By DAVID A. WILSON
Democrat Staff
The members of the California R-I School Board heard from administrators about the success of the parent-teacher conferences. Elementary Principal Daniel Williams reported 100 percent contact with the parents of the students. Several teachers took a large amount of personal time to schedule meetings outside of the regular scheduled conference times.
"There are many aspects of education that I am no expert on, but one thing I know for sure is that parent contact and support are vital in reaching true excellence within any educational setting," Williams said.
Dawn Cook led the staff in training focusing on "reciprocal teaching."
The fourth grade teaching team researched and began using a "center based" instructional style, a method which gives extra instruction to those needing it in small groups. In one fourth grade Title I Math class, there were seven in each of two small groups. Williams said the effort has far reaching results since the students needing it are receiving as much as 40 minutes of direct math instruction.
Elementary enrollment was reported at 598, a drop of three students from the previous month.
Middle School Principal Matt Abernathy reported the parent-teacher conference attendance was more than 86 percent, the highest in the last five years.
Members of the middle school student council worked with the high school to host the Veterans Day assembly which had more than 20 veterans present. Several of the middle school Kiwanis Essay winners read their essays before the assembly.
Peer Helpers is sponsoring the Middle School Giving Tree again this year. The Middle School "Friends of Rachel" is having a t-shirt design competition. The winning design will become the middle school "Friends of Rachel" t-shirt design.
The middle school groups Music Connection and Pinto Express have scheduled their Winter Concert for Monday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m.
Middle school enrollment for October was reported at 299 students.
High School Principal Mike Hight reported renovation should be completed and the computer lab in the freshman hall operational by Christmas break.
The project to organize the high school trophies, some of which date to the early 1950s, is well underway. A policy for the trophy case in the commons is expected to be ready for board review by April.
Jonathan Lindquist and his class have completed photography of the older trophies and awards. Photographs and texts describing the awards will be mounted on plaques and hung along the auditorium hallway. Plans are to disperse old trophies, uniforms, videotapes and scoreboards with help from booster club members.
Some plaques have already been mounted along the auditorium hallway, with the top row for State plaques and the second row for All-State plaques.
High school enrollment for October was reported at 424.
The Middle School/ High School Band Christmas Concert is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 17.
Boy Scout Alexx Lewis presented more than 20 proposed ideas for athletic mascot logos for the Pintos as his Eagle Scout Project.
The school board members were requested to pick the best three ideas and Lewis plans to submit the winners to a vote by the students to select the best one. The project is to be completed by the end of the year.
The board approved the audit report as presented by Wendy Renner of Evers and Company, CPA's L.L.C. The audit indicated the school is in good financial shape. Audit reports for small governmental entities always have comments about the need for greater segregation of duties, and California R-I was no exception.
The next regular monthly meeting will be Dec. 18, at 6 p.m., in the high school library media room.