The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
The La Harpe School Board held the Budget Hearing before the regular meeting Monday night, September 8th, in the School District Library. School board members in attendance were Barbara Cox, Dan Horton, Cindy Wear, Ed Pence, Ricky Johnson, Lawrence Johnson, and Mark Irish. Also present were Jo Campbell, Charles Apt, Charlotte Davis, Pat Deitrich, Todd Porter, Tracey Anders, Natalie Dutton for the Journal Pilot, and Doug Brooks and Jon Corzatt from Stronghurst. Tracey Anders spoke to the board regarding the next Parent Teacher Advisory Council meeting. Doug Brooks and Jon Corzatt spoke to the board regarding possible school consolidation issues.
The board approved the employment of Michael Carson as one-half time Industrial Arts teacher, Pat Yetter as a substitute teacher helper and Suzanne Adcock as a substitute cook, teacher helper, or secretary. Requests by Mary Eves, Joanna Sholl, and Pam Sparrow for reimbursement for college courses were approved.
In other business, the board voted to change the October board meeting from October 13th to October 6th, adopted the FY2004 Budget, approved the Annual Application for Recognition of La Harpe Schools, approved the first reading of the Freedom of Information Act Policy - Administrative Procedures-AP2:250, appointed Ricky Johnson and Dan Horton as board representatives to attend the reorganization discussion meetings with Dallas City and Nauvoo-Colusa, voted to temporarily suspend District Policy 705.092, "Children who are enrolled in private schools are not eligible for participation in the extracurricular activities of the district", pending review of the policy for possible changes, and approved a request by Robin Thompson to use the elementary playground field for soccer practices.
Junior High/Elementary Principal Charlotte Davis reported the current enrollment of the PK-8 grades is 339 which is an increase of 7 for this time last year.
A Prevention Specialist from the Hancock Mental Health Center will be presenting Project Alert curriculum to the 6th graders and Project Alert Review to the 7th graders this semester. This will take place during study skills class so students will not lose their study hall time. They will also provide parents of La Harpe Junior High students information and activities that are designed to prevent adolescent tobacco and alcohol use. This consists of mailing four booklets to parents with a subsequent telephone follow-up contact to encourage participation and answer questions.
Bus Safety instruction will be given at La Harpe on September 19th.
Seventh graders are scheduled to attend the Hancock County Teen Fair with the Health Class on October 1st. Eighth graders are scheduled to attend a Career Fair in Carthage on September 18th.
Fifth graders are attending a WIU Bureau of Cultural Affairs performance on September 25th.
Jr. High enrollment is at 41 in symphonic band, 38 in the choir, and 83 in art classes. There are 27 boys out for baseball this year, 11 seventh graders and 8 eighth graders are out for girls basketball. 5/6 grade girls basketball practice will begin on September 15th.
High School Principal Charles Apt reported that the state police have again offered the Operation Cool program that encourages students and staff to wear their seat belts.
The grand prize is a car for the student who abides by the rules and is lucky enough to have their name drawn at the end of the school year. Some students from every school will win prizes.
Five juniors will again be participating in the leadership academy this year.
This is a program offered through the University of Illinois extension office out of Carthage.
Students will take tours of various industries and places of business one day each month.
Ricky Johnson read the Ag Report prepared by Paul Mealiff. Over 200 people attended the FFA Plot Day on September 6th.
Mr. Mealiff would like to express his appreciation to the seed dealers and everyone who attended and helped make it a big success, including the businesses who donated attendance prizes.
Phil Blythe donated the hog, Ed and Dixie Bollin roasted and helped cut up the meat, made and furnished the potato salad, Libby Olson and Linda Jones prepared the food, Sarah Billeter let us use the tent and all of the FFA members helped.
Again this year, eleven of our FFA members helped direct traffic at the Nauvoo Grape Festival Parade. They were Megan Poulter, Genessa Cox, Kelli Burr, Claire McKee, Kevin Mershon, Mark Morgan, Lacey Pence, Mike Morgan, Chris McConnell, John Dowell and Ted Geissler.
We received 98 poinsettia seedling plants last week. As part of her Independent Horticulture class, Anna Ziegler, with the help of Brian Covert, Michael Reynolds and Joni Dowell, planted them in 6-inch pots. We anticipate an early December sale date for the plants.
The FFA members voted to donate $400 from the Labor Auction receipts to the La Harpe Police Department for their drug awareness program.
The WIU Greenhand Conference was held at 5:30 p.m. on September 11th and the District FFA Reporters Workshop and Section XI FFA Foundation kickoff meeting was held at the same time in another WIU location.
Other activities for September include the Section XI FFA Olympics and Cookout at Lake Argyle on September 21st, and the Section XI Land Use CDE on September 23rd near Plymouth.