The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
The regular meeting of the La Harpe School Board was held in the gymnasium Monday April 11 were a good number attended.
The board canvassed the votes of the April 5 election. Incumbents Mark Irish and Dan Horton were declared reelected and R. D. Trout was declared elected as a write-in candidate. Barbara Cox was nominated to fill a vacant seat on the board.
The Question of Public Policy received 481 votes in favor and 281 against.
Although retiring board member Lawrence Johnson was unable to attend the meeting due to a death in the family, Mr. Campbell showed Mr. Johnson's plaque from the board to the audience and read the inscription on it in honor of his service on the board for 15 years. It will be presented to him at a later date. During the reorganization of the board, Dan Horton was elected President and Ricky Johnson was reelected Vice-President.
School board members in attendance were Dan Horton, Ricky Johnson, Barbara Cox, Mark Irish, Cindy Wear, and Larry Caston.
Also present were Jo Campbell, Charlotte Davis, Lila McKeown, Pat Deitrich, Elaine Long from Carl Sandburg College, and a large group of school district teachers and employees, parents, and members of the community.
The board accepted with regret the resignation of Charlotte Davis as Elementary/Junior High Principal. Mrs. Davis has accepted a position as Superintendent of Southfork School District #14. They voted to rehire the following teachers who had received a reduction in force resolution: Todd Porter, Nancy Barnett, Carrie Finch, Elizabeth Abbott, Jason Finch, Paul Mealiff with a 10% extended contract, and Ann Logan with a 5% extended contract for the 2005-06 school year.
Elaine Long, from Carl Sandburg College passed out the April edition of the Envoy and pointed out several articles in it.
Tracy McDowell presented a plan from the Eagle Boosters Club for helping to fund junior high athletics for the 2005-06 school year.
Four board members from the West Prairie School District spoke to the board in regard to possible discussion of the continuation of co-op athletics and future reorganization.
In other business, the board voted to formally congratulate Cindy Jones on being chosen as Teacher of the Year by the Burlington Hawkeye, accepted with gratitude the plan of the Eagle Booster's Club to help fund the athletic program for grades 5-8, approved a request from employees to donate sick leave days to Tammy Johnson, approved the second reading of district policy regarding Students with Disabilities Participation in Graduation Ceremony, established a board committee of Barbara Cox, Ricky Johnson, and Dan Horton to discuss athletic cooperatives and/or district reorganization with other districts, approved the renewal of the district's membership in the Illinois Elementary Schools Association for the 2005-06 school year, approved a request by Michelle Olin to use the elementary gym for a Girl Scout event on June 10th at 5:00 p.m., reviewed the calendar for the 2005-06 school year, and approved requests from Cindy Pollock to have a volleyball camp for 3rd-6th grade during June, to have open gym for junior high volleyball during June, and to serve ice cream and pies at Summerfest to earn money for their camp at Lincoln Christian College.
Elementary/Junior High Principal Charlotte Davis reported that Family Day will be on Friday, May 6. Families may visit the K-4 classrooms from 1:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Fifth grade will attend a program at the Hult Health Museum in Peoria. This is sponsored by the Title IV grant through the ROE. The 8th grade trip to Chicago is on April 29, and the 5th grade class trip to the Civil War Reenactment is on April 21.
The Junior band and choir will compete in the IESA Organizational Contest on April 30.
The 8th grade girls volleyball received third place at state competition this year. This is the teams second appearance at the state competition.
There are 62 students currently out for track this Spring.
The Awards Program was held on March 30.
The Spring Awards is scheduled for May 17.
High School Principal Lila McKeown reported that students have been meeting before school and on Tuesday evening to practice for the play. Mr. Schmitz is coordinating the play.
On February 22, several juniors took a placement test for College English at Carthage. They have received the results, and we are going to offer College English next year for those students who qualified. Carl Sandburg will provide the teacher.
The Annual FFA Banquet was held on March 22. The cooks served a very good meal and the program was also very good.
Teachers had 92 meetings with parents at Parent/Teacher conferences on March 23 and 24.
We have had 2 evening reviews for the ACT/PSAE test with over 20 students each night. We have completed 10 out of 12 weekly reviews during the school day.
The high school Leadership Team of Lisa Irish, Madison Beals, Justin Sparrow, Mitch Worley, and Michelle Kornegay will be making their last visit of the year soon.
Ricky Johnson read the Ag Report prepared by Paul Mealiff. Eight students from La Harpe competed in the Section XI Livestock Judging CDE on March 19 at Bushnell-PC High School. They included Megan Poulter, Lindsey Pollock, Genessa Cox, Claire McKee, Tanieka Rodeffer, Alex Bundy, Josh Belville, and Dillon McKeown. Megan was the top individual Swine Judge of the contest and Genessa was 3rd in Beef.
Lindsey, Claire, Genessa, and Megan scored within 4 points of each other and as a team placed 5th overall. Josh will complete the team as they go to the State contest at the U. of I. on April 26.
Around 180 people attended the annual FFA Chapter Banquet on March 22. State FFA Vice President, Cliff Dolbeare, was the keynote speaker. FFA Foundation sponsors were recognized. Certificates of Appreciation were presented, and 14 Proficiency Awards were handed out. Honoray Chapter Degrees were presented to Rex Johnson and later to Andy Johnson.
Lindsey Pollock won the Chapter Scholarship pin and Joni Dowell received the Chapter Leadership pin as well as the DeKalb Agriculture Accomplishment Award.
The officers and members presented Mr. Mealiff with a plaque commending him for 14 years of dedicated service as FFA Advisor at La Harpe.
In addition to caring for plants in the greenhouse, students in the Horticulture class have been doing some landscape work at the SW corner of the Clubhouse. The students have enjoyed the practical hands-on experience doing this community service project for the park board.
Lacey Pence, Claire McKee, Genessa Cox, and Megan Poulter attended the IAA/FFA Youth Leadership Conference at Decatur on April 4 and 5.
Carla Mudd, Hancock County Farm Bureau Executive Director, took them to the conference.
They learned about cooperation, making plans and teamwork.
The Section XI Ag Mechanics CDE will be at W.I.U. La Harpe will host the Section XI FFA Banquet and Officer Election on May 3.
Anna Ziegler has done an excellent job as Section President and was named as one of the top 10 FFA Section Presidents in the state for 2004-05