The Gosnell School Board met on Monday for a brief and routine meeting.
The board's first order of businesses was to approve contract disclosure resolutions for district employees, and board members, who provide contract services for the district.
The employees included were Melissa Crawford, Laurie King, Leslie Hill, Jackie Kemp, board member Donnie Wright and board member Danny Queary. The contracts will be valid for two years and have a limit of $10,000 each.
The board also received reports from building principals Len Whitehead and Tiffany Kennemore.
Both Whitehead and Kennemore reported an enhanced focus on student reading through different state-regulated programs like the Science of Reading and RISE. At the elementary, the new programs require new educators to pass an extra comprehensive reading test, while current teachers will only have to attend a mandatory professional development on the new reading programs.
Whitehead explained that the entire district is working to make their reading curriculums more uniform through each grade so that students have a more consistent experience with things like definitions.
Assistant superintendent Kevin Evans reported that the district has to provide a catastrophe plan to the state for review.
The plan details what the district will do in the case of a true long-lasting catastrophe and discusses how the district intends to continue to have school, provide required resources for students, make payroll and other necessary actions that might become difficult in a state of emergency.
This year the plan received a 100 percent score on its review.
The board was also informed about the O.W.L. grant the district received, which allows students to work in their communities both on and off campus while earning some money.
The high school's old home economics room has been remolded into a life skills room to assist with the on-campus work for this grant.
Penny Matthews who worked in the cafeteria gave her resignation to the board. The board also hired Melissa Freeman and Ledona Vaughn to work in the cafeteria. The board also decided to keep their school board elections in May as opposed to November.
Superintendent Bonard Mace did mention that the state was pushing to move all elections to November; however, that was not currently in effect and the board could continue to have them in May for the time being if that was their decision.
The district's audit was completed last week and though full review has not been released, Mace indicated that the auditors were satisfied with their audit.
The next Gosnell School Board meeting has been scheduled for November 26 at 6:30 p.m.
gwilliams@blythevillecourier.com