Board takes in variety at post-Vets' Day meet

Garth Meyer, Gazette Reporter | Nov 22, 20180

The Colfax school board gathered Nov. 13 for its regular meeting and met a new staff member, took in various updates and got set to start on a second book suggested by the superintendent.

The meeting began with a work session, board members and Superintendent Jerry Pugh listening to a report on Smarter Balance testing and Measurement of Economic Progress from Travis Howell, Jennings Elementary principal.

The regular meeting started and Colfax Education Association president Christopher Claussen thanked Huber Action Freight for delivering WSU surplus furniture to Colfax Junior/Senior High School.

Board president David Nails then read a letter from former Extension Agent John Burns who attended the Veteran's Day Assembly Nov. 9.

Burns' especially noted the performance of “You're a Grand Old Flag” by the kindergarteners who will be in class of 2031.

“I thought that was a typo at first,” Burns wrote on the year listing.

Pugh then invited all to go to attend the “Cinderella” musical and offered a “Happy Thanksgiving.”

He reported on parent-teacher week.

“Our goal is to get 100 percent of parents in,” Pugh said. “I keep hearing the quality of education has a private school feel to it. That's from relationships, parents appreciate the individualized attention to the children.”

Carrie Lipe, Colfax Jr./Sr. High School principal introduced Vicki Wilson who has joined the district as a para-educator, in the highest-need area.

For the ASB report, student representative Kylie Kackman gave updates to the board on student activities. The ASB also held an “October Spooktacular” assembly in which they played games and then saluted Bulldog Heroes. Students are honored for exemplifying a quality represented by each letter in “Bulldog.”

The next item on the board's agenda was “book study.”

“So you asked and here we are,” Pugh said, as the board sat with copies of the book, “Wait, What? And Life's Other Essential Questions” by James E. Ryan, Dean of Harvard's Graduate School of Business (HarperCollins, 2017).

The board previously studied the book, “Leadership and Self-Deception” (Arbinger Institute, 2001), which Pugh also gave to staff and led discussions with last year.

Each board member will lead a discussion on a chapter in the new book in upcoming board meetings.

After Christmas break, the staff at Jennings Elementary and the junior-senior high school will start on “Help for Billy: A Beyond Consequences Approach to Helping Challenging Children in the Classroom” by Heather T. Forbes (Beyond Consequences Institute, 2012)

The board meets next Nov. 26 at 7 p.m.