Members of Richland's School Board met in regular session Thursday night, having recently accepted the award for Distinction in Performance from the Department of Secondary and Elementary Education earlier this month. Members approved the calendar for the 2008-09 school year, along with dates for the upcoming summer school session and learned of numerous student achievements.

With the final day of the current school year set for May 16, students will have only a weekend before gearing up for the summer school session.

"We have found that we have a positive response from parents and students starting the summer session early," said Superintendent Mike Kiehne. "The summer session will begin right after the regular school year ends and will conclude on June 13 before all the summer camps and family vacations begin."

Richland's new school year is scheduled to begin on August 14 for students, with staff reporting on August 11. The newly approved calendar calls for May 15, 2009 to be the final day of the school year, and allows for a Christmas break from December 22 through January 2 and a spring break from March 19-22. In addition, an Easter break is slated for April 8-13. Six days are built into the calendar in anticipation of inclement weather that may force school closings.

In routine business, the board approved a single MSIP Review item, set the board's reorganization meeting that will follow the upcoming election for April 17 at 6:45 p.m., approved the 2008-09 federal lunch program, renewed the lawn service contract for Jeremy Swindle, and adopted a 403b plan for staff with Forrest T. Jones Company.

Student accomplishments were the name of the game during Thursday evening's board session, but members first learned that the recent bus inspection met with 100 percent approval and credited the district's transportation and maintenance supervisor, Calvin Edwards for having a significant role in the finding.

"All credit goes out to Calvin for all of his hard work in attaining this goal," Kiehne told the board.

Student accomplishments on the elementary level, according to Elementary Principal Lori Scheeter, included an Honorable Mention for Kayla Uhles from Southeast Missouri State University for her fiction entry, "Twister Shadow's Hero." The entry was recognized in the university's recent writing competition.

Honors on the high school level were numerous over the past month and include the election of Sara Ramsey as State President and Amber Tilley as State Vice President of the State Library Club.

Two Richland High School students came away with honors at the March 7 History Day District Competition. Jordan Blunt, Parker Evans and Kaleigh Evans will proceed to state competition on April 12 in Columbia.

At the mid-March State Beta Convention, Richland's Jonathon McGarity was elected state secretary. He will now be in the running for national secretary at the Myrtle Beach competition in June. Also at the convention, Dalton Murphy was honored for having earned the highest overall score in Quiz Bowl and the musical duo of Logan Shidler and Ryan Hicks took second in the Special Talent Division after what Supt. Kiehne referred to as "an outstanding performance" by both students. The campaign skit presented by Richland students also took second and they will also be traveling to Myrtle Beach.

"We are extremely proud of all of the accomplishments of our students," Kiehne said. "Each of them has made us so proud and represented Richland in the best possible light and we appreciate all of their diligent work in attaining these goals."

During executive session, board members approved contracts for certified faculty members for the 2008-09 school year.