Dexter School Board sets tax levy, discusses "Adequacy Update"

Citing the district's consistency in keeping with the minimum allowable tax rate, the Dexter School Board last night elected to keep the district's tax levy at the present level of $2.75 with a debt service of 50 cents during a special session of the board called just prior to the regular business monthly meeting.

Superintendent Ken Jackson commented on the approval, stating, "This approval marks the ninth consecutive year that the district has remained at the same tax levy and I think that speaks well of this board and of the district as a whole."

During the regular business session that followed, the board approved the annual Secretary of the Board Report (ASBR), which serves as a summary of the financial transactions that transpired during the 2006-07 school year. The district's auditor, Gary Ponder of Kraft, Miles and Tatum out of Poplar Bluff, will provide an audit report to the board at the September meeting, which will then be recommended for board approval. The September meeting, originally slated for the evening of September 18th, was found to conflict with the Stoddard County Fair parade and so members of the board agreed to change the September meeting date to 11:30 a.m. on September 19th.

Dr. Roger Alsup, T.S. Hill Middle School principal, addressed the board upon the invitation of Jackson and explained the proposed cafeteria and classroom renovation proposal. Under the proposal, which was ultimately approved by board members, the Middle School facility will undergo an expansion of the current cafeteria. Nineteen additional feet will be added to the current lunchroom and a 420 square foot storage area will be added for use by the maintenance staff, a much-needed addition, according to Alsup.

"What this will do," Alsup explained, is eliminate the need to split our 6th grade lunch shift. Under our current schedule, 6th grade students go to 4th period for 23 minutes and then to lunch and return to class for the remaining 24 minutes. With the proposed capacity, we would be increasing instruction time from 46 minutes to approximately 50 minutes for each class period by not having to split the class time."

With the Middle School expanding the fine arts curriculum, Alsup explained that the art program will be much more aptly accommodated by moving into the room that currently serves the Academic Classroom Enrichment (ACE) program. Plans call for the project to begin at the conclusion of the 2007-08 school year.

An overview of both the transportation and the food program were presented at last night's board meeting by Director Kent Polsgrove, who cited that milk costs this year will take a considerable chunk out of the food budget, a cost that had not been anticipated when the food budget was prepared.

"Even in light of the rising cost of milk products, however," Polsgrove said, "our production costs still remain less than the state average, which is a very positive note."

In keeping with current trends and health awareness issues, Polsgrove explained to the board that the district is striving toward methods within their food program that are geared toward good health choices. More and more items that are included on the lunch menu for Dexter students are served baked rather than fried and that decision seems to be a popular one with students, according the Polsgrove.

With the recently approved bond issue, plans are to place additional ovens at the high school kitchen facility, which will enable cooks there to accommodate the need for more baked items as well. Elementary and Middle School students are already enjoying the trend toward better health with the addition of baked items on their menus.

In Polsgrove's annual transportation report, it was learned that the 25 busses in the district traveled a total of 184,253 miles during the 2006-07 school year. Of that total mileage, 144,927 miles are reimbursable route miles, for which the district will receive funds as designated by prior legislation. The remaining miles represent miles traveled for student activity trips, driver training and vehicle repair.

"What needs to be noted here is that the state has reduced overall funding for transportation nearly 25 percent over the past three years, so we are seeing a visible increase in what the district has to pick up in the way of funding transportation," Polsgrove explained.

The subject of the Adequate Yearly Progress Update drew considerable comment at last night's board meeting, with the district's receipt of the report that noted Dexter was "not in need of improvement." The report, which is generated from the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) testing each year, in effect "grades" each of 524 school districts across the state in accordance with President Bush's implementation of the "No Child Left Behind" policy.

"The good news," said Supt. Jackson, "is that we were not identified as a district in need of improvement. However, with the target scores being raised every year for each subgroup (total students, race, lunch status, IEP, etc.) we did have several subgroups that did not reach this year's target and it's just a matter of time until we appear on the list that designates needing improvement. Since the release of this data coincided with the opening of school, we have not had time to fully examine our scores and the supporting information carefully and correct any possible coding errors to ensure that we receive the best and most accurate scores possible."

"We'll know more by the September meeting and will update the board at that time," Jackson said.

It has become popular opinion throughout the country that the "No Child Left Behind" policy is a good one in theory, but history has proven that the implementation of the policy is not wholly feasible, according to board members and administration. Administrators from neighboring communities have also voiced this sentiment during recent meetings of their board.

The federal "No Child" policy requires that every student in the country be "proficient" on his or her state's yearly test by the year 2014. That is interpreted as having a 100 percent proficiency rate, which, according to all area superintendents, is not a feasible goal. Districts that cannot make yearly progress toward that goal face stern federal sanctions that range from having to pay for tutoring to closing schools, firing teachers and hiring new leadership.

In other business last the night, the board:

* Discussed the annual fall meeting of Region 14 MSBA, slated for Tuesday, September 11th at T.S. Hill Middle School.

* Adopted curriculum revisions, as suggested by Assistant Dennis Jarrell, who oversees the revisions on an annual basis.

* Approved the naming of Dr. Kim Flowers as Homeless Coordinator, a position that falls under her jurisdiction as the district's newly named Director of Special Services.

* Considered both MSBA policy changes and architect contract bond issue projects, both of which will be further discussed at the next regular board meeting.

* Heart the MSBA delegate's report, as presented by board member, Jackie McKuin, who attended the 2007 Leadership Summit in June.

* Heard the Certified Teacher's Association (CTA) report, as presented by newly elected CTA President Jeannie Cato. Regarding the issue of collective bargaining, Cato advised the local board that the Dexter teaching staff as a whole, as endorsed by the Missouri State Teacher's Association, believes that their number one priority is to serve the children of the community and therefore would not abide by the "work stoppage" rule of thought when dealing with salary issues.

In executive session, the board approved a list of 31 substitute teachers and accepted two resignations. Sam Keller, a high school maintenance employee, resigned to enter the private work sector and Judy Swims, who served as the high school's head custodian, resigned as she and her husband will be relocating to Springfield. Bob Rushing, a current maintenance employee, will fill that spot.

Michelle Cannon, who had served as a companion aide at the high school, will now be working as the Middle School building aide. GIna Farmer was hired as a companion aide at high school and Jody Southerland, along with Jim Hutchcraft were hired to work in the maintenance department at high school.