by Kate Evans
The Morgan County School Board approved the memorandum of understanding between the Morgan County Board of Education, the Morgan County Tennis Association, Morgan County Parks and Recreation and the Morgan County Commission at the December 15 school board meeting.
The memorandum of understanding establishes a basis for the school board and the tennis association for the maintenance, disposal, planning, financing and joint use of the Warm Springs Middle School tennis facility. The agreement is in force until June 30, 2030 and automatically renewed annually after that unless amended or terminated by a majority of school board members at a regular school board meeting.
The memorandum states that the tennis courts and equipment can be used by the Morgan County Tennis Association, Morgan County Parks & Recreation and the Morgan County Commission when there’s no conflict with regular school activities.
The priority of use order is the Morgan County School Board, the Morgan County Tennis Association, Morgan County Parks and Recreation and the Morgan County Commission. School curricular or co-curricular programs will have priority in the use of school facilities.
The school district and other organizations can charge fees for non-school programs, leagues and any for-profit groups wanting to use the facility for tennis-related activities only.
General spring/summer maintenance including mowing, weed trimming, filling court cracks, general cleanup and trash removal will be done by the Board of Education maintenance crew.
Court resurfacing, roadway accessway, parking lot and facility capital improvements aren’t included in general maintenance, it was noted.
The school board also approved Pay Application #3 totaling $5,400 to Craig Paving, Inc. for the Warm Springs Middle School tennis courts.
Policies
In other school board business, members gave a first reading of a number of policies that included Functions 0130, Meetings 0160, Public Complaints 9130, Use of Tobacco by Students 5512, Use of Tobacco on School Premises 7434, Public Information Program 9120, Alternative School Programs 2451, Dress and Grooming 5511, Student Assistance Programs 5531, Student Discipline 5600, Student Complaints 5710, Staff/Student Participation in Community Events 9600 and Promotion, Acceleration, Placement and Retention 5410.
Other policies that had a first reading were School Safety 8400, Establishment/Assessment of County Goals 1110, Meeting State Accountability Measures 2114, District and School Improvement 2120, Local School Improvement Council 2120.01, Nondiscrimination and Equal Employment Opportunity 3122 and 4122, Weapons 5772, District and School Report Card 2261.03, Staff Evaluation 4220 and School Choice Options 5113.02.
School board president Aaron Close was happy about the 1-1 computer initiative and said he’d seen more staff and student engagement with the devices. Close hoped the Chromebooks will improve learning, engagement and learning Schoology.
School board member John Rowland and school board vice-president Pete Gordon both acknowledged Jeanne Mozier’s passing and how much she had done for the schools and the community.
Rowland recognized how Mozier saved the day for students attending national track competitions in California by organizing a musical concert with local bands including Critton Hollow String Band at the Star Theater to raise the money so the kids could go. They finished third.
“She will be missed,” Rowland said.
Gordon said when he was deciding whether or not to become a teacher, Mozier told him “if teaching is in your heart, you ought to go into teaching.” Gordon became a middle school and high school math teacher before retiring from teaching and serving on the school board.
