ordered, and we’re hoping to have that before the first home game,” Hiatt said.

Chris Grimm Grimm addressed the

Grimm addressed the board concerning many issues, one of which being an Annual Student Remediation and Dropout Report.

The latest data available was from 2019-2020 school year.

“For our school, we had 16 freshmen who started fall ‘first-time degree seeking freshmen’ is how they classify them,” Grimm said. “We had one that had to be remediated in science, which is 6.3%. We had seven be remediated in English, which is 43.8%. Math was six total, 37.5%, Reading was one, 6.3%. So we had a total of eight different kids that had to be remediated in something.”

Some students needed to be remediated in more than one class.

Hiatt said if students don’t score high enough on the ACT test, say on math, they must take an intermediate algebra class for no credit instead of starting out in algebra.

Board Vice President Kelly Hurt asked Grimm his opinion on the number of students who needed to take remedial classes upon entering college.

“So why do you think we have so many in English and math that need to be remediated,” Hurt asked.

“Kids in general don’t like math,” Grimm said. “I’m one of those guys that never liked English, but I can do it. I mean, we’ve got to get past that, it’s not about liking it, it’s something we need to learn. I don’t know where the breakdown is. And, it could just be that (particular) cycle, that one year that those kids were poor in English, or grammar, or ...”

Hurt asked about this year, are the students better than that now.

“I don’t see us appearing to be better on paper,” Grimm said. “Because, and I know we’re getting tired of hearing about this COVID issue, and I think we’re probably going to hear that for three, maybe four years. Are we ever really going to get away from that, because I’m already tried of saying it. Somebody made reference to it’s been 20 months since all this mess started, or they started having difficulties because of the COVID pandemic.”

Grimm said the dropout rate that year was zero, and he believes the dropout rate may go up a little bit this year but won’t get “stupid high.”

Consent Agenda

The board approved the consent agenda, which included the minutes of the September 13 regular meeting; the fiscal year 2021-2022 Purchase Orders/Encumbrances: General Fund numbers 171 through 189 ($24,216.39); Child Nutrition Fund numbers 35 through 38 ($190,000); 2017 Building Bond Fund numbers 1 and 2 ($34,615.75); the Treasurer’s report; the Activity Fund report; and fundraisers (BPA and Class of 2025).

Action Items

In action items, the board voted to rescind the approval of incorrectly listed Encumbrances from the September 13 school board meeting: General Fund numbers 122 through 144; Building Fund numbers 33 through 41; and Child Nutrition Fund numbers 31 thru 37.

The board approved the correct Encumbrances: General Fund numbers 149 through 170 ($25,956.88); Child Nutrition Fund number 34 ($700) and Sinking Fund number 1 ($458,550).

The board approved a resolution calling for the annual school board election. The seat to be filled at this election is office number Two (2), which is currently held by Board President Jami Rinehart.

Rinehart said she will be running.

The board approved the Indian Education Program Policies and Procedures for fiscal year 2022.

The board approved LeeAnna Williams as mentor teacher for Amber Goodson; Greg Sanders as mentor teacher for Ethan Sharp; and Lesli Costner as mentor teacher for Taryn Wofford, and set up residency committees.

Executive Session

After entering into, and then returning from, executive session, the board voted to assign Allie Plunk student council sponsor and National Honor Society for the current school year.