At Wednesday's Fulton Public Schools Board of Education meeting, several students were recognized for their recent achievements and awards.
The meeting began with a performance from the FHS saxophone quartet, which recently received silver medals at the State Music Festival.
FHS band members, choir students and winter athletes were recognized by the board for their accomplishments during the school year.
Todd Gray, battalion chief at Fulton Fire Department, thanked the district for their assistance with a crash that involved a school bus in April.
The board heard a yearly report about the A+ Schools Program from Jessica Geldner, A+ Schools Program Coordinator.
The goal of this program is for FHS students to achieve more during their high school and post-high school career.
FPS has participated in the A+ Scholarship Program for 28 years.
271 out of 644 students (42 percent) enrolled in A+ tutoring for the 2022-23 school year. This is a slight decrease in participation from the 2021-22 school year, when 46 percent of students were enrolled.
Chris Hubbuch, assistant superintendent, gave the board an update on the district's curriculum.
MAP and EOC testing will finish on May 19. Preliminary results from those exams should be available for the district to review by July.
Summer school will be June 5-30 at Bush Elementary and Fulton High School. Transportation, breakfast and lunch are provided.
The high school summer program will have a morning and afternoon session. Course offerings this year include health, physical education, personal finance (virtual only) and ACT prep (virtual only).
Students must attend all four weeks and can only miss one day to earn credit for the courses.
Students participating in credit recovery will be dismissed from the program once they have shown the required mastery for the course.
The middle school summer program will have a morning session at FHS. Credit recovery is available for students in grades 6-8.
The elementary summer program will have a morning session as Bush Elementary. This program will be for students identified as performing below grade level in reading, writing or math.
The board discussed additional salary schedules for the 2023-24 school year. This includes an updated schedule for game and gate workers which now features additional workers for the video board in the new high school gym.
A bus trainer rate of $25 per hour was added. The crossing guard rate and summer maintenance rate were both removed.
The substitute teacher rates were increased for all nonconsecutive assignments (short term) from $95 for days 1-50 and $100 for days 50 and over to $115 per day.
For long term (day six and beyond for same class) the rate increased from $120 to $130.
The board passed this item.
The board discussed becoming a member of the Missouri Association of Rural Education (MARE). This is an organization that focuses on the needs and concerns unique to rural education.
The annual membership fee for the organization is $500. 408 schools are in MARE.
As a member of MARE, FPS would have a new Rural Missouri High School Senior Scholarship.
The board passed this item.
The board discussed bank depository services. Depository bid specifications were sent to four local institutions, three of which responded to the district.
The district decided to choose the Callaway Bank as the district depository with a fixed rate option. This option includes a fixed rate of 4.50 percent for the initial three-year term with no minimum balance. After the initial term, an optional reset of interest rates is offered.
The board passed this item.
The board discussed school photography for the 2023-24 school year. The district proposal sent to companies included a request for fall pictures, spring pictures, non-high school yearbooks and athletic activity pictures.
Three companies responded to the proposal. The board decided to chose Wagner Portrait Group for the upcoming school year, with an option for two additional years.
The board passed this item.
The board discussed various handbooks. Every year, handbooks are presented to the board for review and approval.
The board was given transportation, employee, activities, Fulton Early Childhood Center, elementary, Fulton Middle School and Fulton High School handbooks.
The board passed this item and adopted all of the handbooks.
The board discussed a request to the City of Fulton for a permanent utility easement.
This easement is on the school's property north of Fulton Early Childhood Center.
The utility easement would be 15 feet.
The board passed this item.
The board discussed FHS phase three parking and detention improvements.
For this project, five companies submitted bids. The board decided to select the bid from Don Schneiders Excavating for $837,000.
This project will be completed this summer.
The board passed this item.
The last item discussed by the board was for the Fulton Early Childhood Center kindergarten addition.
The board decided to select a bid from Prost Builders for $5,410,000.
The board passed this item.
A special session meeting of the board will be June 7 at 8 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Fulton Fellowship Hall.
The next regular meeting will be June 14 at 7 p.m.