Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
School Board Approves New Schedule To Take Effect Next Academic Year
Starting in the next school year, Kimball Junior/Senior High School, above, and Mary Lynch Elementary School will have classes four days a week instead of five.
When the Kimball School Board voted to approve the negotiated two-year agreement with the Kimball Education Association for the 2004-25 and 2025-26 school years, it cinched the four-day week school year.
The deal included a 162-day contract with a $1,000 base increase for both school years and a retention bonus. The agreement was approved in a 5-0 vote, with board member and former athletic director Ken Smith abstaining with conflict.
After the approval of the 162-day contract, the board discussed other four-day week issues, from the length of day to the expansion of the Elite program. Discussion centered on the school day being lengthened by about 35 minutes and the Elite program operating from 4-6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to noon on Fridays, with children receiving two meals on Friday.
Superintendent Trevor Anderson said, "There are kinks to work out."
Sports practices may be a little later, and a Friday schedule may require some snow days to be made up, but advance notice will be given.
The board will review the school calendar and it will be presented for approval at the March school board meeting.
Other discussion items included a tuition reimbursement policy for teachers within prescribed parameters to be introduced during the summer months for the 2024-25 school year.
On January 8, the Kimball School Board meeting began with elections of officers for the coming year. The officers are President Travis Cook, Vice President Jennifer Griebel, Secretary Tom O'Brien and Treasurer Ken Smith. The remaining action items proceeded routinely with committees, school media affiliates and school financial affiliates all approved.
Reports from the administration included the superintendent's financial update. The financial stats show 28.06% of the budget spent with 33% of the fiscal year completed. The current cash balance of the district is $2,096,726.03; similar cash balances have been standard for the past two years.
The junior/senior high school students will be held to the handbook late work policy, according to Principal Danielle Reader's report.
"We noticed several students really start giving good effort in the last couple of weeks of the semester to try and raise their grades," she said. "Many teachers wanted to help them, allowing them to turn in late homework, retake tests from earlier in the quarter, etc. It is in our nature to help students; however, in the long run, this practice encourages procrastination."
Two in-house programs will be revamped this quarter, WIN Time and Longhorn Time. WIN Time gives students who are ineligible or have missing work to get caught up, and students who skip Longhorn Time will receive a zero on the missing assignment.
Mary Lynch Principal Amanda Culek reviewed December activities and the January plan, which include NWEA/NSCAS Winter Testing. Culek also gave the board a detailed report complete with graphs on the Dibels Winter Comparison for Grades 1-4.
The Kimball School Board will have a work session Jan. 24 in the KCTS meeting room, and the regular board meeting will be 6:30 p.m. Feb. 12.