School Board Meet 2-9-2004 -- Collinsville, OK -- From The Newspaper Museum Site

All board members were present and the following topics were acted on:

Payment of Purchase Orders were approved (with a no vote from Jon Werthen): General Fund $209,312.26 (including $69K district insurance & $10.9K for a used driver's ed car); Building Fund $4,207.08; and Child Nutrition $21,541.44.

Curtis Andres addressed the School Board with a complaint on the lack of punishment for school bus driver Renee Lankford after an incident where a student was injured on her bus. He was also upset that she was being allowed to continue driving the bus. A few other parents and one student also addressed the board and discussed the latest incident as well as previous incidents involving the same driver. The injury occurred when the "driver slammed on the brakes after becoming angry because she was being cussed at", per those complaining. In response, Assistant Superintendant Craig Creech stated he "saw it differently" and had gathered a packet for each school board member concerning the incident, but he could not release that full packet as it contained confidential information. He did share that the Highway Patrol's accident report indicated "no improper action by the driver". Creech indicated some "new information" was discovered this past Friday relating to where the injured student was in relation to the driver. School board members Wendell Johnson and Ted Clark both stated that the board "could not yet act on the incident as the process was not complete" and "against state law to act tonight". But both vowed to act within 30 days. Superintendent Pat Herald stated no one in the administration had made statements to the press (and mentioned recent articles in the Collinsville News), but had answered followup questions when allowed by law.

Two Activity Fund fund-raisers were approved: track team pie auction and Special Olympics candy sales.

Board member Jon Werthen voted against the State mandated Aids curriculum approved by the other board members. The full title of the topics to be taught to 7th and 10th grade students by school nurses is "Aids Prevention Education and Sexually Transmitted Disease Prevention Curricula". Parents have the option to "opt-out" their student, but are required to provide a written letter to the school before April 2. 2004. Parents may attend a presentation of the curricula on March 2, 2004 at 7pm in the Wilson Cafeteria. (Link to a more complete News Release provided by the school.)

The board accepted resignations from Patty Shafer (part time custodian at ECC) and Sheri Warnock (full time custodian at the Middle School). The board then voted to skip a potential executive session and voted to hire Angela Crowe (H.S. Spec. Ed Teachers Aide) and Thomas Hicks (Custodian ECC).

Following the recommendations of Mr. Herald, Athletic Director Bill Rule and H.S. Principal Terry Due, the board approved the hiring of Collinsville's new H.S. head football coach: Bob Craig. Mr. Craig has been head coach at Beggs the past four years with a 32-14 record. He also spent 21 years coaching with former Collinsville Coach Ron McHenry (mostly at Coweta). Coach Craig coached the All State team in 1995 and was 2001 Coach of the Year in his district. Craig will also have classroom duties at the H.S. and M.S. which Mr. Due will finalize later.

The board approved the transfer of $5,000 from the "Sign Money General 909 Activity Fund" to help fund spring sports. Additional funds will be requested at the next meeting per Superintendent Herald as the spring sports are about $8 to $10K short due to a decrease in attendance at football games the past two years (with a 2-18 record). The next anticipated project from the sign fund is a sign at the middle school next year which will run about $9K. The sign fund had about $17K before the transfer.

Mr. Creech's Report:
* Have interested buyer for school property on Smelter Hill (a little over half acre). Site is from Highland Park (or South Ward) School built in 1912. That school was torn down and the bricks were moved into town to build what is now the 6th Grade Annex building at the middle school (but was Central Grade School for many years before that). The school will likely declare the land as surplus and hold a public auction.
* Considering building an inexpensive ($20K or less) storage building at the high school (perhaps on the available slab) to help with the storage during the planned construction. Several options and alternatives were discussed.

Mr. Herald's Report:
* Important school bond and board position election Feb. 24th. Fact sheets will be sent home to parents next week. Presentation at PTO meeting at WIlson 6:30pm Thursday Feb 12th.
* Day at the Capital (March 3rd) Wendell Johnson & Terry Due will attend.
* Mr. Due reported the high school went through their crisis procedures recently after the deaths of a ninth grade girl and a senior boy. He thanked the community and the Ministerial Alliance for their support and counciling.