School Board Meets Briefly

Director of Schools Mark Willoughby presented his monthly update on personnel during Thursday night’s school board meeting.
Amy Fox has resigned as a part time employee in the Response to Intervention Program
Brittany Willoughby, a DCHS teacher, was granted a leave of absence as requested
Names inadvertently left off the 2011-12 personnel list last month included Peggy Pursell, Transportation Manager and Kristen Van Vranken, a teacher at Northside Elementary School.
As for the recent storm damage to Smithville Elementary School, Director Willoughby reported that a structural engineer has assessed the damage and found the building to be safe for the public to enter. “A structural engineer has said we can go back into the building. Mr (Bill) Tanner will be getting the word out to everybody when they can come back and pick up report cards. But as far as the safety of the building and going back in, its safe. The roof damage was the main thing that we had. Unless there is something unforeseen, we will be able to open that school by our opening date,” said Willoughby.
In April, the board declared six school buses, being taken out of service, as surplus property and voted to sell them by sealed bid to the highest bidder. No bids have been received.
Director Willoughby suggested that the buses be sold as scrap if its legal to do so. Willoughby said the buses might bring just as much money by selling them this way. If not, then the buses can be re-bid.
On plans to update the science lab at the high school, Director Willoughby said “our maintenance crew has worked really hard on getting that room ready for new equipment to come in. There’s about a six week lead time for all the furniture, lab tables, and things like that to come in. But there’s a lot of work that must be done before that and this work is being done now. We can get all that (furniture and equipment) on a state bid and not have to bid that out. Right now we’re looking at around $70,000 just for the things we need to bring that room up to date. Its going to be less than $80,000,” said Willoughby.
Kenny Rhody, Vice Chairman of the board who presided over Thursday night’s meeting, thanked DCHS graduate Samantha Lewis, the school board’s non-voting student representative, for her service over the last year..
In other business, the board gave approval for the DCHS Boys Soccer team to use the high school facilities to host a youth soccer camp this summer. The dates of the camp will be July 12-15.
Permission was granted for the DeKalb County FFA to attend Leadership on the River Leadership Camp this summer from June 14-16.
The board also approved a request for the DCHS football cheerleaders to attend the NCA cheerleading camp at Vanderbilt University July 18-21