School to study student-centered accountability, mill levy renewal

    Learning the Student Centered Accountability Program and reviewing a potential renewal of the current mill levy override are the 2017-18 charges given to Holyoke School District’s Accountability and Advisory Committee.
    Discussion of the charges was followed by approval at the Sept. 19 school board meeting.
    Holyoke Shared Leadership through Standards of Excellence was charged to research and learn the new S-CAP, a pilot accountability system. The focus will be on preparing and participating in the System Support Review process, developing the local annual report and developing district strategic priorities that match the needs as identified by administration and staff through the S-CAP system.
    The district’s Budget & Facilities Committee was directed to begin conversations on a possible 2018 or 2019 bid for renewing the mill levy override requests that the community has used to support the school district for 10 years.
    
Board conferences with attorney
    After a two-hour-and-38-minute executive session conference with an attorney Monday evening, Sept. 18, the school board voted on a hearing officer’s recommendation pertaining to expulsion of a student at Holyoke JR/SR High.
    Because of availability of the attorney, the conference was conducted the day before the regular meeting.
    Immediately following Monday’s executive session, the board voted unanimously to affirm in part and amend in part the recommendation of the hearing officer.
    The student will be expelled from Holyoke School District through the beginning of the 2018-19 school year, with the opportunity for early readmission to Holyoke JR/SR High at the beginning of the second semester (January) of the 2017-18 school year.
    Early readmission will be considered on the condition that the student fully complies with certain requirements throughout the expulsion period.
    
New crisis management manuals in place in the district
    Transportation director Kim Young walked the board through the new crisis mangement manual that’s in place for the district. Copies are in each classroom with directions for handling a variety of crisis issues.
    Standard response protocol is noted for lockout, lockdown, evacuate and shelter.
    Young also updated the board on outsourcing the transportation maintenance to Glen’s Diesel Service, who started handling that a year ago.
    Storm routes for the buses are planned, added Young. She pointed out that the bus No. 4 pickup point has been moved from Highway 6 to Highway 385 at County Road 12.
    Young is one of two representing northeast Colorado on the Transportation Advisory Council for the State of Colorado. She said she is excited to be on this as they’ll be able to update school districts with what’s happening in the Colorado Department of Transportation.
    
Promise of Colorado introduced by superintendent
    Superintendent John McCleary introduced the board to The Promise of Colorado, a campaign to create public support for public education.
    Colorado Education Network is promoting the program and is encouraging students, parents and schools to post photos and videos demonstrating why students constitute “The Promise of Colorado.”
    McCleary noted that Great Education, who joined with Colorado Education Network, was in Holyoke in early August to give a public program on school funding, including mill levy override details.
    The emphasis continues to be on hearing and telling the local stories. McCleary encouraged the board, as well as the community, to take a look at www.ColoradoEducationNet work.org, as it’s a good website promoting involvement.
    
Other business
    In other business at the Sept. 19 meeting, the school board:
    —Approved nonresident students Mikayla and Abbygail Davidson from Venango, Nebraska.
    —Held a welcome reception for new teachers prior to the official meeting and also acknowledged the retirement of maintenance supervisor Stan Kreider, who has worked for the district for 14 1/2 years.
    —Reviewed the shared leadership structure, as well as recommendations from McCleary. He cited the need for a couple more community members on some of the committees.
    —Heard from McCleary about the Sept. 18 teacher professional development day. The goal was to make progress on curriculum, vertical alignment and S-CAP plan for accreditation; and to develop positive working relationships among colleagues.