The RIH school board covered subjects such as turf field replacements, the superintendent search, business administration, and an appeal for residents to be vigilant in reporting suspicious activity through the community in general. Also covered was the re-instatement of the Stock Market Club, reorganization of the business administration office, and a report on processes in place for student fund raising events.
District Fundraising
Todd Meyer and Bob Van Sanders reported to the board on efforts that have been put in place to bring more uniformity to the fundraising process at both Indian Hills and Ramapo high schools. The goal is to provide clear guidelines on the approval process, and assure that both coaches and parents comply with the standards. As many teams and clubs conduct fundraisers throughout the year, they hope to coordinate events to the extent possible so that there is not too much overlap which might result in fundraising fatigue on the part of supporters.
The two guest speakers also explained the financial structuring that exists at both schools. While the schools follow slightly different models in how money is placed into group and/or individual team accounts, the approval process remains the same for both schools. It was suggested by some board members that perhaps there should should be more uniformity in the account structuring, but it was not considered a priority as both provide the same level of oversight.
School officials or coaches in charge of a specific group are instructed to apply requests on a need basis, and extraneous accessories should be discussed and dealt with at a team level. It was suggested that teams consider the economic climate when deciding on extraneous items as some parents may not be in a position to purchase unofficial swag for students who are on a team or in a club.
Turf Fields
Plans are under way to replace the existing turf fields at both high schools. Since the original fields were installed, the facilities have experienced a significant usage from school activities and from other organizations throughout the three towns. As mentioned in a previous meeting,maintenance of these facilities is considered a good investment since they are used by a variety of organizations throughout the three communities. Residents may recall many activities for younger children needing to be rescheduled to other areas due to the lead testing at the time.
It was questioned as to whether the cold climate would negatively impact the installation. The vendor contracted to perform the job has indicated that it will not, but school administrators will be requesting documentation affirming this fact prior to work beginning. It is hoped that the project will be completed sometime in the spring.
Business Administration
The board voted to approve creating the position of Assistant Business Administrator. As presented to the board and the public, this action should not result in an increased head count in terms of additional staff. It is intended that eventually the staff should see a reduction as the holder of the new position takes on greater responsibility. Board member Tom Madigan was the lone dissent in approving the position and advertisement to fill it. He felt there was not adequate discussion, nor was the restructuring of the office clearly defined as to what benefits the district will actually see.
Superintendent Search
Resumes are still be accepted in an effort to permanently fill the district superintendent position. It is expected that interviews will be scheduled in March.
Stock Market Club
Students have previously approached the school board about re-instating the Stock Market Club, and followed up with petitions. The board approved re-instating the club due to the increased number of students expressing a desire to belong.
Conduct Policy
Their board in planning to introduce and have to public readings of the conduct policy concerning actions which occur off school property. This issue has been met with great contention and threats of lawsuits by parents who feel the school is usurping parental and judicial authority. The focal point of debate is the requirement that students charged by police, regardless of locality in terms of city or state, will face suspension from extracurricular activities. Many parents have expressed their displeasure with schools imposing a punishment on students who may in actuality be innocent of any transgression.