California School Board Discusses Snow Make Up Days

California School Board members are honored at the regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 19. Those who serve on Missouri school boards are honored annually during School Board Recognition Week, which is Jan. 23 - 29 this year. School board members are, from left, Paul Bailey, Paul Bloch, Kathy Goans, Mike Lutz, Kyle Wirts, Craig Ash and Steven Burger.
California School Board members are honored at the regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 19. Those who serve on Missouri school boards are honored annually during School Board Recognition Week, which is Jan. 23 - 29 this year. School board members are, from left, Paul Bailey, Paul Bloch, Kathy Goans, Mike Lutz, Kyle Wirts, Craig Ash and Steven Burger.

Snow was a travel factor for those attending the regular monthly California R-I School Board meeting Wednesday, Jan. 19. Although all Board members were present, at least one administrator did not risk the trip, but was represented by another whose class in another city was cancelled due to the weather.

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The Board appropriately took up the matter of notification for snow make up days.

For several years, the school district has operated on an understanding that a five-day notice would be given before a scheduled day off was pre-empted for school to be held for a snow make up day.

With the built-in make up days already used, Albertson announced school would be held on the next scheduled day off, which is Feb. 21. Since the meeting was held as heavy snowfall was occurring, he said if school were to be called off the next day, the make up day would be added to the end of the school calendar. (School was called off Thursday, so school will be in session a day more than planned.)

Since Jan. 17 was a scheduled day off, several members of the Board of Education, asked if that day could have been used to prevent adding a day to the school year. It had been assumed that a Board policy required a five-day notice before a day could be used as a make up day.

By the time it was known that a snow make up day was needed, there were fewer than five days before the Jan. 17 day off. This is the second year in a row the district has run into snow day make up problems.

Albertson said since nothing could be found indicating a policy had been set about the five-day notification requirement, it appears to be an "understanding" of many years duration, but not an actual policy. The Board approved allowing the notification time for make up days to be left to the discretion of the superintendent, rather than having a set time for prior notification.

A discussion of items on the Consent Agenda included increasing the tuition for students from the k-8 schools in the area. The Consent Agenda proposal was allowed to stand and the tuition was increased from $6,000 to $6,250 for next year. This tuition is paid by those school districts and matches the new rates of Eldon and Russellville. This is not the non-resident tuition which is $6,500.

The school board members were honored with Certificates of Recognition for School Board Recognition Week - Jan. 23 - 29. The week is annually set aside to recognize the efforts of local school board members who re elected and serve without pay.

According to the Elementary Principal's report, the reading challenge is still going strong. The Professional Learning Community (PLC) program is beginning to make its impact felt. The PLC leadership team met in Columbia a week before the school board meeting. Treating the school as a learning community enables the administrators and staff, as the PLC, to make the learning programs more user-friendly for the students.

Kiwanis Club, in appreciation for the fundraising efforts of the fifth graders, brought in sausage and cheese snacks for the students.

According to the Middle School Principal's report, 169 students with C's or better in all classes, no disciplinary referrals to the office and fewer than five absences for the semester were able to participate in the STARR party activities. Included were a movie and a couple hours of skating in Jefferson City.

The Midwest Education technology Conference in St. Charles will be Feb. 14 - 16. Four middle school teachers and administrators plan to attend from California Middle School.

According the High School Principal's report, the CHS Speech Team will meet in Cole Camp, and the Math Team in Sedalia on Jan. 29. The Student Council is planning the Courtwarming event, set for Friday, Feb. 11. The week long plans include Spirit Week, a pep assembly and coronation of the queen on Friday during the boys' basketball game.

According to the principals' reports, elementary enrollment is 581, middle school is 280 and high school 423.

For more stories check out issues of the California Democrat.