Construction/renovation on Moberly schools to begin Mar. 12.

Beginning next month, (March 12) the construction and renovation of Moberly High school will begin.
The announcement was made Tuesday night at the regular board meeting of the Board of Education.
Board President Jeff Lawrence  said the construction/renovation project is within budget and that the design team had another meeting Tuesday afternoon. The $16.2 million bond issue called Proposition S was passed by Moberly voters last year.
The construction process is  expected to be completed by August of 2013.
Supt. Gena McCluskey also told the board that 24 bid packages had been opened with more than 100 bids and that there were still four more packages to be opened. The final date for the bidding packages is Feb. 20. She stated that more information will be released at that time.  
She also told the board that work had already begun on boxing up the supplies in preparation for the construction.
Members of the school board also  learned  there are currently 66 homeless students in the district this school year.
Jim Johnson, director of special services for the district, told school board members  that last year there were 46. There were 19 in 2009.
He also stated at this time, the district does not have a migrant student. However, procedures are implemented for identification of these students.
Johnson says that according to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Act, a homeless individual is one who: Lacks a fixed , regular, and adequate nighttime residence and includes children and youths who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship or a similar reason; are living in motels, hotels,  trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate  accommodations are living in emergency or transitional shelters; are abandoned in hospitals ; or are awaiting foster care placement.
Children and youths who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designated for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodations for human beings.
Children and youth who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations or similar settings.
Johnson said the majority of the students are doubled up due to economic hardship and/or loss of housing. He added that the district resource coordinators help identify students experiencing homelessness. In addition, the resource coordinators complete basic needs assessments with the students/families and assist them as needed with available resources.
Johnson went on to say that the backpack program relies on assistance from the Central Missouri Food Bank and donations. The resource coordinators facilitate the backpack program. The logistics of the program are carried out by the resources coordinators along with help from volunteers, which are greatly appreciated.
He did add that the food bank is struggling with the rising cost of food which could potentially impact the program.
The backpack program expanded to the secondary level last year. The difference between the elementary and secondary levels may be attributed to the stigma of receiving assistance at the secondary level. The participation rate of free and reduced meal plan applications are also lower at the secondary level.
Laura Beeler, district communication art education  told the board the goals of the program was to maintain percentage of elementary students reading at grade level of 70 per cent or above using new DRA benchmarks, continue to increase MAP score index, increase EOC score index, increase ACT student performance to above the national norm group in both subjects ((English/reading).
Recommended changes needed to achieve the goals and objectives of the program: Utilize progress monitoring and common assessment data to effectively target weaknesses of all students in the elementary grades and utilize resources and instructional practices to correct weaknesses. Utilize MAP, EOC, plan and explore data to effectively target areas of instructional weakness and utilize PLCs to collaboratively strengthen instructional practices and therefore student achievement.
Johnson also told of the Gifted Educational Program evaluation that includes EAGLES K-6 and EXCEED 7-9 has updated curriculum revisions since the last evaluation. There are nine new students in the gifted program and that includes 40 in the K-8 program.
He also told about other special programs including those for students with special needs.
Old business included  the family consumer, science, art, music and health curriculum that is expected to be approved by the board in March.
The board also approved Feb. 26 as the date for the Board of Education Budget Retreat set to be from 2 until 4 p.m. in the Central Office.
Also approved was the Policy GHB-staff-student relations and several teacher resignations and employments  and approved substitute teachers for the district.
Before the meeting Lori Turk of Moberly Public School Foundation presented nine super-grants to  faculty members.
In executive session, the board employed   all administrators and building administrators

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