The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
La Harpe Community School District #347
The La Harpe school board met Tuesday, October 19, 2010, in the district library. Board members in attendance were Pres. Cindy Wear, Rex Huston, Pam Campbell, Mark Irish, Deanna Stambaugh, and Darren Spangler. Also present were Supt. Jo Campbell, Prin. Lila McKeown, Jeanne Clayton, Bob Huff, and WIU students Tyler Higgs, Caitlin Wood, and Kathleen Reardon.
Supt. Campbell gave the financial report and presented district bills noting that La Harpe is in its final year of receiving reorganization incentives from the state.
The district is making plans to present school bus driver Harry Bradley with a retirement award at a staff luncheon on the Jan. 3rd Teacher's Institute Day.
Dr. Campbell reviewed information from recent meetings in Bushnell and Springfield, the most significant being that state funding for regular transportation may be close to 74%, which is better news.
80 people attended the IASB Fall Dinner Meeting at La Harpe, and Dr. Campbell expressed gratitude for all who participated and worked at making it a successful event.
Dr. Campbell listed several upcoming administrative meetings and also noted that the annual Mini-Compliance and Health Life Safety visits by the ROE produced positive results.
The following students were recognized at a school assembly for good behavior: Allison Van Fleet, Josie Finch, Alex McCune, Sidney Pence, Caitlynn Loving, Maddie Finch, Austin Torrence, Saedi Windsor, Lauren Grisham, Taylor Combites, Coulter Fry, Jaylyn Grisham, and Jadon Timmerman.
Principal McKeown brought the board up to date on girls' and boys' basketball, recent fire and lockdown drills, and a Safety Fair attended by the 5th grade students.
McKeown thanked La Harpe Telephone Company once again for bringing the Western Illinois Touring Theater to the students with a performance called, "The Awesomeness of Me" on the subject of eating right and exercising.
McKeown mentioned other student and staff activities such as a junior high flag football event, Red Ribbon Week, and the Book Fair.
A staff "data team" will be attending a series of workshops for training in deciphering and utilizing student scores such as those obtained through ISAT, AIMS web, and STAR reader testing. The October School Improvement Program focused on autism and bullying.
In addition to approving previous board minutes, financial report and payment of bills, the board hired First Midstate, Inc. to act as Bond Underwriter, and Chapman & Cutter to act as Bond Counsel for the school district, held the Health/Life Safety Bond Hearing to sell $2,465,000 School Fire Prevention and Safety Bonds for the purpose of conforming the 1958 facility to the current state building code.
Architect Bob Huff informed the board of the progress of the Health/Life Safety Amendment. The exact number of rooms and their placement in the renovation project as well as a definite dollar figure for the bond sale must now be determined. A matching energy grant which may become available in two cycles could fund the mechanical system work should La Harpe receive the award.
Huff outlined time frames for approval of the HLS amendment, the bond sale and bid process, summer Phase One work, and the state progress with the School Construction Grant program.
The board discussed the project phases, plans to keep the public informed, and many other aspects of the project.
The board reviewed the annual audit, raised the substitute teacher daily rare to $80, approved transportation for La Harpe students enrolled in the summer Kids on Campus program scheduled for August 1-13, 2011, and appointed Karen Nudd as representative of the board to also receive school board candidate papers for the April 5, 2011 election.
The board approved policy updates and authorized the deletion of close session recordings made at least 18 months prior to the current meeting according to district policy.
The school board accepted with regrets the letter of resignation submitted by Cindy Pollock from head volleyball coach, and the resignation by Valerie Van Fleet from teacher's aide.
The board also approved Joy Pollock as substitute aide and Deanna Turelove as a substitute cook.
Regularly scheduled LCSD #347 board meetings are held the third Tuesday of each month in the school library at 7:00 p.m.
The board invites you to view agendas, news releases and approved minutes on the school board section of the La Harpe Eagles website: www.laharpeeagles.org.