Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Strict Internet Guidelines Enacted

By JOHN MILLER

Nevada students will be following strict guidelines when working on the internet.

The Nevada School Board, in its regular monthly meeting, Thursday, Oct. 23, voted to participate in an internet use agreement program.

This will help keep students from accessing adult-oriented materials while they are surfing the net for their schoolwork.

Superintendent Rick McAffee said this will limit the use of the internet to educational purposes while making the students responsible for what they access. Nevada Schools, he said, have "Net Nanny" programs on all computers to help control access to adult-oriented information.

"We're trying to insure the computers are used for research purposes," McAffee told the board. "State law requires the district to have a policy regarding the use of the net. This one has been adopted by other districts."

In other business, the board was informed money from property taxes being paid is beginning to flow in. Most people wait until the "last minute" before paying their property tax. These taxes are annually due no later than Oct. 10.

McAffee said the district received $197,000 for the September taxes being paid in.

However, he said the Sept. electric bill was $8,500 because it was a hot month. Normally, the electric bill runs $7,000 a month.

McAffee told the board the district can take advantage of levelized billing and may have to if it has cash flow problems later on.

He said the school is a big customer for Entergy and with deregulation coming in, the district could be offered lower rates by a competing company.

Entergy, he said, is more than willing to let the district participate in the levelized billing program because of the deregulation.

A cash flow problem could rear its ugly head in Nevada Schools. Two years ago the student population was 677. However, as of Oct. 1, the tally is 607.

McAffee said when students graduate they move out of state looking for better jobs and aren't coming back home.

A total of 55 students graduated from NHS in 1997, while the district picked up 34 in kindergarten. McAffee said there could be a similar problem this year if more are not enrolled in kindergarten next year as a big graduating class is expected again.

Enrollment, he said, could drop below 600 for the 1998-99 school year.

Hardy Herrington, NHS principal, said the junior class was given exit exams last week. The exam results don't count toward student's grades, but are placed in the transcripts.

He said 65 members of the NHS Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) went to the fall conference recently at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia. The district, he added, normally has the highest participation of any school its size.

Jim Cross, transportation and maintenance director, said work in the gym has been completed, with a new railing on the stands. These changes will keep fans off the basketball court during games.

He said changes made in the concession stand have helped with the post-game clean up. The concession stand has gone to selling soft drinks in 20 ounce bottles instead of in cups with ice.

Cross said the transportation department is doing well, but could use two or three substitute drivers.

McAffee, in his report to the board, said going to the bottles during games makes for a better profit margin, while the service is also faster.

Board member Jerry Bishop was presented his 25 hour pin. This, McAffee said, shows the importance of in service education for the job of being on the school board.

The board was also reorganized, as is required after school elections. Nelwin Almand is the new board president, with Doug Cogbill the vice president. Beverly Curtis is the secretary-treasurer.

The final order of business was to accept the resignation of the elementary counselor, who is leaving to take a similar position at Hope High School.

The position is being advertised for.