West Harrison School Board members were treated to some high tech teaching tools at last week's regular meeting.
TAG teacher Kim Nunez presented a Global Positioning System teaching project currently in use in the Talented and Gifted program.
The system connects to three satellites and can be used for locating places, such as a favorite hunting or fishing spot, or to plot a corn or bean field. Mrs. Nunez is using the system in the TAG program to reinforce use of technology, studying longitude and latitude, and social studies.
Nunez attended training that allowed her to borrow GPS units from the ISU County Extension office. Only teachers trained to use the system are allowed to check out the GPS teaching kits.
The cost for each kit exceeds $1,500 to assemble. They each contain 10 Etrex GPS units, 10 compasses, a video, and teaching material. The GPS units in the kit cost a little more than $100 each.
Nunez said TAG students in 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grades have had hands-on experience with this the GPS project. She has also taken the program into other classes, including her 7th grade critical thinking class, and Tony Nunez's high school environment science and biology classes.
One of the projects involves a type of treasure hunt. Nunez waypoints on the school grounds and hides caches for the students to find using the individual GPS units. The sport of geocaching (rhymes with cashing) is growing in popularity. Two official geocaches are located in the area, one in Hitchcock Nature Area and another in Boyer Chute National Wildlife Refuge. For more information, go to .
Madylon Perley also presented a summary of the class the teachers have been taking on differentiated instruction. Differentiated instruction adjusts the education to the skill needs and levels of the students, and creates an opportunity to match interest and abilities of students.
Perley said differentiated teaching expert Jean Schneider recently was impressed with the West Harrison teachers' enthusiasm and asked to come back and work with the school district.
Elementary teacher Angie Smith continued the presentation by describing how teachers are making accommodations for individual students. Smith said she conducts pre-testing with her math students and that some students test out of addition and subtraction and then move on to work on balancing a checkbook.
Superintendent's report
Superintendent Richard Gerking told the board that he was approached by the East Monona superintendent about a possible merger . Gerking, principals Doug Barry and Richard Bunde, along with Board President Walter Utman will attend a Jan. 13, 2003 meeting at East Monona. This meeting will be open to the public.
Principals' reports
Principal Bunde told the board that AEA consultant Terri Bush has visited several times over the past two months helping to prepare for the state site visit in March. She has helped collect and organize necessary data and documents for the visit. She also updated West Harrison standards and benchmarks in reading, math, and science.
Principal Barry told the board that the 6th graders have begun a "6th Grade Challenge." The goal is to work toward improved behavior and homework completion. Students earn tickets for positive behaviors and lose tickets for negative ones.
Barry also reported on the Northwest evaluation results for the fall 2002 tests; all grades tested increased their class averages from the spring to fall testing periods.
No Child Left Behind
The discussions continued on the No Child Left Behind mandate. Both Bunde and Barry presented information on how schools will be held accountable for the education of their students. The state will be responsible for having strong academic standards for what every child should know and learn in reading, math, and science for elementary, middle and high schools.
Beginning in the 2002-2003 school year, schools must administer tests in each of three grade spans: grades 3-5, grades 6-9, and grades 10-12. In the 2005-2006 school year, tests must be administered every year in grades 3 through 8. Beginning in the 2007-2008 school year classes will be tested for science achievement .
Schools will be responsible for improving the academic performance of all students, and there will be real consequences for districts and schools that fail to make progress.
Consequences for inadequate schools range from developing a two-year plan for improvement all the way to the school being identified for restructuring. In restructuring, the state would take over the and there would be a significant staff changes, including firings.
Bunde told the board that a core element in the mandate will certainly cause problems in the future, especially in regards to special education. The current system allows special education students to advance academically according to their abilities and speeds. Under NCLB, all students, including those in special education must reach the same level of proficiency. For more on NCLB, go to .
Other action
The board voted to proceed with repairs to the athletic field lighting before Spring games begin. McClellan Electric, Inc. will replace reflectors for the baseball/softball field lighting fixtures. The reflectors will be outfitted with hail guards. The lighting on the football field will also receive new reflectors, complete with hail guards.
No progress was made on refinancing the school district's bonds. Superintendent Gerking did break down the bids received from Piper Jaffrey and Ruan, but the full board was needed for a motion. The item was tabled until the January meeting.
In other areas, the board:
* Voted to hire Kandi Baxteras as assistant junior high boys' basketball coach for the 2002-03 season.
* Set the board's retreat date for Jan. 30, 2003 at 6 p.m. in the boardroom.
* Approved the Teacher Salary Improvement Payment.
* Established the timeline and form for the superintendent's evaluation.
The next regular board meeting will be Jan. 8, 2003, at 7 p.m.
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