NEW SUPERINTENDENT TO ATTEND BOARD MEETING

A new name and face will be introduced tonight when the Cape Girardeau Board of Education meets.

The district's new superintendent, Dr. Dan Steska, will be introduced formally to the public at the 6 o'clock meeting in the cafeteria at Central Junior High School.

Steska, superintendent at Arcadia Valley schools in Ironton and a former Perryville principal, was chosen last week to replace Dr. Dan Tallent, who will resign June 30.

Steska, to learn more about the district and its programs, will attend board meetings regularly until he takes office July 1.

And he'll get a lesson in building upkeep and construction while he's there.

The board is expected to hear a final report on naming Cape Girardeau's newest school building. The elementary school, under construction at Sprigg and Bertling streets, is still without a name.

Board members earlier had requested suggestions from the community and then asked an ad hoc committee to cull the names to a list of three.

In its report, to be presented tonight, the committee lists six names -- not three -- for the new building.

The names, not listed in any priority or ranking, are:

-- Margaret Reed Elementary, named after a former Cape Girardeau teacher who ended her career at Hawthorne School. She is now deceased.

-- Harry Truman Elementary School, named after the former president from Independence.

-- Red Oaks Elementary, named in honor of the trees native to this region.

-- River View Elementary, in honor of the Mississippi River.

-- Melvin Gateley Elementary, in honor of the former school administrator and current city councilman.

-- Mary Wilson Elementary, in honor of a long-term elementary teacher who taught at Washington School. She is now deceased.

The school board isn't expected to act on the report but will likely make its recommendation in January.

Cape Girardeau Board of Education

Monday, Dec. 21 at 6 p.m.

Central Junior High School Cafeteria

Agenda

Old business

Action items

-- Third reading and approval of board policies.

New business

-- Approval of consent agenda items.

Informational reports

-- Ad hoc committee reports

-- Program committee.

-- Finance committee.

-- Naming of new school committee.

Miscellaneous

Action items

-- Fund transfer.

-- Approve A+ goals for school year.

-- Approve bid for appraisal of May Greene and Washington elementary schools.

-- Approve appointment to Athletic Foundation Board.

Non-action items

-- Financial statement for November.

-- Health report for November.

-- Cafeteria report for November.

Closed session to consider;

-- Scholastic probation, expulsion or graduation of identifiable individuals.

-- Leasing, purchasing, or sale of real estate.

-- Hiring, firing, disciplining or promoting of particular employees.

-- Specifications for competitive bidding.