Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
COVID-19 Plans In Focus; New Year Begins Aug. 20
The regular monthly meeting of the Kimball School Board was held Monday, August 10 with about 10 people in attendance.
The meeting addressed regular issues, such as board bills, the treasurer’s report, minutes and updates on policies such as wage information and military recruiters. The second reading for a number of different policies to be adopted was approved.
The administrator reports reported on important dates for the elementary school, such as the August 13 parent meeting and August 18 open house.
According to Superintendent Trevor Anderson, Kimball Public Schools has to have an Activities Plan in the unfortunate event that home or opposing teams test positive for COVID-19. The Activities Plan is based on the Panhandle Public Health District risk categories.
Meanwhile, a special school board meeting was held July 29 to discuss the Back to School plan for Kimball Public Schools along with just a few other items that appeared on the agenda.
Board President Heather Norberg was absent and Vice President Carrie Tabor conducted the hour long meeting.
The Back to School plan for the 2020-21 school year is in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The detailed plan is divided into the four tiers used by Panhandle Public Health District: Green, Yellow, Orange and Red. Each color has the necessary precautions that the school will follow. School will start on Aug. 20 with inservice on Aug. 14, 17, 18 and 19 for teachers.
In addition to the Back to School plan, a new teaching contract was approved for Mr. Troy Haberman as the Jr./Sr High business teacher in a 5-0 vote.
Air conditioning units also were approved of for the district office and a new program called Beyond Textbooks was approved in a 5-0 vote.
Kimball Jr/Sr High Principal Danielle Reader gave a presentation on Beyond Textbooks. The cost to the district for the program is a little over $18,000. Beyond Textbooks was started in Arizona about 10 years ago. The program’s website explains, “Faculty and administrators then collaborate to identify, acquire, and develop the specific materials needed to implement the curriculum effectively.”
It continues, “The capstone of the curriculum framework is an electronic delivery system, Beyond Textbooks – a web-based tool that allows for the collection of digital curriculum materials, support materials, and other digital resources accessible to all faculty. Teachers use the website to review the curriculum and calendars, locate and/or share resource materials, and to communicate and collaborate with peers across the District and State who use the same curriculum but who would not otherwise be available to share resources and provide other support.”