The Morrison Community Unit District #6 Board of Directors convened on Monday, July 27, 2015, with only Stephanie Neas, Wolfgang Schmidt, Brandon Shelton, and President Cathleen Vegter in attendance….The evening took a different atmosphere as the library filled with over 40 concerned parents, teachers, and support individuals [who] chose to view the evening’s agenda.
Junior High Art teacher, Nick Bonneur, was invited to present to the Board as spokesman for the attending audience. The concern that many in the room had was regarding the Board’s decision to implement a seven-period school day for the 2015-2016 school year. Bonneur’s 45-minute presentation offered statistical support of the lost minutes of instruction that the seven-day schedule carried. The proposed schedule also removed student elective options and thus weakened the arts and music programs, which most felt had been one of the strong draws for the Morrison schools over the years. Acknowledging the changing college acceptance preference, that favors students with well-rounded resumes and proven efforts to manage multiple activities with their academic experience, Bonneur highlighted the flaws in the seven-period schedule that allows these options to be made available. [He left] the Board a four-page outline of the group’s concerns and statistics that supported the return to an eight-period format, that fulfilled most of the concerns and offered the student a better springboard into higher education.
Kathy Janicek offered supportive comments, emphasizing the strength of the music and art programs of the past and how important maintaining this status is to the community.
Barb Benson offered comments supporting the use of the swimming pool….[She] urged the Board to find solutions that would allow the community’s use of the pool on a regular basis.
Traci Heusinkveld, owner of 1-2-3 Tees, challenged the proposal before the Board, of committing to a purchasing contract with Temple/ Adcraft for future athletic uniforms and equipment. She commented that this decision would direct sales away from local businesses, thus denying the District the funds made available by a recent 1% school tax referendum approved by the County voters. Nancy Riggen supported using local vendors and taking advantage of the potential tax dollars.
As Board procedure dictates, the remainder of the agenda would be completed and further discussion of the topic would follow. In other action the Board acted on the following.
- Daycare Request: Agreed to draft a contract between the MCUD #6 and the Morrison Daycare to continue control of the Afterschool Club Program, currently held at Northside Elementary School.
- R. C. Smith Contract: Agreed unanimously to accept the R. C. Smith contract submitted for transportation of students for the 2015-2016 school year. The contract included increases in eight-passenger bus rates, mileage, WACC and Pre-school routes, and City limit routes.
- Handbooks and Behavioral Code: Approval of the changes in the Behavorial Handbook Code included denial of work related to suspended students; updated bullying and cyber-bullying sections; updated head lice policies; [approved] suspension (one-year) for second offense smoking violators.
- Vendor Service Agreement: The Temple/Adcraft athletic vendor contract was tabled for future consideration. The contract includes $500 sponsorship check to MHS Athletic Department; 30% discount on team workout apparel and footwear; 30-40% discount on team uniforms; 20% reimbursement to Athletic Department for all web sales generated on MHS apparel during four one-week open web purchasing periods.
- Emergency Days: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Presidents’ Day will be the first emergency days used if the snow day number exceeds the designated three assigned days currently on the school calendar.
Following the resolution of the agenda items, the Board opened the floor for further discussion of the seven-period schedule, with the understanding that the Board had unanimously approved implementing the change at a previous meeting. Board members acknowledged that the statistical information offered by Nick Bonneur was eye-opening and [included] numbers they had not seen. They reminded the gathering that a volunteer committee of MHS teachers presented their preferences prior to the vote on the change to the seven-period schedule, and the Board voted in the recommendation of the committee. After considerable constructive interaction, the evening’s conversation could be summed up by a comment by retired music director, David Bean, when he said, “We must give kids the opportunity to have more experiences.” Superintendent Vance concluded that the seven-period schedule would be the schedule for the upcoming school year, but [added,] “we should take a year and look at this,” leaving the door ajar for potential change in the future.
Before exiting, President Vegter complimented the group, on the attendance and interest in the school activities, and made a welcoming invitation for all to attend each month . She…hopes that more parents…join the Board monthly as they conduct the business of the District.
The next MCUD #6 Board meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Monday, August 24, in the Morrison High School.