Superintendent's Scoop ...
|
On making 'Rant and Rave' fodder |
February 20, 2018 |
By Gary Pfleuger
We are halfway through the 2017-2018 school year
... how did that happen? I find it truly amazing
how times moves faster the older I get! When I
was in school, time moved sooooo slowly; must be
the new math!
Our enrollment is holding steady; still more
students than the last two years. Idaho State
Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee
(JFAC) has recently recommended an increase of
support for advanced opportunities, literacy
intervention, technology and professional
development, to name a few. This is great news
as Idaho attempts to improve support for public
education. For us to be competitive with other
states these increases are necessary.
The Head Lice survey results were overwhelmingly
supportive for keeping the same policy we have
in place: No Nits!
We will continue to evolve in the management of
this pest so our nurse’s time is free for more
critical needs. As many of you made clear on the
survey, “Head lice is a home issue.” I thank you
for your input!
Highlighting the first half of the year:
• Over 600 meals served at BCMS for the
Community Thanksgiving Supper at no cost.
• 46 hams, 75 turkeys and $1000 raised by the
BCMS and BFHS Leadership Classes for Community
Christmas Baskets. Giving back to the community
is a worthy objective!
• Consistent and steady focus on the Idaho Core
Standards and ISAT Interim Assessments.
• Continual effort maintaining a safe, civil and
productive environment on all BCSD campuses.
I wanted to end this edition with an explanation
of how I make the tough decision to cancel
school for a snow day.
Essentially, this process begins the previous
day by watching the news, studying the forecast
and storm satellite images. Our Transportation
Supervisor, Bill Irwin, who was born and raised
in North Idaho, drives to the bus barn at 3:30
a.m. to get a feel for the conditions. On the
way he drives over varied sections of county
roads.
Boundary County is complicated by its size and
the extensive network of county roads.
Bill also talks to the Boundary County Road and
Bridge and gets their input. I often contact the
superintendents of West Bonner and Lake Pend
Oreille School Districts.
These factors, plus the forecast and how it
looks at the moment, leads me to a decision that
half of you will like and half will not.
But always the number one deciding factor is
what I believe is in the best interest of
student safety!
The final call is made by 4:45 a.m. This
decision is not made lightly, nor without much
deliberation. When a decision is made to close
school, the notice is sent out electronically to
the media and all families with current phone
numbers. It is very important to have your
current phone number listed at your child’s
school.
The notice is immediately placed on the school
district website and sent to local news
programs. All principals and/or essential
personnel go to their school in case a parent
does not get the message and to secure the
buildings.
At this point in our year we have been out four
days. The first three were clear and easy
decisions. The last one not so much, as the
weather took a turn for the better by noon. At
least that gave a conversation starter for the
Rant or Rave page on FaceBook!
Still, I fall back to “Student Safety,” and
always will. If we have many more snow days (God
forbid!), we may need to make up school time by
adding minutes to the end of a regular day. In
my 40 years in the business, I have never seen
that happen.
On a past promise made to the community, I am
still avoiding scheduling school events and
activities on Wednesday evenings whenever
possible. Cancelation of school causes
re-scheduling issues between athletics, music,
drama, parent conferences, community action
groups, etc., making an already four-day school
week seem even shorter. When we move to a
Wednesday evening, it is due to our limited
choices.
This will not happen very often. |
Questions or comments about this
letter?
Click here to e-mail! |
|
|
|