District to hold two Parent Teacher Conferences

The Carrier Mills-Stonefort school board approved an asbestos removal bid, mowing bid and possible change in scheduling of Parent Teacher Conferences during Monday's meeting.

The Parent Teacher Conferences have been scheduled on a Thursday evening, Friday morning timetable. Morgan explained to the board that past experience had showed that parent's attendance for the Friday morning was low. He and the teaching staff felt that to use a Wednesday evening, Thursday evening timetable and to add a second conference each year would result in better attendance for parents and fuller reporting on students progress to parents. The proposed changes would see a parent teacher conference held in October and a second held in March. The board seemed favorably disposed to this idea and tabled action until Morgan could finalize details of the scheduling.

A bid from Dexter Parks for mowing of the school grounds and school ball fields for $250 per mowing was accepted. This will include mowing, trimming and spraying.

A bid from A & A Abatement of DuQuoin for the removal of asbestos ceiling tile and pipe wrap in the high school gym and home economics room for a total of $43,442 was accepted. Both votes were unanimous.

Superintendent Richard Morgan informed the board that the some $54,000 lost because of the 2.75 percent across-the-board cuts in state funding had been partially refunded to the district. Of the $54,000 the district got some $34,000 of the scheduled funding.

Grade school principal Bryce Jerrell informed the board that the first round of PARCC testing was successfully completed and the students would begin the second round of testing in late April.

Following closed session the board conducted several routine, staff related votes, accepted two intent to retire notices and two resignations. Jamie Pribble and Carla Kirkland gave notice of intent to retire, Pribble is a special education teacher and Kirkland is an English and science instructor. Both will retire effective the 2018-19 school year.

High school boys varsity basketball coach Denny Anderton and girls cheerleading coach Megan Jolly both tendered their resignations. The season for their sports is over and the resignations are effective immediately.

The board approved the annual "step up" in teacher salaries. This pay raise is scheduled in the teachers contracts and is a 1.75 percent increase in pay.

"It says a lot about the cooperation between the school and the teachers union that we were able to reach an agreement on the subject in one short meeting," Morgan said.

Also in closed session the board approved the annual Reduction in Force of teachers aides. This is the yearly process where aides are honorably dismissed for the summer, pending rehiring based on needs dictated by student enrollment during the next school year.

In other action the board:

Approved renewal of health insurance for instructors and staff in the district schools.

Approved advertising of bids for bread and dairy products for the 2015-16 school year.