USD 457 Board of Education Meeting December 7, 2020

USD 457

The USD 457 Board of Education met Monday, December 7th, during a regularly scheduled meeting. The meeting was held at the Garden City High School Auditorium. The meeting was conducted with social distancing protocols to make sure the public, Board members, and school staff involved in the meeting were safe. The meeting was presented live on YouTube for the community to view.

The Board heard a building presentation from Plymell Elementary School. The report was on how the center is working to educate students during the COVID pandemic.

The Board heard an update on COVID in the community and district from Glenda LaBarbera, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services.

The board was also presented with changes to the operational plan for Special Education to better instruct students that are in need of the services provided by the Special Education Department. The recommendation would be in the event that the classroom/school/district is on Level 6, students can receive services in the home if the team determines it is appropriate/possible and the staff feel safe in providing services. The updates were approved by a unanimous vote.

The board was presented with changes to the district’s operational plan from Drew Thon, Garden City High School Athletic Director and Associate Principal. The changes that the board was presented were revising the Level 6 operational plan to allow activity practice and competition at the high school level. There was also a revision at Level 6 to not allow spectators at activities. The updates were voted down by a six to one vote.

The Board accepted a donation of $1,500.00 from the Finney County 4-H Foundation for homeless and remote learning needs; a donation of $2,500.00 from the Presbyterian Church for students in need and a grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas Foundation for Kenneth Henderson Middle School.

The Board approved the KSDE Child Nutrition and Wellness Agreement for the Summer Food Service Program; purchase and installation of a replacement generator at Horace Good Middle School, with an estimated cost of $37,862.00. This is to be purchased using a state contract. New courses at Garden City High School include: Ceramics One, Mixed Media Design, Introduction to Programming, Introduction to Safety and Shop Practices Lab, and Emergency Medical Responder. Deletion of courses at GCHS include: Art One, which changed to Mixed Media, and Art Two, which changed to Ceramics One.

The next meeting of the Board of Education will be Thursday, December 17, 2020, at 5:00 p.m.

The Board of Education meeting can be watched on the USD 457 YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/usd457.