Trustees received a report on current staffing as well as other items at the Aug. 10 Churchill County School Board meeting.
Superintendent Summer Stephens said most positions have been filled. Trustee Fred Buckmaster asked about the opening in agricultural education, and Stephens said a teacher transferred to the position.
Trustees covered a wide array of topics during the meeting. Trustee Carmen Schank complemented the administration on the summer school program and the completeness of the report submitted to the school board. Summer school was divided into two grade levels: high school and middle school.
Stephens said the school district, along with other county and state agencies, conducted a table top exercise at the Fallon Convention Center. More than 60 people attended.
“A lot of recommendations have been addressed,” Stephens said.
Over the years, Stephens said the school district has focused time on developing an effective plan. She added each agency is aware of its responsibilities during an emergency.
Dustan Drinkut, the district’s maintenance manager, updated the board on the Capital Improvement Plan. He said there’s flexibility in the plan, and not all ordered items have arrived because of the supply chain.
Trustee Matt Hyde asked Drinkut if there’s a plan for the former Babe Ruth field on East Richards Street. The field also was used for the Greenwave varsity and junior varsity teams until the new fields were completed at the current high school site.
Stephens said a plan is to use the field for baseball and physical education classes offered at neighboring E.C. Best Elementary School.
A discussion ensued on a new cellphone policy specifically for the middle and high schools.
“We ask parents to be partners with us,” Stephens said.
The new policy prohibits the use of a cellphone during class time, but certain exceptions for medical conditions have been added.
Hyde said it’s healthy for students to disconnect and added they can text in between classes or at lunch. Board Chairwoman Tricia Strasdin said she’s heard of discipline problems in the classrooms because of cellphone usage.
Trustees also reviewed a proposed evaluation form for Stephens. Strasdin said the form is based on a model used in New York state. Hyde said the form looks better than the previous forms used for the evaluation.
