The End of Course Assessment (ECA) test results at Oregon-Davis Schools have the administration excited about the progress the students are making in Math and English/Language Arts. The ECAs are taken at the end of the school year to measure student growth.
Superintendent Greg Briles boasted the efforts of the 10th grade students.
Some extensive projects will be in the works this summer at the Oregon-Davis School Corporation.
Thanks to the federal E-Rate Program, Superintendent Greg Briles says the wireless access and switches will be upgraded in both school buildings.
The Oregon-Davis School Board established a strategic planning committee this week.
Superintendent Greg Briles gave testing statistics to the board members and all of the initiatives made to improve education at the corporation. He suggested putting together a committee to establish priorities, a vision, a mission, and goals for what they want the students to be able to do when they walk out of the doors. He stressed that the Oregon-Davis School Corporation is a community school.
Oregon-Davis Superintendent Greg Briles gave the school board an update on the students attending in The Crossing alternative school in Starke County.
There are six Oregon-Davis students that currently attend classes at The Crossing, and five more will be enrolling in two weeks. Briles stressed that when the next student count day happens in February, those students will be included toward the corporation’s Average Daily Membership, or ADM, count. The money the corporation receives for those students goes toward their enrollment at The Crossing. No additional money is spent.
The Oregon-Davis School Board members discussed lunch prices, but Superintendent Greg Briles explained the item to increase prices didn’t need to be on the evening’s agenda.
Briles said he was initially looking at funds in the food service department, and he thought that the board may need to raise the price by five cents and maybe even ten cents. If the board were to consider a five cent increase, it would amount to an additional $876 per year at the elementary level.
Briles said he would be looking deeper internally with commodities and into the corporation’s work with the Northern Indiana Educational Services Center (NIESC) before increasing prices. He noted that there could be more funds to take care of what is needed in the school’s budget.
The Oregon-Davis School Board looked ahead to 2015 during their meeting this week. Superintendent Greg Briles told WKVI News that they will hold a reorganization meeting on Monday, Jan. 19 at 6:30 p.m. The board has to reorganize by Jan. 30 so that will be complete prior to the board’s regular meeting. Christopher Lawrence is the current board president. He was just re-elected to the board in the General Election.
The Oregon-Davis School Board added six months to Superintendent Greg Briles’ contract this week.
Briles said his contract will be now be valid until June 2017.
The Oregon-Davis School Board members accepted a $5,000 donation from the Starke County Economic Development Foundation.
Superintendent Greg Briles said the money will be used toward the school’s engineering component in Project Lead the Way.
The Oregon-Davis School Board members discussed moving to a balanced calendar Monday night, but did not take action.
Superintendent Greg Briles said the board is considering several factors before they settle on a calendar.
The Oregon-Davis School Board will be considering a balanced calendar during their meeting tonight.
During their last meeting, Superintendent Greg Briles gave the board a couple of different calendars to study. Briles stated that the calenders are very similar in that they have 180 days of student instruction and 184 says for staff which is outlined in their contract. The calendars would include a break in the fall and an intersession to be coordinated with the Starke County Youth Club for remediation purposes. The first day of school would be Aug. 1 and last day would be June 1.
Oregon-Davis School Superintendent Greg Briles praised the newly installed school resource officers for their efforts in school safety.
Briles told the school board members this week that Hamlet Town Marshal Frank Lonigro and Patrolman Kyle Hinds have been working to create plans in case of an emergency.
The Oregon-Davis School Board members reviewed quotes or a copier lease during their meeting Monday night.
Superintendent Greg Briles explained that the current lease agreement is almost over and two proposals were gathered for consideration. Chris Smith from Monticello had a quote for Xerox machines and the Adams Remco company in South Bend provided a quote for Toshiba copiers.
The Oregon-Davis School Board members are looking at a balanced calendar for the 2015-2016 school year.
Superintendent Greg Briles gave the board a couple of different calendars to study to possibly make a decision at their October meeting.
The Oregon-Davis School Board members held a public hearing for the 2015 budget during their meeting last night.
The General Fund budget was budgeted at $4.6 million. The General Fund takes care of the salaries for the staff, including coaches and extra-curricular coaches and more. Board member Lee Nagai stressed that the General Fund had a shortfall due to state budget cuts and the referendum money supplemented that fund to cover salaries.
Other funds discussed include the Capital Projects Fund, Transportation Fund, Debt Fund Plan, Retirement/Severance Bond, Debt Service Fund, Referendum/Exempt Operating, Rainy Day Fund.
Superintendent Greg Briles explained that the Average Daily Membership, or ADM, is 609 which is higher than the state-projected student count of 580. Briles added that the corporation is three students down from last year.
The tax rate will be 1.5702 which is less than 2014.
Briles said the budget will be sent to the state. The board approved a motion to authorize any cuts that are mandated by the state.
The Oregon Davis School Board members approved the revised firearms policy during Monday’s meeting.
As per state law, firearms may be in a school employee’s locked car out of the sight of the public, which Oregon Davis’s policy will reflect. School Superintendent Greg Briles said the only person or persons who would be allowed to have firearms in the buildings would be the schools resource officers or police officers.
The Oregon-Davis School Board members approved the first reading of a firearms policy during their meeting this week.
Superintendent Greg Briles said the school’s policy will reflect the state’s policy. As per state law, firearms may be in a school employee’s locked car out of the sight of the public.
The Oregon-Davis School Board members decided to advertise for bids for gasoline and diesel fuel for the 2014-2015 school year.
Superintendent Greg Briles said they will be looking for fuel bids and another aspect after experiencing problems at the school’s campus this winter.
The Oregon-Davis School Board met Monday night and approved a measure to cinch the belt on the budget.
Superintendent Greg Briles explained that the board members approved a four-day work week for employees during the summer.
The Oregon-Davis School Board approved the corporation’s participation in several vocational programs for the next school year.
Superintendent Greg Briles said students can gain knowledge in several hands-on programs outside of the Oregon-Davis campus.
The Oregon-Davis School Board discussed English textbook recommendations this week.
Superintendent Greg Briles said the teachers and students have reviewed the proposed textbooks and now members of the public are welcome to come in and review them as well.
“They’re going to set some dates for individuals in the community to come in, look at the textbooks that they’re planning on adopting,” said Briles. “If community members are unable to come in, they can email Mr. Pletcher, the high school principal, any concerns or comments or things they would like to see in those textbooks moving forward. He would be more than happy to include those in the conversations as they bring in a recommendation to the school board at our May board meeting.”
