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Hillsboro elementary enrollment up for 2014-15
Figures rebound after dropping slightly in the previous school year
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Elementary School Principal Cara Wood brought some good enrollment news to the Hillsboro School Board members at its regular monthly meeting Monday night.

The 2014-15 total enrollment as of Aug. 11 is 267 students.

That compares favorably with 259 for 2013-14 and 262 for 2012-13.

The first day of school is Tuesday, Sept. 2. The doors will open at 7:45 a.m., and classes will begin at 8:10 a.m.

An Open House for elementary students and their parents will be held on Thursday, Aug. 28 from 4-5:30 p.m. Students are welcome to bring school supplies and visit their classrooms. This is a great opportunity for parents who are new to the district.

Information about applying for free-reduced school lunches will be available.

Although High School Principal Greg Zimmerman was unable to attend the meeting, Superintendent Curt Bisarek presented the high school report with the help of notes from Zimmerman.

The Summer School Drivers Education course attracted 29 students. All of them completed the course with 32 hours of classroom instruction. Seventeen of the 29 students began behind-the-wheel driving (18 hours) in July and August.

Five students successfully completed the Humanities (credit recovery) course. One did it for promotion to 9th grade and the other four each recovered a semester  credit.

Zimmerman has been in contact with Western Technical College regarding dual credit classes. His goal is to offer dual-credit high school and technical college credit for one course in the following:

• Welding (Technical Education)

• Accounting (Business Education)

• Introduction to Mechanics (Agriculture Education)

• Introduction to Medical Terminology (Elective)

Bisarek also reported on several school issues:

• Classes for Special Education students are being moved from Mauston to new sites in New Lisbon and Necedah. He is hoping to arrange direct transportation for Hillsboro’s Special Ed students.
• He has written an informative article for local newspapers on the purchase and use of the new Chromebooks.

• The Yes Committee is working on a public relations project to get news on the upcoming referendum ready for a possible mailing.

• Major construction work on the changes to the high school entrance area and office should be completed by the end of the week.

Before approving the first reading of an Acceptable Use Policy for the new Chromebooks regarding students, the Board discussed the “Cooperative Loss Program” which is a voluntary protection plan at a cost of $30 that would cover one-time replacement costs. The Chromebooks will be returned to the school by students at the end of the school year.

Other business

In other business, the Board:

• Approved the renewal of a Special Education transportation contract with Kevin Munson;

• Approved the posting of a full-time Kindergarten paraprofessional position;

• Approved a revision of a policy that would allow school personnel to supervise open gyms-weight room for Hillsboro students, grades 6-12, on Sunday evenings. It was stipulated that student athletes will not be pressured to attend the open gyms.

• Tabled a decision on a new fee structure for athletic passes that would admit students to sports events without charge. The topic will be discussed again at a special meeting on Thursday, Aug. 21, at 7 p.m.

• Approved some revisions in the Elementary School Student Handbook.

The next regular School Board meeting will be at 8 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 8 in the High School Library.