Alva Review-Courier -

Cherokee Public School’s board of education met Monday night and kicked off the regularly scheduled meeting by reviewing items considered to be routine in nature (consent agenda), including encumbrances, fund reports and purchase orders. This agenda item also called for the consideration of two staff resignations – those of librarian Lindsay Headlee and second-grade teacher Alicia Bailey. All items on the consent agenda were approved.

Next, board members discussed the proposed changes to the 2018-2019 elementary handbook. Ruth Richmond, principal of Cherokee Elementary School, spoke about the modifications, the first being the federal requirements of the Title I program. The Every Student Succeeds Act requires the school to notify parents of their right to request and receive information about the qualifications of their child’s teacher and paraprofessionals. The mandate is in place for all schools receiving Title I funds. Richmond went on to talk about attendance issues, explaining that kids need to be in class, barring sickness. After ten absences are exhausted, the school will notify the appropriate law enforcement agency. All absences, whether excused or not, are counted in computing minimum attendance. Participation in school-sponsored activities during the regular school day will not be calculated as an absence.

Another area calling for “tightening up” is discipline, Richmond said. The school intends for disciplinary action to be commensurate with the degree/frequency of the deviant behavior, and may include warning(s) to the student, advising to the parent/guardian, parental conference, in-school placement, detention, restitution, the involvement of law enforcement, and so on. The board approved these changes, and also the modification of the policy on administering medication to students.

Free breakfast and lunch will still be available for the upcoming school year, and students can expect to enjoy the extra five minutes added on to their lunch time.

Before convening in executive session to discuss employment of an elementary certified staff member and support staff, the board members approved the internet service contract with Kan-Okla for the upcoming school year.

Upon returning to open session, the board confirmed the employment of two people: elementary school teacher Audrey Lowe and paraprofessional June McGee. McGee has been working at the school, but the board’s decision makes her employment official.

In the principal’s report, Richmond expressed her thankfulness for the trip to the National Model Schools Conference that was held in Florida this summer and said she can’t wait to see how the teachers take the concepts they learned and put them to action. She said that due to rain, the basketball goals are still not up, but in speaking with the crew charged with that task, it shouldn’t be too much longer. Gates and fencing are all in place, and Richmond said that the gates will remain locked during school hours, but open to the public after school is dismissed and on weekends. Also, the school’s electrical system is still being worked on and the installation with DIGI is still in progress. Richmond said there are still student enrollments needing to be completed.

Junior High Principal Bryce Shanbacher stated he too was thankful for the aforementioned conference and that there are a few more things being finalized in regards to his junior and senior high school handbook.

Superintendent Donna Anderson gave her report next as the meeting neared its end. Anderson said she applied for a $330,000 grant for summer/after-school programs and another grant, called The Safe School grant, was applied for and that October is when they can expect to receive word about it. Before the meeting adjourned, she mentioned that some changes will be made in spending due to the teacher’s