The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
A doctor's excuse is now required for an excused absence if the student has missed more than 5 days of school in any semester.
The La Harpe School Board voted to change the elementary/junior high handbook regarding illness at their January meeting, Monday evening the 10th.
The board also held a public hearing concerning the intent of the school district to sell Working Cash Fund Bonds at the regular meeting held in the school district library in La Harpe.
School board members in attendance were Dan Horton, Cindy Wear, Mark Irish, Barbara Cox, and Ricky Johnson. Also present were Jo Campbell, Charlotte Davis, Lila McKeown, Pat Deitrich, John Quigle, and Elaine Long from Carl Sandburg College.
Ms. Long passed out the January edition of the Envoy Report and pointed out an article reporting that student support services have been centralized in the Success Center.
Services located at the Success Center are Upward Bound, TRiO/Student Support Services, Academic Support Services, a writing lab and a math lab. It makes it easier for students to be able to get all the service for support that they need in one place.
The board accepted with regret the resignation from the Board of Education of Ed Pence due to his conflicting work schedule.
The board set the date of May 22 at 2:00 p.m. for high school graduation and May 20 at 7:00 p.m. for 8th grade promotion. Requests for reimbursement for college course work from Charlotte Davis, Carrie Finch, Jason Finch and Lila McKeown were approved.
Elementary/Junior High Principal Charlotte Davis reported that the Parent Teacher Organization held a fund raiser during December to sell poinsettias and cake pans. The junior high teachers and 3-5 teams continue to receive engaged learning training to create units that incorporate technology into the curriculum. This is sponsored through a grant from the Tech Hub. The K-2 team will start training this winter. The sixth graders completed the drug prevention program provided by the Hancock Mental Health Department. Seventh graders received a refresher course through their Health class, also by the Hancock Mental Health Department.
The fifth grade performed a choral reading of "The Mouse Before Christmas' and "The Twelve Days of Christmas' on December 22 for the elementary classes. Jump Rope for Heart is scheduled on Feb. 18 at 8:30 a.m.
High School Principal Lila McKeown reported that the high school jazz band is performing at the home girls basketball games with the West Prairie band.
The scholastic bowl team started their meets in January.
December Students of the Month were Jenna and Julie Anderson. They were nominated by Mrs. Stevenson for turning in their coins for a car during our Adopt-A-Soldier activity.
School Culture surveys are completed and the results are tabulated.
A review schedule is being worked out for students taking the ACT/PSAE tests.
Ricky Johnson read the Ag Report prepared by Paul Mealiff. The La Harpe team placed 5th at the Section XI FFA Parliamentary Procedure CDE held at Nauvoo-Colusa High School on December 15.
Lacey Pence placed 3rd as chairman and Genessa Cox placed 3rd as secretary.
Floor members on the team were: Kirsten Johnson, Lacey Pence, Megan Poulter, and Kevin Penrod. Some of the flower plant plugs will be ordered later this month for members of the Horticulture class to put in pots, care for and sell at our flower sale in May.
All of the fruit, cheese and meat products arrived on December 14 and was sorted and picked up by FFA members that day. The FFA Chapter donated a box of grapefruit to the nursing home. Mr. Mealiff will be attending a workshop at the ROE Office in Macomb for assessing and upgrading our agriculture curriculum to align with the State Standards.
On January 21 and 22, Mr. Mealiff will take Lindsey Pollock, Alyssa Swanson, and Tanieka Rodeffer to the Made for Excellence Conference at Collinsville. They will meet with other Illinois FFA members and learn how to organize meetings, make plans, set goals and work as a team to accomplish those goals.
There are also Inservice Workshops for ag teachers at the conference. Students in the Ag Business class will be leaving at 3 a.m. for their Marketing field trip to the Chicago Board of Trade and Chicago Mercantile Exchange on Friday, January 28. They will be at the CBT to observe the 9:30 a.m. opening and orientation on how grain trades are made, then walk to the CME where the livestock future contracts are trades.