Following a legislative session comes the process of incorporating the new laws into school district policies.
The Jasper School District Board of Education reviewed the policy changes that will become part of school policies for the 2025-2026 school year. A synopsis of policy changes and additions were given to the board at its Thursday, May 22, meeting. The meeting time was changed from May 19 due to concerns over the weather forecast and other events conflicting with the regular monthly meeting time.
Superintendent Dr. Candra Brasel went over the policy list, skipping over most, but going into detail over others. Some of the significant areas of change involved the certified personels' and students' use of artificial intelligence and School Choice. School election policies were updated to try and clarify when a holdover term ends and to account for the ability to hold a millage election on odd years when the millage is not being changed, the movement of the preferential primary elections to all be in March and the movement of the school board member election to only in even years.
The board voted to extend a school board member's term from five to six years rather than reducing the term length to four years. Another policy change involves allowing public comments at board meetings. Persons wishing to address the board will have to sign a list prior to the start of the meeting. The board voted in favor to make the list available for signatures 15 minutes prior to the start of the meeting.
In other housekeeping matters, the board:
• Approved the Summer Feeding Program as was discussed last month
• Approved the expenditure of $17,159 for the purchase of the K-6 Benchmark Education Literacy Curriculum
• Approved reconfigure Kingston to a K-12 campus having one chief administrator for both the elementary and high school.
The board also approved several out-of-state trip requests including:
• Jasper and Kingston to the TriLakes Basketball Camp in Branson, Missouri, in June and July
• Jasper FFA going to an auctioneering workshop May 30 in Wilburton, Oklahoma
• Jasper Key Club to Branson, Missouri, June 14-15
• Jasper and Kingston FBLA going to the National Conference in Anaheim, California, June 29-July 2
• Kingston FCCLA to the National Convention in Orlando, Florida, July 5-9
Jasper, Kingston and Oark FFA to the National Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana, Oct. 27-Nov. 1.
