Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Colfax school Monday at its first meeting of the new year approved an attorney fee schedule for the February bond proposal, a few standard curriculum policy updates and heard about plans for the next month.
The meeting opened with comments from Superintendent Jerry Pugh.
“The positive thing is we came back from break and haven’t had a snow day yet,” he said. “If you remember last year...”
He then mentioned the high school art exhibit at the Colfax Library and how Pugh has been talking to people about the levy and bond, to be voted on Feb. 13.
“Everything seems to be going well in that direction,” said Pugh.
The board approved the bond attorney fee schedule with Foster Pepper of Spokane. It lists different flat rates plus a surcharge depending on how the district opts to issue the bonds if voters approve the proposal.
Pugh reported that Jennings Elementary received a $1,300 donation from Schweitzer Engineering, which the board approved. The donation is part of annual giving decided by Schweitzer employees. By law, school board approval is required for all donations more than $1,000.
ASB student representative Kylie Kackman, relayed scores from boys and girls basketball and wrestling invitational results over Christmas break and noted that FCCLA will send four students to regional competition in Clarkston Wednesday.
ASB officers are planning a blood draw Feb. 14, prom March 31 and running concessions at home basketball games.
Next on the agenda, Pugh introduced new policies from Washington School Directors Association for the board to consider. The subject matter was home-based, part-time and off-campus students, along with a policy about homeless students.
Pugh explained that a homeless student who goes to Pullman, for example, for a living arrangement, has a right to come back to the Colfax district. In that event, the two districts would work together, such as buses meeting halfway. The District has done such an arrangement in a few instances in the past three years.
Rounding out the meeting, Pugh gave a report on the state legislature and “staff mix.”
The term refers to a program eliminated by House Bill 2242 in July. The change cuts out staff reimbursements which attempted to equalize districts’ hiring power.
“Now we’re not going to hire whose best for the district, we’re gonna hire who we can afford,” Pugh told the Gazette later. “We are very concerned about this.”
He and a group of Whitman County district superintendents will go to Olympia for two days February 19-20 with the Small Schools Coalition. Staff mix will be on the agenda to discuss.
The Colfax school board will meet next on Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. at the Jennings Elementary Library.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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