BUS-RIDING RULE LIFTED BY CAPE SCHOOL BOARD

Road construction in Cape Girardeau isn't just a hassle for drivers, but for students who must walk to school every day.

Cape Girardeau School District policy prohibits students who live within a mile of a school from riding a bus. But with hazardous road conditions and construction, 52 students who live within a mile of the school they attend are riding buses.

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education agreed that no more than 65 students can ride buses to school. The policy exception was approved at a board meeting Monday night.

"It's nice to have the leeway," said superintendent, Dr. Neyland Clark. He said the district also will receive state funding for the increase in transportation costs.

To compensate for the additional passengers and overcrowding, the board also approved the leasing of another bus for full-time routes.

The agreement with Ryder Student Transportation will cost the district about $125 a day.

Last year the district spent about $396,000 for the leased buses; this year's amount was set at $480,000.

In other action, the board and administration agreed to study the issue of inequities in extra-service pay. Charlene Peyton, president of the Community Teachers Association, addressed what she called unequal pay for cafeteria supervision.

Elementary-school personnel are paid $835 annually and secondary-school personnel $1,500 annually.

"We just want equal pay for equal work," Peyton said. "I think that's the fair way to do anything."

The difference in pay began when some parents volunteered for the elementary duty and then additional personnel was hired, said board member C. John Ritter.

The administration is aware of the problems and will try to find a solution at a meeting today, Clark said.

Faculty members are also concerned about not having someone to handle computer problems like viruses and installing complicated programs, Peyton said.. There is no full-time employee to repair computers in the district, and teachers are concerned that the lack of someone could mean the loss of working computers, Peyton said.

"The access is worthless unless it's usable," she said.

In other action, the board voted to approve the sale of a house built by Vocational-Technical School students. After a 1 1/2 hour closed session, Board President Bob Fox announced the sale. The house at 2432 Melrose was built last year.