Dexter School Board members approved several expenditures, accepted resignations, and approved of new hires during a change of venue meeting held Thursday afternoon. Also approved was an addendum to the certified staff handbook, establishing a longer workday on designated days to accommodate curriculum and faculty meetings.
The need for the extended day, Supt. Dr. Thomas Sharp has explained, comes with the ever-increasing professional demands of Missouri teachers.
When the subject of an extended teacher's day was introduced in May, it met with considerable discontent with some certified staff. Their feelings were submitted to the board through the district's Advisory Committee at a recent board meeting. The staff expressed concerns that including conflicts with after school tutoring, coaching duties and second after-school jobs, among others.
In May, with a promise to re-address the issue of extending the workday in June or July, Sharp addressed the staff and the media, stating the board had been working to "identify scheduling conflicts which must be addressed in order to accommodate an extended school day for teachers for staff development -- issues such as bus duty, after-school tutoring, and student detentions."
Thursday night, in a modified version of what was initially proposed, the board approved for the certified staff to report to work from 8 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. on Mondays, (unless they are involved in team meetings), beginning on Sept. 9, 2013.
On Tuesdays, the workday has been established to begin at 8 a.m. and conclude at 4 p.m. beginning Sept. 3, 2013. This extended day will accommodate Horizontal Team/Departmental Meetings.
The Wednesday workday will be from 8 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., except for staff members affected when other trainings are pre-scheduled. Included in the text of the addendum is the statement, "Meetings held until agenda in complete."
Thursday's workday is slated to begin at 8 a.m. and end no earlier than 3:30 p.m. beginning Sept. 5, 2013, with faculty meetings slated on one Thursday per month, again held until the agenda is complete.
On Fridays and all days prior to holidays, the schedule will revert back to as it has historically been, from 8 am. until 3:15 p.m.
Several expenditures were approved during the Thursday meeting. The board approved a bid of $13,535.10 to finish the project of replacing the field lights at Charles Bland Stadium, as well as bids of $11,247.80 and $4080 for seal coating and re-striping the parking lots in front and back of the BEC and the back parking lot of Southwest Elementary.
Additionally, a routine agreement for E-Rate services at an annual price of $800 was approved.
A bid of $52,510 for refurbished desktop computers for Southwest and Central Elementary and for laptop computers and carts for the middle school and high school was also accepted by board members.
Members also agreed to assigning federal Perkins funds in the amount of $26,861 to the Sikeston Career and Technology Center Consortium for vocational instruction services.
In executive session, resignations were accepted from district special education para-professionals Drew Pixley and Amy Stevens. Also resigning was Amy Renken as T.S. Hill Middle School office secretary.
The board approved the seeking of applicants for three special education para-professionals and a part time certified psych examiner, along with new or substitute bus drivers.
Also in executive session came the reassignment of part time Title I teacher Felicia Powers to instruct second grade keyboarding at Southwest in preparation for computer-based testing.
Janet Bingham was hired as central office secretary. Her duties will include serving as MOSIS coordinator. She replaces Jan Britt who retires July 1.
Board members also set the salary for summer maintenance painters was at $8.50 per hour and approved Cody Boyer as assistant middle school baseball coach for the 2013 -2014 school year.
In other business, the board:
* approved a transfer of $500,000 from the General Fund to the Capital Projects Fund for the purposes of roof repair and building security and a transfer of $100,000 to the Debt Service Fund used to fund bond payments.
* agreed on the tentative budget for the 2013-14 school year. A revised budget will be presented to the Board in December or January.
* confirmed a rental agreement request with the Dexter Chamber of Commerce for use of the high school auditorium. The Chamber will be sponsoring three live theater performances during the 2013 -- 2014 school year.
* approved the annual vocational program report compiled by Assistant Superintendent Corey Mouser.
* approved a request from a MSTA representative to use the BEC classroom in August for a regional Beginning Teacher Assistance Program.
* agreed on a revised district health form submitted by school nurse Amy Robertson.
* declared a list of surplus books from Central Elementary as surplus items and directed their sale or disposal.