By SARABETH WALLER
Staff Writer
After the installation of a new driveway for buses led to safer and more efficient drop-off and pick-up at the Neelyville campus, Monday night the Neelyville R-IV school board addressed changes to the Hillview Elementary parking lot as well.
"If you've ever been to Hillview in the mornings, it's chaos," explained Superintendent Brad Hagood.
Hagood recently met with Elementary Principal Aaron Burton and board member Shane Eaker to discuss the problem.
Hagood recommended creating a looped driveway on the east side of the parking lot. After turning into the lot, parents would stay to the right, drive through a circle drive, drop off students and exit the lot. Buses would drop off students in the remainder of the lot.
High School Principal Justin Dobbins said the district could install curbs to ensure parents follow the route.
Board secretary and bus driver Kim Toth said the parking lot in its current state is dangerous.
"You've got kids from every which way," she explained. "It's a nightmare."
Board member Steve Womack agreed.
"We've dodged the bullet for so many years, not having a bad accident or some little kid getting hurt," he said.
Burton said he thought about creating an exit onto F Highway, although the school could no longer have morning recess if cars would be near the playground.
Board member Donna Akers asked if the district could fence in the playground.
No decision was made. Hagood said he would conduct more research, including the possibility of an F Highway exit.
Attendance
Dobbins said attendance at the high school is up several percentage points, from about 93 percent to about 96 percent, after the implementation of new attendance policies. He hopes to maintain a 95 percent average for the year.
Each day during second hour, junior high science teacher Travis Hale calls parents of students to find out why they're absent. To be consistent, Dobbins said parents are called even if staff believe the absence is "legitimate."
Juvenile officer Tom Keeney has been very proactive with personal phone calls to parents, according to Dobbins.
One student enrolled, attended one day of classes, and then missed 17 days, Dobbins said. After staff knocked on the family's door and the doors of neighbors, the student's parent came in two days later. He said getting neighbors involved helps reach the students.
"Your neighbor is going to go, 'Okay, will you answer your door? Because they're coming here,'" he added.
Trap Team
Hagood said agriculture teacher Trey Ackman and technology coordinator Bruce McGrew approached him recently about forming a Neelyville trap team again. He said on May 17, 2012, the Missouri House of Representatives unanimously adopted a resolution encouraging "every school district and school in Missouri to promote and include trap shooting as a high school sport."
"It's becoming more popular each year by school districts," Hagood added.
Hagood said the team was dismantled last year because McGrew's schedule conflicted with some of the events and he couldn't find any other staff to assist him.
If re-instated, Ackman would be the team's sponsor, and events would only be held in the spring. Students would be required to be year-long Future Farmers of America members, however.
Board member Carrie Jones said some students didn't join FFA for the fall semester because they didn't know the trap team was a possibility. She suggested grandfathering in the rule requiring students to be year-long FFA members.
The team could host shoots with local schools at the team's practice facility on Pat Fisher's property, and compete in the state competition in Linn Creek, Mo. Previously, the team won state in its first year of existence and was ranked in the top 10 of the nation.
Board member John French described the sport as "very safe, very acceptable, very good for the kids," but said he wanted a commitment the club wouldn't be dismantled again in a few years.
After further discussion in closed session, the board approved the trap team proposal as presented.
The Board Also:
* Discussed school policies for helping English for Speakers of Other Languages, English Language Learners, homeless and migrant students.
* Discussed career education, the library and media, guidance and counseling and curriculum.
* Discussed new bus radios.
* Discussed a new attendance policy for staff wishing to take time off around holiday breaks.