By ROWENA PLETT

Staff writer

A 3-year $60,000 renewal contract with Edgenuity was approved Monday by Centre board of education for the district’s Kansas Online Learning Program.

Edgenuity provides the educational material for the program.

Coordinator Vickie Jirak reported the program has 62 kindergarten through 12th grade enrollees and 250 adults. Thirty-six adults have graduated so far, earning 374.5 credits, more than the entire previous year. Centre is paid for credits earned.

The board approved a bid of $24,000 to purchase updated wi-fi technology. $19,000 of that will be returned in the next 9 to 12 months from E-rate, a telecommunications discount program provided by the federal government through the Universal Service Fund.

Technology coordinator Melissa Barton and an assistant will install access points in every classroom this summer, which will increase bandwidth speed to 5 megabytes.

The board voted to return money received from a Kansas Waste Tire Grant to install ground-up tires at the elementary school playground. Additional expenses not foreseen in acceptance of the grant prompted the decision.

The board approved continuation of a grandfathered Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance policy at a slightly decreased rate of $436 for employee single coverage with prescription.

A $1,000 donation from Nutra Blend LLC was accepted. The company sells micronutrients for animal feed.

The board discussed possible changes to the pre-school program to allow for planning time for the teacher. No action was taken.

The board approved creation of a crisis plan flip chart to guide responses to emergencies.

Superintendent Susan Beeson announced that all teachers and other employees would receive online training on active-shooter response. The course will be set up by facilities manager Richard Idleman, who was trained and is certified to teach the Alice active-shooter training program.

The board discussed installing egress windows in classrooms and replacing front doors and windows with bullet-proof glass.

Board member Yvonne Burhoop requested ventilation windows for classrooms, as well.

“I think we need fresh air,” she said.

Beeson was asked to research the matter.

The approved 2018-19 school calendar sets the first day of school as Aug. 16 and the last day as May 20. It includes 173 student days, one parent-teacher conference day, and eight staff development and workdays.

The board met in separate executive sessions with representatives of Opaa Food Services and Evco Wholesale Food Corporation. No action was taken when the meeting was reopened.

The board accepted the resignations of English teacher John Seibel and science teacher Brenna Pavluk at the end of the school year.

They approved out-of-district attendance for sophomore Jacob Hird for the remainder of the school year.