District seeks waiver for missed days

Managing editor

Students in Williston's New Public School District #8 aren't getting a "Spring Break" this Friday, thanks to the "winter woes" associated with continuing heavy snowfall in the region.

The district has missed six complete school days so far this year, along with four hours due to late starts, due to ongoing severe winter weather. The district made up the missed four hours by extending the school day a half hour on Jan. 20-23 and Jan. 26-29.

During Tuesday's regular monthly meeting of the District #8 School Board, superintendent Greg McNary submitted a plan to address the remaining six missed days. The plan adopted by the board includes making up one of the days this Friday, while using the March 6 and April 13 storm days that already are built into the school calendar to make up two additional days.

The district is then requesting a waiver from Gov. John Hoeven to not make up the remaining three days. Hoeven recently stated he would review individual waiver proposals from school districts that have missed days due to severe winter weather.

"I believe we've made every effort to make up what we can," McNary told the board Tuesday.

If a waiver isn't granted to the district, it has four other options McNary outlined in his formal request. One is to utilize May 11, which is set aside for staff development and also would require bringing teachers back on May 26 for an in-service.

Other options include utilizing Saturdays, extending the school year or extending 36 school days by a half hour. Since a lot of winter remains, the district could again apply for a waiver for any additional missed days that may occur.

In an unrelated matter, the board also had its first reading of a proposed district cell phone policy.

"We've had some concerns with parents and cell phones," McNary said.

One issue that's occurred involves students sending threatening text messages to each other while riding in district buses, McNary said.

"We have not had any problems with staff," McNary added.

As originally proposed, the policy states student cell phones "must be turned off during the school day in order that the normal instructional day is not violated."

The proposal also states, "Exceptions to this rule may be established by individual instructors for individual students who are in what may be considered to be emergency situations...Exceptions should be very rare."

The student section of the proposal concludes with, "Cell phones must be turned off while riding district transportation to and from school." Violations will be handled by individual teachers in adherence with the student handbook.

Board President Dr. Ed Maisey said he knows some teachers don't want cell phones in the classroom. At the same time, Maisey expressed concern about not allowing students to use their cell phones on buses.

"In the past, I have enjoyed talking to my son or daughter on the bus," he said. "I would like to have them have the cell phone use on the bus."

As for staff, the proposal states, "Cell phones must be turned off while students are in the classroom in order that the normal instructional day is not violated."

Exceptions for staff, "may be established with pre-approval of the administration for staff that is in what may be considered to be emergency situations...Exceptions should be very rare."

The proposal also states, "Should regular phone lines malfunction during the school day, staff is encouraged to activate their cell phones."

Maisey said there isn't a need to address staff in the policy proposal.

McNary is to take comments from Tuesday's meeting and incorporate them into a rewrite of the proposal for a second reading.

In other matters, the board:

*Approved a contract for new principal Chad Abel. Abel obtained his administrative degree from Northern State University in Aberdeen, S.D., this past December, McNary said. He previously taught in New Mexico for just over six years in a rural district that is similar to District #8, McNary added.

Originally from Lemmon, Abel is receiving a base salary of $25,000 on a contract that began Jan. 26 and ends June 30, 2009. Abel also is receiving a benefit package.

*Accepted the resignation of instructor Dianne Cockrell effective Jan. 20 due to health reasons.

*Received a recognition petition from the District #8 Teacher Education Association to be identified as the negotiating group for teacher contracts. However, the petition did not include the signatures of the required majority of teachers in the district to be recognized as the official bargaining unit. Eleven teachers must sign the petition to create a majority.