OROVILLE – With praise for their years of service, the Oroville School Board approved the resignation of fellow director Jerry Nelson and elementary teacher David Taylor.
Nelson, who was reappointed to the board shortly after the last election, has served as a director for 12 years.
“With the projects coming up in front of you, I am not feeling I have enough time to continue on the board,” said Nelson at the Monday, Jan. 24 board meeting. “Being on the school board has been great for me, I’ve learned a lot about our school… I feel I’ve put in as much time as when I was still in school here.”
Nelson said he would continue on until June if needed. His fellow board members indicated they’d like to see Nelson stay until June, however Nelson indicated he’d like to step down as soon as the board selected a replacement. Superintendent Steve Quick said he would ask for letters of interest for the position.
Taylor, a fifth-grade teacher, will continue at Oroville School District until the end of the school year.
In his principal’s report, Gary Pringle talked about the School Improvement Plan that has been completed at the elementary school. The plan is a state requirement.
“I am proud we have one that is designed to do something and not just sit on the bookshelf. I have been other places where that’s what happens. All of the staff and faculty was fully involved in its creation,” said Pringle.
The principal said that the elementary school would not know the plans full effectiveness until it was fully implemented.
“It kicks in next year,” he said.
Pringle said that the results of the parent’s survey were very good with 71 returned. The survey indicated that 90 percent of the parents Support the Goals of the School, 87 percent Feel the School is a Safe Place, 86 percent Think the School is Meaningful and Made Relevant and 86 percent Feel their Child Understands what Needs to be Learned.
He said he wanted to make sure to communicate to parents and students a clear understanding of what the school is trying to accomplish. He added that in the past some parents said they felt they hadn’t enough communication from the school.
“No one by June, if they have a phone or an address that works, will be able to make that claim,” he said.
Pringle also discussed writing, math and science goals for the elementary and where students are at now and how to increase scores. In regards to the science kits used to teach science, the training last year in use of the kits was “not good,” but now all the teachers had been trained, according to the principal.
Pringle said that the district is working on a system where parents of fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade students will have access to their kid’s information online. He also said that the family literacy nights had been a success and that a chess club has formed with an equal number of girls and boys participating.
“Community involvement, parent involvement is the key to success. Those parents that have had a bad experience in the past, we’re going to change their attitude,” said the principal.
“I have to say that during my time here people have asked how they can be involved. It makes a difference, you can see the ones that get their parents’ support and the ones that don’t,” said Director Nelson.
The board approved a consent agenda that included several items, including Nelson’s and Taylor’s resignation. It also included the hiring of several coaches for the 2011/2012 fall sports season. They are:
Tam Hutchinson, Head High School Football Coach and Carl Iverson and Justin Helm as his assistant coaches; Heather Leslie as Head High School Football Coach and Stancy Nutt as her assistant; Doug Kee as Head High School Cross Country Coach; Llaura Kinman as Head High School Girls Soccer Coach and Kristin Sarmineto as her assistant; Cassie Stakel and Jared Starkel as Junior High Volleyball Coaches; Brad Scott as Junior High Football Coach and Pat Smith as High School Football Cheer Coach.
Dollars for Scholars has donated $200 to the Elementary Music Department and $600 to the High School Music Department and the Seventh Day Adventist Church has donated $200 to purchase books for the kindergarten.
Nelson moved that the consent agenda be approved with a second from Director Verle Rowton, with the request that the district send letters of thanks for the money that was donated by Dollars for Scholars and the Seventh Day Church.
