Bloomfield scores well on performance report, sets filing dates for election

The Bloomfield School District scored a 14 on the Missouri School Improvement Program Annual Performance Report, which was approved by the board of education at their regular meeting Monday night.

Superintendent Nicholas Thiele said it was the first time in his career that a district in which he was an administrator had received that high of a score.

The board also set the dates for filing for the 2010 school election. The opening date for filing is Dec. 16, 2009 and the closing date is Jan. 19, 2010. Board members whose terms expire in 2010 are Don Lafferty and Dave Cooper.

The district met all the standards reviewed in the annual performance report except career education placement in the high school. Thiele said that the district missed meeting that standard by one student and was still working on data in that area. The district met the standards in grades 3-8 for mathematics and communication arts, and in high school for the ACT, advanced courses, career education courses, college placement, graduation rate, attendance rate and sub-group achievement.

"To get a 14 is pretty darn good," said Thiele. "This is the first time I've been in a district where a 14 was made."

Thiele said the board should do something to reward the teachers and staff. He asked that the board wait until the final score is certain before deciding what to do for the staff.

In other action the board approved renewal of the district's liability insurance though the Missouri United School Insurance Council at a cost of $83,615 for the next school year. Thiele said the amount represented no increase from the past year. He noted that the district would be receiving a 10 percent discount, a result of fewer claims in the past year. Thiele said the 10 percent discount was to all districts who are insured through the plan. Thiele discussed an option to increase the liability coverage, with the insurance council offering up to $10 million in umbrella coverage. The district has a $2.5 million liability cap in their current plan. No changes were made by the board.

The board was also informed of the Veterans Day ceremony to be held Nov. 11 in the high school gym beginning at 10 a.m. High School Principal Eric Boles said he sent out personal letters of invitation to all elected officials, veterans representatives and others in the community. He praised Rep. Billy Pat Wright who has attended every year since the school began the program.