Local News – Friday, January 22nd, 2021

The Salem R-80 Board of Education met Thursday at the high school library for their regular meeting. Margaret Campbell address the board with her concerns that the current hybrid system is not working for her son Luke and other students as well. They are falling behind educationally and turning some good students into mediocre students. She said these kids need five days of school to get their education back on track, but also to fill their emotional and mental development needs. Superintendent Dr. Lynne Reed stated that it is the goal of the district to get back to a five day school week and they will continue to monitor the current data from the Dent County Health Department as guidance. The positive test rate as of Thursday was 15.8% which is down from the 25.6% rate of last week, but there have been no signs of a steady decline in that rate as it continues to vary day to day. The board said once the administration sees that positive rate declining, they need to meet to discuss getting back to a regular five day school week that may still include the mask mandate. The board accepted the resignation of Assistant High School Principal Conrad Prugh at the end of the current school year as he will become the Superintendent at the Green Forest R-2 school. Four people have signed up for the two open R-80 board slots and they are incumbent Chris Heavin, Phillip Mercer, Steven Patterson and Ronald Click. Each of the building principals gave their COVID-19 report for exposures and quarantines before Dr. Reed said that as of Thursday, the YOP has collected $49,750. She also said the Judson Young Foundation gave $25,000 to the Construction Trades Program, the Salem Rotary Club gave $600 toward warm clothing for the winter and Exxon/Mobil gave $500 for science and math improvements. Board member Andrew Wynn said a meeting was held to discuss the Coach Schuchardt Stadium improvements and they have some rough drawings about a new entrance and felt the money for the improvements can be raised privately. There was discussion that the money would have to go through the school accounting system as a new line item since it is school property being improved. It was approved by the board that the start of school for the 2021-22 school year be held August 25th with the last day for Salem R-80 being May 19,2022 while the rural schools will get out on May 13, 2022. All the building principals then gave their reports before Dr. Reed showed the board a revised 2020-2021 budget. She reported that property and real estate taxes account for about 29% of the budget while monies from the Dent County Commission come to just over one percent. She said state funds account for over 40% of the funding while federal funds bring in around 15% more. Reed said the state would be funding the Foundation Formula at about 95% while the budget prepared was based upon 94% funding. She reported the school received $150,000 from the Dent County CARES Act funding and will be getting an additional $98,000 from CARES Support through the state. She also wanted to show the board the unrestricted fund balance after expenses is currently at about 25.64% as the board has set a goal of 25%. She said salaries at Salem R-80 are comprised of 46.6% of certified staff, while state average is 36%. At Salem R-80, salaries for certified, non-certified, and support staff plus benefits comes to about 76.53% while the state average is 64.38%. The board approved the graduation date for 2021 to be May 21st at 7:00 at the football field with May 22nd as the rain date with a time of 10:00 in the morning or 5:00 in the afternoon. The number of tickets per student will be discussed at the March board meeting. The board approved the student resource officer job description as well as to advertise the position. They also approved the Construction Trades Program Transition Plan where the educational foundation will continue to pay a declining portion of the instructor’s salary through the 2022-23 school year while the school will see the salary increase to where they will pay the entire salary for the 2023-24 school year. It was also approved the school will be responsible for all Construction Program expenditures starting this school year. The board then went into closed session.

An accident happened early Wednesday morning on eastbound I-44 in Phelps County inside the Rolla city limits at the 184 mile marker. The report released by the highway patrol states that a 2001 Cadillac Deville being driven by 41- year old Katharyn Childress of Indianapolis, Indiana, traveled off the right side of the roadway and went airborne, struck an overpass and overturned. Neither Childress nor a passenger, 54-year old Tina Thompson, also of Indianapolis, were wearing safety restraints at the time and suffered serious injuries. Both were transported by ambulance to Phelps Health for treatment. The Cadillac was totaled and removed from the scene by Ron Dishman’s Towing.