BOARD SETS DATES FOR ELECTION FILING

JACKSON -- The three Jackson Board of Education members whose terms end this spring offer only a definite maybe when asked if they will run again.

Darrell Hanschen, Vicky McDowell and T. Wayne Lewis are up for re-election on April 2, 1996, if they decide to run again. All three candidates said they might, but they wanted to wait until filing opens to officially announce their decisions.

Candidates may begin filing at 8 a.m. Jan. 2 and continue until 5 p.m. Jan. 30. They must declare their intention to run in person and in writing at the board office.

Members serve for three years on the seven-person board.

During a meeting Tuesday night, board members voted to give Jackson students more recognition by passing resolutions honoring the successful students and teams. Resolutions will be printed on parchment, stamped with the school seal and presented to the honored students.

First to receive the resolutions will be the Jackson High School football team, the three first-team all-state football players and the two All-State Band members.

"I've never been associated with a team like this," Dr. Howard Jones, superintendent, said. "This was a remarkable achievement. And to know that we have a first-chair lead alto sax player -- it seems to me that those kids need to be recognized."

Jackson High School's football team was second in the state after playing in the Class 4A championship game.

The resolution passed Tuesday recognizes the team's success and sportsmanship, which "brought significant recognition and honor to the players, coaches, the school district and the community." It makes special note of Chris Inman, Nathan Norman and Glen Brunke, who were named as first-team all-state players.

The resolution also congratulates head coach Carl Gross and the rest of the coaching staff.

School board members passed a different resolution honoring Nicole Schwent, the first-chair alto saxophone player Jones mentioned, and Amy Aufdenberg, who plays second-chair contra-clarinet in the Missouri All-State Band.

Board member Vicky McDowell expressed concern that some students would be overlooked in the resolution process, but Jones assured her that club sponsors, principals and teachers would report all notable achievements to him.

Jones will be developing a policy to determine which students will merit resolutions.

In other action, the board approved a contract with architect John Dudley, appointing him to draft plans for improvements proposed by the Facilities Review Committee. The committee is considering a bond issue with several elements to it, including expansion at various schools.

During the informational portion of Tuesday's meeting, Jones explained his policy on closing school due to inclement weather.

The policy has been put to the test with recent bad weather. Jackson canceled school at 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 8 when more than four inches of snow fell in Cape Girardeau County.

There was a little snow, rain and freezing rain Tuesday, and a few schools in the area canceled classes. Jackson didn't, and the school had its basketball game that night.

Jones said he and Jean Kurre, the school district's transportation director, drive a set route during inclement weather, then get together to decide if classes should be canceled. They will try to make future decisions before 11 a.m. so buses won't pick up all the afternoon kindergarten students and then take them right back home.