Regular Open Meeting Brief – August 20, 2020
The entire meeting agenda can be viewed at: August 20, 2020 BOE Meeting
Calendar Revision for 2020-21
In July the Board approved moving the first day of school to September 8, 2020. This month the Board approved additional revisions to the calendar as a result of changing the start date. The updated calendar can be found on the district website at: 2020-21 Revised Calendar.
Resolution on Safety and Racial Injustice
At their July 25, 2020 work session the Board of Education (BOE) discussed adopting a statement regarding safety during the pandemic and denouncing racial injustice. The statement was developed and presented in the form of a resolution which was adopted by the Board at the August regular meeting. Read the statement here: BOE Resolution.
Curriculum and Instruction (C&I) Update
Last month the Board of Education approved the purchase of a uniform Pre-K-12 management platform called Canvas that will greatly simplify and organize virtual lessons for students, teachers, and parents. This month teachers and instructional support personnel will spend two weeks in advance of the start of school training on Canvas, as well as curricular implications, relationship building, community engagement and data driven instructional practices.
Graduation Requirements Adjustment
Current graduation requirements include 4 units of math, one of which is geometry. The State requires 3 units of math and doesn’t specifically require geometry. As the district continues to develop career pathways for students, a one size-fits-all approach to course selection is outmoded. Greater flexibility in course selection offered through Launch, a virtual program developed and taught by Missouri educators, allows students to take math and other classes more closely aligned with their career pathway. The Board approved the requirement of 3 math credits and eliminated the requirement that all students take geometry.
Disinfectant Lighting Systems
The Board approved the purchase of four mobile disinfectant lighting carts to enhance the district’s ability to efficiently and expediently maintain safe and clean learning environments for staff and students. These systems allow the district to have a classroom available for use within two hours if there is a positive COVID-19 case. Additionally these systems can be used proactively for cleaning during flu season, and routinely in areas such as health rooms, locker rooms, restrooms and weight rooms. The systems kills lice and bed bugs and deactivates mold.