MISSING NURSE POSITIONS
The most talked about topic at the school board meetings was the change in nursing staff. Within the first month of the new school year, two of the nurses retired and two new nurse assistants were hired, Sheryl Palmer and Evelyn Grant, to take over their positions. Both Palmer and Grant worked well with the students, but quit soon after the school year started. Many community members, including some teachers, spoke about this frustrating problem. One speaker was community member, and Freedom parent, Julia Benson.
“There are lots of kids in our district that require nurse’s attention on a daily basis, and they need to be available to be there in a moment’s notice if they are needed,” Benson said. Benson seems to think many things persuaded the ladies to quit their nursing positions, including low wages and too many students.
“We are working diligently to fill those positions with qualified professionals,” Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey Fuller said.
TOBACCO-FREE CAMPUS
A concerned kindergarten parent spoke about the tobacco policy. She was concerned about smoking during events on campus. She explained the need of a tobacco-free environment for her son and other children within the district.
“When I took my son to his Little Bulldogs game, he had to walk through the stadium’s entrance where many adults were smoking. This was a huge problem for my son and his asthma. There was also a designated bucket for cigarette butts during the game, but then when I came back to drop my son off to school on Monday, the bucket was still there from Saturday, filled with discarded butts,” the parent explained.
The parent mentioned purchasing a smoke-free campus sign as well as announcing that the campus is smoke-free at all events around campus.
“The sidewalk is borough property and an official rule for that sidewalk would be hard to enforce” board member Mr. Gilarno said.
During the Oct. 8 school board meeting, Fuller shared with the board and community members that tobacco-free campus signs were ordered and they will go up as soon as they are received.
FURTHER CONSTRUCTION
Finishing touches are being put on the elementary school. The construction crew is fixing a door in the office that is suppose to swing out, but, instead, swings in.
Also, an additional 25 pairs of copper cable were needed to complete the installation of both phone and fax lines throughout the school.
There was an extra light fixture that was installed along a stairway to illuminate the stairs going to the playground from Eighth Avenue.
Another set of bleachers were added to the current bleachers. The school board members voted to keep the new order of bleachers consistent with the other ones and make them red.
The next school board meetings will be on Nov. 5 and Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. in the middle school library.