Red Bud school board says no to parent's request for bus service
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[The Red Bud District 132 Board of Education Thursday denied Todd Tobin's request of the board to provide bus service for the elementary school to and from his subdivision.
The board discontinued service to the subdivision after a roadway was added from Bayberry Lane to West Field. The new path put the subdivision within the mile and a half limit. The board provides busing only for students living further than that from the school.
Tobin expressed concern for the safety of children walking the new road. He noted there are no sidewalks and the roadway is narrow. There is construction equipment along the path and the road floods during heavy rains.
The board did agree to ask the state to review the situation once construction begins on West Field to determine if the road is hazardous. If the state finds that it is they may authorize resuming the bus service until the construction is complete.
The transportation contract for 2008-2009 has been increased by three percent.
The board and the teachers' union recently agreed on a new three year contract. The contract will be in place for three years, with a first year pay increase of 4.13 percent for certified staff. Second year increases will be 4.24 percent and 4.37 percent for the final year.
There will be a new committee formed consisting of teachers, administrators, and a board member. Their task will be to develop a new evaluation plan for certified staff to be used to evaluate teachers and assist them with their professional development.
Support staff salaries increased by three percent for the 2008-2009 school year. Administrative staff salaries were increased by a total of $17,018 for the school year.
Enrollment at the elementary school is 603 students and at the high school 397. The board was presented with a report showing test scores in math, reading, and science going back to 2002. Reading and science scores have gone up, while math scores have gone down. The administration will be reviewing prerequisites for classes prior to future testing.
The board approved a science teacher taking a group of high school students to the Dauphin Island Sea Lab Expedition sponsored by the Regional Office of Education in October. The teacher's costs will be paid by the district. The students will be responsible for their own expenses.
Installation of surveillance cameras will be completed August 29 at the high school and by the first week of September at the elementary school.
The board approved a number of hirings, including Jennifer Meyerscough as high school special education aide and Trisha Richey and Melissa Rudy as freshman class sponsors. Rusty Amann was hired as an assistant high school football coach, and Sara Kelemetc as assistant high school volleyball coach. They approved volunteer high school coaches for girls' golf and boys' gold, Kim Snyder and Keith Price, respectively. Eric Peel was approved as an elementary school volunteer baseball coach.