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Keokuk Middle School will hold band, music classes every day next year
By Diane Vance /Gate City Staff Writer
Keokuk School District administrators have all set goals and shared them with the school board.
Tonight the school board meets at 6 p.m. for a work session to set goals for itself. The meeting is open to the public. It will be held in the district Technology Center offices at 727 Washington St.
Keokuk Middle School's 2008-2009 registration handbook was approved at the March 17 school board meeting. Changes for next year include band class will meet every day. The middle school follows an A Day and B Day schedule where elective classes meet every other day. Band is an elective.
“The faculty had some concerns,” said KMS guidance counselor Don Lohr. “We're looking at a seven-period versus eight-period class day. With band meeting every day next year, band students will not have homeroom. That will allow them to still participate in elective classes.
“I know there is one happy band director with this change.”
General music and concert choir also will meet every day all year long.
Board member Bruce Dunek said the district has a good fine arts program.
“The teachers and administrators need to be congratulated on the promotion of fine arts in the district,” he said.
Superintendent Jane Babcock said the recent Feather Follies at the high school is a good demonstration.
“Feather Follies was an enormous success,” she said. “There were people lined up outside waiting to get in. It was wonderful.”
Dunek said for the size of the district, Keokuk exceeds larger school districts he has lived in for participation and promotion of fine arts.
“Music and performing are inclusive for so many students,” he said. “Keokuk offers a lot of opportunities for students in fine arts.”
The school board has been reviewing the list of 10 Facility Committee recommendations given to the board a year ago. Three of the seven board members are new since last March: Board President Dr. Bill Davis, Tom Gardner and Dunek.
Business manager Greg Reynolds asked administrators also to rank the 10 recommendations. The school board has voted its first priority is determining electrical upgrades needed at Keokuk High School; administrators ranked this as number three.
Building an expanded weight room and training facilities with a laundry room at Wright Fieldhouse is number two on the board's list and number one for administrators.
Reviewing the traffic flow at Hawthorne Elementary School is three for the school board and the second top priority for administrators.
Assessing the high school's industrial technology program needs ranks number four for both school board members and administrators.
And the two groups also agree assessing the heating and cooling needs at KHS round out the top five priorities.
The next step will be determining costs and a timeline for these projects and developing a plan of action.
Personnel news
“In 1999, I proposed hiring a district computer network manager,” said Assistant Superintendent Dr. Lora Wolff. “We advertised for the job recently, had 24 applicants and interviewed nine. It was a hard decision.
“Brent Haage is hired. He has been the technology coordinator at Fort Madison School District for about 10 years. One of his first projects will be to create the district's own firewall. We use AEA's now.”
Haage will begin his job in Keokuk with the 2008-2009 school year at $55,000 per year.
A new Keokuk Middle School guidance counselor has been hired for next school year as Lohr is retiring. Shelby Cloyd has a master's degree. Her salary will be determined following completion of the 2008-2009 negotiations.
The board accepted the resignation of head boys soccer coach Rex Muston, effective immediately. Assistant coach Bob Thomas will serve as interim head coach.
Non-teacher coaches hired for baseball are Steve Worster, head coach, Craig Davis and Zachary Summers, assistant coaches.
High school varsity softball assistant coach Elena Boltz resigned, effective immediately.
The next regular board meeting is at 7 p.m. Monday, April 7, at Keokuk City Hall. The board meetings in the city council chambers are broadcast live on Cable channel 9. There is a public hearing for the 2008-2009 budget to start the meeting.
Tonight the school board meets at 6 p.m. for a work session to set goals for itself. The meeting is open to the public. It will be held in the district Technology Center offices at 727 Washington St.
Keokuk Middle School's 2008-2009 registration handbook was approved at the March 17 school board meeting. Changes for next year include band class will meet every day. The middle school follows an A Day and B Day schedule where elective classes meet every other day. Band is an elective.
“The faculty had some concerns,” said KMS guidance counselor Don Lohr. “We're looking at a seven-period versus eight-period class day. With band meeting every day next year, band students will not have homeroom. That will allow them to still participate in elective classes.
“I know there is one happy band director with this change.”
General music and concert choir also will meet every day all year long.
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“The teachers and administrators need to be congratulated on the promotion of fine arts in the district,” he said.
Superintendent Jane Babcock said the recent Feather Follies at the high school is a good demonstration.
“Feather Follies was an enormous success,” she said. “There were people lined up outside waiting to get in. It was wonderful.”
Dunek said for the size of the district, Keokuk exceeds larger school districts he has lived in for participation and promotion of fine arts.
“Music and performing are inclusive for so many students,” he said. “Keokuk offers a lot of opportunities for students in fine arts.”
The school board has been reviewing the list of 10 Facility Committee recommendations given to the board a year ago. Three of the seven board members are new since last March: Board President Dr. Bill Davis, Tom Gardner and Dunek.
Business manager Greg Reynolds asked administrators also to rank the 10 recommendations. The school board has voted its first priority is determining electrical upgrades needed at Keokuk High School; administrators ranked this as number three.
Building an expanded weight room and training facilities with a laundry room at Wright Fieldhouse is number two on the board's list and number one for administrators.
Reviewing the traffic flow at Hawthorne Elementary School is three for the school board and the second top priority for administrators.
Assessing the high school's industrial technology program needs ranks number four for both school board members and administrators.
And the two groups also agree assessing the heating and cooling needs at KHS round out the top five priorities.
The next step will be determining costs and a timeline for these projects and developing a plan of action.
Personnel news
“In 1999, I proposed hiring a district computer network manager,” said Assistant Superintendent Dr. Lora Wolff. “We advertised for the job recently, had 24 applicants and interviewed nine. It was a hard decision.
“Brent Haage is hired. He has been the technology coordinator at Fort Madison School District for about 10 years. One of his first projects will be to create the district's own firewall. We use AEA's now.”
Haage will begin his job in Keokuk with the 2008-2009 school year at $55,000 per year.
A new Keokuk Middle School guidance counselor has been hired for next school year as Lohr is retiring. Shelby Cloyd has a master's degree. Her salary will be determined following completion of the 2008-2009 negotiations.
The board accepted the resignation of head boys soccer coach Rex Muston, effective immediately. Assistant coach Bob Thomas will serve as interim head coach.
Non-teacher coaches hired for baseball are Steve Worster, head coach, Craig Davis and Zachary Summers, assistant coaches.
High school varsity softball assistant coach Elena Boltz resigned, effective immediately.
The next regular board meeting is at 7 p.m. Monday, April 7, at Keokuk City Hall. The board meetings in the city council chambers are broadcast live on Cable channel 9. There is a public hearing for the 2008-2009 budget to start the meeting.
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