Dexter Schools will be offering summer classes again this year, but it will be a scaled-down version of what the local summer program has offered in recent years, and driver's education will not be included. Due to budget constraints, the district plans to revert back to offering the program much in the order as it was many years ago - an "at risk" program intended for students whose grades and test scores indicate the need for remediation.
The news came at the regular monthly meeting of the local board this week. The exception to the "at risk" policy is the offering of summer school to all incoming kindergarten students.
"The testing at Kindergarten Screening in April is the only assessment tool we'll have available for that group of students," explained High School Principal Corey Mouser, who is heading up the extended year program. "Since that's the only indicator available for these children, we felt it was only fair to offer the program to all of the incoming kindergartners."
The summer program will once again offer transportation. The routes will serve only those students residing within the city limits of Dexter, unless the number of rural students enrolling for the program merits a change in that policy, Mouser stated.
Letters will be sent home in the coming weeks with students who qualify for the summer program. Summer school is slated to begin on June 4 and run through June 29.
For the first time in several years, Dexter Schools will not be offering a Driver's Education program this summer. Lack of interest in the program, coupled with continuing funding issues, have forced the board to agree to suspend the program at least for the current year.
Mouser also proposed to the board a revision to the high school's daily schedule beginning with the 2012-13 school year. Mouser asked the board to consider eliminating one of the three current lunch shifts, changing to two extended shifts. The plan, Mouser said, will better accommodate the needs of the school's cooking staff and will eliminate the current need for students who abide with a "split" schedule. That split schedule refers to those students who attend a class for half the class period and then leave the classroom for lunch, returning to finish class when the lunch period ends.
"It's not a good learning situation," Mouser said of the current policy.
The board agreed, and voted unanimously to do away with the third lunch shift and the split schedule.
The board also approved the OPAA!! food service renewal agreement for the coming school year.
"We've worked some issues out with the service," said Supt. Dr. Thomas Sharp. "We now have a smoother operation."
Board Member Kenny Pope questioned Sharp as to a potential hike in lunch prices when OPAA!!'s introductory period ends.
Sharp assured the board it was not his impression that would happen, stating, "I'm quite sure there will be a very minimal raise."
Sharp added that thus far in its two-year run with the local schools, the food service company has remained "exactly on schedule" with what they provided in the way of cost figures when they were introduced to the district.
The board also approved of the proposed 2012-13 school year calendar that was recommended by Sharp and the faculty. The calendar calls for the school year to begin on Aug. 16, 2012 with an 11-day Christmas break and an ending date of May 22, 2012. There are 177 attendance days for students with high school graduation slated for May 17.
Once again this year, student athletes were commended for their academic excellence. Greg Lummukka, speaking on behalf of the school system's CTA, presented the board with a list of students whose teams will be receiving a scholastic achievement certificate from Missouri State high School Athletic Association.
"The Girls Cheerleading squad received an Outstanding ranking at T.S. Hill Middle School, with a 3.323 GPA," Lummukka told the board. "The seventh grade Girls Basketball Team earned the rank of Distinguished, earning a 3.12 GPA."
Also reaching the Distinguished level of achievement were the 7th grade Boys Basketball team with a 3.07 grade point average and the eighth grade Girls Basketball with a 3.22 GPA.
At the high school level, the Varsity Football team earned the Distinguished certificate with a 3.06 GPA. The Varsity Cheerleading squad were also named for the Distinguished award, with an average GPA of 3.03. The Girls Tennis team attained the Outstanding level with a GPA of 3.41 The Girls Cross Country earned the Outstanding award with a 3.45 GPA level, and the Girls Volleyball team reached the level of Outstanding with e combined GPA of 3.37.
In other business, the board:
* discussed the district's health insurance program. A 2.9 percent increase in premiums is expected for the entire South Central Education Consortium, to which the local school system belongs.
* commended students and staff at Southwest Elementary for their ongoing recycling project involving the collection of discarded cell phones, ink cartridges and computers.
Executive Session
In executive session, the board accepted the resignation of Chuck Powers as assistant high school principal and athletic director. No reason was given for Powers' resignation from his administration post. With the resignation came a request to be considered for a teaching contract for the 2012-13 year, and that request was honored by the board.
* Kay Rowe, longtime Special Services classroom aide, submitted her intent to retire at the conclusion of the current school year. It was accepted by the board.