Proposed school policy would allow students to test out of classes
By JENNIFER WILSON
News editor
If a new policy is approved, all Hillsboro High School students may have the opportunity to test out of classes.
The new policy was discussed Monday night during the USD 410 regular monthly meeting, held at the HHS technology center.
Each fall, the district considers policy revisions presented by the Kansas Association of School Boards. One new policy this year, labeled IIA, allows all students the chance to test out of classes.
This would be a groundbreaking policy for Hillsboro. Before, only students with a "gifted" IEP were given the chance to test out of a class.
But that happens very rarely, according to Superintendent Gordon Mohn.
According to the new policy, students would have 90 days prior to the beginning of the semester or the year to make the request. Then, a review committee consisting of a building administrator, school counselor, faculty member, and the students' parents would approve or reject the request.
Once the student is approved, it's the responsibility of the course instructor to prepare a "performance instrument," or test, that can determine whether or not the student has mastered the material.
But for some classes, "testing out" would be more than just taking a test, said HHS Principal Dale Honeck. It would involve completing all the required projects, such as the research paper done in senior English.
Said Mohn, "That 'test-out' idea is probably misleading. It wouldn't be a Friday afternoon test."
Spring enrollment would be a good time to let students know about the opportunity, Honeck said.
The board took no action on the proposed policy. Instead, the policy — and several others the board is considering — will be up for public review for one month. The board will then take action at the November meeting.
Another new policy would extend truancy laws to cover "extended learning opportunities" such as Saturday school or summer school. Others cover topics ranging from credit card use by district staff to peer grading of assignments.
Any member of the public can review these new policies at the USD 410 central office, located inside the elementary school.
Also at Monday night's meeting, the board approved three student trips.
The trip requests came from the Spirit-N-Celebration music group, the HHS band, and the forensics team.
In April, Spirit-N-Celebration will spend two days in Kansas City, where they will compete at a music festival held at Worlds of Fun.
This is a competition that the group has done well at, said music instructor David Clark. Last year, the group took second place, and the year before they took first.
Clark requested three school vans for the trip. The board granted the request.
Next May, the HHS band will travel to Brandon, Mo., to compete in a music festival at Silver Dollar City. The trip would last four days.
"I think this is kind of a reward for them," said band director Gregg Walker. "They're a good group of kids."
Walker requested $1,900 for transportation expenses, $600 for sponsor's expenses, and the use of a school van.
The board approved the transportation requests, but they did not grant $600 for sponsors' expenses. The motion said that money would be given for sponsors if it came available later.
Also in May, forensics coach Terry Bebermeyer will take state forensics qualifiers to Worlds of Fun. The trip will be a reward for hard work, not for competition purposes.
Bebermeyer requested a bus or van, depending on how many students qualified to go. The board approved the request.
At the September meeting, the board approved another student trip to the FFA National Convention in Louisville. They allotted $1,100 for sponsors' expenses.
Each year, the district budgets money specifically for student trips. This year, it budgeted $1,500 for sponsors' expenses. It has used $1,100 for the FFA sponsors, and the fund now has a $400 balance. In the "student trips" fund, $1,500 has been budgeted, and none of that money has been used.
In other Board of Education business:
— Final enrollment numbers have been calculated for USD 410.
In grades kindergarten through 12, 692 students are attending school in Hillsboro. Combined with the 19 students at the Marion County Learning Center, the district has a total head count of 711.
Calculating other factors such as special education students in the district, vo-tech students, and at-risk students, the district has a weighted enrollment of 1071.8. That number multiplied by the base budget per pupil of $3,863, which comes from the state, gives the district an overall budget of $4,704,748.
One encouraging total is the number of kindergarten students: 48. That number is higher than previously expected.
— Bills were approved, including a sum of $9,999 for approximately 50 new band uniforms. The previous band uniforms were 27 years old.
— The school board will hold a work meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 19, on the Tabor College campus.
One main goal of the work meeting is a discussion about the district's tenure procedure. The board agreed to bring in a facilitator, or moderator, to lead the discussion in what guidelines should be followed when deciding whether or not to give a teacher tenure.
