By ALICIA FEYERHERM
The Hays USD 489 Board of Education met for a regular meeting Monday night.
Superintendent Ron Wilson congratulated the Hays High Special Olympics Basketball team for earning first place in their bracket at the Special Olympics Tournament on March 19.
The team practiced weekly, receiving help from three peer leaders –Gavin Meyers, Evan Lind and Will Linenberger.
“We would also like to thank all of those who came out to support our Hays High athletes and their parents for making this possible,” Wilson said.
Two Kansas Head Start Association state award winners were recognized. Jessica Brown received the Family Advocate of the Year award and Jessica Molnar received the Support Staff of the Year award.
Lincoln Elementary School was awarded the Challenge Award through the Kansas State Department of Education Confidence in Public Education task force.
“This award recognizes Lincoln Elementary for their outstanding achievement and uncommon accomplishment based on the Kansas State Assessment results,” Wilson said.
David Clingan, chair of the bond committee, spoke during open forum. A link to order “Count me In” shirts is available on the Count Me in Hays Facebook page and orders are open until 10 a.m. March 30. Polo and regular T-shirts are available.
Clingan thanked the administration for its work setting up the bond open house last week.
On Sunday, the group started putting up signs in the community. Early voting starts April 25.
“We thank the school board for everything they’ve been doing to support this as well and help us through this process,” Clingan said.
Hays High Principal Shawn Henderson presented about the boost program – a program designed to get students who have failed courses back on track to graduate.
Students who were within 5% of passing a course were given an “I” in the gradebook as opposed to an “F.” Students then had a little more than a month to take care of the competencies needed to hit the lowest passing grade. This reduces the need for summer school.
Forty-eight students were identified for the program. By the deadline, 42 out of the 52 courses were recovered.
“It’s not easy by any means, and it’s a life lesson,” Assistant Principal Fred Winter said.
Wilson then gave his district communications report.
On March 29, he will meet with juniors and seniors at Hays High to discuss the bond. Times are being scheduled at each school for parents to come and ask questions about the bond.
At the next BOE meeting, bids will be presented to the board for updated cybersecurity measures.
Lastly, the board reviewed and voted on an updated road license agreement for Victory Road, which is owned by TMP/Salina Catholic Diocese. That road is utilized at dismissal time for approximately 15 minutes each day to alleviate traffic from O’Loughlin Elementary School.
USD 489 will be paying $62,867 for the re-construction of the portion of the road the district would be using. The district would also pay the engineering fees for the section of the road used, which totals $4,500.
If the May 10 bond passes, the use of the road will no longer be needed after the reconstruction of O’Loughlin’s parking lot.
“Over the last five, six years, we’ve put about $140,000-some into this road,” Wilson said.
The vote passed 5-2, with Allen Park and Curt Vajnar voting against.
The next meeting will be April 11.