Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

School Board votes to finance second class of Pre-K this year

Gurdon's School Board put the needs of Pre-K students ahead of budget woes on Tuesday by going ahead and agreeing to purchase a $16,000 portable metal building so 12 youngsters on a waiting list could receive benefit from the new program.

Superintendent Bobby Smithson told school board members the purchase money, and set up costs for the second classroom yet this year would have to come out of contingency funds.

"We have the one Pre-K set up and are serving 20 students," Smithson said. "After talking to (Rita) Rowe (the primary school principal), she said the funding for this year through the grant was $86,500. There were no funds through it for the second classroom this year."

Smithson said the overall enrollment at Gurdon continues to decline. He sited the current enrollment at 837, which is a loss of 28 students compared with the 2003-2004 school year.

"If the current trend continues, we will have five rooms available at our primary school. I want you to be aware of this trend before we build two new classrooms," he said.

Smithson said the school has lost approximately 100 students over the past three years. Rowe said she believes next year the 40 children in the Pre-K grant would be there to serve, "but I can't guarantee they would be there this year."

The Board's decision means the second classroom will be set up and implemented as soon as possible. There will be additional staffing costs as well. Smithson stood on his former position that he does not want to charge the children for participating in Pre-K.

"It is designed to help underprivileged children and I don't think it is right to charge them," he said. "Of course, they must meet the grant criteria to participate."

Each participating child means $4,300 of program operating funds for the year. No action was taken on the former plan to build two additional classrooms.

Board member Billy Tarpley made the motion to purchase the building and do what the district could to take care of the present needs. The motion passed, unanimously, to set up the second classroom.

Bonnie Ross, Federal Title Programs Coordinator, said Wednesday, "I was really happy with the Board's cooperation to meet the needs of all Pre-K students wanting the program. We have put the kids first and I believe more eligible ones will sign up now."

In other business, appointments were made and accepted for school board positions this coming year. The line-up will be: David Williams, zone 8; David Hunter, zone 9; Billy Tarpley, zone 10; Mark Sanford, zone 11; Ed Reece, zone 12; Gina Robbins, zone 13; and Todd Clark, zone 14.

Sandford's term ends in 2006. Reece ran against incumbent school board member and president Jesse Runyan and won. The rest of the slots were filled by members willing to accept a one-year appointment by the board.

Moreover, the board bought a new school bus. It accepted the superintendent's recommendation to go with the lowest of three bidders and took a $61,649 bus bid from Mural's Bus Sales in Van Buren for a Freightliner school bus with a Thomas liner. Smithson said the bus is just like one they bought last year.

Board members also reviewed operating funds for August and saw the figure $320,058.52. Smithson said this was high and predicted September would be too "because our staff has a lot of requests to get going at the first of the school year."

The superintendent predicted by October the figure would drop significantly.

The school board heard a status report from federal program coordinator Ross about Cabe Middle School. She said the school has met state standards for academics and attendance for this past year and things are looking good for even better marks this year.

"It is just that it takes making it two years in a row to get off the alert status we have been on," she said.

Smithson also gave an update on the baseball field, saying the concrete work on the new bleachers was scheduled for completion this month.

"We have ordered the aluminum seating. Our personnel will build the press box. We should be finished by Nov. 1 if everything continues to go well."

The Board approved the migrant education budget at $14,552. These are federal funds and will be used to employ two aids. One employee has a degree in Spanish and English.

Smithson said, "We are lucky to have her. These bilingual people are not easy to get."

In addition, the school board voted to install an 18,000 BTU air-conditioned in the band boosters concession stand "so patrons don't burn up at football games." The district already had the air-conditioned but told booster club members "more will be done later."

Smithson said, "This will help before football season ends. We will look into other options for the future, such as a lobby entrance on three sides."

Smithson said to repair the air-conditioning with double entrances on three sides could cost more than $15,000. He reminded the Board the school system spent more than $100,000 in building the original concession stand.