The School Board heard updates on the virtual and alternative class options, vaping in the high school and an inquiry about selling district property at Thursday’s meeting.
Principal Ron Abel gave a final update on the high school before he retires after this school year.
“I think the state of the high school is in pretty good shape,” Abel said. “I think Dr. Bogart is going to be a great addition to the building. The staff are really excited, I think he’s really excited and I’m excited for him.”
Abel discussed an increase in discipline referrals for the 2022-2023 school year but said this increase was because he asked staff to hold students more accountable.
Abel said the largest referrals given are for the defiance, cellphones and disruption category. There have been 156 referrals given out for this reason, a 46% increase from last year.
The next largest category was drugs/alcohol/tobacco, but Abel said most of these were students caught with vapes. There have been 46 incidents this school year, a 14% increase from last year.
After implementing a new vaping policy in December, Abel updated the board on the success of the new approach. The new vape detectors used by staff on students suspected of having vapes have doubled the number of devices confiscated at school. There were 22 confiscations in 2021-2022 and 45 during this school year.
“Hopefully it’s something that we, in the near future, will find a way to convince kids this is not a healthy thing to do nor is it a practice that will tend to lead them to success,” Abel said. “That’s an epidemic in my opinion with the current youth.”
In other business,Dustin Baker with Alcove Development spoke to the board about an offer to purchase the land that borders the southwest side of Savage Street and the east side of Winchester. Alcove is offering $75,000 for the lot.
If Alcove purchases the property, they intend to develop four or five single-family homes. Alcove is requesting a purchase contract with a 90-day due diligence period so Alcove can meet with the city and engineers to learn more about potential plans.
“We do not want to be in the real estate business nor do we want to be constructing five houses, but Ron and I looked at the section and we go, ‘I don’t know if we will ever put anything there’ because of the size of it, as far as buildings go,” Moeckel said. “What we are struggling with is to find affordable housing for families.”
Baker has yet to meet with the city, but will move forward with the process if the district is interested in selling the property. The board will continue discussions on this sale and no decision was made Thursday.
Director of Alternative and Virtual Learning Jessica Johnson also gave an update on her enrollment numbers at Cardinal Academy and strictly virtual students.
Johnson said there has been an increase in student enrollment at the high school’s alternative learning option. In fall 2022, there were 20 students enrolled. Now there are 29 enrolled for fall 2023.
Johnson said many of the increases may be a result of COVID-19 learning changes and other credit recovery needs.
“That’s a big jump. There’s a lot of reasons behind it,” Johnson said. “This year, when I look at why we have such a big jump, I think of a couple things. Our juniors this year were our freshmen in 2020, and some of them have been very honest and frank with the fact that COVID was a bad year for them.”
Pandemic mental health effects may have placed some students in a situation where they couldn’t completely focus on academics, Johnson said.
Johnson also updated the board on the virtual learning program. There are 40 virtual learning students: six adults, 31 high schoolers and three middle schoolers
Elementary teacher Jamie Grado also gave the board an update on the summer academy. The camp will run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 5 through June 29. There are 342 students enrolled, and 54 staff members have committed to working. The academy will have coordinating start times at the elementary and middle school.
The academy will partner with Feeding Eudora, the Giving Garden and Eudora Reads. There will be science, art, reading, math and more for students.
Parents have until May 12 to enroll students.
“It’s a very safe, fun, engaging environment and opportunity that the district students get to embark in,” Grado said. “The feedback that I get is very heartfelt and warming so I feel very honored being able to do this position for another year.”
The board also recognized the state qualifiers from the middle and high school Science Olympiad teams and the varsity basketball team.
Reach reporter Sara Maloney at [email protected]
