The Italy School Board of Directors spent more than three-and-a-half hours hearing about changes and updates at the high school Monday evening at the board’s regularly scheduled meeting.

Barry Bassett, superintendent; said he scheduled an ice cream social and meet the teacher night on Thursday, Aug. 18, at the George Scott Gymnasium from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. He said they would introduce staff at a general assembly followed by parents and teachers going to their respective campuses to meet between 6:45 and 7:15 p.m. 

He said new student registration is set for Aug. 8-10 and registration for junior high and high school students is Aug. 11-12. The first day of school is Monday, Aug. 22. 

Lee Joffre, high school principal, said the high school course selection has increased for all students on the high school campus and they are asking all students to come to the school July 26-28 to discuss additional classes available to them. He said the new high school counselor would contact any student that cannot attend. 

Bassett, Joffre and Speed Hamby, maintenance director; outlined plans to make the high school more secure during school hours. 

Currently, visitors enter the building by the administration office, sign in there and go to their destination. 

By reusing doors currently in stock, they plan to add a lobby at the Park Street entrance. They will add a wall and doors in that hall with a glass window added to one of the offices on the left. A staff member will be there during school hours to meet and greet visitors to the campus. 

Students who have breakfast at school will enter through the exterior door of the cafeteria. 

Joffre said he would like to get more picnic tables at that site. There was also discussion about adding an awning at that location but budget constraints may prohibit that project at this time. 

Tentatively, Joffre wants the majority of students to enter through the door by the principal’s office. 

Bassett said all exterior doors should be locked by 8:05 a.m. except the one at the Park Street entrance. 

They also discussed the addition of more cameras at the campus. 

Bassett said, financially speaking, they might be forced to do this project in stages. He said their ultimate goal is to make the campus more secure. Bids range from $10,000 to $12,000 for this overall project. 

Mark Stiles, school board member, said he would like to see a similar proposal for the elementary school campus as well. 

Stiles also said he would like to see the high school students kept away from the junior high students as much as possible. 

Joffre said he and teachers would be in the hallways before class and between classes. 

Stiles stressed that teachers and coaches need to be in the hall between classes monitoring students. Joffre said it is impossible to keep the students from being in the halls together but said personnel will monitor their activity. 

Hamby briefly outlined an energy audit recently done at the school. He said the five problem areas were lighting at the athletic facilities such as the baseball field, the softball fields, the Scott Gym, the football stadium and the dome. 

He said energy costs increase dramatically when these lights are turned on at the same time. To avoid this type of increase, the field lights will turn lighting in 15-minute increments, 

Hamby said the district currently has an energy rate of .05349 per kilowatt-hour. 

Tanya Snook, curriculum director, presented a Career and Technology Education overview. She said the school would be offering these types of classes at the campus this fall. 

Snook said there are 16 career clusters offered through this federally funded program. This year, the district will offer agriculture, food and natural resources; business management and administration; human services; and marketing. 

Bassett said the district wants all exiting students to be college ready, but, at the same time, they understand that not all students will go to college.

Snook said this career training could help both the student who chooses not to attend college as well as those who do choose to go to college. 

Bassett commended Snook for getting this program up and running so quickly. 

Stiles said he would like to see this program “cranked up” in coming years. 

Larry Eubank, school board president, recognized teachers for overall student TAKS scores. 

At the high school campus, they are Tom Lindsey, 11th grade science, 93.75%; Cynthia Springer, 11th grade science, 100%; 11th grade math, 92.31%, 10th grade math, 93.33%; Stephen Coleman, 11th grade social studies, 95%; and Vivian Moreland, 10th grade English language arts, 94.12%; 9th grade English language arts, 92.5%. 

Junior high teachers recognized include: Jeffrey Richters, eighth grade social studies, 100%; Marjorie Bridge, eighth grade science, 90%; Margie Davis, eighth grade English language arts, 94.44%, seventh grade writing, 100%, seventh grade reading, 100%; Casey Holden, eighth grade math, 100%; and Andi Windham, seventh grade writing, 96.77%. 

On the elementary campus, he acknowledged the scores of Kristie Holley, sixth grade reading, 100%; Debra Prowell, sixth grade math, 97.3%; Theresa Cockran, third grade reading, 100%, math, 100%; and April Mathers, third grade reading, 100%, math, 92.86%. 

In other business, the board approved the school lunch rate at the elementary campus to increase by 25 cents.

Sharlene Buzan, food service director, said the state is requiring this rate increase based on food costs and free versus paid lunches. 

Tammy Gillespie, business director, said it costs the same amount of money to prepare a meal for the elementary school students as it does the high school students.

Buzan said about 350 students eat lunch at the two campuses. More than 60% of those are free or reduced lunches.

School lunches will cost $2.25 for pre-k/kindergarten students and $2.50 for all other students. 

Financially, the board approved a budget amendment and financial reports.

The district has received 93.69% of its projected revenues and expended 82.54% of its expenditures. 

The board also accepted the resignation of Amanda Patrick, junior high teacher; approved Update 90 and proposed changes to the Weighed Grade Policy. They tabled an End of Course Grading Policy change.

The board will hold budget workshops on Aug. 11, Aug. 15 and Aug. 16.

Bassett plans a back to school bash Aug. 5 from 6 to 9 p.m. and a pastor’s lunch Aug. 31.

The board took no action following an executive session that began at 9:30 p.m. 

The next regular board meeting is set for Aug. 15.