2006 SHS graduates doing well

SIKESTON -- Most of Sikeston High School's graduating class of 2006 are either employed or attending college, a district report says.

Dr. Larry Bohannon, assistant superintendent of professional development and secondary education, briefed the Sikeston Board of Education with a follow-up report of the 2006 graduates during the board's regular meeting Tuesday.

The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education requires districts to follow up on their career and technology and high school graduates each year, Bohannon told the board.

Of the 212 graduates from the 2005-2006 school year, 106 are attending a four-year college, and 12 are attending a two-year college. Sixty-eight graduates are employed; six graduates are serving in the military, and two are attending a non-college.

"We had four (graduates) we couldn't find, and 14 in the 'others' category, which usually others means unemployed," Bohannon said. "We had 91.5 percent placement and that's very good. ... We're very pleased with anything over 80 percent."

The board also approved change orders for the Math and Science Center and awarded various bids throughout the meeting.

Change order no. 6 to Miller Drywall was approved in the amount of $737 for the extension of two portions of some walls in the Math and Science Center.

The board also authorized changing the order of the following bid packages, which are associated with water damage that occurred Dec. 31 in the Math and Science Center: change order No. 7 to Miller Drywall in the amount of $84,601; change order No. 3 to Schneider Electric Co. for $780; change order No. 2 to Division 10 Inc. for $2,165; change order No. 2 to K&K Construction and Mechanical for $3,341; and change order No. 1 to Montgomery Martin Contractors for $25,221.

Superintendent Steve Borgsmiller noted all of the change orders associated with water damage are covered by insurance.

Board Vice President Paul Boyd asked Borgsmiller if these change orders will be the only ones related to the water damage at the Center.

"Those are things I know that are out there right now," Borgsmiller said. The board awarded the bid of four dishwashers for $249 each and one refrigerator for $449 for use at the Math and Science Center to the low bidder Sears.

Due to the district's local bidder preference policy, Calbert Photography of Sikeston was awarded the elementary group pictures bid for $5 per picture. In other business Tuesday, the retirements of Vicki Bullard, Jeanne Burke, Donna Fox, Shirley Mobley and Randy Thompson; and the resignations of Kim Hill, Angela Payne and Charon Chy were accepted.

The board approved the non-tenured teaching staff for the 2007-2008 school year. Board members approved the employment of new staff members for the new school year: Courtney Ivey and Angela Zorbas for the elementary grades, Stephanie Aldrich for the middle grades and John Parsons for secondary grades.

Board members appointed Sharon Black, Ellen Brandom and Dan Jennings to the Education Foundation Board of Trustees. Their terms began Tuesday and will end March 8, 2010.

School will not be in session March 23 due to the district teacher's meeting.