Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Board votes to put fire alarms on one-year hold

The Prescott School Board has voted to put the installation of fire alarms at McRae Middle School on hold. The decision came at the board's regular monthly meeting after Prescott Superintendent Hyacinth Deon told board members she wanted to know how to proceed on the district's renovation plan.

The state ordered the district to complete a series of repairs and renovations, including the fire alarm project. The district created a long-range plan, spreading the projects out over a decade.

The board went to the voters in September with a millage request that would have been set aside to complete repairs and renovations. The measure failed, leaving the district to find other ways to handle the projects. When Deon addressed the board on Oct. 17, she told them she needed direction.

"We need to move forward tonight on what the board wants me to do," she said.

The board questioned the current situation at MMS with regard to a fire alarm, including the plan for a fire or other emergency evacuation situation. District technology coordinator David Maxwell said there have been drills at MMS. In that situation, the intercom system is used first, then MMS Principal Jamye Barnes runs through the hall with a bullhorn.

"Does that work?" Meador asked.

"It does in a drill," Maxwell answered.

The plan - as it existed before the October meeting - called for the board to roof two buildings, renovate restrooms at Prescott Elementary School and install fire alarms at MMS. The fire alarm project alone had been estimated at $169,000 - a fact board members apparently used to help make their decision.

"There are some projects on this list that are affordable," Board Vice

President Shane Meador said.

He suggested that the MMS fire alarm project be pushed back by one year.

Board Secretary Sandra Tatum said she felt the MMS fire alarm should take precedence.

"There's nothing on this list we don't need," Meador said.

The board briefly discussed the possibility of future funding with another millage request, but apparently agreed that it's simply too early to take that request to the voters. By law, they could call for another millage election in January, but would then not have another opportunity during 2007.

"We're still looking at needing some money in years to come," board member Tom Cornelius said.

Board member Jo Beth Glass asked for a feasibility study regarding the possibility of combining campuses. She said she'd also like to have some figures comparing the amount of repairing MMS compared to new construction

near the high school and elementary campuses. Glass said that the possibility of combining some administrative duties among the campuses could also save the district some money. Deon said she doesn't have the expertise to consider that possibility, but said she'd look into finding someone who could perform that study.

In other business, the board and public heard reports from all campuses regarding projects, programs and advances made in the past year. Tutoring programs were among the issues touted.

Deon presented the annual superintendent's report and told board members that recruiting minority teachers has been a challenge for the district.

She said the ethnicity of teachers should reflect that of the student population. The district has a five percent Hispanic student population,

but Deon said efforts to recruit minority teachers have met with little

success. The problem, she said, is that some districts offer significant incentives in the form of sign-on bonuses, housing opportunities and benefits for minority teachers - incentives the Prescott district can't

match.

On a positive note, Deon said all three of the schools are meeting minimum academic standards. Deon said a scholastic audit is set for Dec. 10 - 15.

Auditors will visit the district, looking at the entire community and

meeting parents to evaluate the scholastic attitudes and programs.

"What we're hoping is that they will give us substantive feedback that

will help us improve," Deon said.

The board also received the annual financial audit report during the October meeting. Deon said the report shows "substantial compliance" with accepted accounting practices.