BOURBON - Patrons Carman Meister, Joyce Overmeyer, Ted Carpenter, Amy Middaugh and Lyna Moriarty voiced concerns that the basketball championships fall during spring break.
At the Triton School Board Monday, Moriarty proposed that if the team makes it to the championship, and the families postpone their spring break to the following week, would the students be permitted to use their allotted "sick days" rather than be penalized with "unexcused" absences?
President Kris Glingle said, "We can't move spring break for the year."
But, the board will look into this scheduling problem for future years. The board also agreed to look into it further for the swapping of sick days.
Board member Deb Shively said choices between sports and family vacations are a part of life. These are the choices they will be faced with in the future, that the right way is not always easy way, and "taking the lumps for your choices is part of real life."
Board member Rodney Kreft empathized with the families, stating that it doesn't seem fair that children could be called in sick during those days and not penalized, yet being honest hurts the students.
Several personnel changes were approved by the board.
The board accepted the resignation of Mollie Hurd as special education chairperson, as well as the following hirings: Sonya Riffle, high school instructional assistant, with her full-time pay being retroactive to Aug. 18; Teresa Watkins, seventh-grade girls basketball coach; Samantha Graverson, eighth-grade girls volleyball coach; and Karyn McFarland, sixth-grade girls volleyball coach.
In addition, the board approved Bob Ross and Mike Chobanov as junior class sponsors, Michelle Waymouth as special education chairperson, Scott Heckaman as volunteer assistant tennis coach, Justin Grubbs as volunteer assistant cheerleading coach, Whitney Ambrose as volunteer assistant cheerleading coach, and Jamey Bell as a volunteer sixth-grade volleyball coach.
The following extracurricular positions were approved: Lisa Eiser, Destination Imagination and Drama productions; Michelle Waymouth, seventh-grade class sponsor; Nancy Nordmann, seventh-grade class sponsor; June Klotz and Carol Bules, Aces; Jennifer Mosier, Destination Imagination; and Dara Greenawalt, elementary cheerleading.
The board approved the art club trip to Chicago scheduled for Nov. 8.
The Bourbon Cemetery Walk Committee was granted the use of two school buses for the walk Oct. 5, provided the buses are refueled and returned in the same condition. The cemetery to be toured this year is Bethel.
The board approved an anonymous donation of $2,000 to the music department.
Mike Chobanov asked if the board would consider Washington, D.C., as a potential venue for the senior trip. The board agreed that they would consider the change as long as the cost would not exclude students. This approval is only the preliminary OK to have the committee look into Washington, D.C., as an option.
Bob Ross reported that the prom committee that consists of eight students is well on its way in planning the 2009 prom scheduled for May 9 at Christo's.
