Board also approves early reinstatement of student
The Falls School Board Monday adopted a resolution for the expulsion of a student, and then by roll-call vote, voted to expel a student for reasons of possessing a controlled substance on school district property.
The resolution, as written, defined the expulsion as effective for one year beginning on the date of the expulsion — Oct. 19, 2009, through Oct. 19, 2010. The student and the student’s parent received written notice of the expulsion, but waived the right to an expulsion hearing.
In an immediate action, the board then approved the administration’s recommendation for the granting of provisional early reinstatement of the student, on March 26, 2010. Board member Stuart Nordquist was in opposition to the motion. Board member Roger Jerome was absent.
Superintendent Don Langan recommended that the provisional agreement not be read (out loud) into the record. Langan did note that the early reinstatement was a constructive expulsion document which has been used in the past, and was not created for this specific incident.
Langan also stressed that the student would be required to adhere to the monitored conditions of a probationary period beginning on the March 26 reinstatement date, and any behavior contrary to the agreement would be cause for immediate expulsion.
In other business, two students will represent the FHS student body and will co-serve on the school board this year. They are Billy Bright and Amanda Lassila. Bright attended Monday’s meeting and reported on the activities of the National Honor Society’s involvement in recycling, the FHS flower garden, a tutoring program, the homeless shelter, a Backus soup supper and other events.
Assistant Superintendent Kevin Grover reported for principals Tim Everson and Jerry Hilfer, who were absent due to medical reasons, on the numbers of elementary and high school students enrolled. Grover regularly calculates the head-count for state funding and reports that the current enrollment is down approximately four to five students.
Grover noted that Nov. 6 marks the end of the first school quarter. He also reported that the Response to Intervention Program is underway with assessments placing students in one of three tiers for learning. In print, and presented at the meeting, was the district’s annual report on curriculum, instruction and student achievement. Graduation standards, testing plans, progress measurement and improvement and staff development goals are part of the written plan.
As reported previously, the results show insufficient proficiency in reading and math for much of grades three through 11 in the district.
Grover told the board about the new feature “Class of 2013 Legacy” which targets eighth graders, and involves each new eighth-grade class signing a large banner which will be saved for their intended graduation at Falls High School. Grover said the initiative ideally results in a planning session for the eighth graders’ four-year high school career at FHS.
The topic of a new hockey coach for the girls hockey program was not on Monday’s agenda. Langan told The Daily Journal last week that the job was still posted.
The board met in a closed meeting to discuss labor contract negotiations.
Falls School Board News Notes
• Superintendent Don Langan reported to the Falls School Board Monday about a large number of policy changes by the Minnesota School Board Association. The changes are available online.
• Assistant Superintendent Kevin Grover recommended that the district invest in larger storage for e-mail archiving, which would allow a complete backup of staff e-mails in the event that a full history needs recalling, such as the circumstance of inappropriate e-mailing or other situations.
• Langan advised the board that the district’s principals were ready to begin principal negotiations. Their current contract expired June 30.
• Langan recommended that school board members, for a small fee, could adopt the feature of opening school board member e-mail accounts at their homes. He also explained the Boardbook Program, recommended by the MSBA, which is a paperless documentation center and would allow board members to virtually operate meetings on a laptop computer. Audience members would still need paper materials and records, but Boardbook information could also be projected on a screen behind the board panel.
• Langan reported that Grover and he would be presenting referendum information to the public at a Brown Bag Luncheon at noon Thursday at the Holiday Inn.
