‘But it’s no panic’

The February gross production tax income to Hennessey Public Schools “took a slight drop,” said Superintendent Dr. Mike Woods at the Feb. 11 school board meeting.

“But it’s no panic,” Woods added.

The return is $244,130.

“We’re in good financial shape,” he said, “but we will watch those numbers.”

The February return was the lowest for this 2018-19 school year and the total for the past eight months is $2.31 million. That compares with $2.345 million for the 12 months in 2017-18 and $1.059 million for 2016-17.

Schools share in 7.14 percent of county gross production taxes.

During his monthly report, the superintendent also told the board he continues to “explore” adding a 3-year-old program.

There is no sufficient space in the school’s early childhood center, he’d said at an earlier meeting. Last week he said it wasn’t possible to have it at the local nursing home.

Some other districts had held their 3-year centers at adult care facilities.

Woods said he is looking at a couple of possibilities of holding the classes at churches.

Work continues on the dome and he has asked David Fuksa for costs on doing the west parking lot since they were going to have more need for it with the upcoming graduation, and for the completion of the dome in November.

He reported that lighting at the front of the high school had been installed, as have the lights in the parking lot south of the high school, but OG&E is working on two of those lights.

Teachers of the Month are Janell Riddle (elementary) and Megan Karsten (mid-high school).

Student Trips to

Washington D.C. and

London/Paris

The board approved an Education First educational tours program for mid-high school students to be organized by STREAM teacher Kim Fehring.

“Travel is a great education in and unto itself,” Fehring told the board about a trip to Washington, D.C. for eighth grade students and a trip to London and Paris for high school students.

The vote to approve the program includes a later determination about when the trips will be scheduled.

Adults would also be allowed to go and pay their own way.

The trips would be during spring break.

Parents could make monthly pre-payments for 24 months when their student is a sixth grader so they could take the trip as an eighth grader.

The five-day D.C. trip would cost $2,069 for students, $2,369 for adults and include airfare, lodging and two meals a day, along with sight-seeing interests.

The international eight-to-nine day trip for high school students would cost $2,865 for students under 20 years old and $3,365 for adults. Payments could be made over a 14-month period.

Both students and adults would have to meet guidelines set by the school, and the school would need 40 to sign up for it to be a “private tour.” Otherwise, Hennessey could invite other schools to join.

Woods said when he was with the Drummond schools they used the program and Fehring said it was also used successfully at schools where she has taught.

The school will sponsor the trip, but Education First Explore America will be in charge of all arrangements and payments.

The vote to approve the trip was 4-1. Voting in favor were President Cristopher Choate, Vice President Patrick Griffin, Clerk Joe Garrison and Luke Lough. Dr. James M. Matousek voted no.

Football Field Turf

Presentation

Geo-Surfaces made a 45-minute presentation to the board on field turf for the football field. Reps told the board that the cost would be $650,000.

The item was not on the agenda for action.

“Coaches were at a team camp in Pawhuska and saw the turf while at the camp and liked it, so they asked the company to make a presentation to the board,” Woods said after the meeting.

Football coaches Rick Luetjen and Nathan Hill were at the meeting.

Other Business

The board approved the following:

— Certified teachers who assist with Odyssey-ware (online courses) will receive $200 in extra duty pay upon completion of the courses.

— Set the sale of $1.475 million in taxable building bonds for noon March 15 at the administration building.

— A policy on the sick leave sharing program was updated.