By SYLVIA MCGINNIS News Reporter
CNHI
10-20-10 — Members of the Monticello Independent Board of Education heard
various concerns from Site Based Decision Making Council
representatives about the quality and portion sizes of the food that is being served in the school cafeteria.
Representatives from the elementary and middle/high school Site Based Decision Making (SBDM) Councils presented their concerns to
board members and to Rita Turberville, Food Service Director, during the board's monthly meeting Monday evening.
Primary concerns presented by SBDM members included the quality of
the food items and produce that are served to children, as well as the serving sizes. They also requested copies of the food service
department's expenses and reimbursement reports for the month of September.
Following a discussion of the matter, Turberville noted that she and
her staff would look into and address the issues of bigger serving
sizes, better quality food, and better variety.
Superintendent Donnie Robison suggested that the SBDM members give
Turberville and her staff a month to make changes based on the
recommendations that had been presented during the meeting and to
provide copies of the reports the group had requested. He added that
at the end of the month the SBDM representatives could return to the
board if they did not see any improvements in the cafeteria, or they
could let them know if they were satisfied with the changes that had
been made in the food quality and serving sizes.
In other action, the board heard a presentation on the Monticello
Independent Interim Performance Report and the No Child Left Behind
Act. Johnny Chaplin, Federal Programs Coordinator, presented figures
from both reports. In regard to the Monticello Independent Interim
Performance Report: the elementary school increased in all areas
except Science and Social Studies; the middle school increased in all
areas except Science; and the high school increased in all areas.
In the No Child Left Behind report, the elementary school met 10 out
of 10 targets, the middle school met 9 out of 10 targets for 90
percent, and the high school met 7 out of 10 targets for 70 percent.
The high school did not meet its AYP for the second year in a row.
One of the contributing factors to the low numbers at the high
school level is the school's dropout rate. In an effort to address
this problem, the board approved the creation of the Monticello
Independent Secondary Alternative Graduation Academy (MISAGA), which
is a dropout prevention program. The MISAGA program is targeted
toward students who are at risk and who meet certain criteria. Greg
Chaney will be the teacher/supervisor for the program, which will be
implemented this week.
In other news, the board:
• approved the PSD F-10-6 salary schedule for the 2010-2011 school
year.
• approved the final working budget for the 2010-2011 school year.
• approved three individuals as emergency substitute teachers for
this school year.
• heard a personnel report.
• approved creating two archery co-coaching positions and set the
stipend for the positions.