By TRICIA HILL
When the Boscobel School Board met on Tuesday night, they were joined by Tyler Buss, T.J. Fischer, Austin Wilcox and Chase Kull—Boscobel students who came to voice their opinions on keeping Todd Fischer as the head football coach for the 2014-15 school year.
Buss, a football player for Boscobel over the past four years, spoke on behalf of the team to the board as to why they would all like to see Fischer remain as the head football coach at Boscobel High School. Buss and his fellow teammates told the board that they feel that Fischer is a leader who is knowledgeable of the game as well as passionate for his players.
“We want the team to continue learning the game of football from a guy that is truly valuable to Boscobel football,” Buss said. “He is a guy who put a ton of time into the program and plans to continue doing it. Todd measures success not only by what the scoreboard says at the end of the game but rather how we grow as people and learn by example.”
The players urged the board as they went into closed session on Tuesday night to consider the renewal of Fischer for the head coaching position. They felt that he continually strives to make the team better by attending coaching clinics, analyzing game film and consulting with other reputable coaches.
“Coach teaches us not only the skills needed to play the game of football but also is a role model for us by giving us the opportunity to learn life lessons both on and off the field,” Buss said.
At the end of the speech Buss and the team made it clear to the board that they believed in the success that coach Fischer could bring to the Boscobel football team as much as Fischer believes in them.
Later in the meeting the board met in closed session to consider the football coaching position, with several applicants in contention. A hiring decision is expected at the board’s February meeting.
Bus garage
Board members Chuck Owens and Hershel Marks brought to the attention of the board that they are currently looking at the bus garage to try and find a way of making the garage taller for future years, as buses will be taller.
“The taller buses will not fit in the garage we have now, so we have been in contact with several people to see what options we have,” Marks said.
Owens told the board that there were several different options, including tearing it down, building a new one, adding a shed and moving the doors in four feet, and running a header beam across.
“They could move the doors in four feet and gather the height we would need to bring those buses in,” Owens said.
If they do move the walls in four feet, the Music Boosters red trailer would have to be moved somewhere else, because there would not be enough space for it.
“This could be a year-long process and will be touch and go,” Marks said. “We just don’t want to wait and be working on it last minute.”
Chromebooks
Board member Dr. Thomas Pelz brought the idea to the board that he wanted to see the school purchase 150 Chromebooks and place them in one or two grades in the elementary and two or three classes in the high school. The cost to purchase 150 Chromebooks would be $42,501 including licenses, Chromebooks and sleeves.
“Give teachers time enough to work with them and then come back in the spring and have an in-service to see the advantages of having them in their classes,” Pelz said. “It would help other teachers learn of the advantages of them.”
Board member Ron Johnsrud motioned for the board to purchase the 150 Chromebooks and then come back with a plan from the principals in February on how what grades and classes will be using them.
After taking a vote from the board it was 5-1 in favor with Marks opposed. He said he did not like the way the Chromebooks situation was brought to the board with no plan on what to use them for.
Recording
More bids were brought to the board for recording equipment in order to record the board meetings, ranging from $18,000 to $23,000. However, due to the price, the board decided to scrap the idea with a motion made by Marks and seconded by Barb Puckett. It went to a vote and went through 4-2.
“With that money we could buy Chromebooks,” Marks said.
Retirement
After four years of working at Boscobel High School, the board approved the retirement of choir teacher Sandra Johnson. She will no longer be an employee of the Boscobel School District as of the end of this school year.
Johnson wrote in her retirement letter to principal Greg Bell and board members that she feels very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work in the Boscobel School District and teach grandchildren of former classmates, relatives and friends. She said that her love of music began in this community and, ironically, it was ending here as well.
