MP schools select interim director of instruction

BY KARYN SPORY

Mt. Pleasant News

The Mt. Pleasant Community School District has filled the director of instruction and technology position, at least for the coming year.

Pat Shier was selected as the interim director of instruction and technology.

?Pat comes to us from the AEA (Great Prairie Area Education Agency), having been there for many, many years and is highly qualified to help us and fill in this year as we move forward with our curriculum,? said interim superintendent Linda Brock.

The director of instruction and technology position became vacant following the resignation of Darren Hanna in July. At the time, the board decided to first fill the superintendent position and then begin looking for a new director of instruction. In both instances, the board agreed to fill the spots with an interim and spend the next year conducting a full search for permanent replacements.

During the meeting, the board heard from Middle School Principal Jason Martinez about the 1:1 laptop initiative.

Martinez said prep for the initiative rollout was going smoothly and even ahead of schedule.

Students are set to receive their MacBook Pro laptops in October. Students will keep the same laptops, returning them during summer vacation, from sixth through eighth grade. Once in high school, they would receive a new laptop, which they would keep until graduation, summer vacations excluded. The high school is intending to begin their 1:1 laptop initiative next school year. However, High School Principal Todd Liechty doesn?t know if his school will be ready for the technology.

?We need to define what we expect these devices to do and then give the teachers training,? said Liechty.

Lonny Morrow, school board vice president, said he thought that?s what this year was for, to devise plans on how and what to use the technology for and train the teachers accordingly.

?When it comes our time, we?re either going to be ready or we?re not going to be ready and we won?t spend the money,? said Liechty.

Martinez said he would be available to Liechty to discuss implementation of the program.

In other business, the board approved revisions to the 2015-2016 school calendar. The change comes for parent/teacher conferences. The first round of conferences will be Thursday, Nov. 5 and Friday, Nov. 6. Students will be dismissed at noon on Nov. 5, and conferences will be from 1 to 8:30 p.m. On Nov. 6, teachers will be available from 8 a.m. to noon. The same principle will apply to spring parent/teacher conferences on Thursday, March 31, and Friday, April 1.

Lastly, Brock reminded the school board members and audience that school board elections would be held on Tuesday, Sept. 8. With the resignation of Brad Holtkamp, all but one seat, that of President Regina Erickson, will be on the ballot.

The next meeting of the MP school board will be held on Monday, Sept. 21, at 7 p.m., in the High School Media Center.