Bernie students rebound from illness; board warned of 2010-11 funding cutbacks

"We won't know exact figures until early next spring," Boyd told the board, "but it is something that we'll have to face down the line and I'm just giving you a heads up."

The funding issue, Boyd said, will be further addressed when the exact figures are presented to the district.

After experiencing some of the lowest attendance in years at Bernie Schools, pupils seems to have rebounded from the flu bug that hit the district over the past couple of weeks, Boyd told the board.

"We were as low as 81 percent attendance district-wide," the superintendent reported, "but today (Monday) we were at nearly 93 percent, so things are looking up."

Board members reviewed four programs within the district Monday night, to include Curriculum and Instruction, Professional Development, Food Services and Library/Media Services. Few significant changes were included in the reviews.

During Boyd's administrative comments, the subject of eighth grade students earning high school credit hours came under discussion. For the first time this year, Boyd explained, eighth graders have been given the option of taking an Algebra I high school level class. Students taking the elevated class are referred at the end of their seventh grade year by their math teacher, Boyd told the board.

"We have not made it clear to parents if those students will be receiving the high school credit hours for completing this course," Boyd said, "and we need to define that during our November meeting."

Further discussion will take place at the November meeting prior to a formal decision being made. Boyd explained that he has consulted with neighboring superintendents and will continue to do so in order to obtain further direction as to crediting students.

In other action, the board heard via correspondence from a district instructor who also doubles in a position as bus driver for the district, completing a daily bus route each weekday morning and afternoon. The employee addressed the board in an effort to establish a policy of granting benefits, including sick days, typically granted to bus drivers. Those benefits would be in place in addition to the sick days provided the employee through his teaching position.

After considerable discussion, board members voted to grant the employee only those benefits that come with the primary position he holds, which is the teaching position. Only Board President David Blevins was voted in opposition of the policy. One other employee in the district would have been affected by the policy change.

For the second time in as many years, board members reviewed the charges of attorneys in the state of Missouri who specialize in educational issues. Currently, the firm of Mickes, Goldman and O'Toole out of St. Louis, is retained by the district.

According to the report furnished by Boyd to the board, six out of seven area schools, including Dexter, Richland and Bloomfield, all retain the Mickes firm. After a review of the material concerning the Mickes firm and the firm of Tueth-Keeney, also out of the St. Louis area, the board decided to continue to retain the firm of Mickes, Goldman and O'Toole for the current school year. Board member Keith Snider was the only descending vote.