The Perry Community School District Board of Education approved the expenditure of $101,222 for a new bus and computer diagnostics from Hogland Bus Company at their monthly meeting Jan. 9.
Transportation Director Troy Griffith had received permission from the board to seek bids on the new bus at the December meeting and noted the costs were well within the expected range.
Perry Elementary Co-Principals Joel Martin and Ned Menke asked, and received, permission for their students to have a food/gifts fundraiser. They noted 169 students raised just over $7,000 last year, money that was largely devoted to instructional supplies.
Menke said the main recipient for the funds generated this year would be the Positive Behavior Intervention Supports, an area he noted “has been passed over in the past and needs the money.” All funds raised would be solely for the use of the elementary school.
PHS Band Director Brandon Weeks and Choir Director Jenn Nelson received approval for the trip for band and choir students to St. Louis in the spring of 2018.
Target dates are April 19-24, with students to miss two days of classes. The band and choir would both perform on the trip as well as attending a show or similar activity. Weeks noted the band has taken a trip every four years, but that the choir had not been on such a trip for at least a decade.
Students would raise funds for the trip, with any remaining costs to be divided among the students themselves, creating no cost to the school.
The board agreed to pay fees of $10,821 to the Woodward Day School — attended by seven Perry students — and of $15,244 to Grandwood School, which is attended by four Perry students. Both administrative costs were sought by the school budget review committee.
Board policy revisions, wellness policy revisions and personnel matters were also approved at the meeting, with the board also accepting the official canvass of votes from the recent Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) referendum.
Also approved was a modified supplement amount application of $590,816 for dropout prevention.
Tami Valline from the guidance office noted that 10 students were dropouts last school year, representing 1.4 percent of the student body, a rate well below the state average and one showing the success of local prevention efforts in light of the economic and social makeup of the district.
Valline noted most of the costs involved were for staff. Currently six counselors, six at-risk para-educators, five teachers and two school and home liason instructors are involved in dropout prevention. The funds also pay for a juvenile court liaison for the district.
The board meets the second Monday of each month at 6 p.m. in the Brady Library at Perry High School. The public is welcome to attend all meetings.
