CAPE SCHOOLS: REGULATIONS CHANGED FOR NAMING OF SCHOOLS

What will Cape Girardeau's new elementary school be named?

An 11-member ad hoc committee once again gets the task of making that recommendation to the Cape Girardeau Board of Education.

The school board approved a change in its naming policy Monday night after having suspended the committee's action last month to reconsider making the change.

The new policy does not designate whether a person be living or deceased to have their name considered. The old policy, which was adopted in 1992, required that a person be dead for at least three years before their name could be considered.

While he doesn't think there is anything inherently wrong with the new policy, board member Bob Blank spoke in defense of the old one. Referring to the possibility of a person for whom a school is named later embarrassing the district, Blank said, "A deceased person can do very little to change habits that might later be embarrassing."

However, the policy change was approved unanimously.

Now the ad hoc school-naming committee must meet to consider its ever-growing list of suggested names for the new school. The committee meets Friday at noon.

Assistant Superintendent David Giles said he received a dozen or more names in the mail Monday, but some were duplicates of the 46 already on the list.

Once the committee gets back to work, the building no longer will be called "blank elementary" said Ferrell Ervin, board president.

Ervin expects the committee to make its top-three recommendations by the time the board meets in December.

The committee was asked to recommend three names for the building but in no ranking order. Each recommendation must include a rationale as why it is fitting.

The board's policy now says that a building can be named for a person, place or thing:

1) "for persons who have made an outstanding contribution to the success of a school, the school district or education generally; and, or in honor of presidents, statesmen, civic leaders, craftsmen, writers, artists and educators of national, state or local acclaim; and, or in honor of 'heroes' of the nation, state or community.

2) "for places or things that have special meaning to the nation, state or community; inspire and enhance educational, civic, and spiritual ethics, morals and values; commemorative events, places or things that promote American ideals.:

In other business, the board gave its approval in concept of a new athletic foundation.

Ted Yates, who had asked the board last month to consider the formation of an athletic foundation, again asked Monday for the board's approval. The issue had been tabled last month to allow attorneys to look at the documents.

Yates said the recommended changes had been made to the bylaws and constitution. The board had asked that the superintendent and athletic director be voting members instead of ex officio members and that a representative from the school board be added to the foundation board.

The Tiger Athletic Foundation will consist of community members who support the school district's athletic programs. It is the first for Cape Girardeau public schools.

The district has a school foundation, but it isn't centered wholly on athletic programs, said Superintendent Dr. Dan Tallent.

Cape Girardeau Board of Education

Monday, Nov. 16

Central Junior High School Cafeteria

Old business

Action items

-- Approved the 1998-99 budget.

-- Approved change in board policy on naming schools.

-- Approved creation of an athletic foundation based on review of final documents.

New business

-- Approved consent agenda items.

-- Paid bills.

Miscellaneous

Action items

-- Approved fund transfer of 41,208,588.19 from general fund to special revenue fund for October payroll.

-- Accepted bid from Strickland Engineering in amount of $4,900 for technical energy study at Franklin Elementary School. Other bid amounts were $6,400 from Zurheide-Hermann Engineering; $9,950 from McClure Engineering; $22,500 from Ross & Baruzzini Engineering.

-- Accepted bid from Commerce Bank for interest rate in amount of 4.55 percent, equal to 90-day T-bill rate for Tax Anticipation note. Other bids were 5.175 percent interest from Nations Bank and 5.08 percent from Mercantile Bank.

-- Approved $5.55 per month per individual increase in board paid insurance from Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan. Increase will bring individual payments to $177.20 from $171.65 per individual.

Closed session to consider specifications for competitive bidding.

Adjournment.