Neelyville School District has applied to participate in a pilot program which officials believe would help provide additional opportunities for teaching history.
The program is designed to provide more training when teaching about the Holocaust, Traci Reinbott, curriculum and director of federal programs, told board members Thursday, during a meeting that also touched on other grant, building maintenance and banking matters.
The program is from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, which on April 21 released a required state assessment for grades kindergarten through third.
Under new state requirements, every school district in Missouri must include Holocaust education in its curriculum, officials said. Neelyville already covers this topic, however, joining the pilot program, according to Reinbott, would provide more ability to do so.
In other business, Superintendent Heather Black stated Neelyville had applied for a monthly increase on checking account withdrawals through Peoples Community Bank. Currently set at $500,000, the district sought to raise that limit to $700,000. Black explained that certain months, such as June, July and August, required exceeding the current limit due to payroll disbursements and recent bus purchases.
Additionally, the board addressed the expiration of Neelyville’s three-year agreement with Hewlett Packard Enterprise for the purchase of computers and smart boards. The IT director recommended entering into a new agreement with Hewlett Packard. The district will make three annual payments over the three-year term. The proposed purchase includes 22 Pro desk Minis, six laptops and three interactive boards, totaling $36,478. This amount stayed within the $50,000 limit, with an interest rate of 4.39% and annual payments of $12,992 over three years, according to Black.
During the facilities and maintenance report, Black discussed a previous incident of freezing in the agriculture building that caused flooding. The insurance company approved a bid of $27,650 from BNN Contracting, the same company responsible for the library roof project. The board acknowledged the insurance company’s approval and approved the work. The Neelyville district would cover the initial cost and receive reimbursement from the insurance company.
Lead testing requirements were also addressed in compliance with DESE regulations. The school is obligated to check lead levels in all water faucets accessible to students for drinking. Faucets in bathrooms and areas not used for drinking did not require testing.
The board briefly touched on the school’s safety grant, outlining plans to utilize the funds for updated radio systems, security cameras, replacements, additional cameras with intercom access, automated external defibrillators, bleed control kits and exterior locking doors to enhance overall safety.
The next board meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 27.
Editor’s note: This is the second story about the Thursday school board meeting. A article in the Saturday print edition covered the public comment period of the meeting, which included a variety of concerns brought forward by teachers, parents and a student. They included the privacy of students and social media posts.