Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

School Parks District Van

Students in the Prescott School District will no longer be allowed to ride the district's new van to school related activities after the Prescott School board reviewed an attorney general's opinion last Thursday during the regular monthly meeting of the board.

Board president Jim Franks told the group the opinion says vans cannot be used by schools unless they meet federal guidelines where students are involved.

Any vehicle designed to carry more than 10 passengers and a driver must meet certain federal guidelines, such as vehicle color, lighting, signs, etc.

The district purchased a 14-passenger van last year for use of smaller groups. The van does not meet those guidelines.

It is not known whether the van can be altered to carry 10 passegers plus a driver and still meet the federal guidelines.

Small groups of students can still be transported with a teacher in the teacher's vehicle -- as long as the teacher's vehicle is not made to carry more than 10 passengers.

If the van is used by the district to transport students, the district and the board could suffer personal and/or financial consequences because they would not be protected by federal law in this situation.

In nearly all instances the district and the board are immune from lawsuits.

The district's auto policy on the vehicle does not cover the students since it is a violation of federal law to use the vehicle.

The opinion was requested by the Pocohontas School District.

The district's only other options with the van, other than ignore the law or take the action it did, would be to sell the van and/or purchase a van or vehicle that meets requirements.

Records of use on the van are kept by the district and the board wants to view the usage log to see whether it will be worth keeping.

Dr. Robert Shaver, associate director of the Finance and Administration for the Departement of Education talked with the board for about 45 minutes.

It was hoped Shaver could shed some light on the school funding formula -- but some board members were disappointed in his presentation or lack of it -- and many present still had unanswered questions about the funding law.

A Senate Citation was read congratulating the 1995 Prescott School Curley Wolves for winning the state AA football championship.

The citation was presented to the football coaches, including head football coach Eddie Jackson, Ed Tyree, Steve Crow, Brad Clark and Kevin Stamp.

The board approved transferring Wanda Fincher to the position of alternative education teacher and hired Rose Ray as a cafeteria worker.

The resignation of Carlette Jones as teacher aide was accepted.

Two out of state trips by district employees were approved by the board. The approvals were for head football coach Eddie Jackson and superintendent Don Johnston.

Jackson's trip is to New Orleans, La., and Johnston's trip is to Philadelphia, Pa.

The board has scheduled a Freedom of Information seminar on Tuesday, January 9, at 6 p.m. The regular school board meeting is January 16.