Staff writer
Hillsboro Board of Education received requests for out-of-state trips for 2016-17 at Monday’s meeting, including trips for FFA and music.
FFA instructor Sonya Roberts told the board she has teamed up with Goessel’s FFA due to lack of interest in attending national convention in Indianapolis.
“I’m really down in numbers this year in going to national convention,” Roberts said. “I joined with Goessel because their FFA adviser is a volleyball coach and their kids never get the chance to go to national convention.”
Roberts and Goessel’s FFA adviser were in the same boat this year, she said, because both groups have had students drop out.
“She’s down to one kid and I have three kids, so I talked to Max and I have volunteered to take the Goessel FFA member with me, provided we get all the insurance stuff taken care of,” Roberts said.
Another trip that was approved was a request from band director Bruce Major to allow band and choir to attend a combined music festival called Cavalcade of Music in Colorado Springs.
“A few years ago, Mrs. Just and I said there are 10 kids who were in both choir and band and it was ridiculous for them to raise money every year to go on a trip,” Major said. “We said we’ve got to find a place that would take both band and choir. Cavalcade is one of the few.”
The last time Hillsboro went to Cavalcade was six years ago, Major said.
“We’re trying to keep the cost down, and that’s one reason why we put them together,” Major said.
Superintendent Max Heinrichs asked Major if this was the only weekend they could attend, and Major answered that every other weekend was taken with sports or prom.
The group would not leave until midnight on May 12, due to a CKL track meet scheduled on that day.
“I love these trips, I think they’re good, and I know this probably happens one time out of every 50 years, but if it rains that day, the track meet is on Friday,” Heinrichs said. “What does that do to you?”
Major responded that it would be up to the kids, since the CKL track meet had no effect on regionals.
““We could not rearrange it.,” Major said. “We’re constantly losing students for other activities out of our class time anyway. We’d be very clear with them that if this would happen, we’d be asking, ‘Will you commit to going?’”
Out-of-state trips were approved 6-0 by the board.