The Boscobel Area School Board heard a presentation on the Title I program at the elementary school by program coordinator Sandy Klug at its regular board meeting Monday night.
Klug explained the scope of the program, which focuses on kindergarten through sixth grade students.
Boscobel Elementary is designated as a Title I school, providing the school with additional federal funds to help low-income and at-risk students meet state educational standards, specifically reading readiness. Boscobel Elementary School’s Title I programming is currently serving around 80 children, primarily providing individual and small group targeted instruction.
“This is usually done outside the classroom, though we do some work in class,” Klug explained.
The program currently utilizes two full-time teachers and one part-time teacher plus a full-time and a part-time paraprofessional.
The program focuses on early intervention, so most of the work is with the youngest students in the elementary, Klug explained. But it remains available throughout elementary school for students in need.
Board President Todd Miller inquired if the program had been affected by the B.A.S.H. program.
“Initially, yes, but that is no longer the case,” Klug said. “We are working cooperatively with the BASH program and really, we work with different needs. Our students are getting much more individualized attention.”
Klug explained that teachers participating in BASH dealt with larger groups, a situation that was not necessarily fitting for the children assisted with more intensive assistance by Title I, though the programs were certainly complementary.
Funding a concern
Funding of the program is a concern, Klug said. As such, she planned to meet with Operations Advisor Steve Wacker to discuss the program. In order to keep the program from exceeding its budget, she and at least one other teacher offered some of their time afterschool as volunteers.
“What else do you need (for the program)?” asked board member Derek Zimpel.
“We may need another room,” Klug said. The coordinator also stressed that the students would benefit from more intensive instruction with a teacher, which becomes a budgeting issue to address.
Wacker offered the board an update after Klug’s presentation, reminding them that the holiday dinner was on Dec. 16th and their attendance would be welcome.
He informed the board that the Curriculum Companion Plus program was being dropped for failure to provide services and the school would be refunded around $4,000. Wacker also informed the board that he would be seeking new bids on a cooling unit for the server room. The business he had originally worked with had apparently decided to not pursue the contract, as they had not responded to additional inquiries.
Miller informed the other members of the board that he was unable to attend the Wisconsin Association of School Boards Convention on January 20-22. He asked if any other board members would be interested in going in his place.
Zimpel agreed tentatively, though he would need to confirm.
Wacker suggested that he confirm soon, as the registration deadline was approaching.
“Eye In The Sky”
The board was also asked to consider participation in the ‘Eye In The Sky’ digital video streaming service. The request was presented via letters from Activities Director Joey Martin and coach Jason Hill.
The service would involve the installation of a fixed security-type camera in the large high school gymnasium. Remote viewers could then purchase tickets online to view sporting events.
“I just don’t want to see us commit to anything without seeing a contract,” board vice president Chuck Owens. “I don’t want us to be hit with any surprises later.”
The board agreed to seek more information from the coaches before making a decision.
In other business, the Boscobel Area School Board:
• heard on the success of an online fundraiser through www.donorschose.org for the purchase of seven Chromebooks from third-grade teacher Jennifer Ekiss;
• were informed that the contractor for the work on the football bleachers has until spring to complete the work;
• heard concerns from school board member Roger Knoble over mounting HVAC repair expenses;
• approved purchase of the Baird & Associates budget forecasting model;
• discussed the advertising policies without action;
• discussed services for updating and maintaining handbooks and policy manuals and the need to finish handbook revisions by March;
• approved Mark Ekiss as the track and field head coach, Grant Reynolds and Skyler Reynolds as the assistant coaches, and Joel Leonard as a volunteer assistant coach;
• approved Lawrence Bay and Brad Bay as volunteer softball coaches;
• approved Henry Bray as the baseball head coach;
• approved posting for a full time superintendent position due to the medically-related resignation of Dr. Sharon Ennis as the interim administrator;
• approved Cindy Albrecht as a substitute teacher;
• accepted donations from Grant Regional Health Care- of hats, gloves, mittens, and socks, from Viroqua Church of Christ of boots, gloves, hats, snow pants, and coats for several students, from Boscobel Area EMS of hats and mittens, and from the BMZ Church Giving Tree which helped to provide Christmas wishes to some BAS students, the gifts to be distributed on December 21st and 22nd; and
• approved the overnight request for four students and a teacher to attend the Dorian Choral Festival on Jan. 10-11.
