The Creswell School Board met Wednesday, Sept. 12 for the first meeting of the school year, where they discussed new business, as well as reports on enrollment, transportation and technical updates.
Board Chair Tim Rogers appointed board directors to three 2018 to 2019 committees. David Eusted, Mike Anderson and Lacey Risdal will chair the labor management committee, with Rogers as an alternate; Natalie Smathers and Paul Randall will chair the public relations committee; and Smathers and Kandice Lemhouse Worsham will chair the policy committee, which will meet as needed.
The Oregon Department of Education redesigned the school and district report cards, which will be released next month. A presenter from ODE will also attend next month’s meeting to discuss the change. Superintendent Todd Hamilton showed a preview of the cards. The change focuses on how schools appraise learning, student performance and extracurriculars. Hamilton said that the new cards are more user friendly for parents.
Joel Hidgen, director of technology and maintenance, reported that the district revamped its technology. Three new portable computer labs were added to Creswell High School (CHS), increasing the total of portable labs to seven; CHS replaced its library computer lab; an additional portable computer lab was added to Creswell Middle School (CMS), raising that total to seven; CMS created a 40 count iPad lab and Creslane Elementary (CES) has a new lab of 32 iPads; and district special services added 10 new iPads and 20 new Chromebook laptops to their inventory. With these new changes, the total technological device inventory available for students is 967.
Beyond technology, the district has a new substitute school bus driver as well, Linda Bauders, who was mentioned in Transportation Supervisor Sarah Hanson’s report.
The school district has also seen an overall increase in student enrollment. A report created by Hamilton compares the current enrollment to that of last October and June. As a note, September enrollment includes students who have not attended and registration for new students may still be being processed.
As of Sept. 12, CES has 614 students, up from last October’s 567 and June’s 572; CMS has 286 students, down from last October’s 298 but up from June’s 279; and CHS has 364 students, up from last October’s 352 and June’s 334.
Total school district enrollment, which includes Lane Education Service District, is 1,293 students – also up from October’s 1,253 and June’s 1,219 students.
The board adjourned at 8:05 p.m. The board will reconvene for a work session meeting Oct. 3rd at 6:30, and its regular meeting on Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend.
