At Monday’s regularly scheduled Fowler School Board meeting tentative plans for the district’s summer projects were discussed.

Elementary principal, Steven Grasmick informed board members a Lowe’s grant he applied for has been approved in the amount of $5,000. The grant will be used to construct a fitness trail around the elementary playground. The trail will include fitness stations where different exercises such as pull-ups can be performed. Work on the trail is expected to begin later this summer.

Computer instructor, Mike Aragon, has secured a special package price on seven new computer white boards and projectors to be installed throughout the junior high and high school. Fowler High School successfully used one such board in the math program this year.

Other projects include a piano lab for the elementary, re-vamping the school’s crisis plan and making campus-wide security improvements.

In other business, Grasmick distributed copies of the year-end news publication produced by Cindi Kincannon’s fifth grade class. Students team up and contribute articles about different events that have happened in the elementary over the course of the school year. It is a comprehensive, well-done project and Grasmick commended Kincannon on her work at the school. “Mrs. Kincannon is a solid teacher and does an awesome job,” he told the board.

Secondary principal, Russell Bates informed the board of recognition received by 8th grader, Derrik Corsentino and senior, J.R. McDonald. Both received the Silver State Lodge C & C Fund Industrial Arts Achievement Award.

Superintendent, Dr. Larry Vibber reviewed a pilot program being offered to the district in partnership with Colorado Department of Education targeted at students who score unsatisfactory on the CSAP exams.

CDE will cover the costs (training, materials and coaching) for the implementation of the math intervention portion of the program for up to 1000 students per district in grades 3 – 8 scoring unsatisfactory. For districts with less than that number, partially proficient students may be added at no cost. Fowler has thirty-seven unsatisfactory and partially proficient math scores in the grades targeted.
Vibber also provided board members with copies of the current status on various educational related legislative items.

Under personnel matters the board unanimously approved the resignation of Jack Hobby.  Hobby worked in the maintenance department and cited personal and financial reasons for leaving. That position remains vacant at this time.

The Board approved the classified staff roster as follows:
Bus drivers - Penny Baker, Suzannah Hardy, Hazel Heaston, Von Lieber, Gail Osborne, Linda True, Mechelle Trujillo (only if needed for Futures route).
Computer assistants - Cindy Fedde, Jerri Norton, Karen Norton, Patty Smith.
Cooks - Tecla Chamblin, Susan Giadone, Pearl Hodges, Gail Osborne.
Maintenance - Anna Cesar, Tecla Chamblin, Judy Fosdick, Susan Giadone, Karen Hazlett, Hazel Heaston, Pearl Hodges.
Secretaries - Pat Bouldin, Val Gager, Kelly Wager.
Special education aides - Jennifer Bradshaw, Anna Cesar, Alissa Wood.
Supervisors - Randy Corsentino – maintenance; Lori Diodosio – nursing; Tom Hartless – transportation; Kathy Sharp – food services.

The board went on to approve extra-curricular assignments as listed:
Academic Club – Mike Aragon; Annual Publication – Justin Osborne; Band and Choir – Penny Grasmick; Baseball – head coach, Dan Brewer, assistant coach, Jason Smith; Boys Basketball – head coach, Scott Epperly, assistant coach, J.J. Autry; Girls Basketball – head coach, Tom Frazier, assistant coach, Becky Hershey; Drama – Tim Baublits; EPYCS – Sandy Moss; FBLA – Jackie Dorenkamp; FFA – Justin Osborne; FTEA – Lacy McCuistion; Football – head coach, John Ayers, assistant coaches, Jim Goff, Ryon Sallee, Brandon McCuistion, Kevin Hershey and Pat Christensen; Grizzly Growls – Mike Aragon; Golf – Mark Sharp; Letterman’s Club – John Ayers, Dr. Vibber, Clint Chamblin, Becky Hershey, Dan Brewer, Lewis Flores, Tom Frazier, Scott Epperly; National Society – Donna Aragon; PBS Coordinator – Lacy McCuistion; Science Fair Coordinator – Mark Van Sickle; Speech Club – Lacy McCuistion; Student Council – Sandy Moss; Track – head coach, Becky Hershey, assistant coach, Lewis Flores; Volleyball – head coach, Sandy Moss, assistant coach, TBA; Wrestling – head coach, Clint Chamblin, assistant coach, John Ayers.

Payment of bills was approved and Financial Secretary, Mike Thomas noted the school’s light project was being paid off early, saving the district a significant amount in interest.

Vibber commented that the district is ending in the best financial condition he’s observed in 45 years.

The only negative mark in the budget is almost $11,000 in outstanding lunch bills. Those bills have been turned over to a collection agency and the next step may be to publish a list of fees that remain unpaid.

The board went in to executive session where the extra-curricular salary schedule and the administrative salary schedule were both approved.