The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Personnel decisions were made at the regular La Harpe School Board meeting Monday night, October 18 held in the School District Library.
The board approved the employment of Kristin Schutt as head high school girls basketball coach and of April Gittings as assistant high school girls basketball coach. They also approved the employment of Christa Jack as a 1-1 special education aide, Erin Neff as a substitute library aide, Tina Lionberger and Denis Housewright as substitute support personnel and set the salaries of the principals for the 2004 - 05 school year.
The board accepted with regret the resignations of Jason Finch as head high school girl basketball coach and Sandy Little as a 1-1 special education aide.
School board members in attendance were Dan Horton, Ricky Johnson, Cindy Wear, Barbara Cox and Mark Irish. Also present were Jo Campbell, Pat Deitrich, John Quigle, Sherry Berg from Carl Sandburg College, and Shannon Campbell from the Hancock Journal Pilot.
Lila McKeown arrived at the meeting following the JV football game. Sherry Berg from Carl Sandburg College passed the Envoy Publication and pointed out an article on their Dual Credit Program which can give students a jump start on their transition to college.
In other business, the board approved a building use request by Janet McKee for use of the elementary gym on Thanksgiving Day, the independent district audit prepared by Alan Ruesch of Macomb, the preliminary FY2005 tax levy, the second reading and adoption of Board Policy 6:65-Student Social and Emotional Development, 7:250 - Student Support Services and 7:250 Administrative Procedure - Protocol for Responding to Students with Social, Emotional or Mental Health Problems, and set the proposed elementary school district maximum tax rates for the following funds: Education - $1.60, Operations & Maintenance - $.35, Transportation - $.12, and Fire Prevention and Safety - $.05 if the convergence of the high school districts is approved.
High School Principal Lila McKeown reported that four seniors would be honored at Football Senior Night on October 22. They are Kevin Penrod, Jason Poulter, Ben Cox and Austin Johnson. One senior, Abby Burr, would be honored at Volleyball Senior Night on October 19. She also reported that the band has been working hard and have performed in the Homecoming Parade plus two other parades and the home football games.
The seniors met with the Josten's representative and are ordering graduation announcements and senior memorabilia.
Mrs. McKeown said that Homecoming Week went very well. The students seemed to enjoy the new format of having a work week. Many of the class sponsors appreciated the extra time to complete their class floats. The dance was well attended by students from West Prairie and La Harpe.
The PSAT test was given last week to 8 juniors. The entire junior class will take the ASVAB test.
Ten students were selected by the faculty council to become members of the National Honor Society. They are Carlie Wear, Jenna and Julie Anderson, Gretchen Blythe, Hannah Brown, Genessa Cox, Kirsten Johnson, Nathan Lotz, Claire McKee and Willo Shutwell. The Induction Ceremony was October 20. The staff attended the institute held at Macomb on October 8. The presentation were very good.
Mrs. McKeown attended a two day workshop in Beardstown on evaluating teachers. With the help of the central office and the library staff, Mrs. McKeown completed the Alliance library application and the per capita grant application.
Elementary/Junior High Principal Charlotte Davis was unable to attend the board meeting due to a Title I Conference she was attending, but the following items were included in her written report to the board.
Mrs. Sturlic supervised the Book Fair this year. A Family Night was planned by our parent coordinator, Lynne Ward, and Title I Coordinator, Brenda Sparrow. Drawings for free books were done throughout the evening and every child who attended received a free gift bag. The profit from the fundraiser is used to purchase additional materials for our Accelerated Reader Program. It was a successful event.
Vision and Hearing screenings were conducted the week of October 4. Mrs. Wright and Mrs. Bartlett conducted the screenings. First State Bank of La Harpe and La Harpe Telephone Company are sponsoring the WIU Regional Theaters again this year. There are two performances for PK - 8 grade students.
At the SIP meeting on September 23, Dr. Donna McCaw worked with the elementary staff and Mrs. Bruns on developing a graduated plan for instructing students on using graphic organizers. These organizers help students to develop higher level thinking skills of comparing and contrasting, drawing from background knowledge, analyzing, seeing whole to part and cause/effect.
The La Harpe Fire Department brought the fire truck to the school and gave presentations to PreK through 5 graders on October 7.
Kindergarten visited the Roger's Pumpkin Farm and Preschool have made plans to go also.
