Photo by Wanda Hanson
The R-P School Board has begun the process of finding a new superintendent after learning last month that Jon Thompson plans to retire at the end of the current school year. Two sets of interview questions, an initial and a second round, have been created and were accepted by the board after slight wording changes. A staff input form has also been prepared for staff attending the interviews.
Superintendent Thompson shared that he felt the school would be “better served” if he didn’t move forward on the school’s strategic plan at this time. Instead, he felt the new superintendent should be involved in the discussions and development of the plan so he/she would totally understand the strategic plan and the intentions of the developers. Thompson added that he would do his best to finish the remaining negotiations this spring. He had to work on negotiations when he first came to R-P and felt that it was difficult to negotiate with people you had just met.
Public comments
Student Linsey Meyer addressed the board on two issues: school lunches, and morning door opening time. Meyer informed the board that students were not liking the school lunches. She urged the board to find out what kids want to eat. She shared that the current offerings are heavily processed. The portions are small — not enough food to “satiate athletes, especially,” according to Linsey. A parent in the audience concurred, stating that she had to pack food for her sons so they would be able to go to practice and sometimes jobs after school.
Supt. Thompson pointed to food delivery issues this year as well as food service staff shortages as part of the problem. The board asked if local sources are being used; they also requested Thompson to share information about the food service pre-2008. Thompson asked Meyer if she would like to be on a food tasting committee as they worked to improve meals.
Meyer also requested the doors of the school be opened at 7:30 a.m. rather than 8 a.m. This was the third time the door opening time was addressed in public comments.
Thompson informed the board that students coming in for extra help in the morning were allowed in. An adjustment that had already been made this winter was that students were being let in early on days when it was too cold for students to go outside for recess. The time before school is used by teachers to prepare for the day; if there are a lot of students “meandering the building,” the teachers end up supervising the students rather than getting ready for the day.
Chairman Chris Grindland declared they would have an answer on door opening time at the next board meeting.
A dad addressing the board asked whether his children still had to wear masks on school buses since the CDC no longer was requiring them. His child had been told to put a mask on by a van driver. Thompson assured the dad that not all staff had been notified of the change at that time, but have now been informed.
Administrative reports
Supt. Thompson discussed the $18,400 price tag on the WHV preventive maintenance contract; while he acknowledged that the cost was high, he noted that the cost of the equipment was high and that WHV replaces over 100 filters, oils the equipment, checks the belts, etc. “Expertise is a big part of this,” Thompson commented.
MS/HS principal Timm reported on the February 18 Dream Job Event. Twenty-two local business people presented their careers to students from R-P, Caledonia, Houston, and Spring Grove. Student feedback will be used to match student interests to careers for next year’s event. Career navigator MaryAnne Smith, whose salary was paid for by a grant, did a great deal to make the day possible.
Athletic Director John Loney shared a compliment from the referees of the first round playoffs for girls basketball. The refs lauded the positive attitudes of the coaches, team and fans.
Other business
In other business, the board:
• Rescinded policy 491 on mandatory COVID-19 vaccination or testing/face masks since it was no longer required by OSHA;
• Approved the senior class trip to Florida from March 26 to April 1, 2022;
• Gave Supt. Thompson permission to advertise for quotes for property, liability, and workmen’s compensation insurance;
• Agreed to the dissolution of the cooperative girls and boys golf with Lewiston-Altura since both schools have enough participants for their own team (Thompson assured the board there were no hard feelings between the schools);
• Approved the 2022-2023 school year calendar.
The next meeting of the R-P school board will be March 21 at 6 p.m. in the forum room. The public is welcome to attend.
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