By SANDI ROBERTS

There wasn’t a work session on Dec. 4, so the first meeting of the month was a short Board of Education meeting Dec. 11. President Galvin was ill, so Vice President Doris Dilley presided over the meeting.

Superintendent Philip Heery started his report by congratulating Rachael Dix for being named the Atlantic City Press Field Hockey Player of the Year and presented her with a certificate of achievement from the board.

Jerel Santiago, who wasn’t present to receive his certificate, was named First Team CAL for football. Heery then went on to say that the district will receive a $1,000 award to be used for safety projects from the Atlantic County Joint Insurance Fund for being in the Elite 2 category.

In the public portion, a player from the girls’ basketball team requested that the board sponsor an ad in their book. Board members voted for a $100 ad.

Student representative, Yaser Khalid asked how one went about bringing an international sport such as cricket to the High School. He was advised to talk with Principal Darren Hickman and Athletic Director Brett Charleston.

Rhett Williamson, student representative, reported that the Fast for Darfur raised between $700 and $800. Participants were asked to give up something such as their coffee and donate the money to the cause.

Under committee reports, the Policy Committee will meet at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 31. The public is invited to attend.

Jay Kearns, chairman of the Building and Grounds Committee, scheduled a meeting for Jan. 16 which will not be open to the public. Kearns said the first phase of the High School project will go out to bid in January and will be completed by September 2009. The second phase is to go out to bid in February and will be finished in September 2010.

An open-to-the-public Athletics and Activities Committee meeting was scheduled for 6 p.m. Jan. 9. All meetings will be held in the Board of Education Room of the Alder Avenue Middle School.

Personnel

The contract of Stephanie Oster, Fernwood Middle School seventh-grade science, was extended to fill the position created with the extension of C. Logue’s maternity/child rearing leave until June 30.

Amy Weiss, speech/language specialist for the Alder and Fernwood middle schools, will begin Jan. 2 or upon confirmation of receipt of emergency certification. Weiss replaces K. Heyman who resigned.

Jenney Dilks, Davenport Spanish, revised her maternity/child rearing leave. It was Jan. 2-Sept.1, 2008. It will change to Dec. 10- Sept. 1.

Stephen Schweizer, High School Social Studies, will be on medical leave of absence from Dec. 11 to Jan. 2.

Joseph Palumbo resigned as High School indoor guard advisor.

The next regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting will take place 8 p.m. Jan. 8 in the Board of Education Room of the Alder Avenue Middle School.

Awhile ago, I was requested to obtain the percentage of population qualifying for free or reduced lunches for the elementary schools. They are as follows based on the Oct. 15 figures sent to the state.

Free Lunch Reduced Lunch

Davenport 11% Davenport 31%

Slaybaugh 7% Slaybaugh 15%

Swift 8% Swift 15%

These figures show a slight improvement over previous years due to the redistricting that took place this year. There could be additional balancing, but there would be trade-offs. Some students would no longer be attending a neighborhood school, would be riding the bus for much longer time and transportation costs would increase.

Also, due to the higher percentages, Davenport is a Title 1 school. This means that there are federal funds that provide for additional supplemental instruction throughout the school year and for summer school opportunities. Title 1 teachers receive additional professional development to increase the skills of remedial students. Also, there is a Title 1 parent coordinator, Jamesella Johnson, at Davenport, who holds about five parents’ meetings per year to assist parents in being partners in education.

Happy Holidays to everyone. My column will resume in January after the Jan. 8 Board of Education meeting.