We’re LIVE! at the tonight’s meeting of the Danville School Board. The meeting starts at 6 PM and SouthsideCentral has the only LIVE! coverage around. This article is complete, so enjoy the recap.
We’re underway. It looks like SouthsideCentral will be the only media coverage tonight.
Everybody is here tonight. Renee’s in the back.
The back three rows of people are here to be recognized for helping with the school bus emergency. And a HEY Dolores Reynolds!
We heart Juliet Jennings. We also heart Yvette Smith.
The other side of the audience is all school system employees. Nobody dares sit up front with Mona Whittle & Lori Cassada. Heh.
Renee Hughes leads the prayer and Pledge of Allegiance. And here comes Trevor Metcalfe from the Register & Bee. I think he’s scared of me. Heh.
Four discipline cases are pulled from the consent agenda and will be discussed in closed session. The school board approves the other seven. I asked Robin Jones about that. She told me that the school board have the right to change any disciplinary action, including the power to increase or decrease the punishment.
Philip Campbell reads a Black History Month proclamation. Sharon Dones reads a National School Counseling Week proclamation. No school counselors are present. Boo. Kathy Osborne reads a Governor’s proclamation on School Board Appreciation Month. The school system gives a nice gift basket to all board members for that. Transportation Director Michael Adkins tells about an emergency situation on a school bus when a fire extinguisher malfunctioned. Team Nurse & Rachel Schoonover’s Nationwide insurance agency gave the kids a warm place to wait until a replacement bus arrived. The bus driver is also recognized for his calm actions that ensured the safety of the children. All receive a standing ovation for their help. Finally, a cafeteria manager is honored for her 49 years of service in the school system.
I speak in the public comment session and ask the school board to move their meetings to City Council chambers. A parent of a Bonner student speaks about concerns of an airsoft gun found at the school and two fights in one day.
Kathy Osborne presents the list of capital needs.
Steven Gould asks for these needs for each school to be prioritized in case the entire list can’t be funded. And we know that the entire list can’t be funded.
Kathy Osborne now talks about the “unknown substance” that has hospitalized four students in the region. Although there has been no official confirmation of any deaths from this synthetic drug, my investigation into this matter are leading me to believe that one death has occurred. Again, this is preliminary results of my work on this incident and is NOT saying that a death has happened.
Twelve personnel recommendations and the seem to be mostly retirements. Carlisle School is asking for a covered walkway for students at the old Taylor Middle School location that they rent. They will pay for it and leave it after their lease ends. Steven Gould asks about a “hold harmless” agreement because of potential liability. You’d think he’s a lawyer, you know? Gould also points out that even if they wanted to, Carlisle School couldn’t take the covered walkway with them if they end the lease. Heh. No action on this tonight due to the raised legal concerns.
Security Zone gets the $140K contract for a new security camera system for George Washington High School, with $100K of that coming from a grant.
Around the horn session and we’re done. Nothing noteworthy in the comments, as all board members express concerns about the “unknown substance” issue and recap the previous business. There’s no disciplinary appeals tonight, so the closed session will be about the previously pulled disciplinary actions. We’re done!
I am going to assume that the $13.835 million in capital “needs” is above and beyond the money expected from City Council. Should make for an interesting council meeting in the future.
Correct. It’s a wish list.
What is the advantage you see in the meetings being moved? I can think of a few advantages, but perhaps there are some things I’m not considering.
Public restrooms, ADA accessibility, live TV coverage, and increased awareness of school board activities.
There is also predictability and a consistent setting they can rely upon. I imagine the drawbacks also exist like giving up some measure of control over the setting.
My son goes to Schoolfield. Apparently the roof collapsed into his classroom yesterday. Then they moved the kids to another classroom and the roof collapsed into that room as well. Nice to see that they have a roof replacement on the wish list, at least.