The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
By David Grimes, Quill Correspondent
Though not large in size, a school district combining Union and Southern high schools could offer some pretty good curriculum possibilities.
That was the message conveyed to the Union School Board last week when Superintendent Dean Irlbeck shared highlights from a joint meeting of representatives from both schools at Union April 11.
Irlbeck gave the report on behalf of board member and consolidation committee chairman Doug Sams who was absent.
Board member Wendell Parsons was also absent from the April 17 meeting.
Irlbeck said the consolidation meeting was positive.
"Southern believes it has some very good things to offer in the way of curriculum," Irlbeck said.
The group has invited Yorkwood to enter into the dialogue since their first meeting last winter, but Yorkwood has never attended any of the joint sessions. Roseville was also invited to be included and did attend meetings early on, but has since elected to solidify its commitment to work with a multi-district consolidation group that includes LaHarpe, Colchester and Northwest school districts.
Southern was also included in the multi-district group, but formally bowed out of the group earlier this month.
At the April 11 meeting, Union and Southern shared common interests and committed to move forward in their merger discussions despite any decisions made by Roseville or Yorkwood.
Irlbeck said discussion will focus on finances, determining what comprises good curriculum, what each district desires in curriculum and what to do in case a portion of the Dallas City school district, such as the Lomax area, would become available in the future.
The two districts plan to meet again at 6 p.m. on June 6 at Union.
The board also voted to issue $600,000 in tax warrants to cover education, operations and maintenance and transportation fund obligations for May, June and July.
Local tax levy payments due this summer are expected to adequately cover the warrants.
Irlbeck said the warrants are necessitated by the slowness of state dollars coming into the district.
Payments from the state were due earlier this month, but are notoriously slow, he added.
Payments based on local tax dollars levied against usually arrive in July or August.
In his elementary principal's report, Fred Nestler encouraged board members to attend an April 23 production of "The Yellow Dress," a powerful depiction of violence and its effects on the family. The play was performed for Union high school students yesterday.
Nestler also told the board that internal review findings indicated that school goals for next school year will include working to ease 4th to 5th grade transition, focusing on scope and sequence and taking a closer look at school safety.
In her high school principal's report, Pat Collins told the board that several job applicants have indicated an interest in the ag position for next year and that year-end activities and graduation events are currently being scheduled.
Repair and maintenance projects for the upcoming summer months and beyond include changing a storage room near the music room into a music practice room, plumbing repairs, restroom repairs, replacing boards from the elementary gym floor, renovations in the home ec room, sewer repair work and possible carpeting for the music room.
Board members approved handbooks, codes of conduct and revised extra-curricular policies. The amended 2001-2002 school calendar was adopted as was the 2002-2003 school calendar.
Business resulting form closed session included hiring Karen Doyle as cheerleading coach and Shelly Nelson as pom-pon coach for the 2002-2003 school year.
The board next meets May 15 at 7 p.m. in the unit office.