Board is also making changes to make drop-off, pick-up procedures safer

By HOLLY WAGNER

Herald-Whig Staff Writer

CAMP POINT, Ill. -- The Central School Board set Aug. 18 as the start of the 2008-09 school year, a 180-day year that will end May 20 if no snow days are needed.

The district is moving the calendar start-date earlier despite the August heat to get as much of the school year in as possible before state assessments in the spring, Superintendent Martin Cook said.

"That's one of the outcomes of No Child Left Behind," he said. "We want to get more classroom time before state testing."

The board also requested a waiver from the state that will allow it to hold school on state holidays if needed. The waiver is good for five years.

The board approved several changes to student policies. The changes addressed penalties for students who do not have a change of clothes for physical education classes and eligibility for extracurricular activities. The board also clarified the cell phone policy. Students may have cell phones in school but they are to be turned off and stored in lockers or purses. Students who violate the rules will receive a warning for a first offense, detention for a second offense, and phones will be taken away and held for parents to pick up for a third offense.

The board is also making changes to make the Camp Point Elementary School drop-off and pick-up procedure safer. Parents will be asked to wait at the office when coming to pick up children, and the street to the west of the school may become one way during school hours.

The district is also looking at how it identifies students as low-income and eligible for Title I services and how it assesses growth for those students.

"The procedures aren't as good as I'd like," Cook said. He is seeking guidelines from the State Board of Education and wants to make procedures consistent throughout the district.

Athletic director Matt Long reported on cooperative agreements for sports with other districts. The board agreed to let Little League use the district's facilities over the summer.

The board learned that School Response Team exercises held at the elementary and middle school in early April went well, and that exercises will be next held in September. Cameras and intercoms have been installed at both schools.

-- hwagner@whig.com/221-3374