The North Callaway School Board approved the implementation of a new School Flex Program at its regular meeting Tuesday.
The School Flex Program is designed to help 11 and 12 grade students to graduate in a timely manner even though the students enrolled in the program are attending less class hours. The program allows participating students to take a minimum of two hours of class during the school day as long as they can provide proof that they are enrolled in college or technical career education courses, or employed, according to the Education Commission of the States (ECS). Students at North Callaway High School typically have seven hours over the course of a regular school day, North Callaway High School Principal Matt Boyer said.
"This is a good opportunity for us to provide education and work preparedness for the students," board member Jenny Bondurant said.
In order to remain in the program, participating students must maintain a 95 percent attendance rate, refrain from behaviors that would end in disciplinary action including expulsion or suspension and meet diploma requirements through coursework, according to the ECS.
For North Callaway High School students the program will also be available to students who have an internship or participate in a volunteer program that is related to their career plan, according to documentation presented at the board meeting.
A student will be cut from the program if they don't meet attendance requirements, which is a maximum of four days a semester, if they fail to call and notify their employer of any necessary absences and if they commit any illegal or dishonest acts while at work, according to the document. In the case a student becomes unemployed, they have two weeks to find an alternative place of employment before a plan of action will be set in place by the coordinator and principal, according to the document.
The program works on a pass or fail basis. In order for students to pass the program they must meet the attendance requirements expected of them, complete assigned high school course work and complete a weekly log, or provide evidence of time spent at their alternative program, according to the document. Students using the program to attend college courses would be required to complete a full school day at the high school in the event the college is closed or courses are cancelled, Boyer said.
The board also discussed additional work pertaining to the bond update. Track work, which was agreed as part of the new bond, includes rerouting drain pipes to prevent draining onto the new track, constructing a walkway from the visitors' section to the concession stand and selecting a track color.
Based on figures provided by the contractor, the construction surrounding the track work would cost $87,175.47 and would still be unfinished when the school year begins due to rainfall, Superintendent Dr. Bryan Thomsen said. The board had expressed interest in making the new track green at an earlier meeting, however, the material for a green track would cost an additional $15,000, Thomsen said. A black track, which is made from recyclable material, would not carry an additional cost, he added.
The board agreed to make the new track black.
"We're going green by going black," board President Regan Love said.