Mar 25, 2013 3 min read

MAPLETOWN – Southeastern Greene School Board authorized district administrators Monday to consider the feasibility of starting a pre-kindergarten program in the district.

The district has never had a pre-kindergarten program. Superintendent William Henderson said the board’s motion will allow him to consider the costs of starting one and determine whether it can be funded by the district’s budget.

A pre-kindergarten program would probably be open to children ages four and five. “The sooner we can get the students into school, the better,” said board member Janet Pennington.

Pennington said the board has been in favor of starting a pre-kindergarten program for several years. The program will be district run, though the district also probably will investigate if any grant programs might be available to help fund it, she said.

Henderson said he hopes to have the matter decided in time to start the pre-kindergarten program next school year.

In other business, the board voted to notify Nutrition Inc. the district does not intend to enter a new agreement with it for food service management for the 2013-14 school year.

The district plans to discuss sharing the services of a food service administrator with the Jefferson-Morgan School District. Henderson said following the meeting that the district is discussing the matter with Jefferson-Morgan though nothing is final.

The board re-affirmed a motion it made last month to hire Bryan Smith as an armed school police officer. The motion when it was presented last month was amended and the board voted on the amendment but apparently not on the motion to hire.

The board Monday also authorized the administration to hire a security firm to provide another armed officer for the district. This will allow an armed officer at each of the district’s schools.

The firm must provide an officer with the required certification. Henderson said the security firm will provide an officer on a temporary basis until the district can hire one full time.

Board member Tom Howard voted against both motions, saying he didn’t believe the district needed or should have armed guards in the schools on a full-time basis.

The board voted to accept a bid from Maffei Straver Furnishings for an amount not to exceed $68,850 to replace the bleachers in the high school. The bleachers will be replaced in July.

The board accepted a bid of $700 received by the county tax claim bureau for a tax-delinquent property in Moffit. A woman had completed the required documents at tax claim and received approval of the bid from other taxing bodies, the county and township.

Prior to approving the bid, however, another woman in the audience said she would like to buy the property and had been told by the tax claim bureau to attend the school board meeting.

The board approved the $700 bid. Board member Rick Barzanti questioned why the second bidder had been sent by tax claim to the board meeting. Board member Virginia Eberhart also later asked administrators to contact tax claim about their policies and procedures so the board didn’t find itself in the same position again.