March 28, 2024

Six things to know from the March Colfax-Mingo School Board meeting

1. After having presented the process of development delivering Individual Education Program (IEP’s) for qualifying students, specials director Tina Ross reviewed the process for students who achieved their goals and exited the program. She said she was pleased to report five students have exited the program, a major accomplishment and celebration for those students.

2. The work of professional development, PLC/TLC team collaboration, grading practices, piloting a new math series, revamping the Teacher Leader Plan and the overall growth of the staff this past school year was shared by curriculum director Josh Russell. He said the staff is maintaining their focus on the students and adapting creative teaching methods.

3. Work done on the trait of empathy was presented by behavioral interventionist Tara Surprenant, who also spoke of various social-emotional issues. The highlighted work including how to identify and apply the traits of empathy. She said she works with student groups, in staff professional development and with parent panels to develop the skill. Moving forward, she plans to continue to build on the beginning of the skill to help ingrain it into the culture and carry it forward into life beyond school years.

4. Plans, specifications, a form of contract and estimate costs for the Safe and Secure Entries and for an elementary restroom update were presented and approved by the board. A hearing date of April 19 was approved for the project with a bid opening date of April 15 was approved and scheduled. A plan for additional enhancements to the nurse’s office was also presented by the DLR Group.

5. A proposal to restructure the junior high winter sports season was approved by the board. According to the plan, the goal is to have boys’ wrestling and any girl who chooses to wrestle with the boys’ and girls’ junior high basketball prior to Christmas break. Then, girls’ only wrestling and junior high boys’ basketball would follow break. By doing this, it will allow the district to best utilize the gym space and possibly allow one junior high coach to do both basketball and wrestling seasons.

6. In relation to prom, mitigation strategies were discussed with the consensus of the board coming to requiring masks at the event with mask breaks scheduled throughout the night. For the Prom Walk, with proper distancing, couples will be allowed to remove their masks for photos.