Jackson school board passes new strategic plan

A new strategic plan that's been in the works for months in the Jackson School District is official after school-board members approved it at their meeting Tuesday night.

"I think we've painted with a broad enough brush that we're doing what we need to be doing for our community," superintendent John Link said before the board voted to adopt the plan.

It provides for boosting technology in the district, as well as finding alternate funding sources and ensuring students have built-in opportunities for community service.

A facilities study also underway in conjunction with the strategic plan is finished but in a discussion phase, Link said.

The study looks at hotspots for growth in the school district, along with traffic flow in and out of existing buildings and attempts to find what new buildings or classrooms might be needed in the future.

Link said the study should be ready for board review just before or after the August board meeting.

As for the overall strategic plan, Link said he will present it to teachers during a back-to-school kickoff breakfast Aug. 10. It then will be posted online for public inspection.

"It's a document that's going to be living and breathing, and we want everyone to hold us accountable," Link said.

The plan will be reviewed annually, but Link assured board members provisions could be tweaked as needed.

Also at Tuesday's meeting, the board approved 16 policies, some of which were new and others that were updated or rescinded according to state mandates.

Many of them dealt with being required to get bids and keep inventory on items bought with federal money.

Also, federal funds cannot be used to pay moving expenses.

One policy requires the district to seek competitive bids on audits every three years. Another establishes three bereavement days for professional staff members; they previously had to use vacation or sick days when a loved one died.

In other business, the board also approved using $71,580 to install electricity regulators from C3 Green Energy at the high school and East Elementary school.

One will keep power surges from inflating utility bills at the elementary school, while two units will be installed at the high school to make electrical usage more efficient there.

Rodney Bollinger, Jackson's public works director, said the devices should pay for themselves within two years and reduce the schools' electricity costs well into the future.

"I think it's going to be a good investment," he said.

ljones@semissourian.com

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