Triton Changes Commencement Date, Hears Prom Concerns
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Julie Harvey-
Triton policy states that anyone who participates in commencement ceremonies must be a recipient of a certificate or diploma. Changing the commencement date will ensure that all students participating are, in fact, graduating.
State regulations mandate that if a school misses five, six or seven days due to weather, they must make up five days. Triton has had five snow days this year. Superintendent Ted Chittum proposed to the board that students get back the scheduled day off Good Friday, which was cancelled to make up for lost time, and students come back May 27-28 after the Memorial Day holiday. The board approved the schedule change.
Emotional discussion ensued when a concerned parent asked the board if her daughter could be allowed to participate in senior prom even though she didn't sell the required magazine subscriptions.
Subscription sales are used as a fundraiser for the prom. Juniors sell subscriptions to fund the senior prom each year. The board denied that this was a school board policy and felt the parents of the students affected should take it back to the building level with the principal and prom committees, adding that the board didn't need or want to be involved in the decision.
When asked if attending the Junior/Senior prom was contingent upon selling magazines, Principal Mike Chobonov agreed, clarifying that students are required to sell at least three magazine subscriptions in order to attend. It was undetermined what percentage of the dollar amount generated by each subscription would go to the prom committee.
Students are not offered the option to make an equivalent donation in lieu of selling magazines.
One student was denied attending the prom last year for not selling the magazines and now again for the senior prom. The parents feel that punishing the student twice is "cruel and wrong."
Board member Jerilyn Anders adamantly spoke to meeting attendees stating, "I was not aware of this policy, and if in fact it is a policy, it needs to be changed."
While the board does not want to get involved, member Dick Trowbridge said that he would like to see the student be able to go to prom.
Parents were redirected to take their issue to the prom committee and sponsor, Mindy Davis, for final decision. The concerned parent felt that it was illogical and irresponsible of the board to have a committee made up of teenagers make the decision.
The board approved Diana Westphal's request to take the Art Club students to the art show in Chicago April 24. Students will attend the Winslow Homer/Edward Hopper exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago. The cost of the trip is $40 per student.
Junior High Counselor Christy Cordell presented the Triton Spotlight. Cordell explained to the board how she works to keep children who are not doing well academically goal oriented and focused on how today's decisions affect your life down the road.
Cordell has developed her own method based on the principles of Jack Canfield, author of "Success Principles." Students are challenged to make two goals, one personal and one school. Cordell reviews with the students monthly to gauge progress in attaining their goals.
The board approved the hiring of Teresa Watkins as the girls varsity softball assistant, Jeff Mellott as varsity assistant baseball coach, and Terrin Meister as varsity assistant track coach. They also approved Mark Heeter's request for unpaid days.
The mid-winter music program will be Tuesday.
Thirty-six Trojan music students received Gold awards at the state music competition.
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Triton policy states that anyone who participates in commencement ceremonies must be a recipient of a certificate or diploma. Changing the commencement date will ensure that all students participating are, in fact, graduating.
State regulations mandate that if a school misses five, six or seven days due to weather, they must make up five days. Triton has had five snow days this year. Superintendent Ted Chittum proposed to the board that students get back the scheduled day off Good Friday, which was cancelled to make up for lost time, and students come back May 27-28 after the Memorial Day holiday. The board approved the schedule change.
Emotional discussion ensued when a concerned parent asked the board if her daughter could be allowed to participate in senior prom even though she didn't sell the required magazine subscriptions.
Subscription sales are used as a fundraiser for the prom. Juniors sell subscriptions to fund the senior prom each year. The board denied that this was a school board policy and felt the parents of the students affected should take it back to the building level with the principal and prom committees, adding that the board didn't need or want to be involved in the decision.
When asked if attending the Junior/Senior prom was contingent upon selling magazines, Principal Mike Chobonov agreed, clarifying that students are required to sell at least three magazine subscriptions in order to attend. It was undetermined what percentage of the dollar amount generated by each subscription would go to the prom committee.
Students are not offered the option to make an equivalent donation in lieu of selling magazines.
One student was denied attending the prom last year for not selling the magazines and now again for the senior prom. The parents feel that punishing the student twice is "cruel and wrong."
Board member Jerilyn Anders adamantly spoke to meeting attendees stating, "I was not aware of this policy, and if in fact it is a policy, it needs to be changed."
While the board does not want to get involved, member Dick Trowbridge said that he would like to see the student be able to go to prom.
Parents were redirected to take their issue to the prom committee and sponsor, Mindy Davis, for final decision. The concerned parent felt that it was illogical and irresponsible of the board to have a committee made up of teenagers make the decision.
The board approved Diana Westphal's request to take the Art Club students to the art show in Chicago April 24. Students will attend the Winslow Homer/Edward Hopper exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago. The cost of the trip is $40 per student.
Junior High Counselor Christy Cordell presented the Triton Spotlight. Cordell explained to the board how she works to keep children who are not doing well academically goal oriented and focused on how today's decisions affect your life down the road.
Cordell has developed her own method based on the principles of Jack Canfield, author of "Success Principles." Students are challenged to make two goals, one personal and one school. Cordell reviews with the students monthly to gauge progress in attaining their goals.
The board approved the hiring of Teresa Watkins as the girls varsity softball assistant, Jeff Mellott as varsity assistant baseball coach, and Terrin Meister as varsity assistant track coach. They also approved Mark Heeter's request for unpaid days.
The mid-winter music program will be Tuesday.
Thirty-six Trojan music students received Gold awards at the state music competition.
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