USD 383 Board of Education

Sept. 19, 2012
Kathy Dzewaltowski, observer

The board was presented with information about plans for private fundraising for an artificial turf field at Bishop Stadium.  The field is estimated to cost $800,000.  The MHS Booster Club has been working on fundraising and has been striving to secure three corporate sponsors who will each contribute $200,000.  The Booster Club wanted to know whether the corporate sponsors will be able to have their logos displayed on the field.  Walt Pesaresi wanted to know how large the logos would be before giving approval, and the Booster Club representatives said they would be in communication with administration as the efforts progress to make sure the board is satisfied.  The district's share of the costs could be financed with a transfer from the supplemental general fund to the capital outlay fund.  The grass field costs $30,000 annually to maintain, and the district's director of business services suggested setting aside the $30,000 each year for the next 10 years to provide the financing for when the surface will need to be replaced.  The board approved 7-0 the fundraising plans.

Board members discussed a proposal for an advisory period at MHS, which will be held on Wednesdays for 21 minutes.  The advisory period will focus on students' academic progress, career opportunities, and anti-bullying activities.  Pete Paukstelis and Pesaresi felt the board needed to be provided with more information.  Paukstelis wanted the program to be evaluated every year and to be able to put the time to better use if nothing is being accomplished.  Despite concerns, the board approved 7-0 to implement the program.

The board held a public hearing to provide citizens the opportunity to comment on the proposal to swap the high school's starting/ending times with the times for elementary schools.  Several parents of elementary students spoke against making the change, citing concerns about additional time after school spent in child care, waiting in the dark at bus stops in the morning, elementary students also need sleep, and a decrease in family time.  The opinions of parents of secondary students varied, with some favoring going to a later start time so students would be more alert at the start of the school day and others expressing concerns about how the late ending time would affect homework time and after school activities.  The board plans to make a decision about start/end times at the Oct. 10th meeting.