The 7 grade attended the Health Fair in Carthage on September 27.
The Student Council is sponsoring a costume dance on Friday, October 31 from 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
The 7 grade girls basketball team took 1st place in the Dallas City tournament. The 5/6 girls basketball team played their first games on September 30. Boys basketball began practice on October 18.
Plans for Red Ribbon Week are in the process. It will be November 15 - 18 when Jim Dedera is here.
The PTO sponsored a Fall Festival on October 12 from 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. at the Clubhouse. More than 170 people signed in at the door. PTO has also donated $100 to Red Ribbon Week. The red tulip bulbs they purchased last year did bloom in the Spring to remind students of their pledge to stay drug-free.
A Preschool Family night was scheduled for October 16.
There was a good turn out for the first pizza night on September 25. Parent/Teacher Conferences are scheduled for October 28 from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and on October 29 from 8:15 a.m. to noon.
Eagle Boosters have been working to fill the volunteer spots for the junior high games. There are positions for concessions, ticket booth, clock, book and announcer. They are also going to provide the hospitality room for the Sand Valley Girls Basketball Tournament.
Dan Horton read the Ag Report prepared by Paul Mealiff.
On September 18, Joni Dowell, Meranda Reed, Megan Poulter, Dillon McKeown, Lindsey Pollock and Shelby Bartlett completed in the State Horse Judging CDE at Black Hawk College near Kewanee. They received Red ribbons, the middle one/third of over 300 judges.
Seven 8 grade FFA members attended the WIU Greenland Conference at Macomb High School on September 21.
They included: Karla Covert, Jazmyn Passmore, Kyle Magee, Dillon Pollock, Aaron Logan, Kellie McKeown, and Zack Jones. Ann Logan accompanied then to this activity.
Also, that night, Joni Dowell and Meranda Reed, along with local FFA Foundation Chairman, Ben Powell, signed donation request letters sent to previous foundation contributors.
Genessa Cox, Kirsten Johnson, Lacey Pence and Megan Poulter were the La Harpe team which earned 5th place, out of 14 teams from 8 schools at the Section XI Land Use CDE, on September 23, near Nauvoo.
A fun time was had by over 60 Section XI FFA members at the Ag Olympics, held at Lake Argyle State Park, on September 26. Team activities included bale stacking, sling shot water balloons, Dress a Farmer, water bucket relay, an obstacle course, and the blindfolded Gator driver with a second student giving directions for a course lined with traffic cones. Those attending from La Harpe included: Dillon McKeown, Lindsey Pollock, Claire McKee, Genessa Cox, Shelby Bartlett, Jennifer Siegworth, Mike Morgan, Mark Morgan, and Travis Countryman. Section Officers, including Anna Ziegler and Lacey Pence organized the games. Rowen, Annetta and Sarah Ziegler grilled hot dogs and served pop, chips and cookies for the meal.
Illinois State FFA Secretary, Shana Stine, along with some of the Section XI FFA officers, visited each chapter in the Section on October 5 - 7, to tell the members about the FFA and goals for this year. Since Anna Ziegler is Section President, we hosted the Leadership Training School here at La Harpe, on October 7. La Harpe members attending and helping with set-up and clean-up included: Kevin Penrod, Ben Cox, Justin Sparrow, Tanieka Rodeffer, Mariah Myers, Shane Painter, Keith Rittenhouse, Jazmyn Passmore, Dillon Pollock, Kaela Covert and Kyle Magee. Breakout sessions, training groups, and mixers were held with Shana Stine giving the keynote.
Three teams from La Harpe competed in the Section XI Forestry CDE, at Horn Lodge, near Macomb, on a cold, rainy Thursday, October 14. The Freshman girls team consisting of Shelby Bartlett, Lindsey Pollock, Tanieka Rodeffer, Jennifer Siegworth and Alyssa Swanson placed 4th out of 18 teams. Other students competing from La Harpe included: Alex Bundy, Dillon McKeown, Skylar Pence, Seth Sparrow, Gretchen Blythe, Genessa Cox, Kirsten Johnson, Claire McKee and Megan Poulter. Section Reporter, Lacey Pence, took pictures of the winners.
Fourteen members and Mr. Mealiff will be attending the National FFA Convention, October 27 - 30 and our Fruit and Calender Sales will be from November 5 - 15. FFA Quiz Bowl is November 18.