On Monday, Jan. 11, the Monroe school board:
• Learned it has been awarded $35,000 in grant money over the next three years to implement Project Lead The Way. The project is a nonprofit organization that promotes pre-engineering courses for middle and high school students by forming partnerships between public schools, the private sector and higher education institutions, according to the group's Web site. When applying for the grant this fall, the district said it plans to offer two sections of an introductory PLTW course next fall. Superintendent Larry Brown said staff will present more information on PLTW at the board's Jan. 25 meeting.
• Approved hiring an additional aide at Parkside Elementary School to work with non-native English-speaking and other students needing additional help. Joe Monroe, director of student services for the district, said the additional position is needed to supplement existing staff. The cost of the position, including wages and benefits, is estimated at $40,000 per year; the position was approved for the remainder of the 2009-2010 school year, so the cost this year would be about $20,000. However, Monroe said, it is likely the position will also be needed next year.
• Determined, by drawing lots, the order of names for the spring election. Names on the school board ballot, in order, will be Les Bieneman, Laurie Genz Prien, Brian Keith and Scott Schmidt. All are currently on the board. No other names were submitted to be on the ballot. The top three vote-getters will serve three-year terms; the fourth vote-getter will serve a one-year term.
- Mary Jane Grenzow
• Learned it has been awarded $35,000 in grant money over the next three years to implement Project Lead The Way. The project is a nonprofit organization that promotes pre-engineering courses for middle and high school students by forming partnerships between public schools, the private sector and higher education institutions, according to the group's Web site. When applying for the grant this fall, the district said it plans to offer two sections of an introductory PLTW course next fall. Superintendent Larry Brown said staff will present more information on PLTW at the board's Jan. 25 meeting.
• Approved hiring an additional aide at Parkside Elementary School to work with non-native English-speaking and other students needing additional help. Joe Monroe, director of student services for the district, said the additional position is needed to supplement existing staff. The cost of the position, including wages and benefits, is estimated at $40,000 per year; the position was approved for the remainder of the 2009-2010 school year, so the cost this year would be about $20,000. However, Monroe said, it is likely the position will also be needed next year.
• Determined, by drawing lots, the order of names for the spring election. Names on the school board ballot, in order, will be Les Bieneman, Laurie Genz Prien, Brian Keith and Scott Schmidt. All are currently on the board. No other names were submitted to be on the ballot. The top three vote-getters will serve three-year terms; the fourth vote-getter will serve a one-year term.
- Mary Jane Grenzow