Board member angry about graduation

By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

Hillsboro school board member Rod Koons made no secret Monday of his displeasure over the 2018 Hillsboro graduation ceremony.

Speaking after middle and high school principal Clint Corby gave his quarterly report, Koons told Corby he left this year’s graduation “disgusted and embarrassed” by the behavior of some of the students.

“It’s obviously stuck with me and bothered me this long,” Koons said. “We need to have a look at that. I got to my car pretty fast, and I was pissed and I was mad.”

Koons described “secret handshakes” and “inappropriate behavior” by students as they walked across the stage to receive honors and diplomas.

“This is our Super Bowl, isn’t it?” Koons said. “It was obviously all premeditated by the students. Not all of them did it.”

Koons said maybe he has reached an age that he was less tolerance for such behavior but said he used to be a high school student, too.

“I barely graduated,” Koons said.

Corby said he wasn’t aware of the behavior Koons was talking about, but he would review the video taken during the ceremony.

In other business Monday, what company the district will use next year for food service remains up in the air after superintendent Max Heinrichs said the current service provider, Opaa Food Management, offered a plan at a higher cost than anticipated.

Heinrichs said he wanted time to negotiate with Opaa.

Board members also extended a lease with Grace Community Church until Oct. 7 so the church can continue to meet until work on its building is completed.

Board members also handled routine items related to the 2018-2019 school year and approved purchase of 161 Chromebook computers and licenses for third, fourth and fifth grade at a cost of $44,919.

Bus driver Sara Bennett was terminated effective May 17.

The resignation of Maria Chavez as elementary school custodian was accepted.