School buys surveillance cameras

by Diana ZimmermanOn Tuesday at May’s Wahkiakum School District Board of Directors meeting, the board voted on several items including the purchase of a new mower and a contract to install video surveillance district-wide.

Charged with providing a safe environment for students, the school board took the first step in improving security at the school by accepting the lowest bid in the amount of $92,831.90 from Advanced Electrical Technologies to mount more than 60 surveillance cameras around the school campus. The project will be completed this summer.

The board also approved the purchase of a new mower to replace a 15 year old Kubota mower with 1700 hours on it. According to Maintenance Supervisor Mike Wright it would make more sense to purchase a new mower than to replace a failing mowing deck. He suggested that the school district surplus an unused piece of equipment as well, a backhoe attachment for their tractor and use both as trade in for a newer mower at Watkins Tractor. Watkins Tractor has already provided Wright with a quote.

The board accepted resignations from Mary Heagy, the school’s substitute finder and Tami Keith, who took on the Gear Up Coordinator position when Cindy Fudge resigned. Fudge will return to the position. They also approved the new cheer advisor, Kate Brenner and extended contracts for 23 teachers and one counselor.

Superintendent Bob Garrett asked the board to pass a resolution that would allow administrators to be merciful to incoming students who will be required to complete 24 credits to graduate.

“The State Board of Education has provided a provision that allows the superintendent to waive up to two elective credits for students who have had different types of hardships that makes too much of a burden to complete 24 credits,” Garrett said.

“We need to do a good job of educating parents and students that graduation requirements are going up,” he added. “I recommend that you approve this resolution so that the administration can make an allowance if they think it’s really warranted. The student would have to be coming out of a very serious situation. It’s not like we are going to be handing out free waivers for two credits.

The board approved the resolution.

Garrett reported that enrollment had gone up by one and shared that he had applied and

been accepted to a Superintendent Leadership Institute sponsored by Gear Up and would be attending three two-day conferences next year along with other superintendents from all over the country.

Because of low turnout for the golf team and declining numbers in cross country and wrestling, Garrett proposed that the school district rely on volunteer coaches in those sports if the numbers do not go up. After some discussion the school board members said they would take it under consideration.