The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Board Meeting
The La Harpe School Board held the Annual Budget Hearing during the regular meeting Tuesday night, September 29th, in the school district library.
School board members in attendance were Barbara Cox, Dan Horton, Mark Irish, Nancy Butler, Ricky Johnson, Cindy Wear, and R.D. Trout.
Also present were Jo Campbell, Lila McKeown, Pat Deitrich, Lisa Trout, Pam Campbell, John Quigle, and Elaine Long from Carl Sandburg College.
Ms. Long passed out the September edition of the Envoy and mentioned several articles of interest to the board.
The board approved the employment of Dede Beachy as a subsitiute cook and teacher aide and Amanda Maloney and Candy McDowell as substitute teacher aides.
Bill Collins, Denise Trout, and David Anderson were approved as volunteer junior high basketball coaches and Carrie Faul was approved as a junior high head girls track coach.
A request for reimbursement of a 3 credit hour college course, Environmental Science, by Colleen Enderlin was approved.
In other business, the board set the payback schedule for the Health Life/Safety bond sale at three years, adopted the FY2007 district budget, accepted the FY2006 independent audit prepared by Al Ruesche and Greg Butler of Macomb, approved the 2006-07 Application for Recognition of Schools, and approved the resolution requesting the regional superintendent to grant the powers stipulated in school code to the boards of education to be elected on November 7, 2006.
Mr. Campbell reported that Tuesday, September 12th was designated as Celebrate Kindergarten Day by ISBE and was used to present the newly developed Early Learning (Kindergarten) Standards.
Mrs. Joyce Crim has been involved in development and review of these new standards through our regional office and participated in one of the training sessions on the 12th. She received a letter from Regional Superintendent Gary Eddington thanking her for sharing her knowledge and expertise which truly showed her dedication to the educational process and students.
Mr. Campbell also told the board about the PK Family Night that was held on September 12th in the school cafeteria. This event was funded through the Pre-K at Risk Grant. Eighteen preschoolers and their families were in attendance. Each student and their family members were introduced. Following a meal of pizza, chips and soda, the families had a chance to visit.
Jr. High/High School Principal Lila McKeown reported that all alumni are invited to ride in the last Homecoming Parade at La Harpe. Classes will meet on the golf course out by the announcers booth. At half-time, the alumni will be asked to gather on the middle of the field for a short program. They are encouraged to wear Eagle, Thunder, or Cyclone attire. The Quill will have more information.
The Homecoming Olympics will be at West Prairie High School on Wednesday, September 27th. The Homecoming parade will be Friday September 29th at 1:30 p.m. The game will be at La Harpe at 7:00 p.m. The dance will be September 30th from 8 to 11:00 p.m. at La Harpe.
Student Council members have been busy planning for the last Homecoming and have chosen "Back to the Future" as their theme this year. Homecoming royalty candidates are Derrick Daudelin, Blake Meally, Tyler Sharpe, J.R. Tomow, Gretchen Blythe, Hannah Brown, Kirsten Johnson, and Claire McKee.
The yearbook class has been busy selling ads for this year's book. They are going to be selling La Harpe Eagle T-shirts for a fund raiser.
The new junior high WORM (working on Reading and Math) class is putting together a newsletter for the junior high. Mrs. Sturlic is the teacher. This class replaced the 9th grade Home Economics rotation with the vocational classes.
Ricky Johnson read the Ag Report prepared by Melvin Roth. Mr. Roth attended the Fall AG teachers meeting in Macomb on August 18th.
The FFA kicked off the year with the labor auction.
On August 31st, 23 FFA members met at the Ag shop at 5:30 a.m. and departed for the Farm Progress Show.
Seven FFA members and Mr. Roth helped direct traffic at the Nauvoo Grape Festival on September 2nd. The FFA field plot day was September 9th.
Mr. Roth appreciates Wayne and Debbie Corzatt for donating the hog, Ed and Dixie Bollin for cooking the hog, Webber Meat for reducing the processing fee, Daudelin's and also Blythe Farm for loaning their equipment and all the Greenhands for working at the plot.
Mr. Roth also appreciates ChemGro and USDA for soil probes used in the classroom.
After cleanup of the Plot Day, seven members and Mr. Roth drove to the Section FFA Trap Shoot at Smoke'n Gun Hunt Club.
The poinsettias have been started in the greenhouses for Horticulture class and they are looking for other plants or perennials to propagate. The Ag Department received over $800 in fair premiums. It will be disbursed soon.