ElDo School Board has busy meeting

(See companion articles on school security and possible lease of ElDo Youth Center.)

The El Dorado Springs R-II School Board had a lot to consider after it installed the one of the two board members who were re-elected without opposition (Benny Brower) and re-elected Darrel Eason as president and Greg Beydler as vice president. Josh Floyd, the other re-elected board member was absent.

Board members present were Chad Whitesell, Bennie Brower, Mark Burley, Terry Shepard and Darrell Eason – presiding.

Superintendent Mark Koca reported on construction on the $5.6 million addition saying that “things are going very well with no surprises financially.” He said that every hour kids are at the south gym lobby doors watching the workers. He said that the steel crew was “very good, very efficient. They knew their stuff.” He said the school still has $3 million drawing interest in its MOSIP account.

His preliminary budget was mostly a non-report because of all the new codes required by the state in the updated budget and because the school has yet to hire a speech therapist.

The board voted to accept the Kaysinger Hazard Mitigation Plan as presented.

Supt. Koca told the board that the CEP (100% free lunches) program is in its 4th and final year. This was awarded to the school based on the percentage of students in a “Building” (Elementary, Middle School or High School) which qualify. In the past, the percentage of Elementary students who qualify was high enough to get the entire school to qualify. He said that for next year only the Elementary will qualify for free lunches. Middle and High School students will return to the old paper application free lunch program.

Supt. Koca reported that the Insurance Safety Inspector wrote up the school in 11 areas. All items have been fixed except for bleacher inspection.

In closed session, the board approved part time staff for FY 18-19: Randy Bland for In School Detention, Barbara Walsh for gifted, Teresa Hoover and Leslie Wetter fpr Title I Math. The board hired Brooke Miller as Elementary Teacher. The board  approved part-time speech implementers for FY 18-19 (pending the hiring of a Speech Pathologist) Debbie McDonald, Peggy Carter and Susan Payne.