Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Board hears technical plans, approves trips for coaches

An underage drinking program led to an abbreviated meeting of the Prescott School Board Tuesday, March 28.

With the program scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Prescott High School Auditorium, there were no reports from the Prescott Elementary School, McRae Middle School or PHS principals.

However, the Board did conduct business, starting out with approving trips for coaches Larry Newsom and Bill Virden to the Nike Basketball Clinic in Robinsonville, Miss., and to Kathie Janes and Janet Gordon to Las Vegas, Nev., for a Professional Learning Communities at Work Institute.

The Board was informed the Prescott School District is entering into a facilities agreement with the American Red Cross. This simply means in the event of a disaster, school facilities can be used by the Red Cross. This occurred last fall when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. Those fleeing the storm and its aftermath used the showers at the old gymnasium on the PHS campus.

There are no strings attached, said Hyacinth Deon, Prescott superintendent. They will pay any expenses incurred.

Deon presented the Board with some good news saying the district has received applications from families with three students choosing to come to Prescott under the School Choice law.

The panel amended the 2006-2007 academic calendar, moving Spring Break 2007 a week later. This is because Spring Break conflicted with mandated testing that has been scheduled by the state. The new date for Spring Break will be March 26-30.

The Board was informed of the district technical plan, which must be done every three years. Deon gave the Board members a synopsis of the plan, which is 78 pages in length. The data the Board received included the mission statement, goals, objectives and some narrative.

Years ago, Deon said, the District couldnt go three days without being down with a computer virus. But with upgrades and new software, this is no longer a problem.

A full copy of the report is available in the PHS office for those who want to look at it.

Gordon, PES principal, said she has checked with the preschools in the area on children coming back and the numbers are up from last year. According to Gordon, there are 65 children who will be entering kindergarten or the first grade this fall. Additionally, she said, there are usually 15-20 walk-ins as well.

Following a brief executive session the Board voted to renew the contracts for all certified staff for the 2006-2007 school year.