ARMOREL -- Patrons of the Armorel School District will have to wait to find out when, exactly, students will make up snow days this spring, after board members tabled action on the matter during Monday's school board meeting.
The district already made up one day by attending school on Presidents Day, Feb. 15. Under guidelines set by the district's calendar, a second snow day will be made up on Good Friday, April 2. At issue is whether or not to utilize a March 19 professional development day or Memorial Day (May 31) as additional makeup days.
The district's Personnel Policy Committee has discussed the options, and apparently has proposed having students attend school March 19, but not May 31. However, no formal recommendation was presented to board members Monday night. Without such a recommendation, the board opted to table discussion of the matter and will take up the matter at its next meeting, currently scheduled for next Monday, March 15.
Also Monday, the board discussed options for its broken-down 1991 Ward International Bus. Superintendent Mike Hunter said the engine on the bus is locked up, and it will take $6,000 to replace it. Selling it is an option, though Hunter said based on prior experience, the district would "be lucky" to get $1,000 out of it. After further discussion, board members agreed to investigate the possibility of donating the bus to Nucor Steel. The bus has 89,904 miles on it, Hunter said.
In other business Monday, the board:
-- Discussed ongoing construction projects. Construction Project 1, which includes new classroom space at both the elementary and high schools, as well as a cafeteria addition and a high school library, is well under way, and could be completed by late this spring.
Hunter also presented cost estimates for Construction Project 2, which includes air conditioning and an addition to the district's multi-purpose room.
The estimated cost is below the amount of available funds to pay for the project.
-- Accepted the resignation of Matt Collier, elementary boys basketball coach.
-- Accepted the resignation of Shelly Bush, reading and distance learning center coordinator.
-- Approved the appointment of Donna Skelton as junior high and high school cheerleading sponsor.
-- Heard a report from Susan Dryer and Kristi Rose on the TRiO programs, a federally funded program that helps prepare students for college.
aweld@blythevillecourier.com