School Board meeting

Here are your highlights from the March meeting of the Morgan County Board of Education.

Destiny Field gave an update to our Student Intervention Services, including Title IX compliance, ELL (English Language Learners) services, Safety-Mental Health and counseling services, and the RISE alternative school (Reaching Independence and Success through Empowerment). For more information, visit the Student Intervention Services page at https://www.morgansd.org/371829_2. Be sure to check out the Student and Family Health and Wellness Resources page.

Destiny and her team are currently working with 40+ students on credit recovery, and she had some thoughtful observations about students’ learning: “Students make the most progress when they have different modes they’re using for learning,” and “Sometimes kids just get sick of screens and a paper and pencil activity is a good change of pace for them.”

In other news, the district is currently accepting plans from multiple architects as the replacement of the small (old) gym at MMS gets underway. The district is also assessing the electrical work and equipment needed for the new welding shop and the added classes on the third floor of the high school – final plans on the latter will be determined once specific classroom needs are identified.

We welcome your feedback on a couple of discussion items:

Board member Mandy Wallace reported on positive comments she’s received from parents about the later start time at the middle schools and the high schools, noting parents feel their students are able to get to class on time better and be more productive.

Student board member Chloe Clark – who was busy winning a Sterling Scholar competition during the meeting – commented on the ongoing discussion about student cellphones in school, noting that because they are such a distraction within classrooms, restricting them in those settings might be good, but that students should still be able to access them during class changes and at lunch. The district cellphone policy is under review and will be discussed by the board soon.

Also, the district is in the process of selecting members for the Sex Ed Committee. Here is the official notice:

The Sex Education Committee for the 2024-25 school year will be finalized at the next board meeting. The committee is made up primarily of district staff and community council members. The Board is also seeking an at-large member to represent the community in general. If you are interested in serving on this committee, please contact Dr. Jensen or a board member by next Wednesday, March 27; email addresses are available on the district website: www.morgansd.org.

Member Kelly Preece had all good things to say about MHS’s production of Singing in the Rain, 

noting “Wow! What a production,” and, “We can be proud of that group.” If you are looking for some family fun and entertainment, MGMS’s production of The Lion King opens tonight; for more information, visit https://mgms.morgansd.org/.

Finally, after a lot of work and two public hearings, the board will vote on the 2024-2025 fee schedule at their next meeting. The district, especially at the secondary schools, has been adjusting fees to meet State requirements and to reduce fees overall.

The next meeting will be held on April 9, 2024, at 5 p.m. λ