Social interaction, discipline concern parents

At the February 23, 2012, meeting of the Odessa School Board, board members and administrators heard the concerns of several parents of 5th-grade students.

Odessa 5th-graders this year do not have just one 5th-grade teacher in a single classroom. Instead, they have lockers and go to different classrooms for different subjects taught under different teachers, just as junior-high students do.

After second-grade teacher Bev Scherr retired a year ago, the administration opted not to hire a replacement and shifted the other elementary teachers around, leaving the fifth grade without a teacher. Parents of incoming 5th-graders were then polled as to their preferences for 5th grade. Cost was one reason for the decision not to immediately hire another teacher, as the savings were substantial, and the school was thought to be somewhat overstaffed.

Odessa principal Ken Schutz said students were doing well academically on standardized testing and through a review of their grades. He said that some social issues are being addressed, including discipline.

Fifth-grade parents expressed concerns about the social issues, pointing out that the children are only 10 and 11 years old and too young to have to deal with the different personalities of four different teachers. Several parents felt that having one teacher be the “go to teacher” when there were problems with peers would be a better option. One parent said her child had been told by a teacher, “that is not my problem,” when the child asked for assistance.

Another parent was concerned about students missing math for the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program provided in Odessa by Darren Mattozzi of the Lincoln County Alcohol/Drug Center in Davenport. Parents also felt that the next 5th-grade class, which is much larger, will have even more problems. Board members felt parents should be polled, as they were last year, about the organizational structure.

Personnel

The board approved the list of spring sports coaches drawn up by O-H athletic director Darin Reppe. There was one applicant for head softball coach, but since the person had not yet been interviewed, the name was not released. Board members were invited to be part of the interview process.

The board approved Maria Schuh as artist in residence, Bruce Todd as head baseball coach, Larry Weber as assistant baseball coach and Andrew Holman as volunteer baseball coach, Travis Schuh as head track coach, Mike Greenwood (Harrington) and Sam Read (Odessa) as co-coaches for golf, Jim Furman (Harrington) as head tennis coach, Lanae Carper (Odessa) as assistant softball coach, Jason Spakousky (Harrington) as junior-high head track coach and Mike Cronrath (Harrington) as assistant JH track coach.

Editor’s note: Later in the week, we learned that Chris Shafer (Odessa) has been hired as the head softball coach.

The board also accepted the resignation of Randy Schorzman as grounds maintenance employee. Head custodian Justin Parr will take over those duties during March, while he and superintendent Suellen White decide how to handle the tasks. White and Parr recommended hiring current half-time custodian Mona Pope for an extra four hours per day for the during March. Parr will work on restructuring job descriptions and making plans for the project which will come before the board at its March meeting.

Facilities

Fred McCandless of Schneider Energy, the company that recently completed the energy efficiency project at school, was present to tell the board he believes his company has finally found the solutions to the air circulation, heat, ventilation issues in the high-school gym (clogged air filters being the main culprit). He said Schneider will remain active in the project until all items under the scope of the contract have been addressed.

There was some roof damage during the recent windstorm that will be assessed during the next few weeks.

STEM

The latest edition of WSSDA Direct, the newsletter of the Washington State School Directors Association, featured Odessa High School’s pilot STEM program, which is to serve as a model for teaching science, technology, engineering and math.

Preschool

White met with the ECEAP director for the region last week to determine options available for area preschools.

Funding for small schools

White read a letter she had sent to members of the House Ways and Means Committee about a reduction in the number of teachers funded for small high schools. She asked others to send their concerns to members of the legislature. “This seems like a back door consolidation plan,” White said.

Enrollment for February remained the same as January, with the addition of 3.5 new students. The ending general fund balance for January was $713,266.

Dual-sport athletes

Odessa parent Marlon Shafer asked the board whether students could be allowed to participate in two sports during the same season. White pointed out that there is nothing in school policy or handbooks preventing it, but it has been discouraged in the past. Schutz shared information received from AD Darin Reppe about the issue with other schools in the region. Some do not allow it, most discourage it and one had developed a procedure for students to follow if they wanted to do it.

The board decided the issue should be decided among the parents, the athlete and the coaches, and if all agreed, it should be allowed. Schutz will develop a procedure and forms to use if students want to sign up for two sports. The discussion also dealt with cheerleading and allowing cheerleaders to participate in a sport and also to cheer. The WIAA now no longer considers cheerleading a sport unless the cheerleaders enter competitive meets. In Odessa however, they will be handled the same way as other athletes wanting to do two sports, the board decided.

Misc.

Schutz reported Odessa golf coach Sam Read would like his athletes to be able to practice on the course in Odessa some of the time. Since travel time to Harrington would be eliminated, they would have more time on the course and would also be able to practice on their own time on weekends. The Odessa course’s fees have dropped dramatically, and Schutz said the ASB would pay the necessary fees. The board approved the request.

Board members Ed Deife, Travis Wagner, Karma Henry and Marcus Horak will all attend the WASA small schools conference in Yakima March 5. White, science teacher Jeff Wehr and students Kira Powell, Austin Schmierer and Thorsen Wehr will also attend and present a session about the STEM program.

The board decided to surplus the old bus barn. An appraiser will be hired to determine its value prior to listing it for sale.

The Pacific Northwest History textbook was adopted, as well as a literature series as recommended by the curriculum review committee.

The next board meeting will be March 28 at 7 p.m., preceded by a workshop on policy series 2000 prior to the meeting.